"ATTACK"

TEXT: MATTHEW 9 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/index.php?q=matthew9&niv=yes

15 - Get Up and Walk - Trevor Nerva - Producer


PARAPHRASE

“BLASPHEMY”

When some men bring a paralytic to Jesus after crossing over to Capernaum, seeing their faith, he tells the paralytic his sins are forgiven. Some of the teachers of the law accuse Jesus of blasphemy in their minds, but Jesus, knowing this calls them on it, asking them whether they think it is easier for him to say to the man his sins are forgiven or get up and walk? But so they will know that when he told the paralytic his sins are forgiven that he has the authority to do so, he then tells the paralytic to get up, take up his mat and go home – at which point he gets up and goes home – demonstrating that if he has the authority to heal he also has the authority to forgive sins as well. Totally amazed by this, the crowd praises God for giving this authority to men.

“DESPICABLE”

Moving on, Jesus sees a man named Matthew, a tax collector, and when he says to him, “Follow me” he gets up and follows him. During a dinner at Matthew’s house with many tax collectors and sinners the Pharisees ask Jesus’ disciples why their teacher eats with such despicable people? Overhearing this, Jesus tells the Pharisees that in the same way people go to the doctor when they’re sick not when they’re healthy that people who are sinful are in need of mercy and forgiveness. He tells them to go and find the true meaning of Hosea’s words that say, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” And, he tells them he hasn’t come to call those who think they are so good they don’t need his help, but instead those who know they really need it.

“RESISTANCE”

Then John the Baptists’ disciples question Jesus why his disciples aren’t observing the traditional fasts like they and the Pharisees are doing. Jesus tells them his disciples will fast at the appropriate time but for now his presence with his disciples is like that of a bridegroom with his guests at a wedding feast where there is celebration not fasting – a sign of the Messiah’s coming. He went on to illustrate that his presence is new and requires change (it cannot be fit into Judaism) in two more ways, telling them that 1) his presence without change would be like sewing a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment with the patch pulling away from the garment when it is washed, making the tear worse and 2) his presence without change would be like pouring new wine into old wineskins such that when the wine ferments and expands, the old wineskins have no stretch left in them and therefore burst open with the new wine running out because the old wineskins are ruined. He tells them that in the same way that new wine requires new wineskins so that both can be preserved, his coming as the Messiah cannot be contained within Judaism - requiring a new form, a fulfillment of the law, a new covenant so that it can be preserved.

“TAUNT”

While he was explaining this, a synagogue ruler came and knelt before Jesus, telling him his daughter had died, expressing his faith that Jesus can restore her to life by merely touching her. As Jesus and his disciples are on their way to the ruler’s house a woman who had been suffering from a bleeding problem for 12 years “secretly” touches his cloak because being both unclean and a woman she was prohibited from touching anyone let alone a Jewish man. However, she did so having faith that if she was able to just touch some part of Jesus she would be healed by his power. Recognizing he had been touched, Jesus turns to her and says her faith has healed her and from that time on she was healed of her bleeding problem. And, on arriving at and entering the ruler’s house, when Jesus tells those gathered to console the ruler on his daughter’s death to leave because she is asleep, they laugh mockingly at him. However, with the crowd outside, when Jesus takes the girl by her hand she gets up - with the news of this spreading throughout the region.

“DEMONIC”

As he heads home, two blind men follow him, call him “Son of David” in their recognition of Jesus as an earthly Messiah and ask him to have mercy on them. Following Jesus indoors, he asks them if they believe he is able to restore their sight and when they reply, “Yes” he touches their eyes saying, “According to your faith it will be done to you,” at which point their sight is restored. Despite being warned by Jesus not to tell others what had happened they tell people throughout the region. After they leave a man who couldn’t talk because he was demon-possessed is brought to Jesus. But, after Jesus drives out the demon the man is able to speak to the people’s amazement leading them to say, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” However, in contrast the Pharisees accuse Jesus of driving out demons by Satan’s power and authority instead of attributing it to God.

“HARASSMENT”

Going throughout the towns and villages, Jesus’ ministry consists of teaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. He had compassion on the people because like sheep, they are harassed and helpless and in need of a shepherd. Because of this, he tells his disciples there are many people to bring the good news of the kingdom to but there are few disciples to preach the good news such that they need to ask him as the Messiah in charge of who enters the kingdom to send disciples to the helpless people.


PRINCIPLES

1. MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT JESUS WAS ATTACKED WHEN HE DEMONSTRATED HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO FORGIVE SINS.

2. HOW DID MATTHEW TELL HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT JESUS WAS ATTACKED WHEN HE DEMONSTRATED HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO FORGIVE SINS?


MATTHEW TOLD HIS FIRST CENTURY READERS THAT:

A. The teachers of the law accused Jesus of blasphemy when he forgave a paralytic’s sins & healed him.

B. The Pharisees questioned why Jesus would associate and eat with tax collectors and sinners.

C. John’s disciples questioned Jesus why his disciples didn’t fast like they and the Pharisees did.

D. The flute players & noisy crowd mocked Jesus when he told them to go away the girl was asleep.

E. The Pharisees said it was by the prince of demons that Jesus was driving out demons.

F. The religious leaders’ harassment of the people led Jesus to tell his disciples to ask Him for help.


3. MATTHEW TELLS US TODAY THAT JESUS IS ATTACKED BECAUSE HE DEMONSTRATES HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO FORGIVE SINS.

4. HOW DOES MATTHEW TELL US TODAY THAT JESUS IS ATTACKED BECAUSE HE DEMONSTRATES HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO FORGIVE SINS?

MATTHEW IS TELLING US THAT:

A. Some believers accuse other believers of blasphemy for forgiving sins and healing in Jesus’ name.

B. Some believers question why other believers associate with prostitutes and drug dealers.

C. Some believers question why other believers drink alcohol, eat meat, dance, play cards, etc.

D. Some believers mock other believers when they tell them Jesus miraculously heals today.

E. Some believers say it is by the power of Satan that other believers are driving out demons.

F. Some believers’ harassment of the people causes other believers to ask Jesus for help.


PRAYER

Our Father, we give You praise for Your Son, the Messiah and his coming into the world with the authority to forgive our sins and heal our sickness and disease.

Our Father, forgive us when we act like the teachers of the law, Pharisees, disciples of John the Baptist, flute players & the noisy crowd, and religious leaders by opposing the Messiah’s work in the world today.

Our Father, change our hearts through the mercy and forgiveness we have received so that we will obediently teach, preach, and heal amongst those the Messiah came for.

Our Father, help us to touch others with Your Son’s touch and use us to help open the eyes of others to who Your Son is and what he has done.

Our Father, we ask Your Son for helpers in carrying out His harvest work for Your Kingdom that began when he came as the Messiah.

Our Father, we especially ask for helpers in the midst of the tragedy that has occurred at Fort Hood - that Your Son’s presence as the Good Shepherd will be known through his helpers in the midst of the shock, grief, and helplessness that exists in the aftermath of the trauma the people are going through.

Our Father, we ask all of this in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

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