VERSE 15- "And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."

A. Bridegroom

1. Jesus

2. John 3:29

B. When Jesus was with them it was a time of rejoicing and happiness. A picture of a wedding when there would be extended celebration that would last 14 days. 

1. But when he would be taken from them there would be time for fasting. 

2. Jesus was alluding to his death.

A. See Luke 5:39

B. Verse 16

1. If one patched an old garment with new clothe it would shrink when washed and tear the garment worse.

C. Verse 17

1. New wine in old wine skins would swell during fermentation and cause them to burst.

 

A. TO BE SEEN OF MEN IS CONDEMNED.

1. LUKE 18:12

2. MATTHEW 6:16-18

1. FEAR OR MOURNING

a. ACTS 27:33

b MATTHEW 9:15

2. WHEN MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS

a. ACTS 13:2,3

b. ACTS 14:23

3. AS PART OF PRIVATE MEDITATIONS

a. ACTS 10:30

b. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:5

VERSE 18- "While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live."

A. "While he spoke these things"

1. about fasting

B. "My daughter is even now dead"

1. Original language suggests that she was dying.

2. "Point of death"

a. Mark 5:23

3. "She lay a dying"

a. Luke 8:42

INTRODUCTION

A. There is much that can be learned from a study of the circumstances surrounding the conversions of various people.

B. The account of one such conversion is found in Matthew 9:9-13 (Also Mark 2:14ff; Luke 5:27ff)

C. The conversion of Matthew the tax collector is rich with lessons about what happens when one decides to follow Jesus and about how the Lord calls disciples.
 
 

DISCUSSION

I. A Willing Follower (9-10)

A. Matthew was a tax collector, a position which was both lucrative and humble at the same time.

1. Roman authorities "farmed out" the job of tax collecting to Jews in certain regions.

2. As a result, fellow Jews hated them for being in a league with the Romans.

3. Further hatred resulted from the fact that the Jewish tax collectors often made profit by extracting more than was necessary.

B. Notice two things about Matthew which identify him as a willing follower of Jesus:

1. Luke's account tells us that "he left all, rose up, and followed Him" (Lu. 5:28)

a. He left a lucrative career to follow a homeless, travelling teacher.

b. Not blindly, however. He must have been acquainted with Jesus' teaching and miracles.

2. In v. 10, Matthew throws a "farewell feast" for his fellow tax collectors.

a. Certainly, an opportunity had presented itself to introduce them to Christ.

b. At the very least, he was leaving them with a clear picture of what he had now become. Many Christians try to follow Christ without a clearly defined break with their old surroundings.

C. The Rich Young Ruler.

1. Luke 18:18-23 "And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich."

2. Matthew 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

 

A. He met Matthew where he was--in the very exercise of his hated profession.

1. He had not yet given it up, but he would.

2. Many say they will follow Christ after they get their lives straightened out. But they never will until they resolve to truly follow Him.

B. He associated with Matthew and his fellow-sinners when others detested their presence in society.

1. He truly is "the Great Physician" (cf. v. 12)

2. This characteristic of the Savior has often been misused to justify keeping company with those of ill influence. However, His purpose is clearly stated.

C. What did Jesus see in Matthew? Perhaps:

1. A lost man who could be saved.

2. A dishonest man who could be made honest.

3. A hated man who could be loved.

4. An untold man, who could later tell others, through his written account, of the Christ who saved him.

5. A lost sheep whom Jesus loved.

a. Matthew 18:12 "How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?"

D. A great testimony of the power of the gospel to bring men together is seen in the unlikely combination of Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot as disciples of the Lord 

1. Luke 6:15 "Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,"

2. One had been part of the Roman hierarchy doing their bidding and collaborating with the enemies and the other was part of the rebel part dedicated to the violate overthrow of the Romans and their lackies.

3. Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

 

A. Naturally, the Pharisees were ready to criticize the Savior's failure to conform to their traditions.

1. Matthew 9:11-"And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 

B. Jesus answered them according to their own self-righteous standard, showing that they would have no use for Him, but the sin-sick tax collectors would!

1. Matthew 9:12,13- But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

2. Matthew 5:3 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

C. Earlier, a scribe had offered to follow Jesus, but apparently on his own terms. Christ had apparently rejected him, and called Matthew instead (8:19-20).

1. We can well imagine that these Pharisees thought the Lord's choice unwise!

2. Matthew 8:19,20- "And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."

D. We should be careful that we not develop the attitude of the Pharisees toward those on the outside, lest we find ourselves as the Pharisees--on the outside, yet unawares!

1. Had either Christ or Matthew regarded what they said, it might have turned out disastrous!

 

A. Truly, "the Lord does not see as man sees" (1 Sam. 16:7).

B. There is much to learn from the account of the calling of Levi the tax collector.

C. May we learn:

1. To follow wholly, with devotion, as Matthew did.

2. To look at ourselves the way Matthew and others like him did (Lu. 18:9-14)

3. To look at others the way Christ did, and does.

 

Copyright 1999 by Grady Scott may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.