I Desire Compassion
MATTHEW 9:1-38
9:1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city.
2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 ”Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6 ”But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He *said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.
10 Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 13 ”But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, *AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
14 Then the disciples of John *came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 ”But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17 ”Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
18 While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.
20 And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; 21 for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” 22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well.
23 When Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24 He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 This news spread throughout all that land.
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus *said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They *said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them: “See that no one knows about this! “ 31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout all that land.
32 As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. 33 After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”
35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 ”Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
MATTHEW 9:1
9:1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city.
The Case Against Christ
As the crowds began growing around Christ an interesting sideshow begins to come forward. The Religious start building their case against Jesus.
Their accusations have four prongs
1. Accusing Jesus of being a blasphemer
2. Accusing Jesus of being a sinner because he associated with sinners
3. Accusing Jesus of being irreligious
4. Accusing Jesus of being in league with the devil
We’ll look at these accusations in more detail in the rest of the text.
His own city
Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee’s northwest shore, was not really Jesus’ hometown. It was his adopted town. Yet, it is there he spends most of his three years in ministry, shared half of his parables and performed most of his miracles. Three of his disciples came from nearby Bethsaida (a few kilometers away).
Have you ever wondered what a town needs to be “adopted by Jesus?” Reading back over Chapter 8, we see that being trouble-free was not a requirement — indeed, it might be a prerequisite. Obviously there we lepers nearby, a Roman century was stationed there, the entire area was looked upon as a troubled area. For centuries, invading armies would sweep down this swath of land to attack Jerusalem for possession of this area. It was the first to be attacked and the last to be freed.
It might almost seem happenstance that Jesus adopted this area. He meets his first two followers — James and Andrew — who were from this area. They recruit brothers and friends and Jesus follows the two to their home.
Maybe it was the common courtesy of strangers that John and Andrew showed that brought Jesus to their town. We don’t know. They simply wanted to follow Jesus to “where he was staying” and instead, the Lord followed them.
John 1:38-39
38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and *said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” 39 He *said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the *tenth hour.
It is really that simple. If we are willing to follow Jesus, he is willing to come to us and take us to where we need to go in order to be great followers. But, be careful! Look where he took these men? To places most religious people did NOT want to go!
MATTHEW 9:2-8
2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 ”Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6 ”But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
They brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed
This is such a beautiful story about the power of intercessory prayer. Look closely at why Jesus heals this paralytic, “Seeing THEIR faith…” He saw how far these people were willing to go for their friend and that filled his heart with compassion. He responds immediately and completely.
Take note that these friends don’t just support their friend with prayers, “they act on what they’re asking for…”
Do my intercessory prayers translate into action? Do I act on what I’m asking for? Who knows if this man was seeking healing, he could have been bitter and angry or joyful and swelled with honor that his friends would go so far to help him. The paralytic’s attitude toward healing doesn’t seem to matter to his friends. How far would I go for a friend who was in pain or ill?
In Luke’s version of the story [Luke 5:17 — 27], the friends take apart Peter’s roof because the crowds were too thick to access the Lord through the doors to Peter’s house. Did Peter protest or had he resigned himself to this aspect of being a friend of Jesus (we cover that more in the Luke 5 study). What could be more valuable in life than to have friends such as these men, probably only one thing… being a friend like these men?
“This fellow blasphemes.”
Jesus takes a major risk by telling this man his sins were forgiven. He knew by doing so, the Religious in the crowd would call him a blasphemer. He also knew not starting there would prevent the crippled man from the readiness to be well.
The people of Jesus’ time believed all disease was caused by sin. Jesus had to speak to this first to create the climate of healing for this man.
What words of forgiveness do we need to speak to create a climate of wholeness? Are we willing to be “religiously incorrect” if it means erring on the side of compassion? The religious of Jesus’ time were more worried about what each other thought than caring for those in need, not so with Jesus. He was willing to put himself at great risk to heal this man. Does that sound like the work we do? Are we in danger of being accused because we love the outcast?
We might also notice that when the Pharisees meet a power they cannot mirror or moderate, they turn to calling it evil. If I don’t understand something or can’t control it, do I immediately put it in an evil light? How insecure in the invitational power of their beliefs these Pharisees must have been. If what Christ said and did would not fit their small, earthly paradigm than they immediately condemned him. in what ways can our religious beliefs mimic that behavior?
“But so that you may know…”
The Religious trap themselves in their own net because if Jesus’ claims are not true, then he would be unable to heal this man and yet, the man is healed. Does that make the Religious drop their accusations or imbed them deeper in their ideology?
How can we be different than the Religious adhering to an ideology that has no substance in reason or reality?
MATTHEW 9:9
9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He *said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.
The man who could not sleep at night
Matthew, unlike the other disciples, stood up from a table at which he could never sit at again. The others could always return to fishing — but Matthew’s decision immediately separated his future from his past.
Matthew’s decision would also change his position in life. From powerful and rich to dependent and unemployed. His life would fully count on Christ’s mercy to provide his every need.
We mustn’t think Matthew was without associates. Those who prey upon the poor always seem to join an unholy union. Yet, living according to the law of the jungle also means that the weakest gets eaten as soon as they appear weak. Though Matthew would have conniving lackeys — we can’t imagine they gave him any less sense of vulnerability in his life. In fact, we can imagine that the longer Matthew lived — the more exposed and vulnerable he would feel.
The Messiah would be incredibly attractive to the man who could not sleep at night.
The Wasted Life
Finally, we might presume the presence of Jesus would leave Matthew exposed to his deepest short-coming: The wasted life. Matthew had taken the exclusive gifts of being able to read and write and used them to betray his own people. A meaningless life is never so exposed as in the presence of a man enflamed by a vision. How empty and exposed Matthew must have felt in the face of Christ’s overwhelming purpose. Every silver piece on his table must have looked like a link in a chain that fettered Matthew’s soul. Like a dying man finding diamonds in the desert — the irony of his wasted life (in the light of Jesus’ call) must have been simply overwhelming.
Why hold back?
On that very day, Matthew did what we all have a chance to do before this life is over. Accept Jesus as savior or face our judgment alone. Matthew must have simultaneously felt a deep desirous love and yet a dark impending fear: The desire for the Savior who called him by name — the fear of continuing to live an empty, ruinous life.
Matthew chose to become completely dependent on our Savior that day. Not just spiritually dependent; checking in weekly to “practice his faith.” He became completely reliant in an instant. Spiritually dependent, yes... but also financially, physically and socially.
The beautiful aspect of the story is that also ”at that very moment,” eternity [ouranos] became available to him! He left behind a table covered with coins — but gained a different abundance. The abundance of having life’s purpose fulfilled! His talents were not forgotten — they were put to God’s use. Matthew, the acute observer and account keeper became chronicler of the Savior’s life.
The abundance of Christ’s love can reach any part of our life we dare give Him! Why hold any part back?
MATTHEW 9:10-12
10 Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.
WWJB: Where would Jesus Be?
Jesus was reclining at the table in the house... whose house? Luke tells us it was Matthew’s house [Luke 5:29]. Here we find Jesus relaxed among the leading traitors of his people, for that is surely what the common person felt towards tax collectors.
In order to have a relationship with someone — you must first spend time with him or her. Jesus would be hard to spend time with because he was always moving. Jesus did not keep regular office hours; to know him you had to find him and to find him meant looking among the outcast.
He is still among the alienated today and to know him means following him to the very places where they live. It is impossible to answer the question, “What Would Jesus Do?” if we don’t also ask “Where Would Jesus Be?”
I Came For Sinners
Hallelujah! Jesus came for us. When we are weary of earthly solutions, we are ready for him to start his work. Blessed is the one who comes to this incredible abundance before wasting their hope on frivolous solutions that don’t rely on the resurrection. There is a hidden meaning to this warning designed for the Pharisees. For as long we think we can save ourselves on our own — he leaves us to our hubris. Jesus starts working when we choose humility and live by faith.
The Pharisees thought it was an insult to accuse Jesus of spending time with sinners. We should all be so insulted. In Luke 15:1, Jesus is accused by the Pharisees of eating with sinners, not converting them, just eating with them. That’s what the Lord’s Supper looked like in Jesus’ time. When Christians today have “The Lord’s Supper,” can we be accused of dining with outcasts? All too often Christians only dine with other like-minded people. We’re like doctors who won’t go to hospitals in fear of catching a virus. In fact, it would be a good sign if we were in a constant state of having the “sniffles.”
My first extended mission trip to a Mexican orphanage I came back to the US with pneumonia, worms and inactive tuberculosis, a small price to pay for all the hugs from children there. The last five years of working with children in one of the lowest income neighbourhoods in Canada, it took me two years to build any resistance to the viruses carried by the children around me.
How does that complicate our “Mission Calls.” “Come and be sick for the Lord!”
MATTHEW 9:13
13 ”But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, *AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Hosea and The Whore
This is one of the greatest truths of the bible, which Jesus quotes from Hosea [Ho 6:6] “I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE.”
Many might call Hosea the book of undeserved love. As a sign of his mercy, God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute. Again and again she is unfaithful. Again and again God tells Hosea to bring her back?
What did she deserve? Death by the law. What did she receive? Mercy from the Lord.
What do I deserve by the law? Death. What does Jesus offer me? Mercy.
In essence we find Jesus declaring that compassion is more important than the Law. In Mark 2, Jesus says,
Mark 2:27-28
27 Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 ”So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
You can read more about this statement and it’s context in the study of Mark 2. Essentially Jesus is saying to the Religious that compassion (not the law) is lord of the Sabbath, greater than the law. What an assault to the Scribes and Pharisees who used the law to separate themselves from the poor. No wonder they wanted Jesus dead!
The Lord’s Desire
What is it the Lord desires? Not the perfection and falsehoods of the law that the Pharisees falsely practiced. Their mimicry of perfectionism only served as grouting to seal the leaks on their tombs. Their ritualistic practices and public sacrifices led only to deepen their exclusive country club mentality — but little did they know that their fancy digs rested just below the lip of a volcano.
To God, being perfect meant being compassionate and driving the root of our compassion must always be the remembrance of his mercy for us — while we were yet sinners! When we stand before the cross to witness the passion of Jesus for each of us. Only one response makes sense: Gratitude. It is that gratitude that should empower me to love everyone I see with the mercy he had for me.
There are three keys to the path of happiness
1. Am I doing what I find meaningful?
2. Am I where I need to be to grow a more meaningful life?
3. If the answer is no, then set about changing it. If the answer is yes, be grateful…
However, if I choose the path of judgment that path will judge me as well.
MATTHEW 9:14-17
14 Then the disciples of John *came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 ”But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17 ”Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
Here is another prong in the attack on Jesus, but this one is not from the Pharisees it is from John’s former disciples. Andrew and John the Beloved were former disciples of John sent by the Baptist to follow his cousin, the “Lamb of God.” Why did this other group of John’s disciples not see Jesus as the Messiah while the other two did? No doubt they were very confused. John was facing death by Herod for his brave honesty with the potentate about his marriage to his own cousin and brother’s wife. They probably wanted Jesus to put his life on the line to get John released. But it was not Jesus’ time.
Jesus had a sacrificial mission to be sure, but in God’s timing — not in the disciple’s timing. Waiting on God can be difficult. But not waiting on God can be worse. Look at the story of Jacob. No doubt Jesus suffered right alongside his cousin in jail.
How often is waiting harder for me than charging forward? We need to remember; this was not idle waiting by Jesus. He continued to serve God and build for the future. If Jesus had gone into Herod’s prison, he wouldn’t have come out. He waited in Capernaum building up the church for his eventual sacrifice and absence. What we do while we’re waiting on God is more important than taking action in a fruitless endeavor.
“Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins…”
Historically, this is where religion always traps itself. It sells wineskins instead of wine. It sells steak instead of sizzle. We sell the rituals of Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper instead of community and meaning. We focus on what to do and not on why we gather. The Millennial Generation is particularly uninterested in this approach. They don’t buy ritual for ritual’s sake nor give respect according to authority. To paraphrase the financial giant Merrill-Lynch before it’s collapse, this generation insists that, “We give respect the old-fashioned way. You must earn it.”
The Religious had turned a relationship with God into a system of impossible rules, regulations, rituals and taxed endeavours. No wonder Jesus rejected it in favor of compassion.
MATTHEW 9:18-19
18 While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.
Suddenly…
These three stories of healing are filled with urgency, such as the “immediacy” of Matthew following Jesus. He just “got up” leaving behind a table laden with money. There is also the “suddenly” of Jesus following the ruler, Jairus and the “behold” of the woman stricken with constant bleeding.
This should help us understand something very important about our Savior.
1. The press of the crowd was always upon him.
2. The “availability” Jesus had for those in pain.
3. The depth of the well from which Jesus ministered.
Few people have such a reserve to call upon in their life in which they are “immediately” and “suddenly” available to anyone in need. Jesus could be interrupted at any time without frustration or reproach. His response to pain was always consistent — his heart went out to the wounded and he offered healing.
Is there anything that we feel we need to withhold from the Lord? If he could be that present in human form — imagine the presence and availability of our Savior through the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the image of God in human form. His constant and complete availability models to us the characteristics of our King. Let nothing prevent you from calling upon the Lord God Almighty in your times of trouble!
The Love without boundaries
Not only was Christ’s love available at all times — it was available to all people.
First, there is Matthew, the tax collector and traitor to his own people. Jesus is available to the worst of sinners.
Then, while he is being jeered by religious leaders — the primary religious leader of the community comes to Jesus in desperation. Jairus led the synagogue, he was among the elite of the local Jews. The very people condemning Jesus would no doubt be associates of this man.
This was an act of absolute desperation. He waited until the last possible minute (and even that moment had past). The girl was in her death throes when Jairus ran for Jesus’ help. When he saw that ritual could not save her, religion could not save her, only then did he turned to his last resort — could Jesus save her?
How like us! Turning everywhere in our trials except to Jesus — our Savior of last resort. Yet, does Jesus begrudge Jairus for his dalliance? Here is Jesus, dining with sinners, chided by the religious leaders yet; he jumps to his feet at the father’s desperate request. Without hesitation, Jesus is on the move again.
Jesus does not act toward Jairus in the same way the religious leaders are treating our Lord. Would Jesus be outside his boundaries to say; “It’s my meal time — leave me alone!” Does he have the right to treat Jairus as he is being treated by Jairus’ friends? Of course! Would he be justified leaving Jairus to the caustic cynicism of his pious associates? Undoubtedly. Yet, without hesitation, our Lord jumps to his feet and follows the man pleading for help.
Isn’t that an awesome truth? Jesus does not treat us as we deserve instead, he gives us all that love can offer. Not only are we called to follow Jesus, but here we witness how the awesome Son of God will follow us to the depths of our despair! All we must do is cry, “Help me, Lord.”
Jesus’ love knew no boundaries. He was never too busy for the person in need. He was never too righteous for the cry of help. He helped the worst of sinners, the haughtiest of men and the most alienated woman — all in the space of one meal!
Third, the unclean woman. We will read more about her — yet, suffice it to say that this woman had been an “untouchable” for twelve years. If the crowd had been aware of her presence she would have been stoned! How many of us think we are the hidden sinner? If the crowd knew our true character, would we experience rejection, hatred — loathing?
This is the very soul for whom Jesus stops his march. He lays aside his mission for this interruption. Heaven stops for the sinner who tried to sneak into the back of church!
MATTHEW 9:20-22
20 And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; 21 for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” 22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well.
The untouchable woman
The Law of Moses stated that a woman was “untouchable” during her menstrual cycle. She had to separate herself from the rest of the people and stay in a special tent away from the community. During that time, she was no different than a leper. If anyone came near her, she would have to shout, “unclean,” so, that they could avoid her.
What then, do we know about this woman?
She was a social outcast For twelve years she had been alienated, “unclean.” She would not be allowed near her family or anyone in her community. She was horribly lonely.
She was desperate We find her in the middle of a crowd. If they knew of her plight — they would have killed her. Her very presence would make all those around her “unclean” as well. How desperate for human association she must have been to risk death in order to seek our Savior’s touch.
She had incredible faith. Each of these stories shows us how deeply faith can be planted in the shadows of despair. Her despair did not lead her to self-pity; it led her to Jesus. God did not enter sin into this world — we did. The consequences of sin are death, illness, hatred, addictions — the list is endless.
Here are three stories of desperation turned into joy. In shame — run to God! In meaninglessness — run to God. In utter despair — run to God. No one was rejected who cried out, “Help me, Lord.”
The response of Jesus to the “reviled woman”
This story would cause revulsion to the Jewish high priests and to Jairus. Imagine Jairus’ anger as the Lord — his one hope — was stopped by an unclean woman on the way to his dying daughter! These leaders would not allow themselves to be placed in any situation that might lead them to be touched by someone who was “unclean.” This was exemplified by Jesus in the story of the Good Samaritan. Here a priest and a Levite cross to the other side of the road to avoid the injured (unclean) man.
Am I like that? Afraid to stand up for the unclean? To plead mercy for their cause?
Yet, look at the words of our Savior; “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.”
When was the last time this woman was spoken to in love? When did she last hear the words; “Daughter?” When was the last time she was called “family?”
She must have expected to be rebuked. Even beaten — perhaps stoned. Yet, the full force of what could have been religious hatred — was exchanged for the full force of Jesus’ love. His words: “Daughter,” “Comfort,” and “Whole.”
Only Jesus makes the outcast family.
Only Jesus offers us true comfort — not just from our disease — but even deeper, from our rejection.
Only Jesus offers wholeness — an embrace that surpasses the weakness of our bodies with the vigor of his love.
The interruption
Yet, even more… This was not a planned press opportunity. This “reviled woman” not only made Jesus ceremonially unclean by her touch — she also interrupted Jesus’ mission to raise the dead — in the family of a very important religious authority! Was she worthy of that touch? Apparently, Jesus thought so!
Are we too dirty for the Lord? Are we too unclean? Too sinful?
Never! This is the story of unbelievable love. This story should tell us more about our God and Jesus than any book of theology. That — on the way to the house of a religious ruler — our Savior stopped for the most alienated of persons.
What greater illustration of the character of Jesus could we possibly find?
MATTHEW 9:23-26
23 When Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24 He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 This news spread throughout all that land.
The Scornful Crowd
Jesus walked into a mess. Surrounding the house were professional mourners who were hired to weep loudly for the dead. This was a customary expense for the upper class that could afford such services.
Jesus’ confrontation with them put their professional pride on the line (not to mention their fee). They not only laughed at Jesus — but they laughed to the point of embarrassing the entire household!
They had little feeling for the household. No grace in front of the crowd and certainly no humility before the Lord.
Yet, the valuable lesson is this… Their cynicism could not hold back the movement of God’s love. Christ continued unabated by their embarrassing behavior.
Do not let skeptics hold back your faith. Do not let mockers mitigate your compassion. Do not let cynicism dissuade you from testifying to your love of Jesus. For the louder their laughter at the Lord — the greater their shame following his healing. In the end, their derisive behavior only added credence to God’s majesty.
Despite their mocking, Jesus went forward. We must rely on faith in the same manner. The disbelief of others will only add to the glory of God when it is revealed.
The shadow of Death
“The maid is not dead, but sleepeth.”
Some theologians interpret that this phrase means that the girl was in a coma, a sort of sleeping sickness that was not uncommon at the time. There is evidence of people buried alive who appeared dead by all human standards but were only in a comatose state when they were laid to rest.
It doesn’t matter to us if she was completely dead — or just “mostly” dead. Either way, we know that God can break through the greatest barrier. That barrier already began to collapse when Jesus charged through the mocking crowd. It continued when our Lord reached into the shadow of death and brought a little girl back to her parents.
Psalm 23 tells us about the “Shadow of Death.” That death is really a falsehood. To the believer, death is but a shadow to break through into the abundant light of our God’s love.
Mostly Dead
Still, many people believe that shadows are reality. I have counseled many men with the DT’s who thought shadows were alive and that creatures were present trying to claw at them and pull them into a netherworld. Perhaps they were simple experiencing a drug-induced state or perhaps they were seeing the world in amazing spiritual clarity….
Regardless, I know many people — in and outside — of jails who are “mostly dead.” Living in the “shadows” of life!
This is what Jesus longs to break through! The shadows that keep us bound in fear from experiencing faith to its fullest. This included the skeptics who blocked Jesus from the door to the girl’s house. Who are those people in your life? Who desires that you feel powerless or stupid?
The Master is knocking. Ask him in. Let him break through the mask of death and into the joy of abundant life!
MATTHEW 9:35-38
35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 ”Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
The Mission of Jesus — Our Mission
Jesus had one primary mission.
Luke 4:18-19
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, 19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
Jesus was the bearer of salvation. He came — not only to bring the Good News of salvation — he was the Good News. Matthew tells us the three tools Jesus used to herald our release from captivity: Preaching, teaching and healing. These verses by Matthew were designed to show us that this was not just Jesus’ responsibility. As followers, we cannot delegate our responsibility to participate in the harvest to anyone else. To call ourselves Christ-Followers is to live a life that proclaims, teaches and heals — the poor, the captives, the blind and the downtrodden.
Preach, Teach and Heal
These gifts are meant to be offered as a trinity of salvation. Offering only one gift without the trinity of Christ is futile — even damaging. Let’s look at the blend of gifts on this three-legged stool:
1. To Preach
Preaching or Proclaiming [G2784 Kērussō], meant to shout out! Obviously, you must have a living passion for something if you want to shout it out to others. You can’t hold the message within you. So often our faces don’t reflect someone who has been saved from eternal horror. When we are moved by the Spirit to share the message that has broken our heart — God rises in joy as we proclaim him. It would be mislead to try to control that joy.
Preachers/Proclaimers need not be eloquent — they need to be impassioned! Our best proclamations happen in simple conversations based upon acts of justice we have invited others to share with us.
True preaching often leads to an invitation or an action. For Jesus, conversations often ended with followers asking him to stay or if they could follow him. Do people ask met to stay and share more time with them?
2. To Teach
In Christ’s day, teaching meant to follow a master teacher [didasko — the root word of disciple] and to live with him. The master Christian educator, John Westerhoff, once stated; “ the teacher IS the curriculum,” that is surely how Jesus taught.
True teaching meant asking someone to share in an extended relationship with you, to face trials and joys by your side, to know your heart — and your life — by seeing it practiced in everyday application.
Preaching led to teaching — but teaching led to healing.
3. To Heal:
The word, healing [G2323therapeuō], is more akin to our word “therapy” than the medical concept of healing. We often think of surgery or medication. In actuality, healing meant spending time with someone and helping them recover from an injury or, in this case, an injurious way of living. Religion [religare] was also a medical term meaning rebinding a torn ligament.
Christ spent time rebinding torn people. People torn from their God and communities by the religion of their day and the oppression of worldly acts. He taught them how to rebind their lives through prayer, forgiveness and invitation of the power of the Holy Spirit into their daily life.
Jesus did not heal surgically. He didn’t enter someone’s life, remove a disease and then leave them to figure out for themselves what to do next. He called people into ongoing relationship. In fact, his mission would eventually call him to the cross. He had to make the sacrifice so the bridge of the relationship between God and Christ could be extended to all who had been “cut off” due to sinfulness.
Each of these words must be seen in the context of our separation from God and our separation from each other. God has the power to heal those wounds in a true community of the Holy Spirit. We are called to live together in ultimate relationship; the relationship made available by the one who proclaimed, taught and healed.
MATTHEW 9:36-38
36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 ”Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
God became sick to his stomach with love
Here is an incredible concept that we need to understand if we are to know the heart of our God. All too often, we have depicted before us a God of vengeance and hate. A God who is like a mean Santa Claus counting up our sins because all fall short of the dignity of God.
Yet, to know Christ is to know God, and this verse gives us an insight into the deep passionate love that God has for us — his people. While many translations tell us that Jesus felt compassion for the poor, the literal word [G4697 Splagchnizomai] is quite graphic. It means your bowels go weak, your stomach turns over and incredibly and it wasn’t in repulsion to such vile creatures as us. Jesus gets sick to his stomach over the despair of his people.
That is a picture of our God. This is not a God of hatred who could only be satisfied by the bloody offering of his own son, who reluctantly agrees to die on our behalf. The Trinity is not like a “Good Cop / Bad Cop” scenario. God knew from the first breath of creation that he would have to offer his son. He knew this because he also knew that love was — in the end — is always a choice and we would often fail to love him. God breathed resurrection before he breathed us!
The plan of creation wasn’t happenstance; it wasn’t made up as God went along. It wasn’t changed mid-stream to accommodate our failure. It was consistent throughout history and will continue to be consistent. God knew we would fall and God was prepared for that contingency before we wandered from the path.
The God who loved enough to offer his own son is revealed in the “gut-level” compassion of Jesus Christ. It is still his response to our sin. Not abhorrence (“You make me sick to my stomach”) but empathy, “I will die for you.”
Sinners or Sheep?
As Jesus looks upon the lost, he sees the pain of defeated souls and instinctively becomes the loving shepherd. The Pharisees saw something totally different. They saw sinners to be reviled and cast out. The biblical truth in this passage is subtle but clear; what we see when we look at the lost is the treatment that we receive in kind from God. Do I look upon the poor, the deserted or imprisoned as the harvest? Or, do I see them as the dross? Something to avoid and condemn. Is there anyone with whom I have the audacity to claim that I am reviled by their presence? Anyone that I turn away from in anger, disgust or even pity? Is there anyone I would reject because they are beneath my dignity?
I must always remember that I am beneath God’s dignity. Yet, rather than running from sinners — the lost sheep — Jesus goes straight to us. He dines with sinners, he embraces sinners, teaches sinners, heals sinners — he shepherds sinners.
The only way to turn our anger into blessing is by invitation and by service. The Pharisees could never know God’s peace because they were never willing to offer it. What about me? How can I expect a peace that I am unwilling to offer? How can I expect to be loved if I am unwilling to love? Where is my forgiveness if I am unforgiving?
The Harvest
While some pastors sweat over membership numbers, some realize there is no limit to the numbers we can invite into relationship with Christ. It is just depends on where we look and how we approach people.
Most churches seek people with whom they are “comfortable.” If they look at all! Many still operate out of a belief that the door is wide open — but it’s the sinner’s responsibility to find it. On the off chance a sinner does show up — they are not welcome if they are not dressed in suit and tie. Cold stares do far more than confronting words to drive away the lost.
Yet, for those with the eyes of Christ, the opportunity to fill a sanctuary is beyond measure. The question is, “Does the sanctuary have to be in a church?”
Prisons are filled with need. Streets are rampant with the lost. Rest homes are filled with the forgotten. How can one be Christian and be bored at the same time?
The harvest is great and Christ still cries out for the laborers. Pray for them. Yet, remember, prayer also means making myself personally available. Which scythe am I wielding or am I waiting for the wheat to cut itself and fall through the church door?