Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew Intro

 

Long long ago in a galaxy far far way we went through the gospel of John.

It differs significantly from the other three gospels.

The gospel of John tells us things the other gospels don’t.

Studying the gospel of John was and is always a blessing because it so clearly presents the divinity of Jesus.

It is the gospel I recommend to new believers, because knowing who Jesus is, the Son of God, God in the flesh is so important to our faith.

If Jesus is not God, then our salvation is resting upon just a good man.

Jesus is God, and that fact is crucial to the work of salvation being complete and trustworthy.

Today we begin the gospel of Matthew.

We want to get the background for the book, answer those *who what why where and when* questions that are so important to set a right context.

It is not my intent to bore you with historical details and a list of facts, but we must have this information to proceed through the book.

The gospel of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are often referred to as the *synoptic gospels*.

Synoptic is a five dollar word that means they are *similar in their account* of the life and ministry of Jesus.

However, each of them has things that set them apart from each other.

All Scripture is God breathed, and God has specific purposes for each of the Gospels.

First and foremose,  The Gospels were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for to get  the gospel message out to the World.

There are a number of things that set Matthew’s gospel apart from the Mark and Luke.

Answering those five questions will point some of these things out.

Once we do this, we will have a good background for context and will be more lined up with the purpose of the Holy Spirit in having it recorded for us.

*The first question is Who* wrote this gospel.

There are some who do not believe it was written by Matthew the apostle.

I am not one of them.

I believe it was written by one of the twelve apostles hand picked by Jesus whose name was Matthew.

He is also referred to by the name of Levi in other gospels.

We know his occupation.

HE was a tax collector when Jesus called him.

Fittingly, some observe that this gospel has more to say about money than the others.

I have found it interesting that God often uses things in our lives, even things we did prior to coming to know Jesus, for HIs purposes.

On Wednesday night as we began the series on the English Bible, Mr. Connoly made the comment that Paul was a passionate in his pursuit of persecuting the early church, but that God did not eliminate that passion once Paul came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior, but rather redirected it.

It is not uncommon to find someone either ministering to others in a particular occupational field or using skills or talents they had acquired in a particular field in some ministry.

Consider all those who have musical abilities and vocal talents who have turned them over to serve the body of Christ.

Perhaps you have found that to be true in your life.

God uses what you do or the way you do something to either share the gospel or to minister to others in some way.

However, what Matthew did for a living was not exactly something that was held in high regard.

Tax collectors were not your favorite house guests for a typical Jewish person.

Come to think of it, they may not be in our society either.

The tax collectors in Matthew’s were divided into two basic groups by the Jews.

Those who collected the general tax of Rome were called the */gabbai/*/ / and those who extracted the more localized taxes from those who traveled and engaged in commerce were the */mohksa/*/.

/These /mohksa /were most often Jews who made their living collecting Roman taxes.

IN order to support themselves, they were allowed to collect more than the tax required, but there was very little regulation as to how much more.

They were looked down upon by other Jews for two reasons.

They saw them as puppets of the Roman oppressors, and they were very often greedy regarding the amount above the required tax they collected.

All the Romans wanted was their share, whatever was extracted beyond that was of little concern to them.

It is quite possible that Matthew did well financially in this occupation, which would have made him even more despised.

In Luke’s gospel he throws a banquet for the Lord.

Poor people didn’t throw banquets for many people.

HE apparently had a home large enough to accommodate one and the means to serve up the meal.

One other thing to consider about Matthew’s occupation.

Some accounts say these */mohksa/* even taxed fishermen for their catch.

Noting the occupation of several of the other apostles, and noting their particular temperament, a couple of them referred to as the sons of thunder, the day Matthew was called to join the group and follow Jesus, there might have been a raised eyebrow or two.

So I think we can safely say that Matthew was not Mr. Popular amongst your everyday Jewish folk, especially fishermen.

We know some other things about this man.

According to Mark’s Gospel, he was the son of Alphaeus.

Why is that significant?

If this is the same Alphaeus as noted as being the father of another apostle, James, that would make Matthew his brother .

This James should not to be confused with James the brother of John who was the first to be martyred by Herod.

This James is often referred to as James the less, apparently small in stature compared to the other James, once again, who along with John was one of the sons of thunder.

Many believe this James son of Alphaeus was the James who eventually wrote the epistle by that same name and became the ranking overseer of the church in  Jerusalem.

Also, some make the connection that James the Less was a close relative of Jesus.

If that is the case, it would make Matthew kin as well.

We can’t be dogmatic in that, but it is interesting to make note of it.

It shows that Jesus chose a real mixed bag of guys, some family guys, some stinky fishermen guys, a tax collector, a skeptic, and even a traitor.

Some are amazed by this, but it is just the way of Jesus.

You see, He came to save us from our sins.

He is still choosing a really mixed bag of people.

Go ahead, just look around the room.

Just in our little church there is tremendous diversification.

I see doctors, engineers, ex drug addicts, ex alchoholics, contstruction people, clerical people, business people, bus drivers, real estate people, public servants, tall people, short people, big people small people, and people of a wide variety of ethnical backgrounds.

The further out you move into the greater Body of Christ, the more diverse it gets.

The only reason any one will not be saved is not because Jesus will reject them, but because they will not come to Him and be saved.

There is something else that is noteworthy about this man Matthew.

In all four gospels there is no record of one single word he spoke.

HE was not one of the so clalled super apostles, not one of the well known apostles, such as Peter, Andrew, James, John, Judas Iscariot, or even sort of known like Philip and Thomas.

He was one of the lesser known like Bartholemew, Thadeus, and the other Simon.

I think it is significant to note what Matthew *did for a living*, the *attitude people* may have had towards him, and his apparent lack of being in the limelight.

Even though he was not Mr Popularity among the Jews, even though he did not have much written about him and there is no record of him saying anything at all in the Gospels, it is his name that is attached to the first book of the NT in the most published book of all time.

Also, in the early days of the church, some say it was this gospel that was referred to more than any other.

Also, Countless people down through the ages have read his account of the life of Jesus, and countless scholars have dissected it and critiqued it.

Add to all that a number only God can know of those who have come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior by reading Matthew’s gospel.

NO small blessing to be sure.

Not only is Jesus the Savior for all, but any who come to Him may be used in ways beyond  their wildest imagination.

If you ever feel like you are a nobody, or if you don’t fit in with the in crowd, or the really cool people, whatever that means, or if you have some job that is looked down upon, or is regarded as a lowly profession, or if your life is lived in the back ground of others, the only thing that really matters is who is Jesus to you?

Is He your Lord and Savior?

Did He call you once to follow Him and you did?

IF so, never be discouraged by your low place, your nowhere job, your lack of fame or fortune.

Just follow the Lord, serve Him.

By using Matthew in these ways, God reminds us that there is no pre qualification to becoming a follower of Jesus.

All we need do is follow Him when He calls us.

That is what is recorded about Matthew, Jesus said “follow me” and that is what he did.

God also used him to let us know that God is not a respecter of persons.

HE can and does use any of us in ways far greater than we can ever imagine.

Even one such as a lowly and disdained /mohksa/ was used by God and blessed by God more than he could have ever imagined….When we read this gospel and consider who God used to write it we ought to again marvel at the love and grace of God and exclaim…..*O the depth of the riches that are ours in Christ!*

And if ever not being mr or mrs popular, or Joe successful begins to get you down, just open your bible to the NT and read the very first name you come to.

It will jump out at you, it is right at the top of the first page and is often in bold print *“Matthew”.

Read that name *and be encouraged.

Just serve the Lord wherever you are, be available to HIm and God can do great things in you and through you.

The *second “who*” question is to whom was the letter written.

Most feel *Luke’s gospel* was written for a *Greek* audience.

*Mark’s* gospel was for a *Roman* audience.

*John’s* was written for a *world* audience.