Matthew
8 reminds me of decorating the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. This
was a tradition in my house growing up, but it wasn’t until I was
much older that I realized my dad probably figured out that trees
were much cheaper at the last minute. It is odd how easily we can
create traditions unintentionally. I believe that is one of the
reasons Jesus heals in so many different ways through this chapter.
I can imagine we would all be reenacting the exact process if He had
only given us one example. The chapter begins, “Jesus
came down from the mountainside,
large crowds followed Him“.
Immediately after preaching the sermon, “A
man with leprosy came
and knelt before Him and said,
‘Lord, if you are willing, You
can make me clean’“. Jesus
first touched the man, something unthinkable in the day, and then
said to him, “I am willing. Be
clean!” The Savior is willing
to touch and heal all of the unclean. Next we are given the example
of the Roman Centurion asking for healing for his paralyzed servant.
He understood authority and issuing orders. Military commands were
not debated, they were followed. He said to Jesus, “Lord,
I do not deserve to have You come under my roof. But just say the
word, and my servant will be healed“.
Jesus said, “‘Go!
Let it be done just as you believed it would.’ And his servant was
healed at that moment“. Who
has authority over you?
Next
we are told Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, “He
touched her hand and
the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on Him“.
It is interesting to note the reaction to being healed also varies,
but we are not given any examples of people doing nothing after being
touched by Jesus. Finally we read that many were brought to Him and
“with a word”
He “healed all the sick“.
We get the sense that many were coming for healing, but perhaps did
not understand that physical healing was symbolic of the spiritual
healing that was more important. Some got caught up in the
excitement and said, “Teacher,
I will follow You wherever You go“.
It was in this context that we read what sounds like a brutal
response to a follower’s request to “first
let me go and bury my father“.
It is likely this is just a stall. Many people think that one day
they will be more committed, or make changes, but other “more
important” things always get in the way. I believe this was the
Second Burial common at the time; a ceremonial burying of the bones
of the dead after a year of mourning. Jesus told him “let
the dead bury their own dead“.
Do you keep mourning the old life? Maybe it’s time to bury the
past and move forward.
The
chapter ends with two examples that Jesus is God. Jesus and the
disciples got into the boat to cross the lake, “Suddenly
a furious storm came up“. I
love this short prayer, “Lord,
save us!” We read He “rebuked
the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm“.
They were amazed, “Even the
winds and the waves obey Him!”
When they got out of the boat they encountered “two
demon-possessed men“. Note
that even demons know Jesus and fear Him, “What
do you want with us, Son of God? Have You come here to torture us
before the appointed time?”
They begged Him to send them into a herd of pigs and then promptly,
“the whole herd rushed down the
steep bank into the lake and died in the water“.
How did the people of the region react? “They
pleaded with Him to leave their region“.
Friend, are you holding onto traditions rather than asking for the
complete healing of Christ by faith? He is willing, are you ready to
ask?