Healing, Teaching, Preaching the Gospel

Matthew 9:18-38

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

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.

20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 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.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. 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.

Two Blind Men Healed

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." 31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

A Mute Man Speaks

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. 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."

The Compassion of Jesus

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. 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."

Jesus fulfilled His promised and prophetic ministry of Isaiah 53:4-5 and others to not only heal the bodies ravaged by sin from the fall of mankind in the Garden, but to heal their souls through the teaching of His kingdom come and preaching of the good news in these things of salvation, deliverance from sin’s penalty due from God’s wrath on that sin of disobedience and disbelief.  Many will be quick to find physical relief and focus in on the miracles of healing which the Lord worked but they were done to turn the eyes on Jesus for His grace in that wonderful face of God come among us with atoning forgiveness for our souls.  A ruler’s daughter died and Jesus brought her from death to life in answer to his faith in Jesus, despite the ridicule of the unbelievers who doubted His power and authority over life and death.  A woman bleeding for twelve years who was unable to be healed by doctors was made whole again according to her faith in the work of Christ.  These things echoed through the land of the wonderful works of Jesus the Christ, falling on the opened ears of some blind men who also believed in Him.  They were likewise healed by faith as they leaned on His mercy to make them see and also tell others of the deliverance from their darkness of body and soul.  Then a man unable to speak due to demonic oppression was set free and spoke to glorify God for who He is and not just what He had done for him.  The religious leaders who kept power for themselves and denied God’s finger come among them (Luke 11:20) to save some blasphemed Jesus instead of giving glory to God come among them.  What did Jesus do in response to all these acts of faith and of rejection?  He marched on throughout the land to teach them of the kingdom (Luke 4:43, John 3:5) entered into by repentance through faith, not through physical healing but through transformation of the reborn and regenerated soul according to the working of God.  He also preached this message of deliverance as He taught them from all the scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16) while healing their immediate needs of the outside as He healed them from the inside.  He justified the sinners according to Isaiah 53:11 as He bore our sin with sacrifice and intercession (Isaiah 53:12).  Then He tasked His followers to carry on that mission to others wherever they went.  He passed His divine compassion on to them as the lost sheep desperately needing the Lord to lead and guide them through the teaching of scripture and leading of the gospel preached to their hearts and minds.  The harvest is still plentiful and laborers are still desperately required to preach and teach the kingdom of God in and through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Pray for these and join them but do not be distracted by emphasizing the miraculous for the outward while lessening the greater need of the inward healing needed.  Amen.