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Who is this Jesus? That is the question we are asking as we explore the Gospel of Matthew. By meditating on His words and actions as recorded by the apostles, we can come to know the one we call Savior a little bit better.
As Jesus finished His sermon on the mount, the crowds were amazed. Matthew tells us that "great crowds followed him." Matthew then shifts to focus to one particular individual who seems to have connected with Jesus' invitation--a leper. This man has heard this Jesus speak of an upside down Kingdom where the outcast can find hope, and he responds: in worship ("Lord"), prayer ("If you will"), and faith ("you can make me clean"). Through this man's response, the Kingdom begins to come. In power.
Authority in Action
Matthew 8-9 chronicles a series of healings and miracles in which Jesus displays the power of His Kingdom and His authority over this world. Demons and diseases, winds and waves--all must obey our King.
And, yet, not all do. People still have a choice, and while there are those who choose to follow, many respond in fear and pride. "Get away from here." "Why don't you do things like we do?" "Who are you to do these things?" Who is this man, indeed?
Relationships Restored
Two things stand out to me as I read these stories. The first is the multifaceted way in which Jesus interacted with us and our world. In these chapters, we see two worlds clash--the world of what is and the world of what could be. Should be. A world marred by sin and a world restored to its creational purpose.
In the Anglican catechism, we find that Messiah was sent "to free us from the power of sin, so that with the help of God we may live in harmony with God, within ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation." Jesus was fighting a multi-faceted war. As Scot McKnight writes, sin is hyperrelational--"it is active corruption in all directions."[1]
Consider a few of these stories:
Matthew 8:14-15 — Jesus comes to the house of Peter and heals his mother-in-law, showing concern and compassion for our families.
Matthew 8:23-27 — Jesus confronts the storms of this life, restoring our peace with creation.
Matthew 9:1-8 — Jesus declares the sins of a paralytic forgiven, restoring the man's relationship with God.
Matthew 9:9-13 — Jesus breaks down social barriers by eating with tax collectors and sinners, restoring fellowship among people.
Matthew 9:27-31 — Jesus challenges two blind men to reflect on what they really believe before healing them.
Let's return to the story of the leper one more time, and view it through this lens. In this story, we see all four relationships restored at once.
- First, the man was unclean, unable to enter the presence of God in the Temple. Jesus pronounced him clean.
- Second, he was a social outcast. No one could touch him for fear of becoming contaminated. Jesus reached out and touched him.
- Third, his condition was not just spiritual; it was physical. His physical body was out of accord with its creational design. Jesus made him whole.
- Fourth, his condition carried shame. Jesus offered love and acceptance.
Jesus desires to reign over every aspect of our lives. Our families, our friendships, our work, our rest, our feelings, our minds. His Kingdom touches all of it.
Kingdoms Clash
Who is this man that claims authority to forgive sins? Who is this man that eats with tax collectors and sinners? Who is this man that even the winds and waves obey him? Who is this man that would touch a leper?
There were generally two reactions to the work of Jesus. One was amazement. Jesus' fame spread across the region and people gave glory to God. Some even sought to follow Jesus.
The other reaction was fear. After Jesus healed the paralytic, the text tells us the crowds saw it and "were afraid." In the country of the Gadarenes, upon hearing about Jesus' work in casting out demons, the people begged him to leave. Before calming the storm, Jesus asked his disciples, "Why are you afraid?"
As we move further along in the story, we see this fear take on another form: contempt. This Jesus was upsetting the social order and disregarding our traditions. He was invading our kingdoms.
I said earlier that in these stories, two worlds clashed. What is less comfortable to admit is that one of these worlds is that of our own kingdoms and idols.
Who is this man that claims to sit as my judge? Who is this man that dares to break down my walls of security? Who is this man that demands allegiance and obedience to Him alone? Who is this man that asks me to surrender?
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matt. 9:36)
He is the good shepherd, compassionately trying to rescue us from ourselves. Our idols must fall. Our kingdoms must crash. There is no healing without surrender.
Take a moment to ask yourself:
- Where has Jesus entered your broken world?
- Where do you need Him to enter your broken world?
Kingdom Invasion
Matthew 9:35 reprises and earlier verse from chapter 4, telling us how Jesus came teaching, proclaiming, and healing. We're back to the Kingdom mission. Chapters 5-9 have given us a glimpse of what that teaching and healing looked like--An upside down, inside out, relationship restoring Kingdom invasion.
From here, Jesus moves into the next phase of the plan--empowering his disciples to go out into the world to proclaim this Kingdom Gospel. Here, we are both called and empowered to go forth and bring in the harvest. The opposition will be fierce. But, the reward is great. In the next chapters, we will begin to talk about the rest that Christ offers.
A Community Called Atonement (Scot McKnight), p. 22
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