The Gospel According to Matthew
Matthew 9:27-38
INTRODUCTION: I am currently working with the MPA recruiting team. We move from one town to the next doing our best to serve those we come in contact with. In this passage we see how when Jesus goes from one place to the next he leaves the place changed. Just walking along the path men stop him and ask for healing. Everywhere he goes He changes the lives of those He comes in contact with.
This week has been a challenging week for me personally, and I'm sure for many of you. It has been a challenging week for our church! Where are we looking? What are we hung up on? What are we doing?
This Sabbath School class is not a forum for any type of politics. This is a life application class. I realize sometimes it is hard to separate, but I ask that today especially we all need to focus on what each of us as individuals are being called to do. So for this class time, let our prayer be, let our focus be, to leave with a better understanding of what God is asking us (me, I, you) to do.
As we read and study this chapter, please note how Jesus changes the places and the people he comes in contact with. What is it all saying to us?
READ: Matthew 9: 27-31
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them,“Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
Don't you find it interesting that two blind men call out to Jesus as he is leaving town. I'm sure they were banished to begging on the roads out of town.
How did they know it was Jesus?
Did friends tell them?
Or do you think they were just calling and calling to every passer by?
What do they ask of Him?
What is His response?
What healed them?
What does Jesus say after he heals them?
Why does He tell them to keep quiet?
Let's review.... Let's look at what he said to others after He healed them, if anything.
Matthew 8
Healing of the lepors: “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.”
So here they weren't to tell anyone but could show themselves. Most likely this was so that they could be declared clean. Until they were "clean" they couldn't resume their lives. So having the priest proclaim them clean would be the final part of the healing.
Healing of the Centurions daughter: “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
Here Jesus just proclaims the healing and nothing is said about being silent. Perhaps Jesus knew he wouldn't spread the news because the Centurion was not a Jew. Or maybe it doesn't matter?
Healing Peter's Mother-in-law: He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.
Here nothing was said, yet her response was what?
Matthew 9
Healing of the paralyzed man: “Get up, take your mat and go home.”
Healing the woman who was bleeding: “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.”
Raising the dead girl to life: After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region.
Do you see any patterns or common threads? Or not?
Is it that Jesus understands and knows our personalities and our personal responses to His healing in our life? Should each of us respond in the same way? Does he ask for the same response?
Have you ever experienced healing for something in your life? What was your response?
Interesting that Jesus knew the blind men were going to go and tell everyone and he "sternly" told them not to. They did anyway.
Is it possible that sometimes we should NOT declare what He has done but just live differently! Is it possible that the transformation alone is ALWAYS enough? Or is it different case by case?
Should we be earnestly seeking His will for our response?
READ: Matthew 9: 32-34
Jesus Heals the Mute
32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
34 But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”
It appears here that this man was brought to Jesus and the demon driven out in front of a crowd. It was very public. Interestingly, what other miracles were done publicly?
What did the crowd say? This was a miracle that was awe inspiring! I'm sure it moved lots of people. It was like nothing they had ever seen before.
How do the Pharisees respond?
What is our/your response when you see amazing things happen?
Have you ever seen a miracle?
Are we willing to give God the credit?
The Workers Are Few
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Can you imagine being in one of the towns that Jesus came through? A town where every disease and sickness was healed! Can you imagine being part of the crowd that Jesus had compassion for?
What does it say to us to hear that Jesus healed EVERYONE? What does that say to you? What does that mean for you?
Then Jesus said what to His disciples?
“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
I find it interesting that Jesus doesn't tell them to go get people to start working. He simple asks them to ask the Lord to send out workers into his field.
Jesus then in the next chapter will call the 12 and give them instruction, but for now he is stating the need and where the need should come from and how they are to get it.
We need workers in our church.... We need people to step up... Are we accepting the call? Are we willing to ask the Lord for the workers? Are we willing to let Him do the calling?
When you see the needs around you, will you be willing to pray and ask the Lord to send someone? When the Lord of the harvest calls you are you willing to answer?
Have you ever heard Him calling you?
What was it for and when was it?
Did you answer?
There is no question that when Jesus comes into a town, a church, a life, He transforms EVERYTHING and EVERYONE! We also hear Him saying that there is so much work to do that He needs people to work with Him. We also hear that the Lord of the harvest does the calling!
So first we need to let Jesus come into our lives and transform them!
Second, we need to pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send workers!
Third, we need to be willing to go, or do what the Lord of the harvest is calling us to do!
Are you willing?
This week has been a challenging week for me, and even as I write this I am struggling with a lack of patience. I don't feel surrendered and at peace. I've wondered, is it that I'm not willing to serve as I have been called, or am I afraid to go where I have been called? Or maybe it is just that I need more of Jesus to transform me!
This week, I challenge us all to sit at the feet of Jesus, to let Him come into our lives, as He did those towns and heal it ALL!
This week, I challenge us all to ask the Lord of the harvest if He has called us, and if and how we need to listen and join Him in the amazing work of spreading HIM!
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