Who Will Speak?

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” (Matthew 9:37 ESV)

My sweet husband had the opportunity to preach from the pulpit in place of our pastor over Labor Day weekend. By God’s grace, he was able to prepare and deliver the message the Lord put on his heart with confidence and peace. Since our church has been promoting Billy Graham’s “My Hope America” and discussing what it looks like to be a “Matthew” in our community; Ryan challenged us with a sermon based on this concept entitled “Who Will Speak.” 

Matthew was a former tax collector and called by Jesus to be one of his twelve disciples. Tax collectors did not have the best reputation back in the day. They were notorious for taking more than required of people and pocketing the extra money for themselves. Understand the shock of those watching when Jesus asked Matthew to be in his inner circle. Matthew 9:9 tells us, “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him.” 

So -no questions asked- Matthew left what he knew of his former life and began his journey as one of the apostles. What he did next is my favorite part: He invited Jesus and other “tax collectors and sinners” to his home and prepared a feast. 

That is what the “Matthew” challenge is all about. Inviting people into your home (or taking them to lunch, praying for them, encouraging them to walk worthy in the faith, etc.) and sharing the Good News with those who may not yet be changed by the life changing message of Jesus. 

This is not a new concept. In fact, this is one of main reasons we exist on planet earth. Those who have trusted Christ as Savior and Lord are CALLED in Matthew 28 to “go and make disciples.” This is not an “if” statement. It is not if or when we feel like it or if or when we’ve mastered our testimony or if or when we get up the nerve. It is simply: Go. 

Because if we don’t… then who will? 

I’ve been trying to process and apply that thought (among other things) for the last several weeks and have wondered, do we not actively ‘go and tell’ or have people ‘come and see’ because we are the Matthew sitting at the tax booth instead of the Matthew sitting at the table with King Jesus?

We are a broken, selfish, idol-worshipping (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest anyone?) culture that must be constantly reminded of why the Good News is such great news for us: Jesus “came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

If we waited until we were sinless to share the gospel then we’d never be able to go… spotless perfection ain’t gonna happen this side of heaven. But we are clothed in Jesus’ righteousness and that is what qualifies us. Ryan graciously reminded us of that on Sunday: Jesus does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called.

As Believers, we are called to challenge others with His message but we must be changed by it first. We can’t make disciples until we become disciples. We can’t “shine light” until we are equipped by the Holy Spirit just like the disciples were in Acts 1:8. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Just as it was for the Twelve, our witness is nothing without the power of the Holy Spirit within us. 

Without that power as our motive and guiding force, I’ve noticed that it is far too easy for 1.) our hearts to be hardened by cynicism for 2.) our focus to be about acquiring more (or bigger and better) stuff or for 3.) the object of our affection to be someone we follow on Instagram. 

In order to be effective witnesses, Jesus must be in His rightful place on the throne of our lives so WHEN WE DO go and tell others about Jesus, they will encounter Matthew the disciple instead of Matthew the tax collector.

Jesus is the One who will bring about the harvest. Our job is simply: Go.