In Matthew 8-9, Matthew highlights the authority of Jesus through a series of encounters Jesus has with other people. Jesus' authority is clear and covers illness, creation, demons, sin, the people of God, uncleanness, and even death. Jesus' authority is total and all-encompassing.
We can trust him to lead us. The proper response to Jesus, also highlighted in Matthew 8-9, is faith. But faith does not mean agreement with the basic facts of Jesus' life and death, or even agreement with who he says he is. Rather, faith is total trust in Jesus' authority, giving him your allegiance, and adhering to his words because of your trust in his authority.
This plays out in the first two scenes in Matthew 8 (8:1-13). In these scenes, Jesus' authority is seen in his healing of a leper and in his authority being recognized by an outsider (the centurion). In both stories, the individual goes to Jesus and acknowledges that Jesus is able to heal. They know his authority. They submit to it. This is a demonstration of faith.
But both of these stories are also symbolic of Jesus' greater purpose. In healing a leper, Jesus restores an "outsider" to the people of God. Scripture testifies to Jesus as the great healer, the one who will heal all Israel of its infirmities (8:17). Similarly, when the centurion acknowledges faith in Jesus' authority, it symbolizes the gathering of all nations to Jesus, which Jesus teaches in Matthew 28:16-20.
These two scenes present a microcosm of the gospel--Jesus heals and restores all people to God, beginning with Israel and moving to the Gentiles. The first phase of this plays out in Matthew 10, while the second is commanded in Matthew 28 after his resurrection.
The story is simple. We are called to be a restoring people, going out by the authority of Jesus to call people to him, where they will find healing from their infirmities.
How is the gospel about restoring all people to God? How do you see yourself as a "restorer"?
We can trust him to lead us. The proper response to Jesus, also highlighted in Matthew 8-9, is faith. But faith does not mean agreement with the basic facts of Jesus' life and death, or even agreement with who he says he is. Rather, faith is total trust in Jesus' authority, giving him your allegiance, and adhering to his words because of your trust in his authority.
This plays out in the first two scenes in Matthew 8 (8:1-13). In these scenes, Jesus' authority is seen in his healing of a leper and in his authority being recognized by an outsider (the centurion). In both stories, the individual goes to Jesus and acknowledges that Jesus is able to heal. They know his authority. They submit to it. This is a demonstration of faith.
But both of these stories are also symbolic of Jesus' greater purpose. In healing a leper, Jesus restores an "outsider" to the people of God. Scripture testifies to Jesus as the great healer, the one who will heal all Israel of its infirmities (8:17). Similarly, when the centurion acknowledges faith in Jesus' authority, it symbolizes the gathering of all nations to Jesus, which Jesus teaches in Matthew 28:16-20.
These two scenes present a microcosm of the gospel--Jesus heals and restores all people to God, beginning with Israel and moving to the Gentiles. The first phase of this plays out in Matthew 10, while the second is commanded in Matthew 28 after his resurrection.
The story is simple. We are called to be a restoring people, going out by the authority of Jesus to call people to him, where they will find healing from their infirmities.
How is the gospel about restoring all people to God? How do you see yourself as a "restorer"?
