Subtitle: Expect Jesus to show up where you are. In fact, stop waiting and go out and meet Him.
Excerpt: Jesus calls believers to follow Him, challenging them to examine their lives and respond to His call.
Scripture
Our verse for today comes from Mark 2:14, “As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to Him, ‘Follow Me.’ So he arose and followed Him.”
Background
It was early in Jesus’ ministry, and He was still gathering what would become His twelve closest disciples. As He was walking around Galilee, He saw Levi, who also went by Matthew, sitting in his tax office. So Jesus goes in, and Matthew, instead of looking up and finding another citizen to make a buck off of, sees someone who has actually come to willingly give him something. There would not be any haranguing over how much to pay. Matthew wouldn’t hear the customary complaints of a fellow Jew selling out to the Romans. What he did hear was a call from Jesus to leave behind what he had spent his entire life doing. He heard the voice of One calling out for him to follow, not the voice of someone yelling at him to stay away. And Levi comes. He gets up and follows Jesus. Perhaps he already knew deep in his heart that he was chasing the wrong prize. Maybe he had had enough of lying, stealing, and mistreating. But whatever he was feeling, he listened to the convicting Spirit of a simple plea, and it changed his life forever.
Application
He had the financial resources and the backing of influential individuals. But Jesus showed up and spoke just what he needed to hear. And I wonder what Jesus would need to say to you if He showed up where you are. What would He say that would convict you of what has been weighing on your mind? Could He say to remember the great commandment? Are there things in your life that have pushed Him off the throne? Are you trying to please your Lord and satisfy yourself at the same time? Would He say to go and apologize? Is there someone that needs to hear from you? Is your worship suffering because of unsettled issues? Would He have to reintroduce Himself to you? Have you spent so little time with Him lately that the relationship is more like an acquaintance now? Whatever it would be, He’s coming to you to say what you need to hear. And it all points us back to following Him. So listen to what He says. Respond to what He says.
Charge
As we seek Him today, expect Jesus to show up where you are. In fact, stop waiting and go out and meet Him.
Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words
Distributed by – BCWorldview.org