Word of Jesus Part 6
Mat 9:1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own
city.
Mat 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a
bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of
good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
This is interesting. Jesus took care of the sin first while He was healing the
sickness. Perhaps He was stressing the importance of the healing of sin over the
healing of the body which He also did at the same time. Still if it were possible
to be healed physically and not be saved spiritually, it would only be temporary
until that body dies some time in the future. If the sin is forgiven then
whether or not the body is healed matters less because when that body dies the
soul and spirit enter heaven for eternity.
We try to gloss over sin and forget to preach repentance. As a result we have
many that are trying to live a Christian life with their sins still giving them
problems. Jesus' own words remind us that sin must be forgiven and removed for
us to enter heaven. Perhaps Jesus saw the inner soul of this man and knew that
his sins bothered him and made him feel unworthy for the master to even come
near. Jesus said, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven."
Mat 9:3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man
blasphemeth.
Mat 9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your
hearts?
Mat 9:5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say,
Arise, and walk?
Mat 9:6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive
sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go
unto thine house.
The main reason Jesus said something about sin to them was to show that He was
God and He did have power to forgive sins.
We must be careful that we don't become as Pharisees and find fault with good
works. I realize that there are many false workers and we must not follow their
teachings if they are false but we must be careful not to find fault just to
find fault and look for every little thing to criticize. Its easy to get into a
critical spirit. Sin in the church and outside of the church should grieve us.
We should not enjoy hearing that someone has sinned. It should grieve our hearts
so that we want to restore, not tear down. However, we must warn against any
false doctrine or things that would lead people astray.
Mat 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew,
sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he
arose, and followed him.
What he said to Matthew, He says to us. "Follow Me."
Mat 9:10 And it came to
pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came
and sat down with him and his disciples.
Mat 9:11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth
your Master with publicans and sinners?
Mat 9:12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need
not a physician, but they that are sick.
Mat 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not
sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Here we see Jesus correcting the fault finders again. Jesus came to save the
very ones He was associating with. The Pharisees assumed religious people should
hang around only perfect people and have nothing to do with the scum.
How can we spread the gospel if we never associate with sinners? Let us take
this in context with scriptures though. The bible also says not to be unequally
yoked with unbelievers. So before we try to reach sinners for Christ, we must be
equipped. The disciples were commanded not to depart from Jerusalem until they
were endued with power from on high by the Holy Spirit. Notice also that when
Jesus sent out His disciple, He sent them two by two.
One Christian teenager should not necessarily go sit in a bar with his buddies
who are there to drink and cause trouble. He would be unequally yoked. However,
if someone is strong and full of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit urges Him
to go to a certain place and rescue a soul from sin, that may be different, he
would be equipped.
Jesus' words about having mercy and not sacrifice shows us the difference
between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. In the Old Testament they
trusted in sacrifices of animals that pointed the the one who was to come and
make the supreme sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus was to become
that sacrifice in this point in scripture. We would then no longer need to
make sacrifices or have religious rituals to save us. When we become "Born
Again" by the Spirit of God, we are to live the gospel not with religious
sacrifices which have been fulfilled in Jesus but to start showing mercy, love
and spreading the truth of the gospel. Outward religious actions cannot
save the soul. Whether this is water baptism, sacrificing animals,
ceremonies, communion and other rituals. That does not save the soul.
Salvation come only through repenting of sin and accepting Jesus Christ as
savior from sin. There is no salvation outside of Christ and no salvation
if sin is not remitted and we are still living in a sinful condition without
repentance. We are not saved by just being a good person apart from Christ
and were not saved by accepting Christ and not obeying His word which commands
us to repent of sin. Repent means to turn from sin not just confess it.
Mat 9:14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the
Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
Mat 9:15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn,
as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the
bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
When Jesus returns, there will be no longer a need for fasting because the
perfect one would have come. We then would not have to exercise the gifts of the
Spirit for the perfect one would have come. Now is the time to fast and pray,
not when He returns to us.
Mat 9:16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which
is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
Mat 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break,
and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new
bottles, and both are preserved.
These doctrines cannot be given to anyone until their heart is ready to receive
them. You don't teach heavy doctrine to new converts. A person has to be born
again by God's spirit to be able to be filled with the Spirit.
Old wine can't be put in new bottles.
Mat 9:20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve
years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
Mat 9:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be
whole.
Mat 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be
of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole
from that hour.
Here is an instant when Jesus didn't touch someone and heal them. They were
healed when they exercised faith and made a determined effort to touch Jesus for
healing. Maybe we sometimes give up too soon.
Mat 9:23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and
the people making a noise,
Mat 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.
And they laughed him to scorn.
Mat 9:25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the
hand, and the maid arose.
Here is one instance where Jesus brought someone back from the dead.
Notice that the crowds were removed before the healing of the maid took place.
They laughed at Jesus when He said the maid in not dead. This is the part we
miss, God does not see death as we do. He sees the Spirit and soul leaving the
old body and going to a place to await the new body which they will receive at
the resurrection. Our soul and spirit do not die when our body dies. It is the
real us. The body is just a temporary house.
Mat 9:27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and
saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
Mat 9:28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and
Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him,
Yea, Lord.
Mat 9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto
you.
Mat 9:30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying,
See that no man know it.
Faith is the important ingredient for answered prayer. His words to them were,
"According to your faith, be it unto you." This is not limited to church or a
place where there is healing going on. It may be that our faith is helped by
going where there is other healing but it is not what heals. We can be healed
at home or anywhere when we exercise our faith.
I don't know why Jesus told Him not to tell anyone here. I can only venture a
few guesses as to why He instructed them to keep quiet. Perhaps He did not want
to be famous for healing and have people see just the healing and miss the
message of salvation. That happens in this day and age.
I don't recall even once that Jesus forbid any to tell the gospel of salvation.
Perhaps also that the two men might run up against fierce unbelief and start to
doubt; losing what healing that had if that were possible.
Mat 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness
and every disease among the people.
Mat 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them,
because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but
the labourers are few;
Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
We still have this same thing today. There are so many lost souls that think
they are going to enter heaven but have not come through faith in Jesus Christ.
There are others who claim to know Jesus but ignore all His teachings and allow
sin to reign in their lives. There is a great need for workers to save the lost
and teach the believers. Workers are few in number compared to the souls in need
of salvation.
