The Penn's Grove record., 1923-07-27
LESSON FOR JULY 29
MATTHEW, THE PUBLICAN

LESSON FOR JULY 29
MATTHEW, THE PUBLICAN
LESSON TEXT = Matthew 1913;
Luke 5:27-32.
GOLDEN TEXT came not to call
the righteous but sinners to repent
ance."-Ma thew 5:32.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Mark 2:
1922.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Matthew Invites
jesus to His Home.
JUNIOR TOPIC-What Jesus Did for
Matthew.
INTEL MEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IG-Ma thew Overcomes a Handicap.
YOU G PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Mathew. a Study Ct Conversion.
l.. y no Matthew Was.
o. Matthew little is known, even
his birth place is concealed. Our first
sight of him is seated at the toll booth
collecting axes. The tax gatherer
was hated by the loyal Jews because
he collected taxes for the alien gov
eminent under whose yoke they were
calling. This hate was the more bit
ter because of the extortion usually
Practiced by those in rule. From the
meager accounts we find that Matthew
was:
1. A Man of Decision. We do no,
know whether he had ever seen OF
heard of Jesus before this time. but
we note that he at once arose and
followed Jesus. Without doubt, there
were many things to concern him. Ii
was no little task to break of from
very lucrative.
2. He Was a Humble Man. III
chapter 10, verse 3, the order in which
he gives his w name and the fact
that he d~esignateS himself Il 'puJ-
lican" would show that he did no
overestimate himself.
8. He Possessed Force of Character.
This is shown in the fact that he gave
a feast ano invited his friends in to
see and hear his Lord.
He had two lanes. Levi, which
means %'attached' or ".io'ned." and
Matthew, which means gift of Je-
hovah." Most likely Matthew was
the name assumed after his CONVEX
sion.
II. Matthew's Call or Conversion
(Math. 90.
1. AS Jesus Passed BY, He Saw a
Man" He saw the possibilities which
were in Matthew. He saw through
the hated profession of a tax gatherer
the shining possibilities of his man
hood and ap0stleShip. He saw in him
the man fit to perceive and portray
the Messiahship of the Redeemer. The
divine grace was revealed in this call.
Jesus sees what is in man regardless
of name or profession.
2. Matthew's Response ". 81. He
acted with decision and promptneSs !;
he left his business behind him. When
Jesus said, Follow Me-" Matthew
perceived that greater than man had
spoken to him. May we yield our
selves unto Him and render such sim
pie obedience that our actions may be
but the echoes of the divine voice in
commanding. Two things in Mat
thew's compliance prove the genuine
ness of his conversion:
/. He Left All" duke 5:2S). Real
conversion always results in the for
saking of all that is contrary to Jesus,
! such as illegitimate business. wicked
associates and worldly pleasures, etc.
2. Followed Jesus" Following
Jesus means the commitment of ones
life to Him for full salvation. aban
donment of the will to Him to do
Whatsoever He wills. and Il wiling
ness to suffer, and ever die, if need be,
Tor Him.
III. Matthew Made a Great Feas:
nuke 5:29-32). This feast was made
in honor of his neWly-found Savior.
His conversion was so real that h..
wanted his friends to become ac-
quainted with his Savior. He was
not ashamed to confess his Lord be
fore them. He showed real tact in
making a supper. Men will come to
a feast much more readily than they
viii to Il sermon. \ great company
of sinners came. who doubtless had
been Matthew's companions in sin.
He now desired them TO become his
brothers in Christ. The Scribes ana
pharisees We're astoniShed that Jesus
would appear in company with such
a motley crowd of disreputable per-
sons, They were too cOwardly to
speak to Jesus but they came to the
disciples. Jesus championed their
| cause and battled His adverSarieS.
His reasoning was unanswerable. y
physicians place is among the sick.
Only those who are diseased should
come to the doctors house. Since
spiritual matters are of more imncY-
tance than physical, Jesus was more
than justified in being in the center
of those who were l orally sick that
He might heal them of their maladieS.
He came to call sinners t. repentance.
Our Conscience.