FOLLOWING JESUS=LIKE MATTHEW

FOLLOWING JESUS=LIKE MATTHEW


Today=we HONOR Saint Matthew=
One of the first FOLLOWERS
And an APOSTLE of Christ


Matthew is a TAX COLLECTOR
And he is called
Out as such=as he is
BEFRIENDED BY Christ


“As Jesus went on
From there=He saw a man
Named Matthew


Sitting at
The tax collector's booth


'FOLLOW ME' he told him
And Matthew got up
And followed him” Matthew 9:9-10


How about us? Jesus is telling us
To get up and FOLLOW HIM too=
Are we going
To do it?


Are we going to MAKE
The Lord a PRIORITY in our life?
Are we going=
To follow Jesus with
OUR VERY LIVES?


FOLLOWING JESUS=just like Matthew


“Surely your goodness and love
WILL FOLLOW ME
All the days
Of my life


And I will dwell
In the HOUSE
Of the Lord-forever” Psalm 23:6


“Then Jesus said
To his disciples=
'Whoever wants to be
My disciple=must deny themselves


And take up their cross
And FOLLOW ME'” Matthew 16:24


MOST of us will NEVER
Have to GIVE OURSELVES to God
Like the GREAT Saint Matthew


He spent years with Jesus=
He WROTE the first GOSPEL
And he died a MARTYR'S DEATH


And Jesus had to
TAKE SHOTS from the Pharisees
For being with his friends=
Tax collectors and sinners


“While Jesus
Was having dinner
At Matthew's house


MANY tax collectors and sinners
Came and ate with him
And his disciples


When the Pharisees saw this
They asked his disciples=
'Why does your TEACHER
EAT with tax collectors
And sinners?'” Matthew 9:10-11


And it was the sinners
Who NEEDED him most
JUST LIKE US


WILL we make room
In our lives=for JESUS=
Like Matthew did?
Will we be
DEVOTED to him
Like Matthew?


Will we FOLLOW HIM=
Like the great Saint Matthew?


“FOLLOW God's example-therefore-
As dearly loved children
And WALK in the way
OF LOVE


Just as Christ loved us
And gave himself up for us
As a fragrant offering
And sacrifice to God” Ephesians 5:1-2


For Matthew=Jesus' name=
Was MERCY=for us too
May we FOLLOW MATTHEW
And the Golden Rule


As we follow JESUS TOO


In the name of Jesus=and our forever LEADING AND LOVING FATHER


Robert P. Wallman
9-20-19




Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Miguel Dulick