“Lord, If you are willing…”

MATTHEW 8:1-34

8:1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2 And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7 Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11 “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and *recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.

14 When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. 16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.”

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. 19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 Jesus *said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”

23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 He *said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

28 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. 29 And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. 31 The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. 33 The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

MATTHEW 8:1-4

A Leper came to him

It was illegal for this leper to approach Jesus. Our Lord could have had him arrested. In essence when a leper went out into the public, he had to yell out for all to hear, “Unclean, unclean.”

Throughout history there was probably no disease more isolating than leprosy and especially at the time of Jesus. Even into the middle ages a person who was found to have leprosy would be forced to go to the local priest who would perform burial rites for the diseased — while he or she looked on!

Despite this man’s illegal actions, Jesus is compelled by compassion to heal him.

“Lord, if you are willing…”

Willing [G2309 Thelō] delighted, desire, pleased, wish, to say, “I am willing,” is the same as saying, “I’d be delighted.”

Clean [G2511 Katharizō] cleanse, declare clean, purify

Stretch [G1614 Ekteinō] extend, stretch out, reach, lay out

This whole chapter is about our Lord’s amazing “willingness” and “delight” to heal others, regardless of their background, whether leper, pagan, woman or the demon-possessed man (young men) in a foreign country that was at odds with Israel. Wherever you see Jesus, you see boundaries being broken and compassion taking precedence over legality — religious or civilian.

Not only is Jesus willing to heal this man but he also stretches out his own hand to touch the leper. Those around him would have considered this disgusting — the disease was highly communicable and that is one of the reasons the people of Christ’s time isolated those with leprosy.

In essence to the man’s statement, “If you are willing…” Jesus’ response is not, “I’d be willing… but instead, “I’d be delighted.” For in Scripture, the will of God is the delight of God.

Who are the ones isolated today? Who do we look upon as “untouchable or disgusting?” Jesus went out of his way to restore these people, both to health and also to community. Who can we possibly resist or neglect? We are to be seekers of the excluded and make them a part of our world no matter how shocking to others — especially if including them would be shocking to others.

“See that you tell no one.”

At the time of Jesus, this whole region was seeking a king to challenge Rome and reunite Israel against the world. Is it any wonder that Jesus had a number of reasons to remain unseen?

1. Preventing the people from trying to make Jesus a king for their own ends instead of God’s purposes.

2. Preventing the crowds from following him solely for miracles and not based on his teachings. This would have denigrated Jesus’ ministry from teacher to public idol. Granted many leaders today would gladly accept any form of attention and publicity. Not so with Jesus. There was a distinct purpose to his healing and his message. He wanted to raise followers ready for the arduous work of changing the world. If he had sought only publicity he would have lost the ability to set the direction of his ministry.

Satan gave Jesus the opportunity to appease the crowd in exchange for approval during the temptations in the desert. Can we reject publicity for purpose?

MATTHEW 8:5-13

“Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

Here is another instance that would shock Jesus’ followers and earn the ire of the religious leaders. The Romans were the occupying force of Israel and the Centurions were the backbone of the Roman armies. A Roman legion had 6,000 men and was broken into 60 centuries, each of 100 men. The centurions led these centuries. They were picked for the valor and leadership — on and off the battlefield. Rome understood that conquering a people was easy compared to holding a conquered land and so they had very strict laws covering the occupation of a distant country.

The centurions were the ones who made sure that soldiers — distant from their own home and perhaps embittered by the circumstances — would be faithful to Rome and not arbitrarily intimidate or encourage hate towards Rome by those ruled.

The Centurion himself is quite an extraordinary person. His slave was considered no different than property, nothing more than a farm tool. The fact the Centurion would plead with a local religious leader for his slave is an indication of his compassion. No doubt it is his compassion that compels Christ to respond. In Luke 7, we are also told this Centurion was highly respected by the religious community of the area and that he’d even built a synagogue for them. What an example of how to influence a people and grow respect among indigenous groups. Listen to them, meet their needs and foster their trust.

If we ever want to see Jesus moved to assist, appeal to him on the foundation of compassion.

Look also at the balance between confidence and humility the Centurion brings to the occasion. Christ doesn’t want humiliated followers, humility and humiliation have two completely meanings. We can choose humility but not humiliation. While we should strive for personal humility, we should also strive to never humiliate anyone. While the Centurion is the authoritarian leader of the town he recognizes the authentic power of Jesus and acquiesces his authority for Jesus’ ability. How few leaders have the courage to put aside their authority for someone else’s authenticity? Usually it is just the opposite, if our authority is threatened by someone’s authenticity, many leaders will retreat into authority. How many people are afraid to reveal they can’t do everything and make fools of himself or herself by pretending they either know-all or can do-all?

“Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.”

This is a frequent statement Jesus uses with his followers (whenever they begin to think themselves above others). He takes them to the most unlikely places and shows them faith there; to the Decapolis with a pagan whose daughter is demon-possessed, to Samaria with a town prostitute, to a centurion leader or a blind beggar in the condemned town of Jericho. In each case, Jesus uses these extreme outsiders to remind his closest followers what true faith looks like.

“The sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

At the same time Jesus elevates outsiders and pagans for their faith, he also condemns those who believe they can simply rely on their heredity or words-without-actions to save them. What a contradiction for the leaders of the Jewish people to be told they will be cast into the outer darkness while a Roman leader is exemplified as a person with the greatest faith in Israel. No wonder those leaders wanted Jesus killed.

Does my faith raise the ire of anyone? I’m not talking about being contrarian here disagreeing for the sake of an argument or just being disagreeable. But do I make the well off of my community feel uncomfortable enough to reach out because of my love for the least of these? Can people in bondage (like the Centurion’s slave) find freedom in me? Can outcast lepers (the despised of my area) come to me in the confidence of being healed and restored to community?

MATTHEW 8:14-17

She got up and waited on Him

Waited [G1247 Diakoneō] to serve others, to wait on someone, to be a deacon or disciple.

There was no publicity behind this healing, alone in Peter’s house with a sick mother-in-law. When we complain about how busy our days are and we’ve no room left for compassion. Look at the miracles and work behind this day for Jesus. Then, after healing Peter’s mother-in-law, the house of Peter becomes a house of chaos filled with those who were demon-possessed and ill. Imagine the cacophony of Jesus’ daily life!

Can you imagine being Peter when crowds swarmed his house — even putting a hole in his roof at one point [Mark 2:1-13 and Luke 5:18-25]? Be wary about inviting the true Jesus into your house, it is just liable to “raise the roof.”

Peter’s Mother-in-Law shows us the one true response to Jesus’ touch in our lives. She gets up and begins serving (waiting upon Jesus). The term used, means “She became a servant,” serving. When we “wait upon the Lord,” it is through service. I’ve heard many people tell me they were “waiting to hear where God would lead them.” However, this is closer to the truth, if we want to know where God wants to lead us, we should wait on others. Become a servant to others.

Matthew, ever the teacher and working to tie in the Old Testament to Jesus’s life, quotes from Isaiah 53, a reflection on Jesus’ role as suffering servant.

Perhaps Matthew did not make this connection until after Christ’s death. Surely most of the disciples did not really expect Jesus to die — even though he frequently told them that would be part of his role in Creation.

How easy it is for us to remember (or hear) only the good and not the tough statements of Jesus. The statements that allow us to get away without personal sacrifice…

It must have been hard for the Apostles’ to imagine, especially after such a heady day like this one where Jesus’ power went out to so many, healing unexpectedly and majestically.

MATTHEW 8:18-22

He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea

Why would Jesus abandon a crowd of potential followers and even a scribe as they began to congregate around him? Because they were congregating for the wrong reason. They were swept away by the emotions of the day and not prepared for the arduous journey ahead, one that ended in persecution and a cross. Jesus wanted them to count the cost before they made the leap.

It was remarkable that a scribe would follow Jesus. Our Lord could certainly have utilized this man’s knowledge, connections and gifts. The Scribal system is the very one that Jesus was confronting with its rigid adherence to the law over compassion and its thousands upon thousands of rules.

A religion that panders to emotionalism won’t last the trials of daily compassion. It is great when the band is playing and the minister is amazing people with his witty monologue, but call the people to street work and how many will still make the leap?

The wisdom of Jesus is to call people to the work of faith, not just the joy of the miraculous. Am I a follower as long as the miracles are happening and the music is reverberating in a warm and comfy pew?

It is important to review where the miracles of Jesus occurred — not in a sanctuary or an office, but on the streets with a leper, in an occupied country with an occupier, in a quiet backroom with the sick. These are places where the world is ripe for the phenomenal. I need to be ready to go to these places if I too want to find the Climate of the Miraculous.

“Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”

After chasing away a scribe, Jesus comes upon a man who almost wants to follow. It is a perplexing verse in which Jesus seemingly doesn’t even allow the man to return to bury his dead father. We need to understand that the man’s father was not really dead and may not have even been dying. The cultural meaning of this phrase was “To collect my inheritance.”

The man wanted to put off following Jesus until he had received his inheritance.

Jesus responds to us through that man, “Follow me now. I am your eternal inheritance.”

What reasons do we use to put off following Jesus completely now? Do we say, “When I’m richer and better off, then I will put more effort into caring for those in need?” Jesus says, “Follow me now. I am all you need.”

MATTHEW 8:28-34

The country of the Gadarenes

Jesus not only departs the growing crowd but he sets out for a land that the Jewish people of his time saw as political rivals. They often called the people of this area as, “Sons of Dogs.”

Imagine his disciples’ shock on this day when he welcomes the leper, heals the servant of an occupier’s captain, flees an adoring crowd and then tells his disciples to take them to visit their enemies. Where is the neighborhood in our city or area that people refer to as “Sons of Dogs,” or worse? That’s where Jesus sends us. Do we have the courage to Go Where Jesus Would Go? WWJB… “Where Would Jesus Be?”

Not only does Jesus go to the worst region but then he also goes to the worst place in that region — the tombs. In the tombs were two men (Mark 5 and Luke 11 say it was only one person) possessed by many demons. Put this all together. Jesus goes to the worst city, finds the worst neighborhood and there encounters someone even the Sons of Dogs have thrown away.

“Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

Demon [G1142 Daimōn] demon, one that manipulates (or distributes) destinies

We ignore the demonic at our peril. The term is not just for a malevolent being but also for a manipulative person or even system. There are many manipulators in our world today from individuals to organizations, governments, corporations and religions. In our outreach programs to high-risk children, we define manipulation as “performance-based approval” and love as “unconditional dignity.” Most of the young people I work with cannot remember ever having a non-manipulative relationship.

Satan offered Jesus manipulative approval in the temptations [Matthew 4:1-11]. In exchange for adoration, Satan is willing to offer Jesus immediate gratification, approval and the power to manipulate. Jesus is able to reject Satan’s offers because he has experienced the non-manipulative love of his Father [Matthew 3:13].

If we are to raise a generation that is manipulation-proof, we must quit manipulating them through commercials, education and the way we parent. They must be able to taste what it means to have someone who seeks their dignity “no matter what…”

The demons knew that Jesus was the Christ and had the power to cast them out at any point. In the beginning of Luke we see demons (manipulators) were preaching in the synagogue [Luke 4:33] — that was how far the status of religion had fallen in those days.

They implored Him to leave their region

The Jewish people hated the people from this area of the Middle East because they raised pork for Rome. The Romans wouldn’t dare raise pigs on Jewish land but they still loved to eat it. The people of the Geresenes (or as Matthew called them The Gadarenes) did not follow the Jewish laws regarding the raising or eating of pigs so they contracted with Rome to supply their pigs.

This makes a difference when we understand how many pigs were talking about when we talk about a “herd.” Mark tells us it was 2,000 pigs [Mark 5:13]! That is less a herd than a regional economy. No wonder the people of the area implored Jesus to leave. Jesus was willing to trade an entire regional economy for the worst kid(s) in the worst neighborhood in the worst city of the whole region.

However the man who are formerly possessed pleaded with Jesus to allow him to become a disciple.

Mark 5:18-20

18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. 19 And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them *what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

Jesus returns again to the region in Mark 7 (this time referred to as the Decapolis — the region of ten cities) now the people are ready to make him a king. We must ask who converted that entire region, who led them from fear to adoration? It could only have been the former demoniac(s). With no religious education or background in religion, an outcast — hated and feared by many. What he did have was a singular message, “You know what I was, you used to chain me and cast me out among the tombs, now look at what Jesus did for me and believe…”

People could have argued with his theology and with his philosophy, but they could not argue with such a dramatically altered life. That is all the theology we really need to lead people to Christ. Are we changing the lives of the worst kids from the worst neighborhoods in the worst cities? That’s all the evidence we need to show Christ is truly alive in our lives.