Real Job Satisfaction

If there were no wars, the gas prices were lower, and everyone had a satisfying job then you would join me in giving joyfully thanks to the Lord. But we realize that this isn’t the case. America is in a war.  Gas prices aren’t where we want them.  And a recent poll found that 50% of Americans are less than satisfied with their jobs (pewresearch.org). Last year it was estimated that the dissatisfied workforce cost companies $1.9 trillion in lost productivity. Dissatisfaction spills over into other areas of life like health problems, addictions, and broken relationships. Perhaps this is a day when we ought to pray for God’s mercy on our lives!!

Matthew was a man who received God’s mercy. The Bible doesn’t really tell us whether or not Matthew was a happy tax collector, but it does appear that he was ready to leave his job to follow Jesus. How about you?  Would you give up your job to follow Jesus?  Well, don’t worry, you can follow Jesus at your job, at the gym, in the classroom, where you live and go hang out. You see, following Jesus, who loves sinners, is our real satisfying job. Let Matthew encourage you to

Follow Jesus to Real Satisfaction

Giving Relief from Heartache

The fishing and trading business in Capernaum was booming. The Roman Empire taxed imports and exports, axles, wheels, animals, roads, and highways. They charged tolls to cross bridges and dock boats, fees for various licenses and permits, and agricultural taxes demanded one tenth of all grain and one fifth of all wine and fruit. The Roman tax collectors could freely gather those taxes, and also grant favors to those who padded their pockets. So the Jews detested paying taxes and longed for the glory days of David and Solomon, and grudgingly obeyed Caesar. And then their own Jews like Matthew served as local tax collecting deputies for the Roman government. “What a traitor!” was the thought of many.

You can bet Matthew put his tax collecting booth near the Sea of Galilee’s fishing docks. Fishermen coming in with their catch and traders taking off with their goods kept Matthew plenty busy collecting taxes. This ended up being a great location for Matthew for another reason. There was this Prophet from Nazareth who often visited the shores of Galilee. Crowds gathered around to listen to him and bring friends or family members to be healed. During breaks in collecting taxes and getting an ear full from disgruntled Jews, Matthew would have a chance to look and listen to Jesus. What he saw and heard from Jesus changed his life.

 There was something about Jesus….

“⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting in the tax collector’s booth. He said to him, “Follow me.”

You see, the Pharisees all looked on Matthew with contempt. Even if he tried to visit the local synagogue they’d sneer at him and exclude him from their religion. No doubt Matthew gradually felt further and further separated from God. That didn’t seem to bother Jesus. Jesus was not harsh and judgmental like other religious people. It’s not that Jesus was soft on sin. He condemned it. But he also got involved with it, and didn’t preach from a soapbox. Jesus came near to the outcast, the shamed and sinners like Matthew as their helper – even their friend. So here, far away from the synagogue, Matthew found mercy in Jesus. He heard Jesus speak parables about the lost being found. He watched Jesus heal those who didn’t understand religion or even who Jesus was, and couldn’t give him anything in return. Matthew even knew, or at least heard of, a few Galilean fishermen named Simon, Andrew, James, and John who had left their boats and nets to follow Jesus. Perhaps this Jesus could give Matthew relief from his Job Heartache!!?

Maybe you so someone you know is like Matthew and needs some help because of past sins or a present lifestyle pestering your life? Maybe it’s the person who climbs into our church playground to sleep?  Maybe it’s someone who doesn’t think God will give them a chance? Maybe it’s you? Maybe it’s someone who comes to this church wondering if anybody will notice their need for mercy? Maybe it’s the person sitting next to you, or your sister or your son? Bring Jesus, the friend of sinners, and give them relief from heartache! It’s your job. When they receive mercy and follow Jesus I guarantee you that they won’t be the only one fulfilled. Let’s Follow Jesus to Real Satisfaction!  Then we can have

Fulfillment in Christ

According to the survey I was talking about earlier people experience job misery when they feel invisible or anonymous, so they can’t love their job no matter what it pays. People need to have a sense of being understood and recognized. The Bible tells us, “[Jesus] saw a man named Matthew sitting in the tax collector’s booth.” Jesus saw … Matthew. Jesus took notice of him, not as a tax collector named Matthew but as Matthew who happened to be a tax collector. To Jesus Matthew was a person, a sinner, a soul, an individual to be understood and forgiven. “Follow me,” Jesus said. “And Matthew got up and followed him.” No matter who you are, Jesus knows you, understands you, calls you, and empowers you.

Did Matthew find job satisfaction following Jesus? Just refer to his gospel where he highlights the mercy of the God who sought him out on the shores of Galilee. Some of the most hope-filled stories in the Gospels about the grace of God to undeserving sinners are recorded only in Matthew’s gospel, such as the parables of the hidden treasure and pearl of great price, the unmerciful servant and the words of Jesus,

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Not a single word that Matthew spoke is recorded in his gospel or in any other book of the Bible, but the words that he wrote are some of Jesus’ most powerful, most widely read books ever written. In Christ Jesus, Matthew found mercy, meaning, job satisfaction, and Fulfillment! Whatever your vocation [career], or what you are doing with your life right now, remember that it is part of a higher, holier, and happier calling of following Jesus. 

To celebrate his new career of following Jesus, Matthew threw a celebration dinner.

“¹⁰ As Jesus was reclining at the table in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were actually there too, eating with Jesus and his disciples.”

The religious leaders in Capernaum were astonished that Jesus would attend.

“ ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 

In their eyes, tax collectors simply didn’t measure up spiritually, and therefore they shouldn’t have mattered to a rabbi like Jesus, especially since he claimed to be the Son of God. Why would God be interested in people who don’t live morally pure lives? Jesus scolded them,

¹² When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “The healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. ¹³ Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ In fact, I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.“

Comparing ourselves to others is so dangerous. We don’t usually get jealous of people who can do things we can’t do. But, if someone is doing something we can do better than we can do it our inner insecurities become threatened, we get jealous, and then we get defensive by dismissing others with unfair judgments. We fill our ego with self-righteous praise for ourselves while looking down on others. We admire our sacrifice, that is, our keeping of religious traditions and everything we do for God, all the while forgetting mercy, compassion to others, repentance, and forgiveness for their sins and ours. Jesus redirects us,

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick … For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

That statement of Jesus isn’t meant only to straighten us out, but to save us, because we are the sick sinners. However, according to his own words, if there’s anything you’ll find in Jesus it is fulfillment. You don’t need to have it all together for Jesus to call your name. But in Jesus, what you do have, will take on real meaning. You have unique gifts and personality, and Jesus has a use for you in his kingdom.

We do have many reasons to give thanks to the Lord for his blessings on our country.  Let us also give thanks for our employment. One survey revealed that 4 of the top 10 most gratifying jobs included pastors, firefighters, nurses and therapists. The common denominator in these jobs is caring for people. Since that’s the case, Jesus must really love his job because he cares about you and me and all sinners. Better yet, he calls us to serve him by caring for others.  So if there is war, that means you have a country.  If you pay high gas prices, that means you have a car to drive.  If you are dissatisfied with work, that means you have a job.  So the next time someone asks you, “What do you do?” and you think about replying, “I’m an accountant,” or “I’m a financial rep,” maybe you could say to that person, “I’m a Satisfied Follower of Jesus.” Amen.