The Gospel According to Matthew
Matthew 8: 1-4
Introduction: So Jesus has finished His sermon and as He comes off the mountain He is followed by a couple people? No it says large crowds followed Him. This is also a response to what they have heard. I have been to lots of women's retreats, marriage seminars, campmeeting seminars etc. and when the speaker is great and especially when they have presented something that is new and different and relevant, people gather around them wanting to talk with the speaker. It has happened to me a couple of times and it is interesting, what different individuals ask or want to talk about. Some approach with words of appreciation and affirmation. Some approach with words of correction. Still others come with problems they think you can solve and some just seem to need a connection, someone to hear them. As we read this next chapter let us remember that this is the reaction, the response to what they have heard. Why is that important. Why does it matter? Let us read, study and I think the answer will be clear.
READ: Matthew 8: 1-4
Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy
8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy[a]came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
READ it again in several different versions...
So Jesus comes down from the mountainside and a large crowd followed him. Now this next part is interesting.
Who approached Him?
Would this be normal?
If you had leprosy, did you approach anyone? Did you hang out in crowds?
So imagine this. The man with leprosy must have heard the sermon. He must have been there hiding, trying to get a glimpse and hear a word from this man. After hearing Him, he had enough faith and confidence that he was willing to not only approach Jesus, but to approach Jesus who was surrounded by a crowd.
I know it says the large crowd followed Him. I am sure it was not just a crowd of people following behind him at a distance. After an amazing speaker has presented something and people go up to talk to them... it is never a just follow behind at a respectable distance. You loose site of the speaker who becomes surrounded. I am sure Jesus was engulfed in the crowd. So for the man with leprosy to come to Jesus he had to work his way through a crowd. This must have been terrifying for all. It especially must have been difficult for the diseased man. It must have been humiliating.
Do you desire healing from Jesus so desperately that you are willing to go through whatever it takes to get to Jesus?
For you today, what is the crowd?
What is standing between you and Jesus?
Between you and healing so profound it completely changes your life?
After getting through all the barriers, the leper falls down and worships Jesus. His need was so great, it took so much to just get to Jesus, and the first thing he does is to fall down, to prostrate himself in front of Jesus and worship him. He first worships Him.
How many times do we first worship. Or how many times do we want those around us, and those attending church to first get clean, then worship.
First he acknowledges Jesus as someone worthy of worship, falls at His feet, in a position of humility, of surrender, and then asks for healing.
The leper was confident that Jesus could heal him, the question was would he want to.
Why did he say, "... if you are willing..." Was this some theological statement, or was it a man who had been rejected over and over. After all just approaching Jesus, he was breaking the law.
Jesus responds how?
While the man is still diseased.
While he is still unclean.
Jesus reaches out and touches the sick man.
Why is this significant?
To the crowd watching, the same crowd that this leper had to navigate through to get to Jesus, once Jesus touches the unclean what does that make Jesus?
Yet the crowd has just heard Him over and over turning their world upside down in the sermon, so they must have been watching with intent interest and fear.
What does this miracle say about Jesus?
Who does it say about who He is?
In conclusion why is it important to remember that the crowd and the leper had just finished hearing the sermon on the Mount? Throughout His sermon Jesus was telling the crowd that He was the authority and yet nothing demonstrated His ultimate authority more than healing the leper. The leper was not only considered sick, but a terrible sinner. So when Jesus healed the leper he also healed his sin.
It is also important because it explains the boldness of the leper. He had an unwavering confidence that Jesus had the power and the ability to heal him. The only question was if he would want to. The sermon on the Mount was enough to convince this man who had been called a sinner, banished away from all he loved and who loved him, that Jesus could take it all away. It also gave him hope that perhaps Jesus would be willing after all remember the beatitudes. Perhaps this Master who had just said,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Perhaps this Master would not only have the power but the compassion to heal him.
The healing of the leper was the action and the living behind the words. This healing demonstrates the power of His words. This healing brings to life the sermon.
So what does this say for us today?
His words are still as powerful. His miracles still as real. His words can and will give us the confidence to ask for the healing. Then the healing will not be just a little but COMPLETE! So consume yourself with HIS word. Listen to Him. Then be bold enough to fight through the crowds, to fight through whatever the boundaries to fall at His feet. Worship Him just as you are, then ask Him for His healing in your life and experience COMPLETE healing!
Who am I because of Who He is?
I am confident in Him! I am bold! I am HEALED!
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