The Coming One, the Messiah

Matthew 11:3-6
3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

John baptized Jesus, calling Him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; yet he did not see the works Jesus did to show He was the Christ because he was imprisoned. But he heard and sent others to ask Jesus if He was the anointed of God, the Messiah or Christ. Jesus showed the miraculous works as told long ago, and then told the disciples to let John know for certain who He was. We now hear the testimony of those in the Bible and many since then of who He is and what He did to deliver us from death to life. We too can rest assured He is Emmanuel, God come among us to die in our place and rescue us forever!

Reject or Receive Christ?

Matthew 10:40-42
40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

We who are Christ's are His ambassadors, speaking as His little children the message of reconciliation to those who will listen and hear. Those receiving us for Christ in us (certainly not for ourselves alone) are honored by God for hearing His word and serving us as they would Him - even by giving a cup of refreshing water when we are parched. The opposite holds true, too. If they reject us as we speak the truth of the gospel and mistreat us in His name, they will be further accountable.

Lose Life for the Worthy Cross

Matthew 10:38-39
38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

If we follow Jesus, we must be also willing to bear our rejection even unto a cruel death on a tree, carrying that on our shoulders - to death also if necessary, knowing life will come from the grave. We are only worthy of the suffering and death in the sense that we are willing to so be treated for His sake in offering the gospel of reconciling forgiveness to others. We do not earn good standing, but respond with our called "duty" out of love (Luke 17:10), becoming as Him to bring Jesus to the lost. So we lose this life to find life unending.

Peace With God, Not on Earth

Matthew 10:34-37
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to “set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man's enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Do we love God above all others, even when it means no peace? This is especially difficult when your own parents or siblings are against Christ. But Jesus told us this would happen, and it shows that those set against Him can be anyone - including those closest to us. But we are worthy of the one who saved us, buying at the price of His Son, and so put living for and following after Him first. This is difficult yet the burden can be light when we keep in step with our Lord.

Confession vs. Denial

Matthew 10:32-33
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

We must openly acknowledge Jesus Christ as God's Son and savior to others, no matter the reaction or consequence. Denying is rejecting by definition and by result. Do we want to face God at time's end in shame or in joy of honoring and magnifying our creator and majestic Lord? To count any suffering here as joy in this light of eternity and sovereignty is essential.

Every Hair is Numbered

Matthew 10:28-31
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

We are to fear God, not any created being - including satan or the fallen angels/demons. God holds us in His hand and keeps us, so our reverence and fear for Him alone must bring us to the point of mercy and grace for a secure eternity while fearing His displeasure. We walk about this life by faith, trusting Him in absolutely everything. Knowing He watches over us and values us so, how can we not live for Him alone?

Called Out to Follow

Matthew 10:24-26.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

We who have been called out are to become like Jesus; this means we also will be called evil (as an example when we say Jesus is exclusive), and some will be very angry at our message and lifestyle. But in the end there is nothing to fear because He not only keeps our souls, but also will reveal our hearts' motives and the unseen that we endure for the truth in following Him. Therefore we do not lose heart.

Endure to the End

Matthew 10:21-23
21 “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

God gives us the words to speak, but many are opposed to the gospel because they are exposed as sinners who are guilty before an angry God, sitting in His judgment. So those of our own families will fight us, but our Father in heaven is greater. So He will keep those who are His till the end, and we must go to the end with this good news of forgiveness unearned so others who hear the call may be freely reconciled to God in Christ. But many will not hear, even in Israel as Jesus told the disciples here, so the work will go until He comes.

God Gives Wisdom to Speak

Matthew 10:19-20
19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Acts 4:8-13
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: ... 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

As we go into the packs of wolves, we rely on God living in us to give the right words to speak the gospel. We point to the Jesus we are with for their deliverance from the justice levied against sin as He speaks through us using the scriptures we know and the words He provides.

Sheep, Wolves, Serpents, Doves

Matthew 10:16-18
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

We are in a world set against Jesus Christ. Guilty and under judgement, those refusing to humble themselves before Him instead fight against all that is His - including us. We will be persecuted in various ways, but it is for His name's sake. We testify in words and actions to His mercy and grace in the face of justice's reward coming due. So we must be keenly aware of the devices of our enemy and all his minions, yet harmless in our love and lack of judgment. God and His word have already judged the world. We are ambassadors of Christ and His gospel, not executioners or manipulator so. So we speak truth in love, aware of what is going on.

Peace Given or Dust Left

Matthew 10:12-15
12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

The apostles went house to house, city to city to bring good news of Christ and His kingdom - and without pay. They either prayed peace on those they stayed with or not, depending on either their response or reception of God and Christ's message. For those rejecting the message, they were testified against by outwardly shaking dust off the feet that travelled to bring them God's precious words. This let them know God's judgement remained on them, having denied His mercy and grace.

Authority to Preach

Matthew 10:1, 5-8
1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. ... 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

The authority Jesus gave to the apostles, His 12 disciples, was to tell God's chosen people that His kingdom is come. God brought it down before us, and proof of that message was in the power over the curse to include disease and possession. But the message behind the signs was their purpose - to show the authority of Jesus and so His followers as the kingdom's ambassadors. We are His ambassadors to call men to be reconciled to God.

Few Laborers, Plentiful Harvest

Matthew 9:36-38
36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

After Jesus healed many with the gospel and in their bodies, He was moved for the many who were lost without God, starving for Him and sick in spiritual starvation. He then called His close followers to pray for more workers to go to the fields and gather the harvest - Jesus was drawing men to Himself and needed people to go tell the gospel to reap what God had sowed.

Never Seen Before!

Matthew 9:33-35
33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.” 35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

When Jesus healed people, He set them free from darkness and pain - but all was to tell them of the good news of God's kingdom. The gospel of His deliverance from sin was only highlighted by the physical; that is what proved His authority over life and death. He came to give life unending, and not to just make everyone physically well.

Do You Believe He Can Save?

Matthew 9:27-30
27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.”

Though the blind men could not see Jesus with their eyes, they were drawn to Him and knew as the Messiah that they could see by His power and authority. Jesus told them that they could see according to their faith; they trusted He could give them sight, and so they could see. He opens eyes that seem to be working, giving true sight by faith in Him as the gospel touches hearts, souls, spirits, and minds.

Faith Makes Us Well

Matthew 9:21-22
21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

Looking to Jesus the Christ brings wholeness in the soul, and sometimes in the body. Here Jesus allowed the healing to demonstrate His power and authority as Lord, and our requirement of faith to trust God can do all things. Do we want forgiveness and healing inside? Then step out from the crowd to exercise the faith given as we trust Him more. We cannot rely on others to follow Him, it must be our own feet we drive by trust as we step out in faith.

Death to Life

Matthew 9:18-19, 25-26
18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. ... 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

Jesus and all He did was known by all in the areas He went; even rulers worshipped Him, somehow knowing as the Son of God that He was divine. What mere man could raise the dead? Faith knows Jesus is God among us, that nothing is too hard for Him (Jer.33:3), and comes to bow before Him for answers and life itself. Do we arise and follow Him?

New Vessels of Mercy in Grace

Matthew 9:16-17
16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

When we are made new creatures, it is as if we have new clothes - and we cannot put on pieces of our old life. It will only lead to ruin. Just as old brittle wine containers cannot hold new wine that expands to break them, so we must keep new life in changed vessels of mercy and grace.

Sinners Called to Repentance

Matthew 9:11-13
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Jesus did not die for self-righteous people. He died for those who acknowledge they are sinners, the ones He calls out and so hear the Shepherd's voice and live. Those who think they are well enough to earn God's favor ignore the sin passed from Adam to them, supposing they are not part of the "one righteous, no not one." So Jesus calls those who hear, who know by grace and faith from God that they are all sinners, and so come and repent of their soul sickness. He is the Great Physician.

Healing of Sins Forgiven

Matthew 9:2-8
2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house. 8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

Jesus forgave sins when He healed; it was not about the physical healing (that was to show He was the Messiah with the power only God possesses), but about reconciling and restoring sinners to God. Bit when He spoke a word and healed this man, it seems the people were more awestruck by the man walking than the power to forgive sins. Today many make this same error, not focusing on the real miracle of salvation.

Demons Must Obey Christ

Matthew 8:29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

Jude 1:6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

The demons, disobedient and fallen angels, had to obey Jesus' authority. They do not see or know everything as God does, so they assumed that their judgment was coming early or that they would be tortured in judgement ahead of time as if it were Judgment Day. They knew God before them and trembled in fear.

Save the Perishing

Matthew 8:25-27
25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Why do we fear in danger as the waves of circumstance rise up and threaten to wash us overboard? Our Lord has everything in absolute control, for He is King of kings and Lord of lords - nothing is too hard for Him. Truly we need to trust in any storm of life that He is able. Faith looks to Jesus' call for all to obey His word, not living in fear.

Die to Self and Follow Him

Matthew 8:19-22
19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”  21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

When Jesus calls a man to follow, He calls him to die. We are bought at such a price, and may have nothing to hold to in this life when we give up all to that call. We cannot hesitate to take care of family business, or seek enough in houses or riches. Our all must race toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ. He knows what we need and we have it from Him; why run after things without a reward?

Fulfilled Prophecy Identified Christ

Matthew 8:16-17
16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.”

1 Peter 2:24. who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

Jesus healed to prove who He is, not to set a pattern for us to do the same. Peter (whose mother-in-law was just physically healed of a fever) says this plainly in 1 Peter 2:24 by quoting also from Isaiah as Jesus did here, showing the intent was healing of our souls from sin so we could live for Him (righteousness). By His stripes we are healed, forgiven and reconciled.

Trust God's Work in Christ

Matthew 8:7-13 
7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Faith. It is taking God at His word in Jesus Christ and relying completely on His ability to do exactly what He says He can do. This leader of a hundred knew authority and knew God's authority over even death. So he asked for help and trusted it was entirely in God's power to answer if He was willing. Do we have such faith, not blind but knowing with certainty?

He is Willing, We are Cleansed

Matthew 8:2-4
2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

The testimony of the healed man to the religious leaders was done in accordance with the law, so they could say nothing evil of him or Him. Yet most still did not believe when the finger of God in Christ was among them. Jesus proved over and again by His actions and miracles that only God could do, and so proved just who He was. By faith many were made well, inside their souls as well as in their bodies. By His stripes we can be healed in our sinful souls by mercy and grace.

Astonishing Authority!

Matthew 7:28-29
28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

When Jesus taught, every word came from God Himself - He had the authority of the Almighty, and people listening heard this. They were astonished that one who appeared to be another religious teacher was not giving opinions or options, but absolute truth with the associated consequences in what He spoke. The scribes learned and taught, but it was as our modern university degrees, teachings from man to man. The words Jesus spoke are from God, and so we are taught by Him in order to teach others now. Or at least, this is what we should be doing.