Life Matters - Matthew 9:18-38 - January 15, 2006

Sunday School Lesson – Life Matters – January 15, 2006

Our background scripture: Matthew 9:18-38

This is lesson3 in our study of “Things That Matter.”

The gift of life is precious. The human body is masterfully designed by GOD and each of us has the joy and experience of living in a body. Just think about how we are equipped so that we can see, hear, feel, taste, smell, eat food that turns into energy, think and do incredible feats using our body. I often thank our LORD for this experience. Of course when we age and the aches and pains come along, we sometimes wonder how joyful it is. But GOD has given us the gift of medicine to help ease the pains of living.

It is a greater joy to know that our birth is not an accident and as born-again into the family of GOD we have eternal life. The Bible tells us before GOD made the world HE knew us.

Ephesians 1:3-6:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,[2] Eph 1:20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12 in Christ; 4 for He chose[3] Rm 11:5–7; 1 Co 1:26–31; 1 Th 1:4; 2 Th 2:13; 1 Pt 1:1–2 us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.[4] Vv. 3–14 are 1 sentence in Gk. In love[5] Or In His sight in love 5 He predestined[6] Ac 4:28; Rm 8:29–30; 1 Co 2:7; Eph 1:11 us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.

Flonnie and I attended the annual dinner for the Pregnancy Crisis Center and heard a young lady speak whose mother decided not to abort her through the counsel of a friend. She rejoiced in the gift of life and how precious life is to her.

Our scripture explores the gift of life, the gift of health, the gift of sight and the authority of JESUS over the physical and spiritual world.

Our background scripture is Matthew 9:18-38.

Our focus scripture is Matthew 9:18-31; 32-34; 36-38.

Let’s read Matthew 9:18-19:

18 As He was telling them these things, suddenly one of the leaders[10] A leader of a synagogue; Mk 5:22 came and knelt down before Him, saying, “My daughter is near death,[11] Lit daughter has now come to the end but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 So Jesus and His disciples got up and followed him.

JESUS is speaking to a group when all of a sudden one of the synagogue leaders (Jairus) rushed to JESUS and interrupted HIM; knelt down saying “My daughter is near death.” The original scripture text says “My daughter is dead.” Either way it is obvious Jairus has an urgent need and respected JESUS such he knelt down to ask HIM for help.

Mark 5:21gives us the man’s name, Jairus. JESUS did not get upset with Jairus interrupting HIM but listened and responded to his request.

We know JESUS only did as THE FATHER instructed HIM. So HE had permission from THE FATHER to go and do as GOD instructed HIM. THE FATHER has a plan and a purpose for every life. Some people are healed, some are brought back from death, and some have to go through the process of disease and death.

GOD is sovereign and we have to trust that our FATHER knows which fits into HIS plan.

On the way to Jairus’ house there is a lady who needs a special touch from JESUS. She has had a bleeding problem for 12 years and has visited many doctors to find a cure. This is likely a female minstrel condition. In this condition she was considered unclean and could not participate in public worship at the synagogue or come in contact with fellow Jews.

Let’s read the circumstances in Matthew 9:21-22:
20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years approached from behind and touched the • tassel on His robe, 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch His robe, I’ll be made well!”[12] Or be delivered 22 But Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” He said. “Your faith has made you well.”[13] Or has saved you And the woman was made well from that moment.[14]

She violates the requirement of not touching anyone when she secretly reaches out and touches the tassel on JESUS’ garment. She touches the tassel which adorned HIS prayer shawl.

GOD instructed the Israelites “to make tassels for the corners of their garments and put a blue cord on the tassel at each corner.” (Numbers 15:38) These tassels were a reminder to obey all of GOD’S commands and not become unfaithful.

Immediately HE knows someone has touched HIM with purpose. “Who touched ME?” The disciples are puzzled because JESUS is in the middle of a large crowd and many people are touching HIM. The woman confesses.

JESUS does not want secret followers and HE wanted to assure her that it was her faith in HIM that cured her and not her touching the garment HE wore.

Sometimes we as humans place more faith in an artifact than in GOD or JESUS because an artifact is something tangible.
Faith is not what is seen but what is hoped for. Our faith in JESUS is confirmed by THE HOLY SPIRIT after we accept CHRIST as our SAVIOR, not before.

JESUS’ words to the lady are, “Your faith in ME has made you whole.”

JESUS continues HIS journey to Jairus’ house.

Let’s read Matthew 9:23-26:

Lit hour 23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house, He saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly. 24 “Leave,” He said, “because the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.” And they started laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 And this news spread throughout that whole area.

The original scripture text leads us to believe the girl is already dead and Jairus knows it but comes to JESUS anyway. This makes sense to me because we see when JESUS and HIS disciples arrive at Jairus’ house the flute players and mourner(s) are already there.

The mourning has already begun. JESUS tells them to leave for she is not dead but sleeping. Sleeping means she is dead but HE alone is THE ONE WHO has authority over death.

Why did JESUS tell the mourners to leave? Several reasons come to my mind. (1) It shows confidence that there is no question in HIS mind that the little girl will be raised from the dead. If HE had let the mourners stay some could have thought HE was not sure she would be raised from the dead. Therefore HE told the mourners to leave. (2) The mourners are convinced the girl is dead, they laugh at the thought that the girl is only sleeping. There are times GOD chooses not work in an environment of disbelief.
JESUS takes the girl by her hand and raises her from the dead showing HE has authority over death. Oh the touch of JESUS, how precious. HE is sufficient in life and in death.

Let’s go back to verse 19. HIS disciples get up and go with HIM. Mark names these disciples as Peter, James and John. These three are referred to as the inter-circle. JESUS uses this journey as a teaching opportunity for HIS disciples. They need to see JESUS has authority over death. They also see HE has authority over health and disease the doctors could not heal with the lady who has a female problem. They will see that JESUS has authority over blindness and demons with the next encounters of the group after leaving Jairus’ house.

Let’s read Matthew 9:27-31:

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 When He entered the house, the blind men approached Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they answered Him. 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith!” 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, “Be sure that no one finds out!”[15] Lit no one knows 31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole area.
Two (2) blind men encounter JESUS and ask HIM for mercy. They shout, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” The term “Son of David” referred to THE MESSIAH. JESUS had to be very careful about representing HIMSELF as THE MESSIAH because many Jews were looking for a political/military messiah. The Jews were looking for a messiah who would come in on a white charger and free them from Roman rule. JESUS knew HIS mission is to deliver mankind from the bondage of sin and to deliver mankind from the penalty of death. HIS mission was for an eternal solution not a temporary solution.
JESUS was fulfilling prophesy, keeping the law and preparing for HIS death upon THE CROSS. All the Romans needed to hear is that a political/military Jewish leader was on the scene to deliver the Israelites. They would have reason to spring into action.
JESUS enters the house with the two (2) blind men and heals them because of their faith in HIM. Then HE warns them not to tell anyone. This in my opinion is why HE took them into the house to heal them.
But how can one keep the good news of once I was blind but now I see? All of us at one time in our life were spiritually blind but when we encounter JESUS and HE touches us we see HIM as THE MESSIAH. HE brings healing to our spiritual eyes.
In each of the encounters JESUS had there was an expression of faith. Jairus had faith, the lady had faith and the blind men had faith in JESUS.
When faith brings us to JESUS for salvation it is ALWAYS granted. Once we are born into GOD’S family, faith brings us to JESUS with our requests as a child of HIS – FATHER I need guidance or healing or strength to deal with this problem or any number of requests. We understand and acknowledge that all things are possible through JESUS when we make our requests; however our FATHER determines the disposition of our requests. When the solution is different for our request, we have to trust in the sovereignty of GOD.
As JESUS continues his journey, HE encounters a demon-possessed man who is unable to speak.

Let’s read Matthew 9:32-34:
Driving Out a Demon
32 Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to Him. 33 When the demon had been driven out, the man[16] Lit the man who was unable to speak spoke. And the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!”

JESUS shows HE has authority over the spirit world but the Pharisees want to discredit JESUS so they say JESUS’ power comes from demons not from GOD.

JESUS continues HIS journey, teaching, preaching and healing as we see in Matthew 9:35-38:
The Lord of the Harvest
35 Then Jesus went to all the towns and villages, teaching in their • synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every[17] Or every kind of disease and every sickness.[18] Other mss add among the people 36 When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

JESUS was trying to get the people to open their eyes to see that HE is the promised MESSIAH as revealed in the scriptures. The Jews were going to the synagogues to learn what the scripture has to say about the coming of THE MISSIAH. The Jewish leaders knew the scripture and should have known that JESUS was fulfilling prophesy regarding THE MESSIAH. The idea is for the people to see the truth as revealed in the scripture and not how scripture was being interpreted in light of Roman rule.

JESUS saw the people as just plain tired and weary.

A scene comes to my mind that they seem to be tossed about like a person caught in a riptide and has been struggling with all their might to get to safety. They are helpless and being tossed about by the ocean waves. They have lost all hope and have just given up. They will be lost unless someone comes to their rescue.

They were lost and wandering about without any leadership.

It broke HIS heart.

JESUS tells HIS disciples to pray and ask GOD to send forth workers into the field that is ripe for the harvest. This is a call for the called. We are to pray that GOD will send those ready to do the work necessary.

It seems to me that when we encounter an overwhelming situation as JESUS had encountered, the solution is to pray and ask for help.

Farmers, who have a bumper crop that is ready for harvest and the crop will spoil unless it is harvested, ask for and seek help.

When we encounter hopeless situations we are to pray.

FATHER help each of us to be so in tune with YOUR SPIRIT that we will see the needs around us, as YOU see them. Help us never to consider a situation hopeless because of size because all things are possible with YOU. But help us to become involved according to YOUR will and purpose and for us to pray that workers will be called, prepared and sent to accomplish YOUR plan.

Our FATHER has given us life to serve HIM. Life is precious to HIM! May we serve HIM with our time, resources and being.