Matthew 8:1-22 After you hear – A need to respond to the message

The message is over. What happens next?

Jesus preached everywhere He went. The Sermon of the Mount is now over – what happens now?

In fact you can structure the gospel of Matthew around discourse/teaching – then narrative/actions that Jesus takes.

· The Messiah comes with the message of the kingdom. Then the Messiah offers proof of the message of the kingdom. He begins to usher it in by His work

· The Messiah describes kingdom living. Then the Messiah demonstrates kingdom living.

· Modeling kingdom ministry: the combination of message / helping.

Tell the message. Meet needs of people.

· The Messiah preaches the message of the kingdom. Then people react to that message.

Today we will take a narrow focus. We will look at what some of the people did when they  heard the message of the kingdom. Many heard the same message.

Some stand out because of what they did after they heard.

I. After you hear: Trust Him personally

A. Offer includes even unlikely people  Matthew 8:1-2a

(ESV) Matthew 8 1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him,  (NKJV worshipped) …

The first real response to the message was not the religious / not the really good people / the ones thought of highly in the community – it was a leper

1. Avoided by all

a. Loss of sensation / Rotting flesh / pieces of flesh falling off / infection / a slow living death / no possible cure

b. How did he get close enough to hear?

2. Despised  - outside society – yell unclean --- flesh rotting away ---stink – a horror even to look at

3. Broken within

a. Poor in spirit - broken / mourning – a life destroyed / meek – no possible sense of sufficiency / no pretense of any kind

4. A picture of sin and its result – note that when he is made whole it says he was cleansed rather than healed

B. Understand the personal application            Matthew 8:2b

(ESV) Matthew 8. 2 … saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

Seeking to worship

Seeking to be blessed – seek a blessing

But he comes in faith – no else would accept him but he believed that Jesus would

1. This applied to him – he could personally choose the path to Jesus and receive the benefits

2. Even a non religious – total reprobate – this is exactly who Jesus came for

C. Choose to find cleansing from Jesus Matthew 8:3-4

(ESV) Matthew 8 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 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.”

1. He would only be made clean if he sought it personally from Jesus

2. Jesus (Mark 1:41 adds Jesus was moved with compassion)

3. Touched the unclean – a radical thing to do – and the word implies more than just a touch – at least a firm grasp if not taking hold of him

a. Need a human healing as well as a physical healing

4. A radical impact on the man who was avoided by at least 6 feet - he had ceased ever being touched

II. After you hear: Impact others through Him

A. Friends – Intentional intercession     Matthew 8:5-13

Intentionally seeking Jesus on behalf of one you care about

1. In spite of his own unworthiness cared about servant’s dreadful condition

(ESV) Matthew 8 5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 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.

a. A Gentile

b. A soldier of the enslaving Romans

c. Why would he think he could receive anything from this King of the Jews?

d. But the soldier cared for his servant – enough to even do the uncomfortable thing – to come humbly seeking mercy for his servant friend

2. Believed in Jesus’ authority

(ESV) Matthew 8 8 … only say the word, and my servant will be healed9 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.”

a. He got it – Jesus was in authority / He was the Son of God / The Messiah God / The one in control

3. Honored

(ESV) Matthew 8 10 When Jesus heardthis, he marveledand said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

a. Amazed:   Why are not those who have the truth as responsive as this one who is outside God’s nation?

b. Honored the ones that honored Him

c. The gospel is for all who come to Him regardless – basis is on faith

4. Granted

(ESV) Matthew 8 13 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.

a. Centurion’s faith impacted his friend

B. Family – Impact from your own walk          Matthew 8:14-15

Others impacted because of your walk

(ESV) Matthew 8 14 And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him.

1. Mother in law impacted because of Peter’s walk / Peter had invited Jesus to be with Him – the circle of family impacted by our lives

C. Anyone – Bring everyone       Matthew 8:16-17

(ESV) Matthew 8 16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressedby demons, and he cast outthe spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

Bringing everyone regardless of the need – Jesus can meet it

1. All can be impacted by Jesus because of what Jesus would do on the cross – took on the impact of sin for us.

III. After you hear: Not everyone will fully follow

A. Hearing alone doesn’t make followers          Matthew 8:18

(ESV) Matthew 8 18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.

(ESV) John 6 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

(ESV) John 6 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

1. They wanted what He gave, not He Himself

2. He wasn’t interested in just numbers

3. Demands surrender – otherwise He isn’t interested

B. Demands a surrender of personal expectations       Matthew 8:19-20

(ESV) Matthew 8 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 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.”

1. May need to give up what everyone has a right to receive

2. Pay the price

3. Can’t just add Jesus to countless other things

C. Demands reprioritizing life    Matthew 8:21-22

(ESV) Matthew 8 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

1. Absolute priority

2. Jesus isn’t just a warm feeling – then take charge of your life – He is the priority / structure life around Him / He is in everything / His prioirities must become your priorities