Month: October 2010

This week as we study Matthew 8:14-17, we look once again into the miraculous healing ministry of Jesus. While studying this portion of scripture, I was struck with the words of verse 16: “When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick.” As Jesus travelled about the towns and villages of Galilee, the numbers of people following Him were staggering. There were those that were interested in His unique teaching abilities and they were impressed with His wisdom and His uncommon interpretations of the Mosaic Law. He presented something so new that people were excited to be near Him. This part of the crowd must have been interesting as there were academics as well as the ignorant that had come to learn.

But even more amazing was the sight of hundreds of people sick from every known disease. The crippled hobbled along; the blind haltingly made their way; the deaf obviously could not hear a word He said but they saw others throw away crudely fashioned crutches and the blind walking away from those that had previously led them. Others were paralyzed and had to be carried into His presence. Lepers stood at a distance and cried out to Him for mercy as well. The sixteenth verse says that not one of these people was turned away. There were no cases too hard to handle and not one time did Jesus call for a consult. Amazingly, He only spoke the word or reached out with a touch and all were healed.

Jesus was the only hope for these dying people since many of the diseases represented a death sentence. This verse says he healed “all that were sick.” There are only a few of these miracles recorded in scripture when in fact there were thousands that were performed. “…All that were sick…” What an amazing statement! People came with their worst and He gave them His best. The news that He was coming to town was an open invitation to be rid of lifelong infirmities as well as a broken bone. Note this however, the “all” does not mean “all” who stayed home refusing to believe He could help.

While I was writing this article for today’s bulletin, I was sitting in the waiting room of the Kaiser Medical Center waiting on my wife who was going through two very unpleasant procedures. In and out of the medical offices were people groaning, limping, hurting, and complaining. Many of these were older folks and I was reminded of how many truly hopeless people there are. My wife and I are blessed to know Christ as Saviour, so we come and go, realizing the sufferings of this life are only temporary. We have great expectations of being delivered from all of this when we come into the presence of Jesus.

Those who have not yet met the Saviour have no such hope. There is no expectation of being delivered from suffering. Even if a doctor is able to help alleviate some pain at present, their future in eternity holds no hope of any relief. This is why the gospel of Christ is so important. We do not have the same type of healing ministry of Christ today. Rather, we have something far, far better. There is eternal relief from the suffering of sin because Jesus is still available to heal “all that are sick.” The “all” in this instance are these: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” As those that were sick in Galilee had to be in touch with Jesus for healing, so those that are sin-sick today must come to Him for help. He will never turn away a single person that comes asking to be delivered from sin’s sentence of death.

Many of you today feel physically fine. I am happy for you and hope your good health continues. However, some of you are not spiritually fine. You do not know Christ and have not received the healing of the forgiveness of sin. I pray that you will come to Christ today. He will save you so that you will no longer be among “all that are sick!”

Pastor V. Mark Smith

10/17/10 (83) Sickness And The Saviour – Matthew 8:14-17

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (Matthew 8:10)

In today’s message, we will examine the second miracle that Jesus performed immediately after He had ended the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew records several specific miracles that demonstrated the power and authority of Jesus. The second one is unique in its emphasis upon faith. There are only two instances in scripture where it is said that Jesus marveled, or was amazed, and both of them concern faith. This one is because of the presence of uncommon faith and the other is because of the absence of expected faith. In the first instance, it was because faith came from a man without all of the external privileges of God’s revelation. In the second, it was lack of faith from those that had been blessed with every opportunity, with every privilege, with easy accessibility to God’s word, and yet it did not develop into full dependence upon God.

Matthew 8:5-13 describes the faith of a Roman centurion, a Gentile, who was not born into the families of God’s chosen nation. He was an outsider, one whom Paul would describe as one of the “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise” (Eph. 2:12). This means he had none of the external privileges of Israel. He had not grown up learning what they learned about Jehovah God. He had not participated in the lifelong rituals of Judaism that were intended to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah. And yet when He heard of Jesus, he recognized that the power of God resided in Him. He recognized His authority as the Son of God and His transcendence over the creation. He recognized the power of His words; with the command of the word alone, His will would be done. This is what amazed Jesus so greatly.

In the second instance (Mark 6:6), Jesus marveled at the unbelief of the Jews. They had every advantage. Paul said “unto them were committed the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:1-2). The promise of the Messiah was first given in scripture all the way back in the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:15). The promise was renewed with Abraham and then with Isaac and Jacob. Finally, God’s greatest prophet Moses was given the full compendium of the Law contained in “divine ordinances” that found their complete fruition in Jesus Christ (Heb. 9:1). In contradistinction to the “alien” centurion, the ones with all the unique privileges did not recognize the Messiah when He came. They rejected His teachings, miracles, and authority; they claimed He was from the devil (Matt. 12:24) and then crucified Him. Jesus was amazed at their shameless rejection.

As I think on this story, I wonder on a different level how today God views the lack of faith in His chosen people. I do not mean the Jews specifically as a nation, but those who have been elected to salvation and given the privilege of faith in Christ. What about you that have been given the blessing of a church that preaches truth, that still believes the Bible, that is unafraid to declare the whole counsel of God when we are so vigorously opposed by false Christianity? What about you who are members of a church unlike any in our area? What about you that can attend a place that upholds the same doctrines as our Baptist forefathers stretching all the way back to the time of Jesus and the apostles? How much faith do you have in God? The answer can be found in your support of your church. It can be found in your attendance, in your tithes, in your witnessing, and in your lifestyles. If Jesus were physically here, would He say, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in America?”

I hope you look for the practical applications in today’s message. Matthew records this so that we can look at our lives and compare it to that of the centurion. Is your faith so uncommon that it would amaze Jesus?

Pastor V. Mark Smith

10/10/10 (82) The Christ And The Centurion – Matthew 8:5-13

Our study today in Mathew’s gospel takes us to a very important place in the ministry of Jesus. After preaching His great manifesto of the Kingdom, Jesus descended from the mountain near the shores of Galilee, and as He did He was accompanied by the great multitude that had gathered to hear His sermon. The sermon was fresh in their minds and they were still buzzing about what they had heard. His teaching was in stark contrast to the methodology of the scribes; as chapter 7 verse 29 states, “He taught them as one have authority, and not as the scribes.” At this point, they were still questioning where He got such authority.

His next activities were a demonstration of authority. Over the course of the next two chapters, Matthew describes nine miracles that cover the spectrum of supernatural ability. Jesus had power over the physical man, thus the various healings. He had power over the natural elements of the world, thus the miracle of calming the sea. He had power over the spiritual world, thus the casting out of devils from the maniac of Gadara. These events follow closely upon the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount and they are the establishment of the source of His authority. He is God! He was God in the flesh, and these people had the most unique opportunity in the history of mankind. They could actually walk and talk with God. We would expect reverential fear to grip them as they surely must have realized He had power over life and death. What could make Jesus more unapproachable than this?

And yet we see that Jesus amazed them again. He did not choose at this time to establish His rightful authority as God on earth. After giving the manifesto, wouldn’t this be appropriate? Isn’t this the time to rule the world with a rod of iron? No, it was not the time for the establishment of God’s physical kingdom in the world. Jesus came at this time as an offering for sin. He came this time to be the Lamb of God that would suffer indignity. This time He must endure the humiliation of the cross.

Someone once said that familiarity breeds contempt. The multitudes followed; they were close; they kept bringing the sick to Jesus. Chapter 8 verse 16 says He healed them all. Wherever Jesus went disease was obliterated. Before He left Capernaum, there was scarcely even a sniffle to be found. But the closeness, the easy accessibility of Jesus soon turned into hatred. Interspersed in the narrative of healings is the constant teaching. The teaching was the rub; the teaching pierced them until finally there was contempt. At some point they decided that physical healing was not worth the turmoil He caused in their souls.

The miracles served their purpose; they established His authority. He does control every aspect of the universe. He is sovereign over the physical, the natural, and the spiritual. These events are in the past and were markers of His first advent. The evidentiary hearing is now over. The next time He comes, the Kingdom comes with Him and He will rule with a rod of iron.

Today, the same kind, compassionate Saviour invites you to come and be healed of the worst sickness of all. Sin is a disease of the soul that has led to our spiritual death. The broad spectrum of miracles shows that Jesus has power over this disease as well. He raised people from physical death, but more importantly He raised many from spiritual death. This same miracle is available to you today. You cannot pay for it; you cannot work for it—you only have to ask for it. Salvation is free! This is the real gospel of the Kingdom.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

10/03/10 (81) The Lord And The Leper – Matthew 8:1-4