I read Matthew 9, which includes the call of Matthew, the tax collector, the same day I received an email from a fellow in ministry. As usual, he reported on one of his speaking engagements, including the number of men who indicated they wanted to receive Christ. I’ve been in such a meeting with this man, who afterward in a newsletter reported on our event and said that eight men wanted to follow Jesus. Eight! I was one of the people in charge of the event, and I don’t know who those eight men were. No one does. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus didn’t seem to operate that way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, \u201cFollow me.\u201d And he rose and followed him. (Matthew 9.9, ESV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I’ve already written about the call of Matthew<\/a>, especially the way it’s presented in The Chosen<\/a>. Peter was aghast that Jesus called Matthew. “This is different!” he told Jesus. To which Jesus responded, “Get used to different.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n What struck me this time was that when Jesus invited Matthew to join him, he was entering into a relationship with him. He would be rubbing shoulders with a despised tax collector. Just as he was rubbing shoulders with ordinary fishermen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back to the public speaker in paragraph one. I’m well aware that traveling speakers (I am one sometimes) can’t have a personal relationship with everyone in their audience. But, surely when someone allegedly makes a profession of faith, we can do something to connect them with someone local who can have a relationship <\/em>with them. Someone local who will also make sure they have a growing relationship <\/em>with Jesus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I don’t believe we can disciple people en masse any more than we can teach someone to play the piano by taking them to concerts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15.12 – 15, ESV)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I read Matthew 9, which includes the call of Matthew, the tax collector, the same day I received an email from a fellow in ministry. As usual, he reported on one of his speaking engagements, including the number of men who indicated they wanted to receive Christ. I’ve been in such a meeting with this … Continue reading Relationships, not just decisions<\/span>