The Gospel According to Matthew
This week we finish Chapter 4. I am out of town and so much appreciate Bill and Sue for leading out in teaching this class. I am out of town spending time with our son and his wife. What a joy to be with family!
READ: Matthew 4:23-25
Jesus Heals the Sick
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him."Jesus went throughout Galilee..."
You could say Jesus was on the move... going from one place to the next.
I find this an interesting concept. How often do we wait for people to come to us, are we willing to go to them? Even right now we are having these meetings, which are amazing and incredibly important. However, are we going to them, or did we do what we could to get them to come to us? What is the significance in Jesus going from place to place?
People heard about what he was doing and from all over people came and followed him. So they also came to him.
I think it is important to note that Jesus went to the people and the people came to Jesus.
How is this important in our walk with God?
How does Jesus come to us?
How do we go to Jesus?
What was he doing? (verse 23)
1.
2.
3.
The last one is very specific. How many diseases did he heal?
Wow
Verse 24
People heard and brought to him, those needing to hear the good news and his teaching...??? NOPE. They also received that and I do know that some also followed him to learn. However, here we see the importance of the healing he was doing.
This past week I have been sick with a simple cold. It hasn't been terribly bad but a cold non the less. This cold has consumed me. It has made it hard to get anything done because I am constantly thinking about my noes running, my head that is hurting, my eyes that are itching etc. Yet it is just a simple cold. When people are "suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed" learning of the love of God may be difficult to hear, but heal them and their hearts are ready and open to receive.
When people are in bad health, homeless, fighting in their marriage, struggling as parents to parent your children, financial difficulties, being open to God's word can be hard.
What is our responsibility as a church family?
What is our responsibility as individual christians?
As people heard what he was doing large crowds started following him. How hard would it be to fill our church if we were known for going out and helping those around us?
Read the following passage from Ministry of Healing
Our Lord Jesus Christ came to this world as the unwearied servant of man's necessity. He "took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses," that He might minister to every need of humanity. Matthew 8:17. The burden of disease and wretchedness and sin He came to remove. It was His mission to bring to men complete restoration; He came to give them health and peace and perfection of character. Varied were the circumstances and needs of those who besought His aid, and none who came to Him went away unhelped. From Him flowed a stream of healing power, and in body and mind and soul men were made whole. The Saviour's work was not restricted to any time or place. His compassion knew no limit. On so large a scale did He conduct His work of healing and teaching that there was no building in Palestine large enough to receive the multitudes that thronged to Him. On the green hill slopes of Galilee, in the thoroughfares of travel, by the seashore, in the synagogues, and in every other place where the sick could be brought to Him, was to be found His hospital. In every city, every town, every village, through which He passed, He laid His hands upon the afflicted ones and healed them. Wherever there were hearts ready to receive His message, He comforted them with the assurance of their heavenly Father's love. All day He ministered to those who came to Him; in the evening He gave attention to such as through the day must toil to earn a pittance for the support of their families.
This is my favorite passage:
During His ministry, Jesus devoted more time to healing the sick than to preaching. His miracles testified to the truth of His words, that He came not to destroy, but to save. Wherever He went, the tidings of His mercy preceded Him. Where He had passed, the objects of His compassion were rejoicing in health and making trial of their new-found powers. Crowds were collecting around them to hear from their lips the works that the Lord had wrought. His voice was the first sound that many had ever heard, His name the first word they had ever spoken, His face the first they had ever looked upon. Why should they not love Jesus and sound His praise? As He passed through the towns and cities He was like a vital current, diffusing life and joy.
Should not this be how we are?
So Jesus came to the people
He healed
Taught
Shared the good news.
He was a vital current, diffusing life and joy.
So who are we because of who he is?
We are to be his hands of love and healing.
We are to be his voice spreading the good news
We are to serve mankind.
This week I challenge us to do something for someone you don't know. Do an intentional act of kindness for a perfect stranger. Next week let's share our stories.
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