TREASURY OF SERMONS
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The Call of Matthew
By Rev (Dr) Timothy Tow
(Preached at Life BPC, 10.30 am service, 3 June 2001)
Text: Matt 9:9
We are all familiar with the call of the
brothers, Peter and Andrew, and James and John, fishermen on the Sea
of Galilee, and how they straightaway left their nets and followed
Jesus.
In the case of Matthew, he was a tax collector.
As a tax collector his place of work was Capernaum, Jesus’ hometown.
Merchants coming across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum and those
that came from Damascus along the coastal road through Capernaum
paid their taxes here.
As Matthew sat at the Government’s Customs House
he had seen Jesus many a time preaching to the crowds in and around
Capernaum. He had believed that Jesus was the Son of God. He had
also considered giving up his secure Government job to enter into
the ministry. In today’s language he would go into full-time
service.
The Lord sees through our thoughts and
deliberations. He saw from Matthew’s earnest demeanour that he was
now ready, so He called him. Matthew says of himself, "And he arose
and followed him." Luke adds more specifically, "And he left all,
rose up, and followed him" (Lk 5:28).
In the next verse Luke further tells us
Matthew’s other name, viz., Levi. "And Levi made him a great feast
in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of
others that sat down with them" (Lk 5:29).
Matthew is quite different from Zacchaeus,
another tax collector. Zacchaeus is one who had extorted those under
his power and amassed ill-gotten gains. He therefore confessed his
sins to the Lord, "The half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I
have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him
fourfold" (Lk 19:8).
Matthew, apparently was an honest Government
servant. He could unashamedly invite his fellow tax collectors and
friends to a feast in honour of Jesus and to testify why he was
quitting a good job to serve the Lord. When I repented from going to
London to study law, and my father realised it was the hand of God,
he gave me his blessings. He announced it to the whole Church and
even to his outside friends. The principal of the Chinese Girls
School, who was a Christian, felt sorry for me! But I maintained my
cheerfulness, following the Lord. The same principal met me after I
had completed my studies in America. She now sincerely congratulated
me. What Matthew did was right. Whether friend or foe liked it or
not, it was a testifying of God’s mighty working to them.
Why did Jesus call Matthew? As each disciple had
a particular gift, so he was sought. Matthew, being a Government
servant had the gift to write, apart from preparing clear accounts.
So, he became the author of the Gospel of Matthew. The Gospel of
Matthew was the first Gospel written, between 60 and 66AD, while
Paul and Peter were founding the church at Rome.
Matthew had remained in Jerusalem for 15 years
and then he became a missionary to the Persians. Tradition tells us
he died a martyr’s death in Ethiopia.
The call of Matthew in today’s serial sermon
falls in line with the commissioning of Chan Pui Meng, Life Church
medical missionary to Maasai land in Kenya, under the aegis of New
Life Bible-Presbyterian Church, Dr Patrick Tan. She has come in for
such a time as this when their Mission badly needs a nurse to run a
clinic. Pui Meng has for years felt the call to become a medical
missionary. Having recently served as a tent-maker in Laos, she is
ready to go to Kenya.
If educational and administrative missionaries
are needed in the field, all the more the medical. All the apostles
were given power to heal the sick and cleanse the lepers, raise the
dead and cast out devils (Matt 10:8). We who follow in their train
can do the same by conventional means. The advance in medicine is a
gift from God to mankind. Charismatics who try to usurp the
Apostles’ powers are deceiving themselves.
Medical missions have been mightily blessed of
God. The English Presbyterian Mission to Swatow, my hometown in
South China, founded a medical school which gave a five years
training course. One to benefit from such training was my father.
The good influence of the Hospital and Medical School was spread way
beyond my city. Many thousands believed through the healing given to
the sick. As a nurse, Chan Pui Meng will add to the total Gospel
effort to Kenya.
We are living in the last days before our
Saviour’s return. Jesus says, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall
be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and
then shall the end come" (Matt 24:14). We call this accelerated
missions. From the Third World Korea’s missionary efforts are at the
forefront. There are 8,000 of them serving in 120 countries.
While Life Church has 20 missionaries to the
ASEAN countries, plus Saipan with Kenya newly added to the list, we
can do more for the Lord while He tarries. Who will be the next? "I
can hear my Saviour calling, calling."
We are not taking those who think lightly of
missions, but "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his
life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake
shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of
his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man
according to his works" (Matt 16:24-27).
Those of us who cannot go can pray, and as we
pray the Lord will convict our purse to pay. In preparing to build
the New Beulah House, our efforts for missions must not be
curtailed, but rather be increased, as the call comes. "The silver
is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts" (Haggai
2:8).
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