Read and Believe in Jesus.
“Do you believe that I am able to do this? ” Matthew 9:28b
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REVIEW – Jesus healing a paralytic was amazing, but when He said the man’s sins were forgiven, it raised the ire of the watching religious leaders. They said it was blasphemy, because only God could forgive sins. (Well, duh!)
Jesus’ call to Matthew, a tax collector for Rome, brought even more ire, especially when Jesus had dinner with a bunch of Matthew’s friends.
And lastly, the question of fasting caused contention. Jesus had already covered fasting in His sermon, so He said His disciples would fast (later). Then, in a couple word pictures, Jesus compared their old, stiff and dried out “rabbinic standards” of religion that the Jews were trying to keep in their own strength, to the fresh, clean, joy-filled path of faith which He taught.
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Matthew 9:18-26.
As Jesus was teaching, a man (named Jairus) who was a ruler in the synagogue, rushed to Jesus with an epic emergency. His daughter had just died (or was VERY close to death as Mark and Luke tell it). He begged Jesus to come immediately and heal/raise her. He was desperate!
Jesus got up and followed him. so did His disciples and the crowd of needy people. Suddenly Jesus stopped and looked around, and Jairus’ anxiety rose a notch. What was Jesus doing!! His daughter..!
It was just a tired-looking woman, who had kneeled to touch the fringe of Jesus’ prayer shawl. But Jesus spoke to her. “Take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well.”
What? That haggard woman a “daughter”? What of HIS daughter? ” Jairus must have silently wailed! After a minute or two longer speaking quietly with the woman,
Jesus finally turned and signaled to Jairus to walk on. It wasn’t far now, and when Jesus came to the house, He pushed aside the professioal weepers. “Go away, the girl is not deadd but sleeping.”
They laughed at Him, but He went inside anyway and took the daughter by the hand. The little girl got up alive (and hungry, Luke says).
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Matthew 9:27-31.
As Jesus walked from there, two blind men approached Him, calling aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
Blind men. Calling for mercy from the Messiah, for that’s what the title ‘Son of David’ meant. They could only have heard about Him, His miracles, His teaching, but they (among so many unbelievers) recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the Anointed One of God. And to Him they pled for mercy.
When Jesus went inside (probably Peter’s home, where His headquarters were, the two men came too, guided by the disciples possibly.
Jesus said, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
They answered, “Yes Lord.“
The couldn’t seem but I think a big smile of joy appeared on Jesus’ face and he said, “According to your faith be it done to youl”
And just like that (with no mud or spit) blind eyes could see!
Don’t go spreading the news of this miracle!” Jesus cautioned them. Already the massive crowd prevented Him from moving about as He liked.
But… they went away and spread His fame through all that land. Wouldn’t YOU?
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Matthew 9:32-38.
When He left the house, a demon possessed man was brought to Jesus. The demons had made him mute, but when Jesus cast them out, the man was able to speak again. The crowds went wild! “NEVER have we seen anything like this in Israel!”
But the Pharisee stood in the corner of two buildings, arms crossed over their chests, refusing to to glad or excited by the man’s release. “He casts out demons by the prince of demons!”
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Probably glad to get out of Capernaum for a while, Jesus and his men went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every affliction.
When He saw the crowds He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless … like sheep with out a shepherd … surrounded by wolves.
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He said softly to His disciples around Him. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laberers are few, therefore PRAY EARNESTLY to the Lord of the harvest to send out laboreres into His harvest.”
