Genuine Conversion – Luke 5:27-29

The modern church must understand that there’s no difference between a Christian and a disciple of Jesus. To be a Christian means you are a follower of Jesus Christ. In this text, Jesus called Matthew out to Matthew and told the tax collector to follow him. Matthew’s response is what genuine conversion looks like, he became a true Christian, a disciple of Christ. Today we will go over the first part of genuine conversion which is God’s role. While many Christians claim a genuine conversion but it is the substance or the origin of your conversion that is the determining factor of authenticity. Many conversions might look similar but time will tell who is the source of their salvation, whether it is in themselves or from God above.

In this passage we have two main characters, Jesus and Matthew the tax collector. In Jesus’ time, the tax collector occupation was a good way to get rich but socially the tax collectors were looked at poorly and despised because of their crooked and treasonous methods. They were viewed as monsters, traitors and sub-human, the worst of criminals (Luke 18:11). According to the Jews, if anyone should burn in hell, it would be the tax collectors. This is how Matthew was perceived. Jesus, knowing this, directly approached this vile tax collector called him. By the calling of Jesus, Matthew was converted. He had a willing response to the gospel call, repented of his sins and followed Christ.

There is no perfect conversion, as in at conversion, no one stops sinning forever. Christians still sin and are lying if they don’t admit it. (1 John 1:8-10). Christians sin, in fact, they cannot not sin because no one is perfect on this side of glory. But should they sin? No! 2 Timothy 3:5 True Christians pursue sanctification. There is a power of godliness in a Christians life that is visible and evident. Sanctification is not only an increasing of holiness but also an increasing homesickness for Christ in heaven (Colossians 3:1-2) In contrast, a false conversion is like a dog returning to it’s vomit. There are countless examples of people who confess at different revival meetings. They are saved but eventually end up lost again. Saved and lost, repeating this cycle over and over again. This is a conversion based on man’s determination and emotions. True conversion doesn’t start with you. It’s not started with your feelings or your thoughts.

True conversion starts with the Lord. As we see in Luke 5:27, after declaring his authority to forgive sin and curing the paralytic, Jesus intentionally initiates his next encounter. He turns to the scum of society, to Matthew the tax collector. After claiming to be God who can forgive, can Jesus save this sinner of sinners? Is Jesus the prophesied Messiah and Son of Man? Daniel 7:13-14 Jesus cared and searched for Matthew when no one else did. (Matthew 18:12). There was nothing about Matthew that drew Christ’s attention other than that he was a worst case scenario, seemingly unredeemable and unforgivable. We are no different from Matthew. No one cared for us but Jesus Christ alone. It is an important reminder that salvation begins with God, with His seeking us out. 

The verse says Jesus ‘noticed’ Mathew. The Greek word means contemplating and interested in. Jesus was purposefully visiting Matthew. We must realize, Jesus didn’t just notice Matthew in this moment, but from the beginning, before the world began He was seeking to save Matthew (Ephesians 1:4). From eternity past, Jesus noticed this single tax collector (Luke 4:26-27). When God chooses, His choosing is perfect, His election never ends in failure. There are no draft busts in Christianity where the result is different then what God expects. A true conversion never results in a bust but true sanctification. There might be struggles in the Christian life and there might be failures but sin will not have the final say. The final say is in Matthew 25:23 ‘Well done good and faithful slave’. These are the words that await every truly converted follower of our Lord.

This means there is hope for even the lowest, the worst of the worst. Tax collector’s were not meant for the kingdom of heaven (Luke 18:11, 1 Corinthians 6:9). Yet, God creates something out of nothing. Such blessed hope for all of us. This proves that salvation is completely God’s grace. Matthew had nothing good in himself, but he was saved by a miracle which is God’s grace. God’s grace is not boring or cheap but joyful and wonderful because by it we are saved (Eph 2:8-10). Grace sounds gentle but it’s actually the full force of God. Grace starts with God’s full justice followed by His unending love. It’s His omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence and every other attribute of His divine nature. According to people’s judgement, Matthew was for sure going to hell. It was God’s wonderful wisdom to save the tax collector (1 Cor 1:18-11). He saves the small, the unknown and the unlikely. These are the ones God uses in His wisdom for His kingdom.

Jesus very clearly and directly commands Matthew to follow Him. The grammar of the word ‘follow’ implies both now and continually. Following the right person is a matter of life and death. Jesus says ‘Follow Me’. There are many people who believe somewhat correctly but act wrongly. ‘Follow me’ requires the correct belief and the correct action otherwise while claiming to follow Jesus you are following someone else on the wrong road (Luke 13:23-24). Following involves becoming a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19). Jesus’ passion is for saving the lost as seen in this encounter with Matthew. Following Jesus means we must have the same passion. Following Jesus is also denying self and going through suffering (Matthew 16:24 ). Even though there is suffering, following Jesus means full satisfaction. King David knew what it meant to follow the Lord (Psalm 23). In the case of Matthew, he was wealthy yet he was not satisfied. That changed after following Christ. As demonstrated by the tax collector, true conversion leaves visible marks in the life of the believer.