“Follow
Me”
Text:
Matthew 9:9-13 (Ephesians 4:7-16; Ezekiel 2:8-3:11)
12
years ago this day, no one (except a handful of terrorists) woke up on that
beautiful, crisp morning expecting jets to be used as bombs, almost 3,000
people to lose their lives, two iconic buildings to be reduced to a great pile
of rubble, and a third to be badly damaged. By the end of the day the world had
changed.
So
it was also for a man named Levi. When he awoke that morning, he went to his
tax office, like usual; he saw the same faces, like usual; and he began
collecting taxes, like usual. But by the end of the day, his world had changed
for him. Because not a terrorist, but a Saviour, came
crashing into his life. That day, Levi became Matthew, and a tax collector
became an apostle and evangelist. Because Jesus came to him and said, “Follow
Me.”
That’s
what the firefighters and rescue personnel said that day 12 years ago also. Follow me. In
response to the disaster, these people did what they had been trained to do and
sent to do. They rushed into the burning buildings and found the people in
danger, the people in smoke-filled rooms, the people disoriented by what had
just happened, and said: follow me.
Many of those first responders didn’t make it. But they saved a good many
people that day as well, and were hailed as heroes.
Jesus,
however, was not hailed as a hero by the Pharisees. Quite the opposite - He was
criticized. The Son of God was sent into this world burning with sin, but the
Pharisees didn’t rejoice in Him, but instead wondered: Why does your teacher eat with
tax collectors and sinners? The answer, as you heard, was: Those
who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Or,
we could say: those who are not trapped in burning and collapsing buildings
have no need of a firefighter to rescue them, but those who are do. And
those who are are filled with joy when they are found
and hear those wonderful words: follow me.
And so Matthew’s joy when Jesus found him that day. Until this time he knew only of taking. Of a government taking
taxes, and of his taking taxes from
the people. And for doing his job he was disliked at best, and ostracized at
worst. As a tax collector, he was lumped together with the great and obvious
sinners of the world and considered no better than they. The tax collectors and sinners, they sneered at him. How would that
make you feel? Maybe you know. Maybe you’ve been sneered at and rejected like
that.
But
Jesus says no such thing. The one who came to rescue does what He is sent to
do. And He doesn’t take, He gives. Freely.
In Matthew’s taking world, he wasn’t used to that! But how
wonderful it was. Jesus giving honor and love. Jesus giving forgiveness not criticism. Jesus
building up and not tearing down. And for this Jesus would lose His
life, the sin and death of our burning world collapsing down on Him. But even
in this Jesus is giving, for this was no accident or unforeseen event. Jesus
came to give His life for us. To lay down His life for us.
To trade places with us, that He be captive and we be free. That
you be free.
Which
is why the Pharisees weren’t rejoicing - they thought they were free. They didn’t
realize they too were caught in a burning building on the verge of collapse and
in need of rescue. And if you don’t know that, then when a firefighter shows up
on your floor or at your door and says “follow me,” you look at him like he’s
crazy. And so they looked at Jesus in that way - the crazy man who hangs out
with tax collectors and sinners.
That’s
why God sent prophets like Ezekiel, to speak to the people the danger they
were in, the danger of their sin and idolatry, and to point them to their rescue.
That’s why God gave the apostles and evangelists like
Matthew, to go into all the world and not only proclaim this truth, but also
proclaim the Saviour who has come to rescue us, and
to write it for all the generations to come. And it’s why our Lord still today
gives shepherds (or pastors) and teachers - that you know too.
And that Matthew’s joy be your joy, and Matthew’s
rescue be your rescue.
For
that’s what Jesus was sent to do. To go everyplace and rescue
everyone. And so He goes to the manger - to be one with us beginning
even in infancy. He goes to Jews and Gentiles, men and women. He goes to tax
collectors and sinners. He goes to lepers and outcasts. He goes to the Temple,
to synagogues, and to houses. And finally He goes to cross and grave and hell.
And on the third day, He came out of the rubble alive. With the promise that all who belong to Him, all who are baptized,
all who believe in Him, will do the same. No matter how great
the rubble of your life. No matter how great the sin.
No matter how hopeless things may seem. He did it, He promised, and so you can
be sure.
And
then there’s one more thing: He ascended into heaven. That’s for you too. For
you know what Jesus is doing there? Eating with tax collectors and sinners!
For heaven is populated entirely by forgiven sinners, the
sick who have received the healing medicine of forgiveness. So there’s a
seat for you and me. Just as we come to our Lord’s Table now in Holy Communion,
so He will seat us at His Table forever in the feast that has no end.
The
tragedies that occurred twelve years ago left a scar on our country and on many
people. The cross left scars on Jesus too. Those piles of rubble that were a
result of that day have since been cleaned up, and gleaming new and repaired
buildings raised. Jesus was resurrected too - glorious forever. For while we cannot be sure that another 9-11 will not
happen, we can be sure that Jesus’ death will not happen again. For
Jesus defeated sin, defeated death, defeated the grave, and defeated the foe -
and is victorious and glorious forever. And in Him, that’s for us too. For
Ezekiel, for Paul, for Matthew, and for you.
And
so Matthew rose and followed Him. So will you and I, on the last day, when
Jesus comes again in all His glory and with all His angels. The trumpet will
sound, we will arise alive from the rubble of death and the grave, and follow
Him . . . to heaven.
In
the Name of the Father and of the (+) Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.