Kingdom Authoritative Deeds

What is your story? When you consider the narrative of your life, are you:

a loner

a conqueror

a leader

a follower

a sinner

a reprobate

a righteous person

brilliant

educated

uneducated,

smart

silly

loud

quiet

no matter what story you tell other people, or what you want the world to think, each of us has a brokenness that we feel on the inside. insufficient. Have you figured out what your brokenness is? At the core of each of our stories lays one lie: I’m worthless. I’m ugly. I’m stupid. I’m unlovable. I’m untouchable. Whatever lie you believe about yourself, let’s look at what Jesus does in response to people on the periphery of society who were in pain.

Matthew 7:28–8:22 ESV

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

Matthew ii. The Hesitant Disciple (8:21–22)

The two individuals who speak to Jesus about discipleship in 8:18–22 illustrate opposite problems. The first (8:18–20) is carried away with emotional enthusiasm but has not rationally considered the sacrifice demanded in an itinerant ministry. Perhaps he is impressed with Jesus’s miracles and wants to participate in such glorious events. But miracles are not at the heart of kingdom ministry (7:21–23), and true disciples must be willing to be deprived of life’s basic necessities. The second individual has a more realistic understanding of the sacrifice entailed in discipleship. His reason for postponing following Jesus seems legitimate (

What do you believe about the authoritative words and deeds of Jesus?

What lie(s) do you believe about yourself, and why is it significant in your own life that Jesus touched the leper?

After being healed, Peter’s mother-in-law got up and served him, or performed her obligation to him. Do you serve Jesus out of gratitude in recognition of all He’s done for you?