Matthew 9
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man
Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”3 But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”
4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
7 And the man jumped up and went home! 8 Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for giving humans such authority.
WHEN GOD ACTS, ARE WE SURPRISED?
This miraculous event of healing was motivated by God’s Son, Jesus, to show the unbelieving, hypocritical religious leaders the glory and power of God. In fact, all the miracles Jesus performed were for the good of people in dire circumstances but above all, to show people, ordinary people, who God is and what He can do. All was done, not to bring glory to Jesus, but to God His Father in heaven who sent Him.We pray. God acts. Why then are we so surprised, fearful even, when we see God work in our own lives?
In this instance fear of the unknown swept through the crowd. A man was paralyzed and then suddenly he wasn’t. All because of Jesus’ healing power by the authority given to Him by God.
Fear and surprise are forms of unbelief that hinder our growing faith. The religious elite were so far from God they only saw rules broken. The world was so removed from thinking and knowing there is a God that fear overcame them.
Where are we in all this? Where is our world now as a whole?When we stop to think about it, there is more to be done to help people find, accept, believe and follow Jesus. It begins with prayer, letting God know you care. We pray for what God wants…to reconcile people to Him. We pray for how God can use us as His hands and feet, voice and resource. We pray for boldness to do what He says when He invites us to His work. It is HIS work. We are His servants of representation.
As such, we have been given the power of Jesus, the kind of power that brought Jesus back to life, living in us. Tap into that power when talking to God. Because of Jesus work on the cross and our believing He paid our debt of sin, we can walk right into the throne room of God with no barriers between us. We get our “marching orders” of purpose and God’s will directly from Him. Then given the go ahead to do what He says to be and do.
Jesus gave the commission, with authority from God, to us to do what He did on earth…“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28,
HOLY PAUSE
Do these thoughts of God excite us or cause fear and trembling? It depends on our relationship to God. Do we know Him? Do we really believe that what we believe is really real?
Dear Lord,
I am overwhelmed by Your love, mercy and grace. I’m in awe of how you work in our lives and in the lives of others. I’m learning that awe is a healthy fear and respect for the One and Only we should worshiped and praised. Quite frankly, I’m not surprised only elated when you work so miraculously today! I am devoted to you. You are Life. You are my hope of life now and for eternity. May all that we think, do or say today bring you glory!
In Jesus Name, Amen
We are very familiar with the story of Jesus calming the storm with mere words after being summoned from sleep. We have heard many sermons on this very passage to teach us how important our faith in Jesus must be as we grow and mature in our walk with Him. Fear is a factor, too and we learn that faith and love trump fear and put anxieties to rest.
But today, instead of writing about what I’ve heard about the storms of life that grow my faith, I decided to keep reading about what happened next, after Jesus and the disciples landed on the other side of the lake. 
However, when face to face with Jesus, evil concedes to Jesus and screams, “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” They even know that a battle will occur when Jesus goes to battle for us and will claim victory over sin and death forever. Do they know they will lose?
Do we believe what we believe is really real?
23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
Here lies the difference between being bound by our sin nature which leads to destruction and ultimately death versus living freely with Jesus, learning to love, walk humbly, be at peace no matter what, while receiving grace upon undeserved grace and mercy which leads to life and more life forever!
TWO CHOICES
“You can’t get something for nothing” skeptic people say. “Nothing is entirely free in this world, so watch out”, advised my parents. Yes, there is always a cost of some sort to obtain what others say is free.
Salvation from our sin was freely given, debt paid in full by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Wisdom is freely given by God when we ask for it. Godly character is freely developed, day by day, by the Holy Spirit when we allow it. God freely provides for all our needs. Jesus freely protects us from the evil one who tries to stop His work from being accomplished in and through us. God goes before us, stands beside us, helping us through all the storms of life. Having the mind of Jesus keeps us in perfect peace through the difficult times on our journey. All free.
What Jesus is trying to get all believers then and now to understand is that the Truth we have received freely, we are to freely give to others, at all costs to our own agendas. At all costs, be like Jesus. Do what Jesus did as His Holy Spirit directs us. Help people find and follow Jesus, the One who was freely given by God for our sins.
“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” Matthew 10:7-8, NIV
THE COST
The Twelve original disciples heard, “Follow me” as Jesus began His ministry. They immediately, without thought to their careers as fishermen, tax collectors and other trades, followed Him. Now that Jesus is becoming popular, others who are tagging along with the crowd, want to be part of the miraculous action. But Jesus knows their hearts and brilliantly explains the cost.
HOLY PAUSE
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
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. 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. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Jesus, sent from God to earth, performed miracles so that humans could see and experience the glory of God. All that Jesus did on earth was so that the lost would believe and come back to God. Jesus is the link to God because He is God in human form, seeking to save the lost without God.
HOLY PAUSE
I have been privileged to hear and relate to many great speakers, preachers and teachers as well as leaders and agents of popular contemporary bands who exhort God’s Word. For thirteen years, working as an executive for a denomination, it was part of my job to obtain popular speakers for national events. So I met and contracted with many wonderful men and women of God. I must tell you that some i would hire again in an instant. Some I would not and did not.
Matthew 8
And Jesus “willingly” did just that.
Jesus, heart of passion, seeking to save the most, comes down the mountain and bends down to the outcasts and restores them to full health.
Randy and I escaped the confines of our home and property to take a drive through small towns last week. We avoided crowds and big highways. (The pandemic certainly changes the way we go about our lives these days, right?) As we drove slowly through small towns, that insist on a 25 per hour speed limit with multiple stops, we took time to marvel at each towns’ old buildings, especially the courthouses. Wow! When you look closely you notice the intricate planning and work that went into these beautiful buildings. Built during the late 1800’s, these structures were built to last and still catch the eye. They are still used as functioning places of government.
The planners and builders were wise and inventive, creative and innovative for their time. Today’s tools for construction were not available at that time so we imagine the brawn and muscle of many that it took to raise this structure! Yes, it was built to last, one brick and stone at time, on a strong foundation. 
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Believe. Be amazed each day. Marvel at God’s love and goodness and watch how He never stops working! Be amazed in humble gratitude for Jesus’ saving grace. Listen to His Holy Spirit as He continues the construction work of our souls, getting us ready for life forever with God. 
When darkness seems to hide His face
Dear Lord,
Following Jesus as Lord is the other half of the whole in our growing relationship with Jesus. As LORD of our lives, we commit to becoming like Him, following the guidance of His Holy Spirit, we do what He teaches. We wake each day and greet our Lord with, “Here is my life, what will we do today, Lord?” We live for him, not for ourselves or anyone else, no matter what our vocation in life. Everything we think, say or do goes through the filter of His Holy Spirit living in us. We depend and rely on the wisdom of His Word and His Holy Spirit to be in all the details of our lives. All our decisions are made based on what He tells us in His Word and what we hear from our conversations in prayer to Him.
The Narrow and Wide Gates
Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Jesus is talking to the religious leaders as well as current, curious followers who are hearing truth for the first time. 
TWO WAYS TO CHOOSE
Here, then, is the first test: Did your profession of faith in Christ cost you anything? 
These show that true faith in Christ changes the life and produces fruit for God’s glory. Everything in nature reproduces after its kind, and this is also true in the spiritual realm. Good fruit comes from a good tree, but bad fruit comes from a bad tree.
Revelation 3:20 is part of a message to a church. That is the danger for each one of us as Christians. We can allow our passion for Jesus to fade and to become indifferent to sin, or to others in need.
HOLY PAUSE
According to what Jesus is telling us in our next passage, it is we who should be doing the knocking on the door that leads to God’s throne. Jesus died and rose again so that we could walk right up to the door of God’s heart to ask, seek and knock for answers to all our questions for wisdom, abilities in coping with life’s journey along with spiritual gifts that will grow us and ultimately prepare us for our forever home in heaven.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
You and I are human and fallible; we make mistakes. Only God can judge perfectly. Therefore, we must pray and seek His wisdom and direction. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5). Young King Solomon knew that he lacked the needed wisdom to judge Israel, so he prayed to God, and the Lord graciously answered (1 Kings 3:3.).
Our first impression of others begins the minute another person comes in our line of vision. We size them up, giving them a character we think they play in a story of our imaginations. The closer they get to us, we justify the story. As soon as they begin to talk, even in a quick surface level encounter, we assume and clarify in our minds who they are without asking for or hearing any details by them. We humans, both believers and non believers of God, excel in this trait. Satan love using this skill for his destruction. These first thoughts are precursors to judging in full force without judging ourselves first.
When people respond once, close to the way we imagined they would, it solidifies our judging. “See I told you they were like that!” In all out, pro level judging of others, there is no mercy, no consideration of growth or change in a person, they just are who we think they are and it never or rarely changes. How sad…for us who judge. 
Judging Others
We are not fit to assume in others what we wouldn’t want others to assume about us. Judging, says Jesus, boomerangs on us! So,
The Pharisees “played God” as they condemned other people, but they never considered that God would one day judge them. Not only will God judge us at the end, but people are also judging us right now, and we receive from people exactly what we give. The kind of judgment, and the measure of judgment, comes right back to us. We reap what we have sown. 
The reason for judgment, then, is not that we might condemn others, but that we might be able to minister to them. Notice that Jesus always dealt with individuals according to their needs and their spiritual condition. He did not have a memorized speech that He used with everybody.He discussed the new birth with Nicodemus, but He spoke of living water to the Samaritan woman. When the religious leaders tried to trap Him, He refused to answer their question (Matt. 21:23–27). It is a wise Christian who first assesses the condition of a person’s heart before sharing the precious pearls. 
We are great at worrying about details of life that will probably never happen. Consider how much time we spend in worrying over the “what if’s” of life that never occur? How many hours of our lives are taken from us because of worry? How many hours were thrown away in worry instead of loving our neighbor like Jesus loves us? Do we help others worry? 
Believing Friends, know our enemy, Satan! Our thought life is attacked by the evil one often, daily, almost hourly. He wants us to worship him so encouraging us to worry is his greatest tool. He knows that if we can plant a thought of worry in our minds it will distract us quickly from our Lord and His work in us. And we fall for it. Every. Time.
Do Not Worry
What do I seek most in a day? My Lord or my worry?
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 