Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“And as Jesus was going away from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth and said to him, “Follow me!” And he stood up and followed him.” (Matthew 9:9)

Chapter nine is when Matthew enters the story as a participant, not just a scribe for Holy Spirit. The first thing Jesus does is heal a paralytic. First, seeing the trust of the man and his friends, Jesus forgives his sin. Amidst protest, Jesus states that it is easier to declare sin forgiven than to restore the function of limbs – which Jesus immediately also does to prove He both has authority and also always speaks truth. Matthew is called and follows Jesus, who is criticized for whom He socializes with. But Jesus said He was called to save the lost, not save the already saved. Jesus also heals a woman who had been sick for years and it is unusual. Jesus was not aware of her in the crowd. She approached with trust in His ability to heal and Holy Spirit responded to that trust in Jesus without telling Jesus about it. But Jesus recognized power had gone out from Him and discovered her AFTER she was whole. He also commanded a girl to rise again to life. Then He healed two blind men who called on Him. He healed a mute man, whose muteness was caused by a demon. Everywhere Jesus went He preached the gospel message of salvation by trust in God (by Grace through Mercy), He taught the Word in their synagogues, and He also healed EVERYONE who was brought to Him. He NEVER turned any true seeker away. If they trusted in Him, He healed them. EVERY time.

Chapter ten is the great chapter on discipleship. From among the almost seventy men and numberless women who followed Him, Jesus chose twelve. They were given the message to be disciples of Him. He commissioned them to do what He did Himself: preach the gospel, command healing in response to trust in God, and deliver those bound by His Name – which He gave them authority to wield. He warned them that people were not always going to love them. They would be persecuted just as Jesus was. But they were commanded not to fear men, but to keep God number one and trust ONLY in Him. He spoke of the rewards of belief and faithful seeking of God – both for them and those they preached to.

Chapter eleven is an interesting chapter. John the Baptizer, imprisoned for his godly moral preaching, was beginning to doubt. Jesus wasn’t taking over the country. Jesus wasn’t proclaiming a kingdom and freeing them from oppression. At least, not physically. Instead of giving John’s disciples a direct answer, Jesus DEMONSTRATED all the things Messiah was prophesied to perform. He told them to tell John what they had seen. After they were gone, Jesus spoke to the people and mentioned that if in times past someone had performed the signs Jesus had performed, infamous peoples would have repented. Yet here, Jesus was always asked for more. More miracles and more wonders. Jesus wanted to know when people would learn to TRUST. He told them that He had nothing but peace for them. Nothing but rest. The TRUE sabbath rest available only in Himself.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Disciples, Sick Woman, paralytics and blind people, a dead child who doesn’t stay that way

Key Verse(s): Matthew 9:18-26; 10:32-33; 11:25-30