Following Jesus with Matthew

Trevor introduces our new sermon series 

During the spring and summer of 2024, we’ll return to the stories, teachings and example of Jesus, for a new sermon series that will focus on discipleship in the Gospel of Matthew.

The New Testament scholar Scot McKnight has provided a helpful summary of the first Gospel’s approach to this subject¹ . He begins by commenting that, ‘The keynote of Matthew’s view of discipleship is radical obedience to the teachings of Jesus, summarised at times with the term righteousness (5:17–20) and at others with love (22:37–40). Disciples, or adherents, are those who have radically conformed their lives to the teaching of Jesus. However, it must not be thought that Jesus expects perfection; indeed, in the pages of Matthew the disciples fail frequently. But a pattern is established in Matthew that has comforted countless followers of Jesus since then: failure is met by Jesus’ stern rebuke; Jesus’ rebuke gives way to instruction for future improvement; Jesus restores the repentant disciple (see 14:15–21).’

The importance of discipleship for Matthew is reflected in the famous ending of his Gospel, the ‘great commission’ to ‘go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you’ (28:19–20).

McKnight notes the following key characteristics of disciples in this Gospel:

1. Called by Jesus: In traditional Judaism, a rabbinical student would seek out a teacher and volunteer to sit under his authority. Jesus, however, sought out his own followers (4:18–22). Jesus offered challenging words to those who took a superficial view of following him (8:18–22 and 19:16–22), and expected his disciples to have a deep faith in Him as Messiah and in his capacity to bring about miracles (8:23–27; 9:27–30; 13:58; 15:28; 17:20–21).
2. Radically Committed: To be a follower of Jesus is to have a whole-hearted and total commitment to him. Disciples are expected to ‘seek first his kingdom and his righteousness’ (6:33). To follow Jesus requires sacrifice, with costs that can come in the form of rejection by others (10:21–22), a lack of social acceptance (10:24–25) and the loss of economic security and physical comforts (8:21–22 and 19:16–30).
3. Ethically Committed: A variety of commands and stories are used to describe the values which are expected of followers of Jesus: humility (16:24–27; 18:1–5); peacefulness (17:24–27; 22:15–22); honesty (5:33–37), resolute obedience (10:26–33) and perseverance (24:36–25:46). However, the two most important ethical concepts for Matthew are love and righteousness:
   1. Love: Jesus describes the perfection of God as being most fully seen in his willingness to show love to all, even enemies (5:43–48). This Gospel begins with the welcome of the Magi who worship the baby Jesus (2:1–12) and ends with a call to people from all nations to follow Jesus (28:16–20). Jesus speaks of love as the greatest demand of the law (22:37–40) and warns that God’s final judgement will be on the basis of whether or not we have been loving and merciful to those in need (25:31–46) and willing to forgive others (18:23–35).
   2. Righteousness: Jesus calls his followers to a level of ethical behaviour that goes beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees (5:20), one that is characterised not just by outward demeanour but also by internal attitudes. Disciples are called to live their whole lives in pursuit of this righteousness (6:33).
4. Recipients of God’s Promises: Jesus doesn’t just make demands of his followers in this Gospel. He also promises to physically provide for his disciples (6:33; 19:29) as well as offering rest for our weary souls (11:29) and a sense of his ongoing presence in our lives (28:20).

This description of discipleship is one that is uncompromising in its challenge, but also generous in the promise it offers of Jesus’ comfort and reward to those who give their all to follow Him. I pray that we’d discover the fullness of his call and the greatness of his love as we reflect together on Matthew’s record of his life and ministry. 

¹ Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 1988, pages 538 to 540