Jesus, the Illness Bearer (Matthew 8:1-17)

Matthew 8:1-17

Jesus, the Illness Bearer

Sunday, September 15, 2024

Land O’ Lakes Bible Church

Introduction

It should come as no surprise to the majority in this particular local church that illness and disease are prominent in this world in which we live. For it does not take long from talking with different ones in this church body that there is hardly any who have not been personally touched by serious illnesses and disease, either personally or within your family. For some, the Lord has been kind to you and brought you through to the other side. For others, you currently are still stricken, smitten, and afflicted by illness and disease. Some with cancer, others with dementia, others with anxiety, and it goes on and on.

Many in the world doubt God because these things exist in the world. They wonder where is God when such affliction strikes them or the ones they love. As Bible believing Christians, we know that these things were not part of God’s very good creation. That illness and disease were not part of creation. For at the end of the 7th day, God saw all that he created and it was good and he rested from his work. In creation, illness, disease, and death were not there. These only entered because of the fall of man into sin. When Adam and Eve rejected God’s rule, the curse of their rebellion began, a curse that brought death, including illness and disease. These all entered the world when sin entered. Therefore, all illness and disease is brought about by sin, whether directly or indirectly. These come in a fallen world. To be clear, that is not saying that one’s illness and disease is a result of one’s direct sin, but of living in a sinful and fallen world.

That’s the bad news following Genesis 3. However, the good news is that God even in the midst of declaring the curse for sin gave a promise of hope. Hope in a coming seed of the woman who would defeat the serpent and make all new again. And this Son is the one we will be looking at as we turn our attention back to the Gospel according to Matthew this morning.

So I invite you to take out your copy of the Bible and turn with me to Matthew 8:1-17. If you do not have a copy, you would be helped by grabbing one of the Red Bibles in front of you. And turning to Matthew 8:1-17 which you can find in that Bible on page #966.

If you are unfamiliar with the Bible, that first number, the 8, that is what we call the chapter numbers. These are the big numbers on the page. The next numbers, 1-17, these are what are called verse numbers. These are the smaller numbers on the page. This will help you find your place as we reference the passage through our time this morning.

Now, it has been sometime since we have been in the Gospel according to Matthew. The gospel of Matthew was written in a way to show how Jesus is the one who has come to fulfill all that was foretold in the writings and the prophets. That he has come to fulfill all God’s promises. That they all find their yes in Jesus.

To accomplish this task of showing Jesus has come to fulfill, Matthew has structured his gospel account with an introduction in Matthew 1-4 where we see Jesus fulfills the promise to Abraham and David, where Jesus is the son called out of Egypt, the beloved Son with whom the Father is well pleased. How he is the better Adam in resisting the temptation and snares of the devil himself where Adam and Eve fell. But then we are also show at the end of the introduction and through the first of five discourses, that is teaching moments, how Jesus is the one who preaches and teaches about God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. And through the first teaching section in the famous Sermon on the Mount, it became clear to all who heard Jesus, he was a man who taught with great authority.

But, as the discourse closes, a narrative follows starting with our passage this morning. A narrative that we begin to not only hear Jesus teach with authority but that authority put on full display. (Read Matthew 8:1-17).

Main Idea: The disease, sickness, and ugliness of sin entered the world with the fall, but Jesus has come with great authority to overturn it as he himself bears the curse of our sin on the cross. We are going to unfold this in the points following the three scenes in Matthew 8:1-17. Scene 1, the leper (V.1-4), scene 2, the centurion (V.5-13), and scene 3, the many (V.14-17).

Scene #1: The Leper (V.1-4)

As Jesus descends the mountain following his famous Sermon on the Mount Discourse, we see in verse 1 that great crowds followed him. For who would not want to follow one who teaches with such great authority? But the crowds here are not what Matthew seeks to point our attention to just yet. Verse 2.

In saying behold, Matthew wants us to fix our attention in awe and wonder at this leper who has drawn near to Jesus and his declaration of who he understands Jesus to be and his request of Jesus.

First, it is a remarkable thing that a leper would draw near to any since he was ceremonially considered unclean. For lepers were to identify themselves as they drew near.

Leviticus 13:45–46 ESV

45 “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ 46 He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.

Leprosy was understood to be something that was easily spread from one person to another, hence why the unclean leper must live outside the camp of Israel to keep others from becoming unclean. And yet, here while he is outside of the camp Jesus comes down the mountain. And the leper either having heard of Jesus’ previous miracles (Matthew 4:23-25) or of his authoritative teaching, this leper comes to Jesus. But he does not just come, he comes making a declaration, Lord.

This is a title here in this usage declaring to be a leader, a chief, a king. And while if we here have rightly understood who Jesus is, we too affirm this use of Lord to our King, this title would have been shocking to the original readers of this gospel account, to those who are hearing it declared if there were eyewitnesses, which surely at least Jesus’ followers were since this is recorded in all three of the first gospel accounts. This leper does not just come to Jesus as some possible miracle healer, he comes to him recognizing his authority. His authority to teach and his authority over illness, even that of leprosy. For again note his words here from verse 2, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

This outcast leper acknowledges Jesus as Lord and his ability to make him clean. For in stating, “if you will” is not to be understood as the lepers doubt of Jesus’ ability to heal him from his leprosy, there is great confidence that Jesus can heal him and make him clean. Clean to be restored back inside the camp of Israel, to be clean ceremonially to enter worship in the Tabernacle, to be free to enter and offer sacrifice to the LORD. It is not a doubt if Jesus can heal him, it is a question would Jesus be willing to heal him, a lowly outcast in Israel. An outcast who has been declared unclean.

This is often a question we are tempted to wonder ourselves, in our uncleanness, is Jesus willing to cleanse us? We likely like the leper believe he can, but we doubt his willingness. But we must not turn our eyes from who Jesus is and what he is willing to do. Verse 3.

Jesus is more than willing to make the leper clean. He is more than willing to make us clean if we ask him. For here with the leper, Jesus was willing to do what ceremonial law forbid. According to Leviticus 5:3, one was not to touch a leper, for in doing they would become unclean themselves. But Jesus here touches the leper and says he will make him clean. And immediately he is cleansed from his leprosy, cleansed without delay at the touch and words of Jesus.

There are many thoughts as to what takes place in this touch, especially since the law declares that one would become unclean in touching one who was unclean. But the closing verse of this section of text that ties these three miracle healings together tells us there in Verse 17, “This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.’” We will unfold this in greater length in our third point, but for now, we need to see that Jesus takes our illnesses onto himself as priest. He is one with authority as Lord, but he is also Priest in that he is able to examine and declare this leper clean. For the Son of God who is both fully man and fully God operates as Prophet, Priest, and King. And therefore he does not break law, but fulfills even this role as Priest. Yet, he continues to uphold the present law. Verse 4.

Though the leper has now been declared to be clean and was cleansed, Jesus instructs him to go show himself to the priest and offer the required sacrifice according to the law. We must be careful here, Christian not to miss why Jesus tells the leper to do this. It is not because he expected the ceremonial law to continue, but for now it still did. Jesus had only just began his ministry, his work was not yet done. So, he for now sends the now former leper to the priest and to offer the gift according to Moses’ command as proof to the legal and ceremonial system that he was indeed cleansed. But a day was coming when Christ’s work was finished and when the ceremonial law would be no longer required.

And yet, though we are not under the ceremonial law, there is great application here for us. When the Lord Jesus speaks and instructs, we are not to just call him Lord, but to obey him as Lord, to obey him as our King. Even when it seems to make little sense to us in the moment, let us hear the words of our King and obey. Let us follow him wherever he leads us, wherever he instructs us. Let us take up our crosses and follow Jesus in obedience. Starting with following all that he has commanded us as his disciples as given in his words. This is what we are to behold in scene 1 with the leper.

Scene #2: The Centurion (V.5-13)

Verses 5-6. Where the leper came to seek cleansing for himself, here we see a centurion come to Jesus appealing to him to resolve the suffering, not of himself, but his servant. Likely that of a personal young servant. But this centurion is the first in Matthew’s gospel who is not a Jew who comes to Jesus. He would be a Gentile belonging to the Roman empire, an officer in the Roman army. And in his appeal to Jesus, Jesus gives a favorable response. Verse 7.

Jesus hears the appeal of the centurion, he has compassion and he agrees to come with him and heal his young servant. Jesus stands ready to heal all who come to him. And yet here with this Gentile centurion comes great awe and recognition of who Jesus is. Verses 9 & 10.

This centurion rightly recognizes his role in Roman life, as one with such authority to instruct all under him, and they hear and obey because of his authority. Yet, this man with such authority understands that if he has this authority, Jesus has more. And even more so, that he is worthy of more honor, such that this man is not even worthy of Jesus to come under the roof of his house. He pleads with him to just say a word and he believes that by this word from Jesus, his young servant will be healed.

What faith by this centurion, faith great enough that it causes Jesus himself to marvel. Verse 10. Did you catch that? Jesus tells his followers, not in Israel who had the prophets and the law, has he found such faith, not with one. That doesn’t mean that there weren’t those with faith, for the 12 whom Jesus called to be his disciples, 11 of them had faith. We see that faith in the pages of the Bible and will become clearer as we go through the remainder of Matthew’s gospel. But to this point, even their faith is weak in comparison to such who recognizes the authority and the honor that belongs to Jesus. A Gentile gets it while the Jews don’t.

It is here in this declaration by this centurion, the proclamation of such great faith, that the hope of salvation begins to be revealed in a clearer picture. The hope of salvation belongs not to just those in Israel, but to the nations. Salvation is here made clear it is not a right to a certain lineage, but to those who will have faith in Jesus and Jesus alone. Verses 11 & 12.

These words likely sent shock waves through Israel. For they presumed that because they were in Abraham and Isaac and Jacob that salvation belonged to them. That they would take part in the great feast of salvation. But here, Jesus tells us that it is not those belonging to Israel, the sons of the kingdom who will necessarily take part in this feast at the table. In fact, many of them will be thrown out into the darkness of night, into the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth because of their unbelief.

The kingdom of God and the banquet where Abraham and Isaac and Jacob are seated are not for all, it is not for those of birthright, but those of faith. It is by faith and faith alone that we are saved and will enter God’s Kingdom and take part in his banquet.

This means those of Israel should not presume they will take part in the kingdom if they reject Jesus. And if they should not presume, then how much more should we not presume?

Kids, I want to ask you to tune in here really carefully. Yes, you are here this morning. Hopefully you are learning many truths about Jesus. But you need to hear this. You cannot presume because you are growing up in church that you are right with Jesus. You cannot presume because your parents are Christian, that you yourself will be Christian. You must see your need to believe in this Jesus for who he is of your own belief. My prayer is for you to make this faith your own and not that of your parents. So that you may take a seat at the table in the Kingdom of Heaven at that great banquet. See Jesus for who he is, kids, and believe!

Adults, we too need to examine what are we resting in for salvation? Is it a Christian heritage? Being here on Sundays? Or is it in the one who is Lord and alone worthy of our trust? It is the object of our faith that matters and the only object that will bring us deliverance from sin is that of Jesus. For it is he who can speak a word and bring healing. Verse 13.

Because of the centurion’s belief, it was done for him as he believed. His young servant was healed at the moment Jesus spoke. What confidence it is to know that the moment that we believe in Jesus, it is done for us as we have believed, that we are saved by that faith in him. There is no delay. And what power that Jesus has, that by a word he can declare us healed in him. Healed from our frailty of sin. And by a word he even with our bodies lie in the grave, will give a word and will raise those bodies to life to be reunited with our soul to live with him in paradise. What power comes in Jesus, the Son of God who is the Savior of all who believe in him.

Scene #3: The Many (V.14-17)

Jesus has healed an outcast leper, the young servant of a Roman Gentile Centurion, and now he turns his healing hand to care for a mother-in-law. Verses 14 &15.

While few details are given here of the condition of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, she had a high fever, which is a serious matter. And yet, here Jesus again comes, fearing not the fever, touches her hand and her fever leaves her. And as it leaves, it leaves her not still in weakness, but well enough to serve the one whom healed her. Simon Peter’s mother-in-law goes from lying in bed to serving after the healing touch of Jesus.

Jesus is the one powerful enough to cleanse the leper by a touch and not himself become unclean, to speak a word and a servant is healed from afar, and to touch a feverish and likely frail mother-in-law and heal her to where she is well enough to rise and immediately serve.

Service that is enabled not out of duty, but response. Response to what Jesus has done. A response of thanksgiving to the one who has healed her, to the one who has restored her.

The call to Christian service is not some duty that we enter into out of begrudging duty. It is service we enter out of joyful thanksgiving to what Jesus has done for us, following the example of Peter’s mother-in-law. It is in response to one who has bore our sins and taken them away from us. It is service in honor of our Redeemer.

Now, when we think of service, we typically think of formal positions in the church of service. Service as a deacon, in music ministry, in children’s ministry, as a Sunday School teacher, in cleaning, or administrative work. And these all are important areas of service, in fact areas of service we have needs for here at Land O’ Lakes Bible Church. Areas of service that are part of our service to the King in response to what he has most graciously done for us in Christ. Beloved, seek to faithfully serve in these ways.

But one area of service we often forget about is serving our king in the way he teaches us to serve one another. To serve one another by being willing to exalt others instead of exalting ourselves. To serve one another by building one another up instead of tearing down. Of serving one another by helping equip one another and mature one another in Christ. To serve one another by outdoing one another in love and care.

This kind of service brings honor to the king and is a service that the king rejoices in as his bride is built up and cared for. And this is one reason we talk about church membership often here at Land O’ Lakes Bible Church. Because part of being a member of the church takes this kind of service from being arbitrary to putting names and faces with to whom we are to primarily carry out this kind of service with. Sure, we can serve in other areas and places, but the primary means of doing this kind of service of carrying out the one another's of the Bible is with an assembled people who have this kind of mutual commitment towards one another to serve in these ways.

Again, this call to service flows from what Christ has done for us. For yes, he is the one who works many miracles. Verse 16. Jesus healed many. But ultimately why Jesus healed many is out of his role to show he was one who came with authority as the Son of God, as the Messiah King to fulfill all that was written of him. Verse 17.

This verse here is a quote pulled from Isaiah 53:4 which we read in our Scripture reading earlier in the service. Though it is obviously not a recitation, it is being applied here by those who were empowered by the Holy Spirit in this autograph. Jesus heals the leper, the centurion’s young servant, Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, and many others because he has come to take our illnesses and bear our diseases in order to rescue us from the curse of sin. He has come to undo all that the curse has done. And he will finally undo death itself for all who believe in him.

Jesus even early in his ministry had his eyes on the cross. His eyes on his bearing our griefs and taking away the sorrows of our guilt, of our shame, of our sin. Jesus came to bear the full weight of God’s wrath on our behalf. He came to be stricken, smitten, and afflicted so that we could be healed from the curse of sin and death and be restored to God if we would believe in him.

So you who are here this morning and you have not yet believed in this Jesus, friend, see his power and his glory, he alone is able to save you. And he is willing to save you, all you need to do is to see and feel your need of him and come. For in the power of the cross, Jesus takes away our sin as the perfect lamb of God. But we must believe if we are to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

And you who have believed and grow weary of the illnesses and disease of this world. Look to Jesus who came to take our illness and bore our disease on the cross. He died so that we could live. And as he was also raised, we who have believed have the hope of the resurrection to come where there will be no more sickness, sorrow, or tears. Let us rest in that in the midst of our weariness. Let us rest with hope.

Let’s pray…