A huge block of marble was hauled to Florence at enormous cost, and a famous sculptor dismissed it at a glance: too many flaws, nothing will come of it. That story opens a reflection on a man everyone had written off, Matthew the tax collector, a traitor and a cheat, whom Jesus approached with the words “Follow me” (Matthew 9). The sermon shows why a long list of rules and religious respectability could do nothing for him, while one invitation changed everything. Listen, and ask whose eyes you are using when you look at people, and at yourself.
Inviting the Uninvited
Like Jesus
When children are young, they learn by observing the behavior of adults. Teenagers have their own idols whom they admire and try to emulate. Even adults seek out role models who inspire them and whose views they follow. However, in this world where everyone follows someone, Jesus’ invitation remains as relevant as ever: “Follow Me and imitate Me.”
This is a call to something more than simply admiring His teaching, drawing inspiration from His views, or even recognizing Him as a moral authority. Following Jesus transforms our entire lives. It means that we choose to be with Jesus, to become like Jesus, and to do what Jesus does.
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9 sermons
