Matthew tells most of the healing stories of Jesus in these two chapters. Each one has its own story to tell of the individual and their ailment and the ways in which they approach Jesus and are ultimately healed. A few significant things I read included the healing of the centurion's servant in chapter 8. Jesus shares with his followers an affirmation of this man's faith and contrary to it the lack of a serious faith which he saw in all of Israel. In verse 12 I note what becomes a recurring theme of those who will be left on the outside, "weeping and grinding their teeth."
There is a little insert within the healing stories of a couple people who want to follow Jesus and in each situation we discover how hard it is. Perhaps this section is not just written about these two individuals but about all of us who have something that is holding us back. What will it take for you to become a radical disciple of Jesus?
At the end of the little section on Jesus calming the storm we find that people are amazed that the, "winds and the lake obey him." I am amazed, however, that though the natural elements obey him, so many people do not!
In chapter 9 we have a great healing story which many of us remember from our childhoods. Friends help a friend by carrying him on a cot because he is paralyzed. Jesus heals him by saying, "your sins are forgiven." The legal experts consider this to be insulting to God. I consider this to be a model for our mission and ministry. If you pray the Lord's Prayer, you should realize that we are in the forgiving business. And though many Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins, I note that although Jesus would talk three times in this gospel about his coming death he did not tell this man, "just wait till I die on the cross, then your sins will be forgiven." Here Jesus has the power to forgive sins without sacrificing himself!
In this section we find the title of this gospel as the tax collector called is named Matthew. Other gospels will name him Levi, but this author knew him by this name, so the book is attributed to him. Wait till you read the Gospel of Mark and what scholars believe about a description in that gospel about him!
I will preach on Sunday about fasting as a spiritual discipline noting not only the 40 days in the wilderness when Jesus fasted, but also the story here in verses 14-15 and a couple other references about fasting in this gospel. With this section I note that the season of Lent is 40 days but there are actually 46 days between Ash Wed. and Easter because the 6 Sundays do not count. You cannot fast when the bridegroom is present and on Sunday, when 2 or more are gathered Jesus is present, and we feast at the table in communion and cannot fast just as it says in this section of the gospel.
This section ends showing Jesus having compassion on the crowds. And not the amount of work to do to share and proclaim the good news of the coming kingdom he calls for his followers to pray for more to answer God's call to become workers for God's harvest. In a day when I find many Christians sitting on the sidelines or as pew potatoes, how might this story of Jesus' compassion for the crowds on this crowded planet call us to pray and work to add more workers for the kingdom ministry?
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