The Disciples: Matthew (Levi) & Thomas (the doubter)

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector, one of the most despised jobs for a Jew to have, for they were working for the Romans. When Jesus called him to ‘Follow Me’, he didn’t hesitate. In fact, he threw a party and invited his friends to meet Jesus, which upset the religious leaders. Matthew followed Jesus with his full heart and was even the author of the Gospel of Matthew. He was martyred near the city of Nabadar in Ethiopia.

Thomas, also known as Dydimus, was probably the emotional one of the disciples. At one time, he rallied the other disciples to follow Jesus to go back to Judea to see Lazarus. The people there had just tried to stone Jesus, and he said “Let us go back and die with him.” Yet after Jesus’s resurrection, he wanted proof that Jesus was alive, to actually touch His scars. Once he saw Jesus for himself, his doubt and fears disappeared, and he went on to spread the Gospel to India, where he was martyred by a group of Hindu priests for converting their followers.

Denying what we want to do and doing what Jesus wants us to do requires sacrifice. And it is a process for most of us. These men saw Jesus face to face, experienced His miracles, and saw Him ascend to heaven. But their love for Him drove them to give their all for Him. We need to do the same.

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