Sermon Tone Analysis

Review

Jesus just finished His Sermon on the Mount

Last week I taught with primarily the disciples in mind.

Contains instructions for believers about living a good, honest, and blessed life.

Don’t miss, though, the message in it to unbelievers about the spiritual nature of His kingdom and the character of those who enter and enjoy it’s privileges we will hear more of today.

Also a good time to mention the synoptic side of the Gospels.

Synoptic Gospels describe events from a similar point of view, as contrasted with that of John.

Matthew 8:1-4 Jesus Cleanses a Leper

Bow: culturally they would likely have prostrated themselves on the ground, for us think of dropping down on your knees in front of the one that has the cure

Matthew 8:5-13 The Centurion’s Faith

The Centurion is telling Jesus, in vs. 8 , he realizes the racial divide between them.

That he understands a Jewish teacher can’t enter into the home of a gentile.

Matthew 4:23-25 tells us how widespread news of Jesus ability to heal was and is here acknowledging Jesus authority over even healing

This Centurion actually had faith that Jesus had the authority to heal not necessarily “saving faith” that he had more of than all of Israel.

But in vs. 11, Jesus makes the switch to “saving faith”.

Here he says what would have been unheard of in Israel, that there would be some Gentiles in Heaven and some Jews who won’t.

This isn’t an all or nothing, rather continuing to point out those that are deemed unacceptable by men, God calls and saves,

Matthew 8:14-17 Peter’s Mother-In-Law and Many Others Healed

Note that Peter keeping his house (big enough to share with Andrew and his mother-in-law) is an example that in Matthew 19:21 Jesus telling the young man to sell all his possessions, was jesus dealing with him as an individual rather than a requirement for discipleship.

16 helps to sum up the three healing miracles listed before.

The three healings reveal Jesus’ compassion in meeting the needs of despised and rejected people, and above all his authority in curing instantly three serious diseases.

Covering diseases healed often by touch, and demons cast out by word.

17 shows Matthew’s primary interest in the healing miracles is in their revelation of the mission of Jesus.

They are a fulfilment of Isaiah 53:4

To the Jew, by quoting Isaiah he is making the statement (either explicit or implicitly) that Jesus is the Messiah the “suffering servant” speaks about.

The glory of God the Son, setting aside his crown to come and suffer and die and along the way heal both physically and spiritually His people!

Matthew 8:18-22 The Cost of Following Jesus

2 examples of Jesus saying to count the cost.

Pointing out the fact that becoming a follower of Jesus was paid for by Jesus, but is the farthest thing from easy.

Requiring dying to ourselves and giving ultimate authority to Him and completely leaving behind the life of our past.

Interesting idea of Son of Man in Matthew speaks of Jesus future heavenly glory, to the earthly suffering which must precede it, and less frequently, to his current earthly status and authority.

This is the paradox of Jesus’ mission of humiliation and vindication, of death and glory.

Matthew 8:23-27 Jesus Calms a Storm

Another example by Matthew of Jesus unparalleled authority, this time over the natural world and where even devoted followers of Christ have moments of doubt and not enough faith to trust god in the given situation.

Yet Jesus DID NOT KICK THEM OUT OF THE BOAT!

Matthew 8:28-34 Jesus Saves Men from Demons

this exorcism happens in Decapolis (the Hellenistic region opposite Capernaum where Gadara was located)

“Even demons know who Jesus is”

the panic stampede gives visible proof of the demons leaving the man or men and entering the pigs

The Kingdom Is “Already” As Well As “Not Yet” (8:29) Because the King of the future age arrived in the first century, his kingdom also invaded this world in a way hidden to people but recognized by the evil one and his forces (see also Cullmann 1950:71).

The demons here, believing they are free to torment people until the final day and expecting eternal torment in the day of judgment, recognize that their judge has just shown up, before the appointed time.

God’s ultimate intervention is yet to come, but this does not prevent us from depending on his power over the evil one in the present.

Many will value property more than God’s deliverance

P. P. Levertoff’s comment is telling, if perhaps too cynical about their motives: ‘All down the ages the world has been refusing Jesus because it prefers its pigs.’