An Encounter With Consequences Mt 9 9-13

7/29/2019 An Encounter With Consequences Mt 9 9-13

1/9

Septuagesimae 28 Jan 2012

Dr Lutz Ackermann (Friedenskirche, Hillbrow)

Jesus and the tax collector: a meeting with consequences

(Matthew 9:9-13)

Jesus left that place, and as he walked along, he saw a

tax collector, named Matthew, sitting in his office. He

said to him, "Follow me." Matthew got up and followed

him. While Jesus was having a meal in Matthew's

house, many tax collectors and other outcasts came and

joined Jesus and his disciples at the table. Some

Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, "Why does

your teacher eat with such people?" Jesus heard them

and answered, "People who are well do not need a

doctor, but only those who are sick. Go and find out

what is meant by the scripture that says: 'It is kindness

that I want, not animal sacrifices.' I have not come to

call respectable people, but outcasts."

(Mat 9:9-13)

Und da Jesus von dannen ging, sah er einen

Menschen am Zoll sitzen, der hie Matthus; und er

sprach zu ihm: Folge mir! Und er stand auf und folgte

ihm. Und es begab sich, da er zu Tische sa im Hause,

siehe, da kamen viele Zllner und Snder und saenzu Tische mit Jesu und seinen Jngern. Da das die

Phariser sahen, sprachen sie zu seinen Jngern:

Warum isset euer Meister mit den Zllnern und

Sndern? Da das Jesus hrte, sprach er zu ihnen: Die

Starken bedrfen des Arztes nicht, sondern die

Kranken. Gehet aber hin und lernet, was das sei: "Ich

2013 REV. DR LUTZ ACKERMANN FRIEDENSKIRCHE (CHURCHOF PEACE), HILLBROW


2/9

habe Wohlgefallen an Barmherzigkeit und nicht am

Opfer." Ich bin gekommen die Snder zur Bue zu

rufen, und nicht die Gerechten.

[prayer]

[30 sec silence]

Are you waiting for something? I bet you are. You are

waiting for me to start my sermon! Well, the good news

id: I have started my sermon already 30 seconds ago itsjust that I havent said anything so far

I greet you all in the name of Jesus. As we are looking at

this text this morning, of Jesus calling the tax collector

Matthew, thats the one big question that came to my

mind:

what are you waiting for?

It is a question I want to as the tax collector in our biblical

narrative. It is so short, everything goes so quick: Jesus,

came, said follow me and Matthew got up and followed.

Thats it. That is the core of the story, one verse. And this

is the question I want to ask that man: what are you

waiting for?

Lets step into that mans world for a moment. The Gospel

of Matthew calls him Mathew. Or rather, the Gospel of

Mathew is called the Gospel of Matthew mainly because

of this verse! We dont know, why the writer calls this

character Matthew, which was the name of one of the

twelve apostels but he does. I dont even know, why he

tells this story, but I know that this little encounter is



3/9

important. It is a meeting that has got major

consequences.

This story is so short that we have to listen very carefully,

not only to what we are told but equally to what we arenot told.

We are told, where Jesus came from we are not

told, where Matthew came from (pops up out of

nowhere).

We are told, what Jesus said to Matthew we are

not told what if anything at all Matthew said to

Jesus!

We are told, what motivates, what drives Jesus to

say and to do what he says and does (conversation

with the Pharisees, need, mercy) we are not told

what drives Matthew to do what he does (get up and

follow)

And the one thing that bugs me most: we are not

told, what Matthew is waiting for.

I want to grab him, take him aside and ask: Matthew,

what are you waiting for? I mean, what have you been

waiting for, all this time? What made this one day so

different from all the other days before, when you alsosat there; when you also collected taxes but when you

didnt get up? So many questions, and we dont know.

So lets try to step into his world for a moment. So I guess,

that day he got up like every other day. Was there

something special? We dont know. He went to work, as

usual. But wait a minute, why did he work as a tax



4/9

collector in the first place? We dont know. I mean, who

wants to be a tax collector? As collaborators with the

empire, they werent very popular. Maybe he just did it,

because even his father and his grandfather had been taxcollectors and he didnt know anything else to do. We

dont know. Maybe it doesnt matter. What does matter is

that on that morning something was different. Something

special happened.

And I get the funny feeling, this is what Matthew has been

waiting for. Hes been waiting for this, day by day. Hes

been waiting for this all his life. I mean, just imagine: herecomes someone, says follow me and there he goes.

Matthew gets up and follows. Thats it. Now that man is

ready. No debate, no hesitation. He gets up, he goes, he

follows.

This tells me the story about a man who is ready. He

hears that one word follow and that is what he does.

This is his chance. This is what hes been waiting for.

Maybe he didnt know. Maybe he would never have

imagined that one day he would get up and go. But this

is his chance. A second one might never come, who

knows? I dont know. Mathew didnt know. All he knew is

that he had to get up, there and then and go; and follow.

And so, this morning, I am asking myself: what is hewaiting for, there, sitting there at the toll office? , I am

asking Matthew: what are you waiting for? What is it that

you have been waiting for all your life? And all of a

sudden that question turns back, and I am asking myself:

what is it that I am waiting for? And I am asking you:

what is it that you are waiting for?



5/9

I am asking this question, Matthew, because you were

ready. I can see that, because it took only one word

follow - and you got up and you did it. So I can see, you

were ready and I am asking: what are you waiting for? Imean, if you are ready to get up today, what were you

waiting for yesterday? Why didnt you get up yesterday?

Were you waiting for something specialto happen? Were

you waiting for someone special to come and say these

words to you: Follow me

Follow me: that means, walk with me. Walk the same way

that I walk, walk behind me on that path. Follow myteaching, live the sort of life I live. And Jesus had told

people what kind of life that was; it was a narrow and

difficult path. So yes, when he said to Matthew follow

me and when he says to you and to me follow me its a

challenge. But Matthew was ready for that challenge.

Maybe this is, what he had been waiting for. Maybe he

had been playing with that thought before. We dontknow. All we are told is that on that day he gets up and

follows. He is ready. Are you? Are we? Ready to get up

and follow today?

But have you noticed, his answer is not one of many

words. In fact, the gospel narration doesnt even report a

single word from his mouth. Surely he must have said

something or maybe not? We dont know? All it says is

he got up and did it. He followed Jesus. And that is what

counts, that is what really matters.

It would have been pretty useless, had he got up to read a

nicely worded press release and then done nothing

about it. He got up, it says, and followed him. Next we see



6/9

him in his house; his friends, his colleagues are there, and

with him is Jesus. This encounter is one that turns his life

around, one that has got consequences.

His answer to the challenge may not be one of manywords but one of actions, of deeds. Jesus says to him

follow me and that is what Matthew does. And that is

what counts. Getting up, following him: that is his

response, his answer. There is no need for pious

declarations.

Maybe not everyone was happy about this. Maybe theother tax collectors laughed at him or sneered at him.

Maybe thats why Matthew invited them, maybe he was

thinking if only they can meet Jesus they will

understand. They will see clearer why I did what I did.

Maybe thats what Matthew thought, we dont know.

Maybe he was even able to convince some of his

colleagues to also follow Jesus in the end we dont

know.

But one thing we do know: the Pharisees didnt like what

was happening there. If Jesus calls people to be his

disciples, to follow him, that was ok. But notpeople like

that.

But you know, Jesus does it: he does call people like

that to follow. And Matthew does it: he does get up and

follow. They dont ask what do others say or do or even

think about it. They just do it. The way is narrow, not

many will follow it. But thats ok, Mathew, as long as you

follow!



7/9

And then something else happens. When the Pharisees

launch their complaint, they talk about tax collectors and

sinners and how they are really so sick. And Jesus says:

exactly. They are sick, so they need healing. They needthe doctor thats me. Here is another healing story

but unlike in many other ones you cannot physically

watch the healing taking place. We wouldnt even notice it

if Jesus didnt make this comment about himself being

like a doctor to these people.

The healing thats going on is an inward one: the healing

of a person, Mathew; the healing of a community. Andthis healing does not come to Mathew and his friends out

of the thin air. This healing is a direct consequence of his

encounter with Jesus. Jesus says: follow me. Mathew gets

up, follows. That is where his healing begins, where he is

restored to be a human being of dignity. And immediately

this healing flows from him into his community, to his

friends who so desperately need it.

And now I am asking you again, what are you waiting for?

Are you like that tax collector, sitting at his tax office day

in and day out, waiting for something to happening in

your life. Are you waiting to hear that voice follow me?

Well, the good news is: in Holy Baptism God in Jesus has

already called us. He has called you and he has called me:

follow me. So what are we waiting for? What are you

waiting for?

Maybe there is something you know you need to do. What

are you waiting for?

Maybe follow me for you means to forgive

someone what are you waiting for?



8/9

Maybe follow me for you means to get out of an

abusive relationship what are you waiting for?

Maybe follow me for you means to leave some

unethical conduct behind you what are you waiting

for?

Maybe follow me for you means to be more

diligent in prayer or more regular in church

attendance what are you waiting for?

Maybe follow me for you means you need to give

up some worries and anxieties and put more trust in

God, day by day. What are you waiting for?

Whatever these words of Jesus mean to you: follow

me, the important thing is to get up and do it. Jesus

doesnt need long prayers, he doesnt need pious

declarations of intentions. All he needs is people who

get up and do it. Do whatever he calls them to do.

So if there is one thing in your life that Jesus is calling

you to do, if there is something and you realize, Ive

been waiting and waiting, but now I am ready, I will do

it: if that is the case, as you come up to the altar to

bring your offering, I challenge you, dont just bringmoney. Bring yourself (mercy, not animal sacrifice).

Bring that one decision that you have made today. You

can say a short prayer, you dont need many words.

You could pray: Jesus, I will do it. And if that is too

much, you dont even have to say a word. As long as

you do it like Mathew, get up and follow, you can just



9/9

walk out of that church door and do whatever you need

to do. There is no need to wait any longer, because

what are you waiting for, anyway.

And if you do that, let me assure you, you are steppingright into the healing presence of our Lord. The

moment you admit that you are one of these people

who are broken, who are sick, these people who need a

doctor he is there for you! The doctor and physician

of our souls who has come to do exactly that: to call

and to heal those who need him. To call you and me.

My prayer for all of us is that when we hear him call:

follow me we will get up and follow.

Amen.

Sieh nicht was andere tun,

der andern sind so viel.

Du kommst nur in ein Spiel,

das nimmermehr wird ruhn.

Geh einfach Gottes Pfad,

lass nichts sonst Fhrer sein,

so gehst du recht und grad

und gingst du ganz allein.

Morgenstern Christian

(1871 1914)


Documents

An Encounter With Consequences Mt 9 9-13