SF046 - JESUS' POWER OVER DEATH (Matthew 9 18-26)

Matthew 9:18-26

Introduction

In 9:18-26, Matthew gives the first miracle in his third set of three miracles (see 8:1-22 and 8:23-9:17)—a miracle that was actually a double miracle, a miracle within a miracle. He raised a young girl from the dead, and during the process restored health to a woman who was considered by society all but dead. He demonstrated His power to restore life to the whole body and to restore wholeness to any part of the body.

Within this text we not only see a miracle within a miracle but also a beautiful picture of Jesus’ response to people in need. We see the dual portrayal of His power and His sensitivity, His authority and His gentleness, His sovereignty and His openness, His majesty and His lovingkindness. We see in particular that Jesus was accessible, touchable, and impartial as well as powerful. Of the two principal characters in this account besides Jesus, one was an influential ruler and the other an outcast. The one was wealthy and the other poor. Yet in common they had great needs and a great Helper.

In this account we see our Lord being revered, jeered and cheered.

1A. How the Lord was Revered (9:18-22)

1B. A Daring Man (9:18-19)

The man who came (9:18a)

Ø Jairus and that he was the chief official, or elder, of the synagogue. (Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41)

Ø He was therefore the highest ranking religious official in Capernaum, responsible for the total administration and operation of the synagogue.

Ø He supervised the worship services and oversaw the work of the other elders, which included teaching, settling disputes, and other such leadership duties.

Why he came (9:18b)

Ø The first thing that brought Jairus to Jesus was deep need

Ø The second thing that brought him to Jesus, his faith

“Come lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”

The Lord’s response (9:19)

Ø Jesus needed no prompting.

2B. A Desperate Woman (9:20-22)

What the woman sought (9:20-21)

Ø Her condition (9:20a)

She was unclean (Leviticus 15:25-33)

She was isolated

She was incurable (Mark 5:26, Luke 8:43)

Ø Her confidence (9:20b-21)

Her faith was genuine and was acceptable to the Lord.

What the Lord taught (9:22)

Ø He taught the sovereign nature of salvation – He call her “daughter”

Ø He taught the connection of faith and wholeness – “Your faith has made you well”

The three references to being made well in Matthew 9:21-22, use soôzoô; the usual New Testament term for being saved from sin.

It is the same phrase used in reference the prostitute (Luke 7:50) who washed the Lord’s feet and to blind Bartimaeus, (Mark 10:52) except in those instances it is translated “Your faith has saved you.”

In the gospel accounts we read of multitudes of people being healed completely apart from faith. Jesus performed His miracles of healing by His sovereign will, often in response to faith, but not conditioned by it.

But no one is ever saved apart from faith. This woman had that kind of faith.

2A. How the Lord was Jeered (9:23-25)

1B. The callous crowd (9:23-24)

Their hypocritical concern (9:23)

Jewish funerals involved three prescribed ways of expressing grief.

Ø First was the tearing, or rending, of one’s garment.

Ø The second way of expressing grief was by the hiring of professional women mourners, who would loudly wail the name of the one who had just died.

Ø The third way of expressing grief involved hiring professional musicians, most often flute-players, who, would play loud, disconcerting sounds meant to reflect the emotional discord and confusion of grief.

Their hyper-critical response – they “laughed Him to scorn”

2B. The caring Christ (9:24-25)

Christ confronts the crowd (9:24)

Ø He evicts them.

Ø He corrects them

Christ conquers death (9:25)

The Canadian scientist G. B. Hardy said, “When I looked at religion I said, I have two questions. One, has anybody ever conquered death, and two, if they have, did they make a way for me to conquer death? I checked the tomb of Buddha, of Confucius and of Mohammed and each was occupied, and I came to the tomb of Jesus and it was empty. And I said, There is one who conquered death. And I asked the second question, Did He make a way for me to do it? And I opened the Bible and discovered that He said, ‘Because I live ye shall live also.’”

3A. How the Lord was Cheered (9:26)

In Christ there is no longer reason to fear sickness, disease, demons, deformity, tragedy, or even death.

As believers, we can even rejoice in dying, because our Lord has conquered death. Though we will not be brought back to this life, we will be raised to new life. In Him is fullness of joy and life everlasting.

“No longer must the mourners weep,” a poet reminds us, “nor call departed children dead, for death is transformed into sleep and every grave becomes a bed.”

Death can strike God’s saints in unexpected, painful, and seemingly senseless ways.

Yet He does not promise to give explanations for such tragedies.

Instead He gives the wondrous assurance that “he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies” (John 11:25).

Application

Have you sought after Christ the only source of life?

Do so today!

Matthew 9:18-26

1A. How the Lord was ___________________ (9:18-22)

1B. A _____________________ Man (9:18-19)