Matthew 14: Son of God (6)

Pray Psalm 5.11, 12.
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You
.For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Sing Psalm 5.11, 12.
(Angel’s Story: O Jesus, I Have Promised)
Let those rejoice who seek You and shelter ‘neath Your wing.
Their tongues shall rise to speak to Your praise; Your grace they sing.
Your people You will bless, Lord, all those who to You yield.
Preserve them with Your best Word, and guard them like a shield.

Read Matthew 14.1-36; meditate on verses 34-36.

Prepare.
1. How did the people of this region respond to Jesus’ arrival?

2. What did Jesus do for them?

Meditate.
Two important points should be observed in this brief account of the healings in Gennesaret.

First, they continue to add to the accumulating evidence that Jesus is God. Healing power flows from Him to all who avail themselves of it. Jesus demonstrates His power to restore people from the ravages of sin, and this is a power that comes only from God. Jesus healed people so that He might be recognized as God.

We see, in the second place, that people rush to Jesus for healing for themselves, their friends, or their loved ones. Whereas the disciples worshiped Jesus and confessed Him as God when He joined them in the boat, the people of Gennesaret seemed interested in Jesus only for what He could do for them. Here is no indication of worship, no record of praise, no reports of people repenting of sin, and no accounts of people testifying that Jesus is the Son of God.

The people of Gennesaret recognized Jesus as One Who could make their lives a little better, but they did not – at least, we have no record of it – recognize Him as God.

Which raises the question: Do we? If we truly recognize Jesus as God, what should be the proper response? Is it merely to rush to Him to get whatever we can? Or is it to adore, worship, and proclaim Him as God and the Son of God? What does our daily walk with Jesus indicate about how we recognize Him?

Reflect.
1. How should we respond in recognizing Jesus as God?

2. Jesus continued doing good for people, even when they failed to respond as they should. Why did He do this? Does He do this yet today? Explain.

3. We continue to need Jesus to bring healing to our lives. In what ways? How should we approach Him for such healing?

They offered to God the remaining persons among them who were feeble and ill. These offered persons wanted to touch the hem of his garment to be made whole through faith. As from the hem of the entire garment, the whole power of the Holy Spirit came forth from our Lord Jesus Christ. Hilary of Poitiers (315-367), On Matthew 14.19

Heal my soul, Lord, and turn me from all my sin, so that I…

Pray Psalm 5.1-8.
Pray for the day ahead, that you will find Jesus sufficient and powerful for all your needs.

Sing Psalm 5.1-8.
Psalm 5.1-8 (Angel’s Story: O Jesus, I Have Promised)
O Lord, attend and hear me, consider how I groan.
Receive my cries and near be, and love me as Your own.
By morning, Lord I seek You, for You will hear my voice.
My every need You speak to, and make my soul rejoice!

In sin You take no pleasure; no evil dwells with You.
Vain boasts You will not treasure, nor those who boasting do.
Sin kindles Your hot anger, You crush all those who lie.
The violent live in danger of Your all-searching eye.

O Lord, Your lovingkindness escorts me in this place.
I bow before Your highness and praise Your glorious grace!
In righteous ways You guide me; Your pathway I will know
.No good will be denied me as I with Jesus go.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).