馬太——一位安靜的門徒
馬太福音九章9至12節
9耶穌從那裡往前走，看見一個人名叫馬太，坐在稅關上，就對他說：“你跟從我來。”他就起來，跟從了耶穌。
10耶穌在屋裡坐席的時候，有好些稅吏和罪人來，與耶穌和他的門徒一同坐席。
11法利賽人看見，就對耶穌的門徒說：“你們的先生為甚麼和稅吏並罪人一同吃飯呢？”
12耶穌聽見，就說：“康健的人用不著醫生，有病的人才用得著。
信息分享
經文記載耶穌看見一個人坐在稅關上。耶穌總是在留意周圍的人，祂能夠看見那個人一旦順從祂，生命就能完全改變。馬太正好代表我們這些在世上寂寂無聞、服侍基督的普通人。
聖經沒有記載馬太四出傳福音，雖然他一定有這樣作。五旬節那天，他與其他門徒一同被聖靈充滿。使徒行傳第一章的使徒名單中，我們也看見他的名字；不過，他似乎總是默默工作，沒有成為眾人的焦點。
基督在迦百農呼召他的那天，只對他說了一句簡單的話：「你跟從我來。」就兩個字。我們常常以為，當神呼召我們去事奉，一定會用一些戲劇性的事件或不尋常的異象。
誠然，有些信徒確實會領受特殊的呼召；但更常見的，是我們在心中聽見基督微小的呼喚，認定這是祂要我們走的路。
馬太即時作出回應。他離開稅關，放棄他的收入、生意，跟從了基督。其他作漁夫的門徒，還可以有機會重操舊業，但馬太放棄他的工作後，便再不能吃回頭草了。
這是一個一生的委身；自他起來跟從基督之後，他便一直跟從到底，直至主接他回天家。
反思：我們是否全心全意地委身基督和祂的事工呢？
MATTHEW, THE QUIET DISCIPLE
Matthew 9: 9-12
9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
Message
The record says Jesus saw a man. He always does and sees the possibilities in that life if it is yielded to him. Matthew may represent for us the great crowd of ordinary people who serve Christ unknown to the world.
There is no record of Matthew preaching although he must have done so. On the day of Pentecost he was filled with the Spirit as were all the other apostles. He is listed among the apostles in Acts 1 but he seems to have kept in the background always.
It was a simple call which Christ gave that day in Capernaum – “Follow me”, only two words. We sometimes think that any call to service has to be dramatic or some unusual vision.
A few believers may receive their call that way. But usually it is the quiet voice of Christ in the heart, a conviction that this is the way He wants us to go.
Matthew's response was immediate. He left his desk, his income, his business and followed Christ. The other disciples could go back to their fishing, but Matthew could never have returned to his tax office.
It was a life-long commitment from the moment he stood up to follow Christ until the Lord called him Home.
A QUESTION - How complete is our commitment to Christ and His service?