To Follow or Not to Follow?

Matthew 8:18-34

Matthew 4:23-35; 7:28-29; 8:1-3; 5-6, 13; 15-16. People were getting healed! God’s power was at work in visible, tangible ways.

The kingdom of God was being explained in concrete terms everyone could understand.

“What kind of man is this?—even the winds and the sea obey Him!”” (Matthew 8:27, HCSB)

1. This is a Messiah who demands much of His followers (vs 18-22):

Many want to follow Jesus, but want to follow personal preferences as well. Yet the very heart of the gospel, according to Jesus, involves utterly unqualified allegiance to Him.

Repentance and faith are meaningless categories if there is no turning from self-will to Christ’s will, no abandonment of proud self-confidence in favor of confidence in Christ.[1]

[1] Carson, D. A. (2009). God with Us: Themes from Matthew (p. 53). Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock.

More to the point of this exchange Jesus is offering a life of complete uncertainty and physical insecurity.

Matthew 3-4 record Jesus going to John the Baptist at the Jordan River, and then being ‘led’ by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness for an extended time of testing.

Then, as Matthew reminds us, “Jesus was going all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23, HCSB)

“He was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly His mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to Him.

Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.” But He replied to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”” (Matthew 12:46–48, HCSB)

2. This is a Messiah who exerts power over storms: Matthew 8:23-27

Sea of Galilee

. After several minutes of frantic activity of bailing water these veterans of the Sea of Galilee cried out in fear - “So [they] woke Him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to die!”” (Matthew 8:25, HCSB)

First, Jesus looked at them and asked, what was to Him an obvious question: “But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, you of little faith.” (Matthew 8:26, HCSB)

Jesus then ‘rebuked’ the winds and the sea, and they immediately obeyed!

The Greek word translated ‘rebuke’ often refers specifically to the rights of an owner and master. Here Jesus acts in His capacity of Creator and Sustainer

3. This is a Messiah who repels the presence of the enemy: Matthew 8:28-32

Pay attention to the order of events. These two men approached Jesus! They immediately (or the demons inhabiting them) recognized who this man that those disciples were confused about was!

They also affirm that what Jesus has come to do – ie establish the kingdom of God is not yet fulfilled (“Have You come here to torment us before the time?”” (Matthew 8:29, HCSB))

The actions of the demons points to their nature: they immediately cause the death of the entire herd of pigs!

Their hatred of God and His creation is so potent that being unable to cause the death of these two men they immediately cause the death of the entire herd of pigs.

4. This is a Messiah whose presence reveals that which truly drives us: Matthew 8:33-34

why would I be interested in following Jesus – one who challenges me to let go my personal preferences,

one who suggests that loyalty to Him is more important that family loyalty,

who suggests that storms are a normal part of life to be faced with faith, not fear;

one who insists that evil is real and powerful;

one whose actions reveal that which is most important?

- Jesus is worth giving our lives for…

who else can change a person’s heart?

Who else can heal the most devastating disease with a word?

Who else can immediately calm the storms of our life with a single word?

Who else can go face to face with Satan and win every single time?

Who else can help us discover what is truly worth living for?

155,000 people will die today NEVER HAVING HEARD THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE LOVE OF GOD

Hundreds of churches our size and others will close their doors for the final time – perhaps even today – and families and communities may lose the only real connection with the love of God they have ever experienced.

Follow Jesus with us

Come to Him as Savior and Lord

Tell Him you need a Savior – admit that your sin has created a barrier only He can remove; speak the words with your mouth: Jesus is Lord, believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead…and you will be saved.

Are you obeying?

Are you in regular connection with a church family? If not, you are disobedient.

Are you serving together with fellow believers – using the gifts and resources God has given you – if not, you are disobedient.

Are you seeking to tell those around you of the great news of the gospel? If not, you are disobedient.