Matthew

How a Tax Collector Found Something Money Couldn’t Buy

By Rob Riesmeyer, Elder

Most people have a mental picture of Jesus' first followers—simple fishermen, maybe a few dreamers, good people just waiting for a bigger purpose. But then there’s Matthew.

Matthew wasn’t looking for God. He wasn’t sitting on a hillside listening to sermons. He was sitting behind a tax booth.

In his world, that made him a sellout.Someone who worked for the enemy.Someone who made a living by squeezing money from his people to fund the Roman Empire, likely taking extra on the side to line his pockets.

It’s easy to hate a man like that. Most people did.

But then one day, someone approached him whom he didn’t expect: Not a Roman official. Not a customer.Not a person shouting insults.

Jesus.

And with two words, Jesus changed Matthew’s life forever:

"Follow Me."

Matthew’s Life Before Jesus:

Let’s be honest—Matthew had it made on paper. He had a job. He had money. He had protection from the Roman authorities.

But what he didn’t have was peace.

The people he lived among hated him. The religious crowd wanted nothing to do with him. The empire he served didn’t respect him—they just used him.

On the inside, Matthew was likely worn out. Tired of pretending he didn’t care.Tired of counting coins and wondering why he still felt so empty.Tired of living a life that bought him everything he wanted—except the one thing he needed: belonging.

Sound familiar? It should. Because a lot of people today live the same story.

Maybe it’s not a tax booth. Perhaps it’s an office, a job you hate but need, a hustle you built but secretly resent. Maybe it’s just that feeling that something is missing despite how busy or "successful" you look.

Matthew lived with that feeling daily until Jesus stepped into his story.

Why Matthew Dropped Everything.

When Jesus said, "Follow Me," He didn’t ask Matthew to clean up his act first. He didn’t list the reasons Matthew didn’t deserve a second chance. He didn’t require an application, a résumé, or a spiritual background check.

He just invited him as he was. Right there.

That’s important because many people think you must get your life together before God wants anything to do with you.

Matthew’s story says the opposite.

Jesus didn’t wait for Matthew to fix his mistakes. He met him right in the middle of them. When Matthew got up and left his booth behind, he wasn’t just walking away from a career—he was slowly walking away from the life that had been killing him from the inside out.

The same offer is on the table today—not just for tax collectors, not just for church folks, not just for the "good enough."

For all of us.

What Matthew Found.

Matthew didn’t trade his job for religion. He didn’t swap a tax booth for a stone temple. He found something bigger: A relationship.

He found a real connection. Real belonging.Real purpose.

And eventually, he found his voice. The tax collector everyone thought was too far gone became the man who wrote one of the most famous accounts of Jesus' life—the Gospel of Matthew.

The man nobody trusted was trusted with the story that has changed millions of lives.

If that doesn't say something about how far grace can reach, I don’t know what does.

What Matthew’s Story Means For Us

Here’s the truth: You don't have to be "religious" to need what Jesus offers. You don’t have to check the right boxes. You don’t have to pretend you're someone you're not.

You must be willing to get up from wherever you’re sitting right now—whatever booth you’ve built, whatever grind you’re stuck in, whatever chains you’re carrying—and follow.

Matthew’s story isn’t just an ancient moment tucked away in history. It’s a living invitation.

And it’s for you.

Right here.Right now.

"Follow Me."

The exact words are being spoken over your life. The only question is: Will you answer?

If you feel like you’ve gone too far or messed up too much, remember this: Matthew was sitting behind a tax booth the day Grace found him. And he never looked back.

Maybe today is your day too.