October 3, 2010
Morning Service

Matt. 9:18-38

 

Review:

1.      The Lord has finished His teaching on the mount to His disciples, and has began His ministry of healing, and fulfilling His destiny to Calvary.

2.      Last week we saw the paralytic healed;  Matthew or Levi, called to follow the Lord;  the Lord, and His disciples eating with sinners;  why His disciples were not fasting at this time.

 

As we continue our study this morning we want to remember the Scriptures;

·         Heb. 11:6;  “without faith it is impossible to please God,”

·         Rom. 10:17; “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

·         St.Jn. 20: Joh 20:30-31 KJVR  And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:  (31)  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

·         Heb. 13:8;  “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

 

We don’t want the Lord referring to us as “o ye of little faith.”  So we must study the Word to build our faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  The same yesterday, today, and forever.

 

Life is restored:

Mat 9:18-37 KJVR  While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshiped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 

• Before, it was a leper, and now it is a ruler.  Jesus Christ is for all, not just a select group, but for all who will call on His name for salvation.
• And the salvation is from the wrath of God that is coming on this world, and also for eternal life.
• Peter said, “there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved.”
• Jesus, Himself said, “no man can come to the Father except by me.”
• This Father Whom Jesus is referring to is none other than Jehovah God, the Father of Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Esau, the God of the Old Testament we been studying about on Wed. eve.
• But notice, the ruler comes worshipping Him.
• And we must remember to receive anything from God we must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  This ruler is diligently, and worshipfully seeking Him.
• This is the rule for success with God, COME WORSHIPPING HIM.  We all have needs, ours may not be like the leper, the paralytic, the ruler, but we all have needs.
• The Centurion said “just speak the Word”, the Ruler says, “come and lay hands on her and she shall live.” The leper said, “if Thou wilt Thou canst heal me.”  ALL HAD FAITH THAT JESUS COULD DO WHAT THEY ASK.
• However, there is also such a thing as preventive maintenance.  That’s what many are doing here this morning, you don’t really have a pressing need, but you are here to worship, so that you won’t have special needs.  You don’t want to wait until something bad happens in your life before establishing a habit of worshipping the Lord.
• Adhere to what the Hebrew tells us, “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.”  And this is why we assemble together, to worship the Lord.

Healing the issue of blood:

(19)  And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.  (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:  (21)  For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.  (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. 

• We see again the importance of having faith.  This is why I am always reminding us of the importance, and how to achieve greater faith.  STUDY THE WORD, BE WHERE YOU CAN HEAR THE WORD.
• We have somehow got to help people see that Jesus is the answer to all problems.  But we must get them in His presence so He can minister to them.
• We have got to want healing, we have got to want a better life, and then He will help us achieve it.

(23)  And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,  (24)  He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 

• She is dead alright, but only the first death which is sleeping.  The second death is the one we must prepare to miss.  The second death is being cast into the lake of fire to be destroyed.  This will happen to those who do not accept Jesus’ atoning work on Calvary.   (Rev.20:14-15)

(25)  But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.  (26)  And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. 

• You see, the trumpet is blowing loudly, God is doing something marvelous in these days.  Look at this man Jesus, He is from God, and doing God’s will, HEAR YE HIM.

(27)  And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.  (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.  (29)  Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 

• Notice again, “according to your faith be it unto you.”  Oh God increase our faith, that we might have faith as a grain of mustard seed.

(30)  And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.  (31)  But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. 

• You know, I just see the Lord smiling as these departed from His presence.  He knew they couldn’t be quite about what they had just received from God.  Just as you and I shouldn’t be quite when we receive something from God.
• These are the good moments of Jesus’ life.  He enjoys this part of His coming to earth.

(32)  As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.  (33)  And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 

• You bet you haven’t.  Even satan can’t mimic the real thing.    

(34)  But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. 

• And this statement by the Pharisees is what caused Jesus to say, “all manner of sin, and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, except blaspheming the Holy Ghost.”  You see it was the Holy Ghost allowing Jesus to do all these healings, not the devil, that is blaspheming the Holy Ghost.

(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. 

• Preaching the gospel, or good news of the kingdom.
• Healing every sickness, and every disease among the people.

(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. 

• This makes me think of today.  What about today?  This is exactly the picture of many in the world today.  Fainting for fear, being tossed to and fro by satan at his will.
• The sad part of all this is they won’t come to Jesus for healing, and direction.  They won’t come and bow down, and worship Him, letting Him be their Shepherd.  Acknowledging that they have a need.  He is the only One that can help us get on the right track, and eventually make heaven our home.

(37)  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;

• In Luke’s Gospel Jesus said, “Luk 10:2  Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.”

 

We must understand that the laborers have been sent forth, and are still preaching the Word, still harvesting souls, but many just won’t come to the call of the gospel.  Satan has them blinded, by many different ways, and they would rather enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, than go with God’s people for eternity.  It is said, Moses looked to the reward, and chose to suffer with God’s children, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, in Egypt.

 

Almighty God, help Your ministers point to the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, in such a manner, as the lost will want to accept His gracious gift of eternal life.  Amen.