Matthew 9: 18-34 NLT Jesus Heals in Response to Faith 18 As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.” 19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. 20 Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, 21 for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment. 23 When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. 24 “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. 25 After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand and she stood up! 26 The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside. 27 After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28 They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.” 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” 30 Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” 31 But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region. 32 When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. 33 So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed. 34 But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.” There are times in each our lives that we want something so bad that we believed we would get it and by faith held on to that belief. By God's mercy we may have received it but it was never guaranteed. Even when people make us promises it is not certain that they can do what they say since they cannot control everything that happens in their lives. Non-religious people, other religions and even cults believe for something by faith, but what happens when they receive what they wait for? Who is being exalted when it does? The individual themselves, a god among many, the faith itself, or even the one one who believed by faith?
When Jesus performed a miracle in response to someone's faith in Him it was God doing the miracle in order to authenticate or prove to all that the message was from Him and that the person was in fact His messenger. Notice that there are not miracles throughout all time in history. The times that God was working miracles in the world He was preparing the world to hear what He had to say. We don't read of God intervening in people's lives personally until the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then with Moses and after that the prophets. Each time God was working in time these signs and wonders to get peoples attention. Yes, it helped the person personally but in the end they all passed away. Jesus is one who conquered death. All of this was pointing people to Him, either looking forward or backward as we read of miracles in the book of Acts. Not everyone who is healed is so because of their faith but our passage today seems to emphasize the fact that these people were healed according to their faith in Jesus. The young girl was brought back to life according to her father's faith, the woman with the blood issue was healed according to her faith. The two blind men were healed according to their faith and the man who was not able to speak was brought to Jesus by faith by those who believed Jesus could and would help him. How do you come to Jesus? How can we come to Jesus on behalf of others? Is the ultimate goal that they come to know Him for eternity or just that they be healed of whatever the issue is here and now. I know and understand that we want to see our loved ones made whole but in the end may God be glorified and people brought into His kingdom for eternity. The saddest thing for anyone would be to receive God's mercy in healing and that be the end in and of itself. Let us also give credit where credit is due. Thank God for doctors and health professionals but God is ultimately our healer. Consider the response of the Pharisees, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.” What Jesus did, did not fit their idea what God can or should do, so they associated Jesus with Satan. Something Jesus said would never be forgiven. Let us pray for God's healing for ourselves and others believing in faith but also with eternity in mind and may He receive all blessing, honor, and glory for what He has done. Have a great day, Loved Ones, and God bless you real good!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
August 2023
Categories
All
|