Matthew-12 Disciples Study

At youth group we are and were learning about the 12 desciples, and I was able to talk about Matthew, take a read and see what Matthew is all about!

Before we get started in talking about Matthew, what are some things we may know about Matthew?

• A book in the bible-written by Matthew

• has a lot of descendants leading up to Jesus’s birth-family tree

• A book that showed that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament

• How Jesus makes disciples of every nation

• There’s a guy named Matthew who was a tax collector

• Known as Levi, Matthew is short for Mattathias “The Gift of God”

• lived in Capemaum

• collected from farmers, merchants, and caravans under the Roman Empire

• He was working for the Romans as a tax collector

• Tax collectors were known as greedy because they collected from citizens and travellers to pay themselves back

• He became a disciple of Jesus

Mark 2:13-17

13 Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him.14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.

15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees[b] saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?[c]”

17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

So we find out afew more things about Matthew such as Jesus found him by the lakeshore at his tax collector's booth as he was walking along. At the time Matthew was called Levi, Jesus without any question or hesitation asked Matthew to follow Him. I’m sure Matthew was thinking “hmm that’s odd He asked me to be a disciple, and yet I’ve been dishonest” But Matthew obeyed.

When Matthew invited Jesus and his new homeboys (disciples/friends) for a meal plus afew others he knew, the Pharisees were also there. I’m sure that was a fun time, Pharisees thought they were the bomb, the ones that were right about everything, ect. They didn’t like Jesus because Jesus told truth and they didn’t accept it because it didn’t line up, according to them. They spotted the group eating and what they go and do? they make fun of Jesus eating with Matthew because he was a tax collector. If Jesus was a black woman it be like something like oh no you didn’t (waves finger) But he’s not as we get back on track. He did certainly do something pretty close. Jesus told the Pharisees no, I want to and I will, you on the other hand need to check yourselves because they were sinners too that can be forgiven.

There was another dude in the bible named Zacchaeus who also was a tax collector like Matthew. Zacchaeus changed his ways and gave back money to the poor, he repented. When Matthew followed Jesus he quit tax collecting and started collecting souls for Christ. He was being a disciple, going out there and telling about Jesus to save the people. It’s almost like they were learning from one another-lead by example.

Even though Matthew had a sinful past of dishonesty Jesus chose him to be one of the 12. Jesus knew and saw he was able to keep records of things and was a keen observer of people. He also payed attention to detail, all those traits came in handy to help him write the book of Matthew. With all that i’m sure he payed close attention to Jesus and his group. I’m sure people found it odd why Jesus picked a tax collector and any of the disciples to follow Him.

It shows that Jesus doesn't pick the most perfect, richest, the most righteous like the pharisees or people of high class as much as people would think. I heard a saying on Shine one day that reminded me of the poster on the wall “Jesus chooses from the pit, not the pedestal.”

1 Corinthians 1:25-29

25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy[g] when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world,[h]things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

Psalms 139:13-16

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

   and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

   Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

   as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born.

   Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

   before a single day had passed.

Life Lesson:

God can use anyone to help him with His work despite appearance, lack of education, our past, who our friends and family are. So many people knit pick about on another because they’re family is this and that so I don’t want to be friends with them or why would God use them? They're not a super Christian like me. Whoa! God has a reason for everything and everyone, God looks at the heart of a each individual. Sometimes you as a person might distance yourself from people that have done you wrong or if someone is bad news-common sense does still exist and God’s discernment.

Back to Matthew God knew from the time Matthew was born he was going to go through life being rotten at times, and yet Jesus picked Him. Jesus knew the kind of person Matthew was and where he will be met, Jesus knew he could spread the word of God and win over people to Christ.