MatthewCh8v1-Ch9v34 - Reversing the Curse

So we're going to read Matthew's Gospel, Matthew chapter 8, from verses 1 through to 22.

Matthew 8 · chapter mention

So follow along with me as we read God's Word.

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him.

A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said,

Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.

I am willing, he said. Be clean.

Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.

Then Jesus said to him,

See that you don't tell anyone, but go show yourself to the priests

and offer the gift of Moses commanded as a testimony to them.

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help.

Lord, he said, my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.

Jesus said to him,

Shall I come and heal him?

The centurion replied,

Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof,

but just say the word and my servant will be healed,

for I myself am a man under authority with soldiers under me.

I tell this one, go, and he goes,

and that one, come, and he comes.

I say to my servant, do this, and he does it.

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,

Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.

I say to you that many will come from the east and the west

and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness,

where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then Jesus said to the centurion,

Go, let it be done just as you believed it would.

And his servant was healed at that moment.

When Jesus came into Peter's house,

he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.

He touched her hand and the fever left her,

and she got up and began to wait on him.

When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him,

and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all who were ill.

This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah.

He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.

When Jesus saw the crowd around him,

he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.

Then a teacher of the law came to him and said,

Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.

Jesus replied,

Foxes have dens, birds have nests,

but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.

Another disciple said to him,

Lord, first let me go and bury my father.

But Jesus told him,

Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead.

Well, keep your Bibles open there at Matthew 8,

and let's pray and ask for God's help

as we look at his word together.

Let's pray.

Amen.

Father, thank you for the Gospel of Matthew,

for this true historical account of Jesus.

we pray that stories and accounts that may be familiar to us

will become fresh.

And if we've never heard them before,

that we will equally be refreshed and amazed

at the wonder of who Jesus is.

May our focus and our gaze be upon him.

May our minds

be pulled towards him.

And may our hearts be changed

so that we reflect him and do his will

wherever we go.

In Jesus we pray.

Amen.

Well, every day we're reminded

that we live in a broken and a disordered world.

Turn on the television today

and we're reminded of that.

Sinful choices

and the sinful actions of others

mean that we do indeed struggle.

We observe and experience

all kinds of physical suffering

and sicknesses.

And in the midst of all of that

we have to deal with the destructive

schemes of Satan.

The reality is

wherever we go and wherever we look

we see sin, suffering

and Satan.

And together they leave us

crushed, broken

and in despair.

And it's into this very world

that Jesus steps.

His mission has been crystal clear

to announce to the world

that he is God's King.

The Supreme King.

And he has come to establish

a new kingdom

an eternal kingdom

where everything will be put

right.

And in chapters 8 and 9

we're giving a preview

of what this kingdom

will be like.

In chapters 8 and 9

Jesus overcomes

sin, suffering

and Satan

for us.

And to help us see this

Matthew has ordered

his material

deliberately

and intentionally.

So just follow with me.

Just use the headings

that you have in your Bible.

you'll see that there's

three miracle accounts

followed by a call

to follow.

So beginning of chapter 8

there's the healing

of the man with leprosy.

Then there's the

centurion servant.

And then Jesus heals

many.

And then there's this call

to follow Jesus.

Then after that

we have three more miracles.

Jesus calming the storm.

Jesus restoring the demon

possessed men.

Forgiving and healing

the paralysed man.

And then

we have a second calling.

The calling of Matthew.

And then if we read on

we have Jesus raising

a dead girl.

Healing a sick woman.

And then Jesus healing

the blind and mute.

And followed that

is the call

to go

into the harvest

because it is

plentiful.

These miracle accounts

have been written

and ordered

for an intentional purpose.

You can see it

on the screen.

Through these accounts

Jesus displays

his authority

over all things

and demands

our allegiance

in all things.

The miracles

that we read about

are like a spotlight

drawing our attention

to Jesus

and his kingdom.

A king with

absolute authority

who demands

nothing less

than our complete

allegiance.

So two things

we're going to look at

from our text

this morning

in Matthew chapter 8.

Matthew 8 · chapter mention

Jesus displaying

his authority

and demanding

our allegiance.

So first

Jesus displays

his authority

and he does it

in three ways.

First

overcoming

sin.

Look at verse 2.

A man with

leprosy

comes and kneels

before Jesus

and he cries

out to Jesus

Lord

if you're willing

you can make me

clean.

Now this man

has a terrible

skin disease

which deadens

the nerves

and knocks

off your limbs.

It means you

can't feel pain.

It results in

infection

and ultimately

death.

Treatments now

but certainly

back then

there was nothing.

Physically

this man

is in a

hopeless situation

which is why

his request

is surprising.

He doesn't

say to Jesus

heal my

leprosy.

He says

can you

make me

clean?

You see

under

Jewish law

under

Jewish

religious law

someone with

leprosy

was considered

spiritually

unclean.

in other words

your physical

condition

left you

excluded

and outside

of God.

Here's what

the law said

you can read

it there on

screen.

Anyone with

such a

defiling disease

must wear

torn clothes

let their

hair be

unkempt

cover the

lower part

of their

face

and cry

out

unclean

unclean

as long

as they

have the

disease

they remain

unclean

they must

live alone

they must

live outside

the camp.

In other

words

you can't

come close

to God

which also

meant that

if you

touched

someone

or came

into contact

with someone

who had a

similar skin

disease

you became

contaminated

you became

unclean

and you

were excluded

from God.

So you

have to be

very careful

if you

came in

contact

with a

leper.

So what

would Jesus

do?

Well

look at

verse 3

Jesus

reached out

his hand

and touched

the man

I am

willing

he said

be clean

immediately

he was

cleansed

of his

leprosy.

Now do

you see

what's

happened?

Something

extraordinary

has taken

place.

Instead

of Jesus

being the

one who

becomes

unclean

the leper

becomes

clean.

Instead

of the

leper's

uncleanness

being passed

on to

Jesus

Jesus'

cleanness

is passed

on to

him.

By a

simple

word

be clean

the leper

has his

life

restored.

He's

no longer

excluded

and

unclean.

He is

included

and made

clean.

It's a

beautiful

picture

of a

greater

healing

that we

all need.

The

external

disease

that we

see here

reflects the

internal

sin

that we

all have.

Just as

the man

needs to

be made

clean

outwardly

so we

need to

be made

clean

inwardly.

And through

Jesus by

just a

simple

word,

a simple

command,

all our

uncleanliness,

all our

impurity,

all our

sin can

be removed,

we can

be forgiven,

made

clean.

Jesus

overcomes

sin and

makes us

clean so

that we

can come

to God.

But not

only that,

Jesus

overcomes

suffering.

Look at

verse 5,

when Jesus

had entered

Capernaum,

a centurion

came to

him asking

for help.

Lord,

he said,

my servant

lies at

home paralyzed,

suffering

terribly.

Now a

centurion

was a

soldier of

considerable

authority

within the

Roman army.

He was

captain over

at least

a hundred

men.

men.

But he

was also

a despised

outsider.

Being in

the Roman

army meant

he was

part of

the

unwanted

occupying

forces.

Through

their

military

might,

the

Romans

had

expanded

their

empire,

swallowing

up smaller

nations like

Palestine.

He was

an enemy,

someone to

be despised

and hated.

So a

centurion who

comes asking

for help,

well here

was an

opportunity

for payback.

The context

here is like

a Ukrainian

helping a

Russian

soldier.

It was a

chance to

let him

experience

pain.

Let him

suffer.

How would

Jesus respond?

Well look at

verse 7.

Jesus said

to him,

shall I

come and

heal him?

I mean

what an

extraordinary

gracious

thing to

do, to

reach out

to your

enemy like

this.

Not only

does Jesus

go to

where the

servant is,

he offers

to heal

him.

He reaches

out to

the despised

outsider.

He shows

compassion

towards his

worst

enemy.

The centurion

didn't need

a second

offer.

Verse 8.

Lord, I

do not

deserve to

have you

come under

my roof,

but just

say the

word and

my servant

will be

healed.

Verse 13.

Then Jesus

said to

the centurion,

go, let

it be done

just as you

believed it

would.

And his

servant was

healed at

that moment.

It's

extraordinary,

isn't it?

Jesus

isn't even

in the

home of

the centurion.

He's not

even present

with the

suffering

servant.

Jesus

just says

from a

distance,

go.

And

immediately

the servant

is healed

and freed

from his

life of

suffering.

Now

incredible

as this

is,

let's

not miss

the greater

healing and

restoration

that's

taking place.

Because

Jesus

uses this

moment to

teach about

all those

who can

be welcomed

into his

kingdom.

Look at

verse 10.

When

Jesus

heard this,

he was

amazed and

said to

those following

him,

truly I

tell you,

I have

not found

anyone in

Israel with

such great

faith.

For what

was so

different about

the centurion's

faith to

anybody

else's

faith that

he's

come

across.

Well,

look back

to what

the centurion

has just

said,

verse 9.

He says,

I myself

am a man

under

authority,

with

soldiers

under me.

I tell

this one

go,

and he

goes,

that one

come,

and he

comes,

I say

to my

servant,

do this,

and he

does it.

You see,

he understands

authority,

yet he

recognises a

greater

authority

in Jesus.

He knew

that Jesus

just had

to say

a word,

and it

would be

done.

You see,

here's what

Jesus is

teaching us.

He's saying,

I have

come to

enemies like

you,

so that you

could be

welcomed into

my kingdom.

I have

come to

welcome

outsiders,

to those

who oppose

me,

and stand

against me.

Verse 11,

I say

to you,

that many

will come

from the

east and

the west,

and will

take their

places at

the feast

with Abraham,

Isaac,

and Jacob,

in the

kingdom of

heaven.

Look,

he's saying,

if you

just come

in humble

faith,

just like

the centurion,

if you

come relying

and depending

on the

words of

Jesus,

you too

will be

welcomed

into my

kingdom.

But where

Jesus'

authority is

ignored and

rejected,

look at

verse 12,

the subjects,

those who

think they

are in,

will be

thrown

outside into

the darkness,

where there

will be

weeping and

gnashing of

teeth.

You see,

Jesus frees

us from a

greater suffering,

the suffering

of hell

itself.

it doesn't

matter who

you are,

what you've

done,

your background,

your experience,

hear the

welcome of

Jesus.

There is a

seat at the

king's table

for all who

will come in

humble faith

to Jesus.

He

overcomes

suffering

to welcome

the outsider

in.

sin.

So he

overcomes

sin,

he

overcomes

suffering,

and Jesus

overcomes

Satan.

Look at

verse 16,

when evening

came,

many who

were demon

possessed

were brought

to him.

Now we

should never

ever ignore

the reality

of Satan

and his

work.

From the

first time

of when he

rebelled

against God,

Satan has

been on a

mission to

disrupt and

destroy God's

kingdom.

In fact,

his work

can leave us

feeling hopeless.

You see,

in our culture

and experience,

I would imagine,

most of us

think of demon

possession

as unreal.

It's the stuff

of horror movies.

But no,

demons,

the servants

of Satan

are very much

active.

We should be

alert,

we should be

attentive.

Sometimes it

comes in the

way of

temptation,

other times

it can come

in the way

of torment.

We're given

an example

of what it

might appear

to be.

Verse 28,

when Jesus

arrived on

the other

side in the

region of

the Gadarenes,

two demon

possessed men

came from

the tombs,

met him.

They were

so violent

that no one

could pass

that way.

Here were

two people

overcome,

their lives

ruined and

destroyed.

They wrecked

people's lives,

causing mental

and physical

anguish.

And for all

those that came

to Jesus back

in verse 16,

whatever the

impact,

they were

unable to

change their

situation.

they were

powerless,

they were

hopeless.

And how

is Jesus

going to

respond to

them?

Well, look

at the rest

of verse 16.

Let's read it

again.

When evening

came, many

who were

demon possessed

were brought

to him,

and he

drove out

the spirits

with a

word,

and healed

all who

were ill.

With just

a word,

the spirits

left.

at his

command,

they fled.

You see,

Satan may

tempt and

torment,

but he is

no match

for the

authority of

Jesus.

Jesus rules

over the

kingdom of

darkness.

He has

power over

demons.

Satan has

no hold

over you

if you

have

Jesus.

If we're

followers of

Jesus,

we do not

need to

fear.

In fact,

scripture

tells us

that Satan

requires the

permission of

Jesus before

he can do

anything.

Jesus reigns

supreme

over all

things.

And when

Jesus has

finished speaking

to these

spirits,

not only do

the spirits

leave the

people,

but their

lives are

restored.

They no

longer live

in fear,

they've got

hope.

They're no

longer living

in torment,

they have

peace.

You see,

scripture is

clear that

we've all

been born

following the

ways of

Satan.

We're all

part of

this great

big rebellion

against God,

but through

Jesus we're

set free

and restored.

Jesus

overcomes

Satan and

restores the

hopelessness.

sins.

So Jesus

overcomes

sin,

suffering,

and Satan.

He cleans,

he welcomes,

and he

restores.

And he

does it all

through his

work on the

cross.

You see,

what Jesus

has done for

these few

people that

we get to

meet in

chapter 8,

Jesus has

done for

all who

will trust

in his

work on

the cross.

Look at

verse 17.

All these

healings,

all that

has happened.

Verse 17,

this was to

fulfil what

was spoken

through the

prophet Isaiah.

He took

up our

infirmities

and bore

our

diseases.

Now, to

help us

understand that,

we need to

read it in

its whole

context.

It comes

from Isaiah

53.

It's a

well-known

passage.

And in

that chapter,

chapter 53,

the prophet

Isaiah is

looking forward

to the

coming of

a servant

king,

Jesus,

who would

die on

the cross.

And this

is what he

says.

You can

follow on

screen here.

Quoting,

what we

have here

in Matthew.

Surely he

took up

our pain

and bore

our suffering.

Yet we

considered him

punished by

God,

stricken by

him,

and afflicted.

But he

was pierced

for our

transgressions.

He was

crushed for

our iniquities.

The punishment

that brought

us peace

was on him.

And by

his wounds

we are

healed.

You see,

when Jesus

died on

the cross,

he was

overcoming

sin,

suffering,

and Satan.

He took

your sin

and was

punished and

crushed for

you.

He suffered

the hell for

you that we

deserve so

that we

don't have

to.

Jesus faced

the deceiving

and destructive

schemes of

Satan and

won.

Jesus took

it all to

the grave

and he

triumphed

over it

all as

he rose

from the

dead.

Jesus

overcame

everything

so that

we could

be made

clean,

welcomed,

and restored.

Now,

does this

mean if

we're

trusting

Jesus we

live a

life free

from sin,

suffering,

and Satan?

That it's

all done

with once

and for

all?

Well,

yes,

our sin

has been

paid for,

but we

still live

in our

broken world.

We still

suffer the

consequences

of sin.

Yes,

God can

still heal

and he

does,

but we

still have

broken

bodies and

we will

all die

of some

disease or

some

disaster.

Yes,

Satan has

been defeated

and disarmed,

but he is

still scheming

through his

temptation.

You see,

what Jesus

is showing

us here,

what he did

for these

people,

he is giving

us a glimpse

of what is

to come.

It's a preview

of his

eternal kingdom,

a kingdom

where there

will be no

more sin,

suffering,

or Satan.

And that

kingdom has

been secured

for us by

Jesus through

his death

on the

cross.

So,

Jesus displays

his absolute

authority by

overcoming

sin,

Satan,

and suffering.

And he does

it all by

his cross.

allegiance.

Because when we

consider the

authority and

the power of

Jesus,

the question

is,

what am I

going to do

about it?

How am I

going to

respond to

who this

Jesus is?

Well,

the only

right response

is complete

allegiance.

three things

very briefly

that ought

to be

expressed.

Here's the

first.

Unwavering

loyalty.

Look at

verse 19.

Then a

teacher of the

law came to

Jesus and

said,

Teacher,

I will

follow you

wherever you

go.

You see,

if Jesus

is the

supreme king

with absolute

authority,

there is

nothing that

he cannot

ask of you.

Like the

soldiers under

the centurion,

we are

soldiers under

the king of

kings who

says to

this one,

go and

he goes,

to this

one,

come and

he comes,

to this

one,

do this

and he

does it.

We don't

get to do

deals with

the Lord

Jesus.

We can't

come to

him and

say,

I'll

follow you,

but just

know this,

this area

of my life

is off

limits.

You cannot

do anything

with this.

You cannot

have my

days off,

my trips

away,

and my

time.

This is

for me.

Everything

else,

over to

you.

No,

it's all

or nothing.

It's an

unwavering

loyalty.

If you

are in

his kingdom,

you give

up rights

to self.

You follow

wherever and

whatever he

commands.

That is

the response

to his

authority.

Also,

unconditional

trust.

verse 20,

Jesus

replied,

Foxes

have

dens,

birds

have

nests,

but the

Son of

Man,

speaking of

himself,

has nowhere

to lay

his head.

You see,

if Jesus

has authority

over all

things,

and if he

is calling

us today

to follow

him,

then it

means I

can trust

him.

We don't

need to

fear the

future.

I don't

need to

worry about

my health.

If Jesus

is Lord

over sin,

suffering,

and Satan,

he calls

for

unconditional

trust.

Following

Jesus may

mean lack

of material

comfort and

financial

security.

Jesus knew

this.

He says,

I have

nowhere where

I can call

home.

He had

made the

universe.

He owns

everything,

but he

made no

claim on

it.

He trusted

his heavenly

father for

all things.

So we

too, if

we follow

him, are

to trust

that he

will provide

us for

all that

he asked

us to

step into.

He will

sustain.

He will

keep.

Unwavering

loyalty,

unconditional

trust,

and undivided

devotion.

Look at

verse 21.

Another

disciple said

to him,

Lord,

first let

me go and

bury my

father.

But Jesus

told him,

follow me

and let

the dead

bury their

own dead.

Seems a

bit harsh,

doesn't it?

A bit

cruel.

But Jesus

isn't saying,

don't go to

your parents

funeral or

don't visit

them.

Jesus is

saying,

your love

for me is

to be

greater than

your love

for your

own family.

I come

first.

I want

your

undivided

devotion.

family.

You see,

one of the

obstacles people

have to

following Jesus

is family.

Family is

so important.

And parents

can put a

huge

expectation,

not just on

little children,

but even

adult children.

There's

unspoken

demands within

families that

must always

be obeyed.

Emotional

pressures that

must always be

followed.

Family

traditions that

must be

upheld.

No,

says Jesus.

You

obey

me.

You

follow

me.

You see,

if Jesus

has absolute

authority over

sin,

suffering and

Satan,

if Jesus

has given

his life for

you and

for me so

that we

could be

made clean,

welcomed and

restored into

his kingdom,

the only right

response is to

bow down and

say,

I will

follow you.

But know

what he is

calling us

to.

He demands

complete

allegiance,

nothing else,

a life of

unwavering

loyalty,

unconditional

trust,

an undivided

devotion.

him.

He is

king.

We

follow him.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Father,

there is so

much that

trouble us

in this

world,

not least

our own

struggles with

sin and

putting self

first.

Each of

us, I'm

sure, has

a story to

tell of

personal

suffering.

And we

all face

the schemes

and temptations

and torments

of Satan.

And yet

you, Lord

Jesus, have

come and

have proved

your authority

over it

all,

your supreme

power,

welcoming

us into

a new

kind of

kingdom,

offering us

eternal

life,

offering us

glories to

come,

peace today,

and a

glorious God

who will

walk with

us.

So,

Father, would

you help us

follow you

as we

should,

to give up

our claims

to ourself,

our claims

to our

comfort,

our claims

to our

rights.

And would

we bow in

humble,

humbleness

before you

and say,

Lord, here,

here am I.

Help me that

I may follow

you and go

where you call

and do

as you

ask.

Help us,

we pray,

in Jesus'

name.

Amen.

We're going

to sing

together

a song

that I

hope

brings

together

our

thoughts

today.

What

grace is

mine,

the grace

that has

come to

us,

and the

chorus is,

so I

will go

wherever

he is

calling

me.

I

lose

my

life

to

find

my

life

in

him.

I

give

my

all

to

gain

the

hope

that

never

dies.

I

bow

my

heart,

take

up

my

cross

and

follow

him.

May

this

song

be

our

prayer,

our

response

to

the

authority

and

power

of

Jesus.

Let's

stand

as we

sing.

praise

his

light,

let's

he who

dwells

in

endless

light,

call

through

the

night

to

fight

his

love.

And

from

his

heart

for

mercy

that

would

be

for

me,

that

I

might

live

and

in

his

pain

be

poor.

So I

will

go

wherever

he

is

calling,

I

do

my

life

to