We all love being invited to something special, don’t we?
Weddings, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries…
There’s something powerful about being invited—it makes you feel seen, valued,
included, wanted.
(Story of my wedding… I remember when we were planning our wedding—we invited many
people… and interestingly, some people invited themselves! They wanted to be there
because of the connection they had with us, and our calling)
We often respond to an invitation because of the relationship we have with the
person who invited us.
(I’m here because of my relationship with Ps Marcio…Perhaps you are here today because
someone invited you. You might be unsure about this whole church thing, but you came
anyway… maybe you heard there will be food afterwards.)
Ireland is highly relational.
People like to be together, to visit each other, to do things in community. It’s not just
about what you know… but who you know… or if you know someone, who knows
someone, who knows someone…
The truth is, Christianity is also highly relational. That’s why we gather together
every week, sometimes more than once. Throughout scripture we see Christians coming together to learn, to eat, to share, to celebrate, to remember…. Is not about
who you are, but WHO YOU KNOW. Unfortunately, this reality is misunderstood in
Ireland.
Many people think Christianity is about roles and regulations:
- Do this
- Don’t do that
- Try harder
- Be better
It is very easy to lose sight of the relational nature of the Christian faith.
And the driving force behind Christianity is not a list of regulations…
But a relationship with a living Saviour.
And this relationship can change completely our mindset.
Jesus can help us to know:
- How to relate to God
- How to think about God
- How to approach God
God is not mad at us, but that He is mad about us.
God loves us; He wants us to know him; He invites us to His presence.
Through Jesus, we have direct access to the Heavenly Father
(Our relationship with God is restored)
Jesus invites us to experience an intimate, relational relationship with God
throughout the Gospels we see this invitation, simply and clearly:
FOLLOW ME
MAIN TEXT: Luke 5:27-28
Short Context of the book and story.
(a detailed, orderly historical account written by a Gentile physician and companion of Paul,
aimed at showing Jesus as the Saviour for all humanity, particularly the poor, women, and
outcasts. Written by Luke, a Gentile, for a largely Greek-speaking audience (addressed to
“Theophilus”) to provide certainty regarding Jesus’ life. Luke 5 highlights the initiation of
Jesus’s ministry, featuring the calling of his first disciples (Peter, James, John, and Levi)
after a miraculous catch of fish.)
JESUS’ INVITATION TO MATTHEW
- 27-28 “Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax
booth. ‘Follow me,’ Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed
him.”
Who was Levi (Matthew)?
- Levi was likely his Hebrew name
- Matthew (“Gift of Yahweh”) likely after conversion (I will use this Christian
name)
Tax collectors—background
Jewish tax collectors were the undisputed scum of the earth:
- Called publicans
- Most hated group among the Jews
- Worked for Rome (oppressors)
- Collected taxes AND added their own fees
- Known for stealing from their own people
- Excluded from religious life
They were called:
“Licensed robbers”
- Jesus finds Matthew sitting at a tax booth—stealing from his own people.
A social outcast.
- Imagine the scene:
The other disciples are watching…
They may have been thinking:
- “Not him…”
- “He’s a traitor…”
Matthew was not an obvious invite. (perhaps you can think the same. Why was I invited?)
And Jesus walks up to him and says…
“Follow me.”
Not:
- “How could you?”
- “You should be ashamed”
- “Who do you think you are?”
But he simply say:
“Follow me.”
This invitation was significant
Jesus was a Rabbi.
This was not a casual invitation. This was: “Come, be with me. Walk with me. Become like me.”
MATTHEW’S RESPONSE
- 28 “He got up… left everything… and followed him.”
- There were many things Matthew could have done, but the decided to take this one
simple step.
Jesus didn’t make his invitation conditional:
- fix your life…
- stop doing this…
- start doing that…
No. It was just, come as you are and “Follow me.”
(It’s possible…and many scholars argue….that at this stage Matthew, like many others, have
heard about Jesus. His teachings, His miracles. Matthew knew that Jesus was someone
special…. And He never thought that Jesus would come and invite him…. But the fact is,
Matthew was ready. Perhaps you are here today and you know something about Jesus,
you’ve heard enough about him….and you are now wondering, would Jesus invite me?)
MATTHEW’S BANQUET
- 29 “Then Matthew held a great banquet for Jesus at his house…”
Matthew throws a party.
Invites his friends. Other tax collectors. Sinners. Outsiders.
KEY OBSERVATION
People who were nothing like Jesus… liked Jesus.
- Jesus was comfortable with them
- They were comfortable with Him
And the religious leaders are shocked.
THE PHARISEES
v.30 “but the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect
complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and
sinners?””
Who were the Pharisees?
- Religious leaders
- Experts in the law
- Highly respected
- Focused on outward obedience
But:
- Legalistic
- Judgmental
- Focused on behaviour over heart
Their mindset
“Change, follow the rules… then you can join us.”
- The Pharisees simply COULDN’T GET IT….
[Why doesn’t he eat with us? He’s a rabbi. We are teachers of the law. Why would he spend
time with those who are nothing like him? Why do those who are nothing like him, like him,
and not us?]
JESUS’ RESPONSE
- 31,32 “Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’”
Jesus’ message
- He came for sinners
- He came for the broken
- He came for those who know they need Him
o So they could respond in repentance (change their ways)
- The Pharisees wanted outward change before they would offer public association…
- JESUS wants public association before you are changed.
Come as you are, follow me and this will change your life!
THE GREAT BANQUET (Luke 14:15–24)
In Luke 14 Jesus tells a parable, a made up story with a deep meaning….a story
about a man who prepared a banquet and invited many guests…
But when the time came for the banquet, those who were invited began to make
excuses:
- “I bought a field…”
- “I bought an oxen…”
- “I just got married…”
And they didn’t go to the celebration.
They had valid excuses
Not bad things…
But those things became more important than the invitation they had received.
They were:
- Too busy
- Too distracted
- Too focused on life
And they missed the invitation
The host is shocked, and angry.
Because the invitation was valuable…
But they treated it as optional.
(imagine how Ps Marcio would have felt if no one showed up today?)
So the story continues…..and the master said to his servants:
“Go out quickly… bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…”
And then:
“Go out to the roads… and compel them to come in…”
Now, the invitation is extended to someone else.
- The “expected” people said no
- The outsiders were invited in
In Luke 5, Jesus invites Matthew—an outsider.
In Luke 14, Jesus describes a banquet where outsiders are welcomed in.
Here’s the truth:
Jesus is inviting people into relationship with Him.
But many who are “expected” to come (the religious, the perfect)… Don’t.
They are:
- Too busy; Too distracted; Too comfortable
And so the invitation goes further…
To people who never expected to be invited.
People like Matthew. People like you and me.
Jesus invitation is simple, clear: Follow Me
THREE TRUTHS ABOUT JESUS’ INVITATION
- Being far from Jesus does not disqualify you—it’s a pre-requisite
- Jesus invited sinners, outcastes, not the religious.
- You don’t have to have it all figured out….come as you are
- You might be far, or very close….the invitation is for proximity
- Being an unbeliever does not disqualify you
- The first followers struggled with belief (until after the resurrection)
- Some doubted (Thomas)
Yet Jesus still said: “Follow me.”
- Being invited is the beginning of a journey
- Journey of transformation and restoration
- It’s a daily walk
- It means that Jesus sees you, he wants you….he is inviting you.
- He is inviting you to Relationship….a long lasting one
o Jesus went to Matthew’s house
o Shared a meal
o Built relationship
This relationship will change us from the inside out.
(You can begin a relationship with a local body of Jesus followers before you begin a
relationship with him.)
BELONG BEFORE YOU BELIEVE.
MAIN QUESTION
- // Are you FOLLOWING? (what are your excuses for not to?)
- Too busy. It’s not for me. I’m not perfect…
- It’s Not about What do I know? or
- How long have I been a Christian? or
- How do you behave
But: Am I following Jesus, today, actively?
CONCLUSION
Matthew had no idea what God had in store:
- He didn’t know he would write a Gospel
- He didn’t know his story would impact generations
And you don’t know either…
But you don’t want to miss it.
- 1 Corinthians 1:26–29 – God chooses the weak and ordinary.
He has chosen YOU. He is Inviting YOU.
Today, the invitation still stands:
- “Follow me” (Luke 5)
- “Come, everything is ready” (Luke 14)
So the question remains: Are you FOLLOWING?
Because the invitation has been given…
How will you respond?