back to childrens bible stories

Jesus Chooses Matthew
Mark 2:13-17, Matthew 9:9-13, Luke 5:27-32

no coloring page for this story right now

In another story, we learned how the Lord Jesus healed a man who suffered from a disease called palsy, and how the people who had seen this miracle were amazed, and glorified God.

After this happened, Jesus went out and as he was going by the sea side, many people came to him and he taught them.  And as he passed by, he saw a man named Matthew, sitting at the place in the street where taxes were received, because he was a tax collector..  this man was also known as Levi, who was the son of Alphaeus.  When Jesus saw the man, he said to him "Follow me." And Matthew got up and followed Jesus.

And after that, Jesus went to dinner with Matthew, who had made him a great feast in his own house, and many tax collectors and people who were sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples because they followed Jesus.  And when the Pharisees saw that, they said to the disciples "Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when Jesus heard that, he said to them "They that are whole do not need a doctor, but only those that are sick.  I am not here to call those that are righteous, but I am here to call sinners to repentance.

_____________________________________________

Memory Verse:  Luke 5:32 "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (King James Version)

Questions:
1  What was Matthew doing when Jesus called him?
2  What did Jesus say to Matthew?  What did Matthew do right away?
3  Who was also sitting with Jesus and his disciples at the house of Matthew?
4  What did the Pharisees say to the disciples when they saw Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners?
5  What did Jesus say to the Pharisees?
6  Do you think that the Pharisees were sinners too?  why?
7.  What do you think that everyone needs to do?

Answers:
1 sitting at the place in the street where taxes were paid, because he was a tax collector.
2 Jesus said "Follow me!"  Matthew got up right away and followed Jesus and then he made a great feast for Jesus at his house.
3 other tax collectors and people who were sinners.
4 They asked why Jesus ate and drank with sinners.
5  Jesus told them that he did not come to call righteous people to repentance, but those people who were sinners.
6.  Yes they were sinners because everyone who is born is a sinner. (that means people do the things they are not supposed to do or they don't do things they know they are supposed to do)
7.  Everyone needs to believe what the bible says, that everyone is a sinner.  They need to thank the Lord Jesus for dying on the cross for them, and they need to ask Jesus to be their Saviour. 

Vicki Gross/April'05