The Gospel and the Kingdom - Matthew - Jesus Ministers to Individuals - Part 1

 

TEXT:  MATTHEW 9:1-8; 20-26 - So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. ² Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” ³ And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!” ⁴ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? ⁵ For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? ⁶ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” ⁷ And he arose and departed to his house. ⁸ Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

¹⁸ While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” ¹⁹ So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. ²⁰ And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. ²¹ For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” ²² But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. ²³ When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, ²⁴ He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. ²⁵ But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. ²⁶ And the report of this went out into all that land.

Today we’re continuing our series in Matthew and Jesus is on the move ministering to people. 

Jesus treated both sickness and sin. When He removed sickness and disease, it was evident that a person had been miraculously cured, because there was an immediate improvement in their condition. 

But with sin it was different. He came to us because of our sin, and He forgave men their sins, but the result was not visible to the eye. He could forgive sin because He was God and because He would pay the penalty for sin by His death on a cross.

The Bible tells us that sin is a problem for every man and woman that ever lived. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” The “glory” of God is the approval of God. All of us fail to receive the approval of God because we are all sinners.

So how can we attain righteousness, which will bring His approval? Jesus was asked this question one day “…..what shall we do, that we might work to works of God?” This was His answer; “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:28-29)

And the important thing to know about this righteousness is that you don’t secure it because there is any merit in your faith or any merit in just believing. Faith is not a work on your part.

The important thing is the object of your faith.  Spurgeon put it this way: “It’s not thy hope in Christ which saves you. It’s Christ. It’s not thy joy in Christ that saves you, though that be the instrument, it is Christ’s blood and merit.”

Matthew is going to show us about 6 different accounts of people that Jesus healed and ministered to their souls. We will cover 3 today, and 3 tomorrow.

Matthew starts with a paralytic. He shows us the Helpful Companions in verses 1-2. Here is a quick summary:

• ·      The place (9:1): The miracle occurs in Capernaum
• ·      The paralytic (9:2a): His friends carry him to Jesus
• ·      The Pardon (9:2b) Jesus first forgives the man of his sins.
•  

Matthew then discloses the Hostile Critics in verses 3-7.

• ·      The disdain of the Pharisees (9:3): They accuse Jesus of blasphemy
• ·      The defense of the Savior (9:4-6): He says He will prove His authority to forgive sin by His ability to heal the man.
• ·      The deliverance of the paralytic (9:7): At Jesus’ command the man rises up and walks away.

And he finishes by showing us the happy crowd in verse 8. The people rejoice over this great miracle.

The second illustration of Jesus Ministering to an individual concerns a dead girl. We will see this in verses 18-19 and 23-26. Matthew starts with the request to Jesus in verses 18-19. A heartbroken ruler begs Jesus to come to his home and raise his dead daughter. Jesus agrees, and will be interrupted on his way (we will look at this next). When He finally arrives at the ruler’s house He arrives to ridicule from those there. IN verse 23 we see upon entering the ruler’s home, Jesus is met by a noisy crowd and loud funeral music. A mass of confusion. He orders the crowd to leave saying the little girl is only sleeping (verse 24), and the crowd laughs in contempt at Him. However, this does not stay the love and mercy of Jesus - He takes the girl by the hand and she rises (verses 25-26)!

As said above, He was interrupted on His way, and it was by a sick woman (verses 20-22). Matthew tells of her disease (verse 20a): For twelve years she has suffered from internal bleeding.

Yet, she had great determination (verses 20b-21): She touches the hem of Jesus’ robe, believing this will heal her. And in verse 22 we see that the Savior restores her!

Jesus healed those around Him out of Love and Compassion, but also to demonstrate that He had the power to forgive sins.

Today, consider your heart and life – has He forgiven your sins?