Matthew 8: Setting Things Right (1)
Pray Psalm 146.1, 2.
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
While I live I will praise the LORD;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Sing Psalm 146.1, 2, 10.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!: Man of Sorrows
Praise the LORD, my soul, give praise! While I live, His Name I’ll raise
and exalt Him all my days—God forever reigns in Zion!
Read Matthew 8.1-4; meditate on verse 2.
What guidance for prayer do you see here?
Prepare.
1. How did the leper approach Jesus?
2. What did Jesus tell him to do?
Meditate.
Having spoken of the Kingdom and its requirements, Jesus now comes down from the mountain to bring the power of the Kingdom (1 Cor 4.20; Acts 1.8), embodied in Himself, to bear in a sinful world.
The Kingdom has power to reverse the effects of sin and the curse. The leper in this passage recognized that. He came to Jesus and worshiped Him, which probably indicates that he fell on his knees before Jesus and bowed. The power of the Kingdom flows to such as worship God and have faith in Him. This man showed his faith by indicating that he knew Jesus had the power to heal him, and he hoped that He would do so.
Jesus responded by a spoken word and a healing touch. Words and deeds are how Kingdom power flows to reverse the damage sin has wrought in the world. Jesus instructed the healed leper to follow the Old Testament Law in having his healing confirmed and a gift offered in gratitude to God (cf. Lev. 14.4-32). This was a very complicated and drawn-out rite, and it would not always be required. It was necessary to fulfill all righteousness that this healed leper should fulfill the requirements of the Law. Those ceremonial laws would one day cease, but at this time, Jesus instructed him by the Book. By so doing the leper would provide “a testimony” to the priests. His testimony would be of his faith in God. But it would also be of his having been healed by Jesus. He would report to the priests both that Jesus had healed him and that He had instructed him to keep the Law. Thus, he would have given a twofold witness. The power of the Kingdom works to just such ends.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The Sermon on the Mount was Jesus’ way of setting the ground rules for Kingdom entrance and living.
Multitudes followed Him after this declaration, because they sensed His authority, wisdom, love, and enthusiasm for this new way of life and living.
“Your Kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6.10).
The leper in this story, having taken that truth to heart,was living out what he had just learned:
“Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean” (Matt. 8.2).
His hope, dream, aspiration, and prayer were answered according to the Father’s will.
Since Jesus and the Father are One (Jn. 10.30), He said,
“I AM willing; be cleansed” (Matt. 8.3).
Then Jesus sent the purified leper off to do God’s will in his Personal Mission Field:
“See that you tell no one;
but go your way,
show yourself to the priest, and
offer the gift that Moses commanded,
as a testimony to them” (Matt. 8.4).
Today, that leper would immediately have a podcast, be some kind of a health influencer, invited to speak at every church function imaginable, be interviewed by all the Christian heavy-hitters, and no doubt, a book deal
would be waiting in the wings. Oh wait, I forgot, a movie would be made of his life, too.
Whew. All that, and he has yet to grow in his faith, adopting a devotional life—reading the Word and praying daily, following the Law of God—proving over and over his love and obedience to God through sanctification. But Whoosh. A new Christian super star without a shred of godliness in sight.
Jesus’ leper was sent home to become sanctified through following the Law. Because the truth is:
“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them” (Prov. 28.4).
That becomes their premiere testimony; their Kingdom way of life—contending with the wicked by following the Law of God, personally and daily. Jesus has healed, called, and sent us for sanctification, too.
First things first.
“Prepare your outside work,
make it fit for yourself in the field; and
afterward build your house” (Prov. 24.27).Although we never hear of this leper again, his beginning was auspicious.
He understood the premise upon which Jesus was casting the vision for prayer and life.
God’s will is supreme.
We can think of this man as someone like Paul, whom God called to be “separated to the gospel” (Rom. 1.1).
A man who followed God’s will and who declared with his life, then his words: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who
believes…for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith…” (Rom. 1.16).
All this from the touch of Jesus’ hand (Matt. 8.3). And by the leper’s faith in Jesus’ teaching authority.
He touched me, oh, He touched me and oh, the joy that floods my soul.
Something happened and now I know He touched me and made me whole.
(William J. Gaither, 2011)
Reflect.
1. How have you experienced the Kingdom power of Jesus at work in you lately?
2. How have you responded to that power? How might you respond right now?
3. Whom will you encourage today to know more of the touch of Jesus in their life?
With great fervor before Jesus’ knees, the leper pleaded with Him with sincere faith. He discerned who Jesus was. He did not state conditionally, “If You request it of God” or “If You pray for me.” Rather, he said simply, “If You will, You can make me clean.” He did not pray, “Lord, cleanse me.” Rather, he leaves everything to the Lord and makes his own recovery depend entirely on Him. Thus he testified that all authority belongs to Him. John Chrysostom (344-407), The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 25.1
Pray Psalm 146.3-10.
Renew your trust in God alone for the week ahead. Call upon Him to help in all your work, and to strengthen you against every foe.
Sing Psalm 146.3-10.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!: Man of Sorrows
Trust we not in prince or man, no salvation’s in their hand;
death shall take them, breath and plans—God forever reigns in Zion!
Blessed are they whose hope resides in the LORD, Christ at His side.
By Him heav’n and earth abide—God forever reigns in Zion!
He is faithful evermore; He gives justice to the poor,
feeds the hungry from His store—God forever reigns in Zion!
Jesus sets the pris’ner free, heals blind eyes that they may see,
lifts those burdened painfully—God forever reigns in Zion!
He the righteous loves the best; wand’rers in His grace are blessed;
needy ones in Him find rest—God forever reigns in Zion!
But the wicked who defame His eternal blessèd Name,
them He brings to ruin and shame—God forever reigns in Zion!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter presses ahead in a series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column looks at David as a visionary leader. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
