Crossing Over

Matthew 14:34-36

Jesus healed everyone that came to Him. Even some that didn’t. This is our Christ. This itinerant Jewish preacher who rarely went outside the small nation of Israel. NT Wright said the following about the Christ,

In ad 25 nobody outside a small town in Galilee had heard of Jesus. By ad 50 there were riots in Rome because of him, and by ad 65 his followers were being persecuted by the emperor himself.

N. T. Wright

Lets read our text for today which takes place after Jesus not only walked on water but was worshipped by his Jewish disciples (because a Jew would never do this) as the Son of God.

Matthew 14:34–36  NKJV  “ When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, 36 and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.”

Lets take a look at the prophetic nature of this event in Crossing Over - Matt 14:34-36

Matthew 14:34  NKJV  “ When they had crossed over, they came to the land of (came to land at) Gennesaret.”

They were intending to go to Bethsaida, (Mark 6:45–46) but a storm waylaid those plans. Thats when Jesus actually walked on water in a storm.

01 Map Genessarat Jesus at this time was showing who he was as the approach to the cross had begun. These were not magic tricks, but impossible events made possible by the creator displaying heaven on earth. Jesus shows them and us so much.

Jesus has shown His authority over Satan, by commanding demons to leave and the wind and seas to obey him. Remember the sea was torturing them (v24 tossed) which we said was possibly more than a natural storm.

Jesus shows he is the one promised by Moses with every sign He does (Deuteronomy 18:15), with the exception that Jesus is something, someone Moses could never be.

Matthew 14:33  NKJV  “ Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.””

So they come to land not to far from where Jesus had fed the 5000 (01 Map)

Matthew 14:35  NKJV  “ And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick,”

Jesus was nothing to look at, and often was able to walk unrecognized because he was kingly/royal/etc.

In our culture and the culture of the romans/greeks/etc they, and especially we, are obsessed with physical “looks” & attributes.

the bible really and rarely describes anyone. Except notes like, david was purdy. Various folks had beards, Sarah was smoking, but it does give us a few things about Jesus.

Isaiah 53:2b  NKJV  “ For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.”

Jim Cavizeal was too good looking to play Jesus (imo).

After the resurrection we are told: Isaiah 52:14  NKJV  “ Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men;” (Matthew 26:67; 27:30; John 19:3) He was beaten, scourged, and crucified. Pilate thought the beating was bad enough to skip crucifixion.

Matthew 14:36  NKJV  “ and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.”

begged. there are times when I beg Him. I am sure there are times where you have cried out to Him. Begged him to get you through a scrape, through your trial, through your pain. It launches from his healing of us in spirit and soul.

Hem of His garment - kraspedou autou himatiou - the tassels of the talit, it was associated with the prophecy from Malachi 4:2 “2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.” another prophecy the rabbis said was the messiah.

The corners of a tallit are called "wings" because the Hebrew word for corner, kanaf, also translates to "wing". In religious and symbolic contexts, this term is used to refer to the four corners of the prayer shawl, which have fringes called tzitzit. Wearing the tallit can be symbolic of being covered under the "wings" or protection of God.

Symbolic meaning: The use of "wings" emphasizes a sense of divine protection and refuge, as seen in passages where the Hebrew word kanaf is used to describe God's covering. Ritual practice: When a tallit is worn, the corners with the tassels can be held or pulled up, creating a shape that resembles wings, which can look like a covering or tent.

Scholars suggest that this might be a reason that the woman with an issue of blood wanted to touch the hem of his garment. Healing was in the wings. And her story had spread all around and others came running. It wasn't a magic talit.

Isaiah 53:5  NKJV  “ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

Those that touched it, were completely and utterly healed. diesothesan - bring safely through. To completely cure. Imagine every pain, hurt, disease, agony and ache you have gone - Jesus, God on earth, give them just a taste of Heaven on earth.

Most of us complain about the storms of our lives. But Jesus, who was truly good, truly holy, literally the Son of God here on earth, suffered these storms and more, for us. Many went, demanded, begged, raged at Him. And He forgave them, and called them to repentance and salvation!

Jesus was willing to give everything for us, sacrifice all, for us. For me. For you.

There is one more description given to us of Jesus.

Revelation 1:10–18  NKJV  “ I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

Because of this - imagine, this same one, sitting with you across a fire, eating fish, teaching you about the deep things of God. Martin Lloyed Jones said, about Him and the Hem,

It is just this glimpse of God, of the glory of God, passing by. That is precisely what it is … The God who is there in the glory, as it were, comes down and pours out his Spirit and ascends again, and we look on, and feel, and know that the glory of God is in the midst, and is passing by. It is only a touching of the hem of the garment, as it were, it is but a vision of the back. Revival, 220

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Welsh Preacher and Writer)

Jesus we need you. Desperately need you. Lets pray

Reminder - for communion - we encourage you to hold onto to your elements and we’ll partake of them together.