Written by: Jim Partridge – Spring Harvest
Matthew 9 v 1-3
Jesus got into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. Some people
brought to Jesus a man who was paralysed and lying on a mat. When Jesus saw
the faith of these people, he said to the paralysed man, “Be encouraged, young
man. Your sins are forgiven.”
Some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This man speaks as if he
were God. That is blasphemy!”
Notes
In 1996 the Canadian singer/songwriter Joan Osborne penned what is now a well
known song called “One of Us” which explored whether we would recognise God
if he were with us now. One verse says this:
“If God had a name, what would it be
And would you call it to his face?
If you were faced with him in all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question?”
In today’s reading, the religious teachers of the law faced this dilemma: “If you were faced with him in all his glory what would you ask him...?” The fact is, rather than recognising Jesus for who he was, they were quick to talk and accused him of blasphemy.
Compare that to the other key character in this story: the paralysed young man. He faced the same situation: “If you were faced with him in all his glory what would you ask him...?” The passage does not indicate that he asked Jesus anything. However, it does indicate one thing: he had faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 5 v 1 says: “Since we have been made right with God by our faith, we have peace with God.” Our peace with God comes by his grace and our faith. Jesus said to the young man on the mat: “Your sins are forgiven.” Why? Not because he had all the answers (or the questions) but because of his faith in Jesus.
And before we start to criticise the religious teachers, let’s ask ourselves the same question. If we were in their shoes, would we have recognised Jesus for who he was? Or would we be quick to give our opinion about who we think he should be? Maybe, sometimes, we need just to be silent and simply have faith.
Prayer
God in heaven, you say that we need to have faith like little children to enter
the kingdom of heaven. Help me today to have a simple faith and not crowd you
out with my own thoughts and opinions. Amen
Matthew 9 v 4-8
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil thoughts? Which
is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to tell him, ‘Stand up and walk’?
But I will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive
sins.” Then Jesus said to the paralysed man, “Stand up, take your mat and go
home.” And the man stood up and went home. When the people saw this, they were
amazed and praised God for giving power like this to human beings.
Notes
In the movie “What Women Want”, Mel Gibson was blessed with the ability of hearing
women’s thoughts. He soon used this to his advantage, though eventually it drove
him insane! Imagine if you too could know people’s thoughts - wouldn’t it be
fascinating! Imagine too if someone else could know your thoughts - wouldn’t
it be... I’ll leave you to fill in the missing word!
Today’s passage starts with three startling words: “Knowing their thoughts!” Jesus knew what the religious teachers were thinking and he exposed their thoughts. It’s why Jesus, in his teaching, consistently referred to the fact that following him is not just about actions but about the thoughts and motivation behind the actions. Famously, when Samuel was appointing the shepherd boy David to be King of Israel, God reminded him that “God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16 v 7).
Today’s passage in Matthew also paints for us a fantastic picture of the greatness of Jesus. In the first 3 verses of chapter 9 we read how he forgave sins. Today we see that he not only knew people’s thoughts but he also miraculously healed people. No wonder the people saw this and were amazed and praised God. The religious teachers must have been left eating their words.
This is still true today. Knowing more of Jesus leads us to worship and praise God more - it is a natural response.
Prayer
God in heaven, who knows all things, including my thoughts, help me today to
honour you with my thoughts as well as my deeds. Help me to “...capture every
thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10 v 5). Amen
Matthew 9 v 9-13
When Jesus was leaving, he saw a man named Matthew sitting in the tax
collector’s booth. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” and he stood up and followed
Jesus.
As Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners”
came and ate with Jesus and his followers. When the Pharisees saw this, they
asked Jesus’ followers, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
When Jesus heard them, he said, “It is not the healthy people who need a doctor,
but the sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I want kindness more than I want
animal sacrifices.’ I did not come to invite good people but to invite sinners.”
Notes
Towards the end of the third epic instalment of “The Lord of the Rings”: “The
Return of the King” - Aragorn is rightly crowned King of Gondor. But during
the celebration the focus shifts towards four hobbits - small people with hairy
feet and pointy ears - and the whole multitude bow down to honour them. A great
illustration of choosing “...the foolish things of the world to shame the wise”
(1 Corinthians 2 v 27).
Jesus never conformed to the pattern of the world. His teaching was about the first being last, it was about honouring the poor, defending the weak: about servanthood, not power.
Religious people were not meant to hang out with tax collectors, or sinners, or Samaritan women, or lepers - but this is what he did. Again, the Pharisees missed the point. Jesus challenged them and their worship, saying, “I want more than just your animal sacrifices - I want kindness expressed to those who need it. I want more than just your songs in church on a Sunday morning - I want kindness expressed to those who need it. I want more than just your diligent attendance once a week - I want kindness expressed to those who need it. I have not come for you, the healthy, but for those who need me - the sick.”
If Jesus came today, like he did in 1st century Nazareth, would he hang out in our churches? Would he be spending his time with the religious leaders of the day? Maybe. Who would be his priority? Who would be the tax collectors of our time? The prostitutes in Soho? The drug barrens? The paedophiles? “Go and learn what this means.”
Prayer
God in heaven, Jesus has offered us a model of an incredible lifestyle and an
incredible passion for those who are outcast, those on the margins, those who
don’t know you. What today are you asking me to do, so that I can be Jesus to
those around me? Amen
Matthew 9 v 14-17
Then the followers of John came to Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees
often give up eating for a certain time, but your followers don’t?”
Jesus answered, “The friends of the bridegroom are not sad while he is with
them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and
then they will give up eating.
“No one sews a patch of unshrunken cloth over a hole in an old coat. If he does,
the patch will shrink and pull away from the coat, making the hole worse. Also,
people never pour new wine into old leather bags. Otherwise, the bags will break,
the wine will spill and the wine bags will be ruined. But people always pour
new wine into new wine bags. Then both will continue to be good.”
Notes
There’s a lot in today’s passage - many things we could draw out. Should we
discuss the virtue of fasting, and the clear indication that when Jesus is taken
from them his disciples should fast ... that’s us by the way! Or do we talk
about new wine in old wineskins and enter into a discussion about new shapes
of church for the third millennium?
We could - but I’m not going to; I’ll leave those things for you to think through and discuss on your own. I want us to focus on the Jesus whose life on earth symbolised a new wineskin; he came to fulfil the Old Testament, but in doing this he came to usher in a new era, a new wineskin.
We are living in this new era, in the gap between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and his coming again. If you read the secular, or sometimes the Christian press, it is excusable to feel discouraged and downhearted - Christians often get a bad press. However, we are living in the most exciting of times - an era that brings life in all it’s fullness; an era that is making new creations out of those who are being saved; an era that will see the kingdom of God built upon the earth; an era in which Jesus will build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; an era when global Christianity is growing at a pace never seen before.
There are some things in life that are certain - Jesus’ return is one of them. This should fill us with incredible excitement that we were born at such a time as this. Be encouraged that you are part of this new era and part of God’s purposes for earth.
Prayer
God in heaven, thank you that I am part of your kingdom things. Thank you that
following you leads to a life of hope, excitement, certainty and encouragement.
Thank you that Jesus is in the process of making things new. Amen
Matthew 9 v 18-26
While Jesus was saying these things, a leader of the synagogue came to him.
He bowed down before Jesus and said, “My daughter has just died. But if you
come and lay your hand on her, she will live again.” So Jesus and his followers
stood up and went with the leader.
Then a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came behind Jesus and touched
the edge of his coat. She was thinking, “If I can just touch his clothes, I
will be healed.”
Jesus turned and saw the woman and said, “Be encouraged, dear woman. You are
made well because you believed.” And the woman was healed from that moment on.
Jesus continued along with the leader and went into his house. There he saw
the funeral musicians and many people crying. Jesus said, “Go away. The girl
is not dead, only asleep.” But the people laughed at him. After the crowd had
been thrown out of the house, Jesus went into the girl’s room and took hold
of her hand, and she stood up. The news about this spread all around the area.
Notes
Amazing encounters with two contrasting people!
One a respected leader of the synagogue, a ruler, a family man, someone known in the community. The other an outcast. The law in Leviticus 15 would have meant that the woman in this story would have been classed as unclean as she had been bleeding for twelve years. In fact, the law says that if anyone even touched her he or she would also be classed as unclean – no one would have wanted to be near her and she would have lived in near isolation for years.
A man desperate for his daughter’s life came to Jesus saying, “If you just lay your hands on her, Lord, she will live.” A woman desperate to put an end to twelve years of misery and isolation, hanging on to the thought that if she could just touch him, she would be healed.
Two people - the same compassionate Jesus. Two people at opposite ends of the social spectrum joined together by Jesus at work in their lives. But that is the truth - Jesus is for all people for all time.
In our globalised world, where Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Nike are becoming dominant brands on every continent, the Christian message shouts out that there is only one concept, one message, one person that is truly global...
...and that is Jesus!
Prayer
God in heaven, thank you that we are part of something that is truly global.
Thank you that Jesus is for all people for all time, and that we join millions
of others from different continents and races as people who have experienced
your compassion in our lives. Amen
Matthew 9 v 27-31
When Jesus was leaving there, two blind men followed him. They cried out, “Have
mercy on us, Son of David!”
After Jesus went inside, the blind men went with him. He asked the men, “Do
you believe that I can make you see again?”
They answered, “Yes, Lord.”
Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Because you believe I can make you
see again, it will happen.” Then the men were able to see. But Jesus warned
them strongly, saying, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” But the blind men left
and spread the news about Jesus all around that area.
Notes
Interested by the definition of belief, I searched on Google for websites about
belief and came across the following:
Even if YOU don't know what faith you are, Belief-O-Matic™ knows. Answer 20 questions about your concept of God, the afterlife, human nature, and more, and Belief-O-Matic™ will tell you what religion (if any) you practice ... or ought to consider practising.
An interesting way of establishing what you believe. In today’s story we have two blind men who were marked out because of their belief. The Oxford dictionary states that belief is a feeling that something exists or is true, especially if there is no proof.
For these two men, this belief was extraordinary. Proof that something exists or is true is often determined by whether we can see it. These two men did not see the young man on the mat healed of his paralysis (v 6), or the unclean woman who was healed (v 22), or the leader’s daughter who rose from life (v 25) - they were blind.
Yet they still believed. “Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it” (Hebrews 11 v 1). These men were astonishing - awesome and complete faith in the Jesus that they could not see but believed in.
How do we view Jesus? Do we believe in him completely? Do we completely believe the things that he said and the promises he made? I’m not sure that we always do. If we did, may I suggest that our day to day lives would never be the same again.
Prayer
God in heaven, thank you for the promises we have as followers of Jesus. Help
us to believe them wholeheartedly, and may our lives never be the same as a
result. Amen
Matthew 9 v 32-38
When the two men were leaving, some people brought another man to Jesus. This
man could not talk because he had a demon in him. After Jesus forced the demon
to leave the man, he was able to speak. The crowd was amazed and said, “We have
never seen anything like this in Israel.”
But the Pharisees said, “The prince of demons is the one that gives him power
to force demons out.”
Jesus travelled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues,
preaching the Good News about the kingdom and healing all kinds of diseases
and sicknesses. When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they
were hurting and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus said to his
followers, “There are many people to harvest but only a few workers to help
harvest them. Pray to the Lord, who owns the harvest, that he will send more
workers to gather his harvest.”
Notes
The casting out of demons; amazed crowds; the Pharisees’ accusation of Jesus
being a prince of demons himself; the healing of diseases and sickness - wow,
where shall we start?
We’ll start at the end. “Pray to the Lord, who owns the harvest, that he will send more workers to gather his harvest.”
One of the most stunning scenes in “The Return of the King” (the final part of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy) is when the beacon at Minas Tirith, the capital city of Gondor, is lit. The panoramic screen follows the sequence across mountain ranges as beacon upon beacon is lit - beckoning forth an army from all regions to defend Middle Earth against the might of Sauron’s forces. The need for additional men was urgent - the request for help was sent.
Jesus urged the crowds to pray - to pray to God that he would send more workers to gather in his harvest. There are many people to harvest but few workers, Jesus said. The crazy thing about the Christian message is that God has entrusted it to us to share. We are the workers. We don’t need to wait for a beacon to be lit to call us to action - Jesus has already done this. In our prayer to God for more workers, we need to be willing to be the answer to our prayers.
In our schools, colleges, offices, football clubs, cinemas, pubs, theatres, restaurants ... there are many people who represent the harvest that Jesus was referring to. Are we workers or observers?
Prayer
God in heaven, your good news really is good news. I want to be willing to answer
your call for workers - use me please today. Amen
word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken
from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993
by Word Publishing Milton Keynes