Sermon Tone Analysis

A transition:

We are switching gears so to speak here, from the sermon on the mount--and the direct teaching of Jesus, to the narrative of Jesus’ life and public ministry after that point.

I want to begin by highlighting a specific word from the previous passage: The people who heard him were amazed… I even asked you a little rhetorical question at the end of the message last week— are you still amazed by Jesus?

Matthew 7:29 (NIV)

29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

“Exousia”- Authority, dominion, power, right

Matthew 28:18 (NIV)

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

What follows here in the Gospel storyline isn’t necessarily a day by day chronicle of the life— but rather a detailed account of several highlighted moments.

Matthew seems to group stories and sayings of Jesus into some categories.

The four gospel accounts are unique in that they have specific perspectives on Jesus— they are four accounts, but one Lord!

They are not identical, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t true— this can actually work to strengthen the authenticity of all of them.

Remember the ultimate aim of Matthew here: As scholars and those who have studied this for longer than us--

Matthew is describing and detailing Jesus as Messiah.

Jesus is the promised King!

He is himself a Jewish person, and he is primarily writing to help Jewish people realize who Jesus really is.

He’s established Jesus as Messiah already in a several ways: Paternity, Prophecy, Preparation, Pedagogy, and Power

Paternity:

He is the King by bloodline from King David himself.

The genealogy and family line helped outline that.

Prophecy:

All the OT predictions/prophecies were fulfilled in Him.

Preparation:

His baptism, temptation, all contributed to His God-ordained readiness

Pedagogy: (Teaching)

The sermon was that proof.

Jesus is the new Moses, teaching a new kingdom, a new identity as citizens of this new kingdom.

The sermon on the mount outlines those powerful principles.

Power:

-Chapter 8 begins a section of the book where we will see evidence that Jesus is the King, with power over everything.

He’s about to prove it!

In chapters 8-9 there are a listing of 10 signs, 10 miracles.

Nick Hershberger and I have the task to cover these in the next three weeks.

Jesus is the KING!

Paternity=His family line

Prophecy=OT fulfilled

Preparation=Baptism, Temptation

Pedagogy (Teaching)= Sermon on the mount

Power=Authority in Action

Matthew has outlined his Identity, his Principles, and now he’s about to describe his Authority.

From Unclean to Whole:

The healing of a man with leprosy.

(v.1-4)

One of the most debilitating and tragic diseases of the biblical time, is leprosy.

A leper was a person who had a skin disease that was very contagious.

It was considered “unclean” or not pure in the Jewish culture.

It was a degenerative disease that was, at that time, incurable.

In those days if you had any indication of a skin problem, you presented yourself to the priest— and they would examine you to decide.

As a result of a positive identification, they were quarantined away from others.

Sometimes it was called a “living death” due to the loneliness, as well as the

Today it’s called Hansen’s disease.

In 1981 a combination of antibiotic and steroid treatment cleared the disease, so we don’t deal with it now.

Even if you’re checking out these itchy spots on your arm right now— trust me, it’s not leprosy.

There was a stigma surrounding this person.

He was actually required to announce to others that they were coming.

There was often a common misunderstanding also— Most people believed that people who got leprosy were stricken by God because of their sin.

We know now that this just isn’t the case at all— but I want you to know that leprosy can serve as a pretty good metaphor, an object lesson for our sin.

Leprosy is a picture of our sin nature.

It is often spoken of if the bible— and every time it’s mentioned and healed— it’s recorded that the leprosy was “cleansed”— not cured, or healed.

The guy here even says, “lord if you are willing, you can make me clean”.

It is a very good word picture, describing the state of our hearts when we are in sin— We need to be cleansed.

The only major flaw in my analogy is that leprosy is something that you would catch, or acquire— our sinful nature is inherited.

Leprosy was something you contracted like a cold or the flu— we have never not known our sinfulness!

Our sin, like leprosy, is progressive.

It’s going to get worse and worse.

Leprosy was like that too— if you don’t get something for it early, it’s going to kill you.

Sin often is progressive.

Like something starts relatively small— and often we need something more and more powerful to give us a thrill.

Our sin, like leprosy, is desensitizing.

Leprosy would attack the nerves and you would lose your feeling or sensitivity.

You wouldn’t know if something was too hot, or you wouldn’t feel how cold it is.

People would then injure themselves and may not even know it— then they might get an infection, and then they are in big trouble.

Your sin will do that to you also— the things that convicted you before— now aren’t such a big deal.

many times our language can be like this— if you are around people who use crude or callous words— you get used to it— maybe you even begin to talk like that too.

If you are listening to music or play video games that are more worldly— or watching movies that have lots of violence or sexual types of themes, you may begin to just take these things for granted.

I’m not trying to direct you specifically here— my intent is just to point out that this progressive desensitizing affect of sin is real.

Our sin, like leprosy, is isolating.

Leprosy caused you to immediately be isolated to either a place by yourself— or you might be placed in a colony.

Sin also has this isolating effect also.

We may retreat from our family, our loved ones, even our spouse, our church family— and at best we may start hanging more with the people who are struggling the same way as us.

I think of the tragic stories we know are happening everyday with drug addiction, gambling, or homelessness that occurs when people are tempted, dragged away, and even destroyed by their sin.

Leprosy back in Jesus’ time, like our sin today, can leave you destitute and alone.

Our sin, like leprosy, is fatal (without God).

I think it is very notable that the very first incident that Matthew is describing— this first miracle:

Jesus does something that no one else would do— Touch a person with leprosy, he is a personal, tender, and compassionate shepherd.

He touches us also.

He comforts us.

Jesus did something startling and wonderful at the same time.

Jesus reached out and touched him!

Stop there and reflect on this! Jesus touched the man who was untouchable.

We cannot begin to comprehend how compelling that touch was to that man.

Someone saw him . . .

not as plague or as someone who was diseased.

He saw him as a human being.

And I believe that if Jesus had not healed that man in that moment, it would have still been a moment that changed the man’s life.

Jesus does what Judaism could never do— Heal a man with leprosy, and forgive a person - save someone from their sin.

Jesus instructs this man to present himself to the priest— This was the authority of the day to declare this man “clean”.

We all would have loved to see the look on that priest’s face--- The fulfilment of “the law” is actually the climax of this interaction.

Could this man really be the fulfillment of the Jewish faith?

He is greater than Moses—but he didn’t come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, he came as the literal fulfilment of them— and he enables you and me to fulfill them also!