Matthew – Page 18 – Be Still…

Matthew 9:9-13 – Matthew’s Turn

Are you a sinner? Of course, you’re thinking. Well, then Jesus came for you! We aren’t necessarily proud of our sinful nature, but we can be assured that Jesus’ arms are open wide to us.

Our reading today begins with Jesus calling Matthew, a tax collector to be one of his disciples. Tax collectors in that day were shrewd scoundrels, cheating people out of their money to make themselves rich. Yet, Jesus wanted Matthew in his group of guys. Of course, he did. Jesus said it himself, he didn’t come for those who were righteous but for those who know they are sinners.

Matthew 9:1-8 – What Good Friends!

Read Matthew 9:1-8

Friends like that are a treasure. The life of the paralyzed man changed that day in a big way because of his friends. You might wonder what happened before the men carried their friend to Jesus. Perhaps the paralyzed man had never seen Jesus healing other people because he wasn’t able to get around. Would he have doubted his friends who obviously had seen Jesus’ miraculous work? They were sure that Jesus could help their friend. Jesus could see their faith.

Then it got a little dicey. Jesus simply said to the man, “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” Well, that would have been quite a statement. God is the only one who can forgive sins. Who did Jesus think he was? The teachers of the law in the crowd were mumbling among themselves. Jesus knew their hearts, too. He called it out almost as quickly as their opposition began to grow.

Matthew 8:28-34 – What are Your Demons?

Read Matthew 8:28-34

We are not perfect. We all have a “dark” side whether we admit it or not. Maybe we like to talk about other people (gossip), maybe we like to spend money we don’t have (greed), maybe we want things we can’t have (covet), maybe we stretch the truth a little to embellish a story (lie). We can even say, “the devil made me do it.” But this is serious. We do let evil in and sometimes it stays for good.

Like in our story today. Jesus and his disciples encountered two men who were overcome by demons making them “violent.” This same story, with a few differences, also appears in Mark and Luke’s gospels. There must be an important lesson here. Let’s not take time to compare these differences in perspective. Let’s focus on what Matthew is telling us.

Matthew 8:23-27 – Storms of Life

Read Matthew 8:23-27

This is a Bible story I have acted out time and time again. As a Sunday School teacher, you always hope that using an “experience” like a re-enactment will help the kids to grasp a little of what’s happening here. It’s more than the waves. It’s more than Jesus being a deep sleeper.

This is something that happened, rather than a parable or story Jesus is telling. But the lessons we see here are plentiful. We see Jesus get into a boat with his disciples, presumably to retreat to a quieter destination where the crowds aren’t closing in. We see Jesus falling asleep out of pure exhaustion. Jesus is God, but he is also human, and he has been in demand with his teachings and healings. Who wouldn’t be totally spent and ready for some peace and quiet?

Matthew 8:18-22 – Are You Ready to Pay the Price?

Read Matthew 8:18-22

There are some harsh things being said by Jesus in today’s reading, didn’t you think? I suppose his frustration is coming through. He may be experiencing some of the same feelings that movie stars and people in the limelight often encounter. They have to have bodyguards and people to diffuse the masses. Clearly, Jesus wanted some alone time.

We all need that alone time. Especially introverts. They are recharged from solitude while extroverts are energized by being around people. Jesus was needing to spend time with his Father I’m guessing. The alone time we all should seek is spending time with God, reading his word, reflecting, praying. When we can actually slow down and listen, God will speak to us, too.