SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 9
JESUS HEALS A PARALYTIC (vs. 1-8)
Some men brought a paralytic lying on a mat to Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic: “Take heart son, your sins are forgiven” (v. 2). When some of the teachers of law heard, they accused Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus knew their thoughts and said that he has the authority on earth to forgive sins. Then he told the paralytic to get up, take his mat and go home. The crowd was filled with awe and praised God.
THE CALLING OF MATTHEW (vs. 9-17)
Jesus saw Matthew, a tax collector and told him: “Follow me.” Matthew got up and followed Jesus. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” Jesus answered: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (v. 12-13)
JESUS QUESTIONED ABOUT FASTING (vs. 14-17)
The Pharisees were questioning Jesus why they have to fast while his disciples did not fast. Jesus answered: “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them. The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.” (v.15)
“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (vs. 16-17)
A DEAD GIRL AND A SICK WOMAN (vs. 18-26)
A ruler has a daughter who had just died. He came and knelt before Jesus asking him to touch his daughter to make her alive. So Jesus and his disciples went with him. While on their way, a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years came behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak. She believed that by touching his cloak, she will be healed. Jesus turned and told the woman: “Your faith has healed you” . And she was healed from that moment. (vs. 12). When Jesus reached the ruler’s house, there were flute players and noisy crowd. Jesus said: “Go way, the girl is not dead but asleep” (v. 24). Jesus went up and took the girl by hand and she got up. News spread through the region.
JESUS HEALS THE BLIIND AND THE MUTE (vs. 27-34)
Two blind men followed Jesus and called out: “Have mercy on us, Son of David”. Jesus then asked them: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (v. 28). “Yes, Lord” they replied. So Jesus touched their eyes and said: “According to your faith will it be done to you” (v. 29) and their sight was restored.
While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 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” (v. 33) But the Pharisees said: “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons;” (v. 34)
THE WORKERS ARE FEW (vs. 35-38)
Jesus went to all towns and villages, teaching in the synagogue, preaching the gospel and healing every disease and sickness. While he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without shepherd. So he said to his disciples: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (v. 37)
THOUGHTS:
In this chapter, Matthew recorded 5 kinds of people with different kinds of diseases whom Jesus had healed.
- A paralytic
- A dead girl
- A bleeding woman
- The blind and mute
- A demon possessed and mute man
When Jesus said to the paralytic “Your sins are forgiven”, the Pharisees accused him of blasphemy. But Jesus’ action showed that his words were true. He has the power to forgive and heal. It teaches us that our words should be backed up by our actions. If we say we love God and people but without practical steps to demonstrate that love, our words are empty and meaningless.
Matthew was a Jew who was appointed by the Romans to be the tax collector. Tax collectors were mostly hated by the Jews because they were being supported by the Romans and they took commissions and overcharge for personal gain. But when Jesus called Matthew to be one of his disciples, he got up and followed losing his lucrative career. When God calls you to follow him or obey him, are you willing to do as Matthew did? The desire to follow is a difficult choice because we have to make some sacrifices.
Matthew was a cheater but Jesus found him. We should not be afraid to reach out to sinful and hurting people. We should share the gospel to the poor, immoral, lonely and outcast. God’s message can change anyone.
The woman had been suffering hemorrhage for 12 years. She believed that if she touched Jesus cloak, she will be cured. In times of desperation, just reach out in faith to God and He will respond.
The ruler approached Jesus when her daughter had died. It seemed hopeless but Jesus raised her up. In our lives, we may encounter situation when it is hopeless or too late to call for help. Remember that God can change everything and give us new purpose and hope. Nothing is impossible for him.
The two blind men were persistent in following Jesus calling out mercy from Him. They truly believed that Jesus could heal them. If you really believe that Jesus can meet your needs, don’t let anything or anyone hinder you from calling out to Him.
When Jesus was teaching, preaching and healing, he saw helpless crowd that need a shepherd. He needs someone to go to the harvest field. Are you willing to heed his call?