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