Matthew: Chapter 8
Chapter 8 continues soon after Jesus finishes the "Sermon on the Mount". He does a number of miracles which include healing.
- The Man with Leprosy (Matthew 8:3)
- Centurion's Servant (Matthew 8:13)
- Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8:15)
- Many demon-possessed and sick (Matthew 8:16)
- Calming a furious storm (Matthew 8:26)
- Healing two demon-possessed men (Matthew 8:28-33)
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| (Matthew 8:15) |
Through all these miracles and a few other verses in this chapter, we can note a couple of things.
Thy Word
Throughout the chapter, the emphasis is placed on Jesus saying a word, as a result of which, miracles happen.
…But just say the word, and my servant will be healed... Matthew 8:8
When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. Matthew 8:16
The word of God, carries power within and that's the reason for all the wonderous things. Today, the word of God is our scripture and from here, we too can claim its power. If we thirst for it, and if we understand the value it holds, then this would be our daily strength, and we can see the power and glory of the LORD in our lives.
Thy Will
The man with leprosy, when he came to Jesus in faith, asked "if you are willing, you can make me clean". Jesus of course healed him saying "I am willing". The man who received healing is quite interesting. Anyone who is suffering due to any infirmity would want to be healed. But this man, was ready to surrender to the will of God, no matter how the end result might turn out.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7
Asking for the will of God is crucial, when we pray for ourselves. Sometimes, what we think to be the best for us, might not be so in the end. But leaving it to God's will ensures that we do get the best. And like seen in the previous chapter, leaving our own needs and prayers to be under God's will warrants that we do not need worry about our future.
Our Faith
The man with leprosy, had faith in Jesus and asked that be healed. With that faith, he sought God's will, and was rewarded. The centurion, had faith that Jesus can heal his servant, and through his faith, he recognized the authority Jesus has over everything, and his request was granted. The multitudes who came to Jesus to be healed, had faith that they would be healed. Jesus himself asked the disciples "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" when they faced an unexpected storm.
Faith plays an important part in miracles. It is also faith which leads us towards God. Thus, it is necessary to stay strong and rooted in faith, and acknowledge that the LORD can do wonders for us.
Our Call
Verses 19-22, records two distinct interactions. One person volunteers to follow Jesus everywhere. To whom (and to us) Jesus explains that there would be challenges in our life when we choose to follow him. Another disciple, when he gave an excuse, citing the worldly work he has left to do, Jesus responds stating that the ones there would take care of it, but that the disciple should follow him.
The meaning here is, there should be a particular commitment on our part to follow Jesus. And when our call comes, we should be willing to immediately obey and follow.
To summarize, let's ensure that we understand and thirst for the Word of God, such that we'll see the LORD's power. Let's submit to the LORD's perfect will and have faith in him. And finally, let's be vigilant about our call and submit with our wholehearted commitment. Have a great day! See you in the next post. Take care of yourself and each other.
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