Matthew 9 - LOTS That We Can Learn!

SF Stagecoach, NV

Dear Brothers, Sisters, Prodigals and Unsaved,

    Starting with Matthew Chapter 9 today for the Lessons on Life, Healings, Miracles and Deliverance revealed within.  Even though little is in red letter, it's actually Jesus talking giving us much information.  He's telling us WHAT, WHY AND HOW we should do His work.  And what we should do and watch for concerning A Paralytic Cured, How Matthew Was Called and the 6 Miracles of Healing and 1 Deliverance.  So hang in there, there is much for us to learn and use in our lives.

Verse  NOTE: ALL meanings are from Strong's Concordance.

9:1-8    A Paralytic Cured:

·       [Matthew 9:1-2 NKJV] 1 "So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. 2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."

o      First - Jesus went to the people who needed Him most.

o      This is one of the few healings Jesus did in His own city.  WHY?  They could only see Jesus as a "carpenter's son".  They could believe, He was their Messiah.

o      I don't know who the "THEY" are, but Jesus says He saw THEIR faith.  So Jesus healed the paralytic not by laying hands on him, but just simply SPEAKING, your sins are forgiven you.  Doesn't the Word say:

Ø     [1 John 5:16 NKJV] "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin [which does] not [lead] to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not [leading] to death. There is sin [leading] to death. I do not say that he should pray about that."  That's our job, ask for forgiveness - not judge them.

ü     Meaning of Death: that separation (whether natural or violent) of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended.

Ø     [Luke 12:10 NKJV] "And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven."

ü     Meaning of blasphemy: 1) to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate, blaspheme 2) to be evil spoken of, reviled, railed at.

Ø     Have you ever noticed, that many curse Abba, Jesus and us, BUT NEVER the Holy Spirit.  To deny His work or presence or curse Him is unforgivable.  After all, He's stuck living with you, whether you're good or bad, He's there, in you after you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

o      So when you're asking to heal a paralytic, you might try to build his/her faith a little first, and make sure, yours is built up to - NO DOUBTING!  It was the faith of those who brought that man to Jesus, that he was healed.

·       [Matthew 9:3-5 NKJV] 3 "And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!" 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 "For which is easier, to say, '[Your] sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'?"

o      Don't think, when you pray for someone, you're not going to be attacked, the scribes, the only ones who could read and write, said because they knew the Tanach, this shouldn't be.  You know the saying, Power corrupts and Absolute Power corrupts absolutely?  That's what happened to the scribes.

Ø     A Scribe meaning: In the Bible, a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, teacher. Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law; added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion. Since the advice of men skilled in the law was needed in the examination in the causes and the solution of the difficult questions, they were enrolled in the Sanhedrin; and are mentioned in connection with the priests and elders of the people. 

o      Remember, in the past, I told you that Jesus knows your thoughts?  It's referenced in several scriptures.  But He's letting us know for sure - HE CAN & DOES READ YOUR THOUGHTS.

o      Here, Jesus is also reading their HEARTS.  That's why you can NEVER HIDE ANYTHING from Jesus.  HE KNOWS IT ALL!

o      Notice, the scribes said Jesus blasphemes?  Blaspheme was a killing offence in those days - you'd be publicly thrown out of the church [synagogue] and probably stoned.

Ø     A Blaspheme meaning: from G989; to vilify; specially, to speak impiously:—(speak) blaspheme(-er, -mously, -my), defame, rail on, revile, speak evil.

o      Which is easier for you?  "[Your] sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'?"  5 words, or 3?  I'd try first, give them a testimony of healing, then speak the 3 words first if necessary, go to another testimony then try the 5 words.  It's important to build their faith for them to receive.

o      Also notice, that this man probably had many sins, causing him to be a paralytic [and Jesus knew it], so He spoke what was needed - FORGIVENESS to be healed.

·       [Matthew 9:6-8 NKJV] 6 "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 7 And he arose and departed to his house. 8 Now when the multitudes saw [it], they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

o      Jesus refused to prove himself to the twerp, but He is willing to prove His Son-ship and authority on earth to the people.

o      The multitudes say and heard so they glorified Abba who gave such power to a man.

9:9-17    Jesus called Matthew

·       [Matthew 9:9 NKJV] "As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him."

o      Today, would you follow some stranger?  NO, neither would I, UNLESS it was Jesus of course.  Even so, I'd need reassurance.  So I wonder what Matthew and the others saw in Jesus to make them just leave their family, their jobs, etc;?   Your guess would be a good as mine.  Possibly, the glory of God maybe around Him?

o      You know, it doesn't matter what type of job you have, or any of the sinful background anyone has, IF Jesus could accept Matthew, who was considered the lowest of low in his job, as one of His Disciples to teach others the right way of doing things.  Turn to Jesus and get your forgiveness or your new thoughts and heart functioning, plus your new direction in life revealed.

o      For me, as I started reading the Bible, I was lead to start in Genesis.  When I found a principal or promise I needed, I asked the Holy Spirit [HS] to bring me an example - usually He did within a day or two, after I fulfilled the condition needed for that answer.  I firmly believed, EVERY principal or promise in His Word has a condition, it maybe a verse or two above, or below what you're reading, but it's there - FIND IT as I did and only one time, I didn't get what I prayed for, because I goofed on the condition - so I went back and found out where I missed it and asked again for the HS to bring another sample - He did and when I met the condition correctly, I received my answer.  That's when I started Teaching, sharing what the Bible says and how it worked for me.  And as most of you know, I wrote a book on it as well.
·       [Matthew 9:10-13 NKJV] 10 "Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, [that] behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw [it], they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 When Jesus heard [that], He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 "But go and learn what [this] means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

o      Mark tells us why Jesus sat with the ungodly men, [Mark 2:17 NKJV] "When Jesus heard [it], He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I did not come to call [the] righteous, but sinners, to understand the repentance they needed."

o      Keep in mind, JESUS IS OUR GREAT PHYSICIAN!  And it's His will that NONE SHOULD PERISH or be sick, since Jesus was whipped 39 times so we don't have to be.

o      Jesus basically, went to those who needed Redemption from Him and offered them Salvation on the cross, when He shed His blood for them.  Abba [God] did what no other Father would do - He gave His only begotten Son Jesus, to take on all of our sins, that we might be saved.

Ø     Mercy means:  Kindness or goodwill towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them.

Ø     Sacrifice means: A sacrifice [animal], or victim [person].

o      Jesus, we're to follow right?  So when your outside, do a kind deed toward someone who's miserable [unhappy] or afflicted and share your testimony of how Jesus helped you.  Just being kind to brothers/sisters in church - is good - just as Jesus taught His Disciples we should help them when we can too.  BUT - Jesus also helped the unsaved; miserable and afflicted - so should we.

·       [Matthew 9:14-15 NKJV] 14 "Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" 15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

o      Fasting is not only to focus more on your prayers and drawing closer to Abba, along with those in morning. 

o      While Jesus [the Bridegroom] was with them, they had their prayers answered and with Jesus around, no one went to sleep [died].  So there was no need to fast.  To fast, would have been a waste of time for them - today, He is our Communion. 

o      Since Jesus is not in a human form today, but sitting at the right hand, interceding with Abba for us.  So He's still working for us, as we should be working for Him.

Ø     Interceding means: to light upon a person or a thing, fall in with, hit upon, a person or a thing; hence, to pray, entreat [the Lord in prayer]: to make intercession for anyone.

·       [Matthew 9:16-17 NKJV] 16 "No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 "Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

o      As far as Verses 16-17 goes, the meaning is simple - YOU cannot change what's been done; only JESUS can.  Nor can you hide it from Abba or Jesus.  But believe this - He knows the truth and He is still knocking at the door, for you to seek Him, so He can FORGIVE AND SAVE YOU!  He came to save the brokenhearted and the unloved - He's able and willing to do that for anyone who asks.

9:18-38    Miracles of Healing

·       [Matthew 9:18-19 NKJV] 18 "While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live." 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so [did] His disciples.

o      Rulers are very rich, but money cannot always solve a problem, but we have a LORD no matter the circumstance, and He is willing to arise and come resolving your situation.  I'll bet he heard the testimonies about Jesus - because Faith came by Hearing the Word. 

o      Unfortunately, like many of us, the Ruler told Jesus "HOW TO" heal.  Jesus does take her hand in the next verses, but we see He first gets rid of the unbelief in the room. 

o      We need to be careful, not to box Jesus in telling Him how to do it.  Only He knows what's really wrong with a person.  Let Jesus do His thing - we just need to ask, not tell Him what to do - or the problem - He knows already.

·        [Matthew 9:20-22 NKJV] 20 "And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour."

o      This lady, I'm sure she said over and over again, "IF I could just touch His garment, I SHALL BE MADE WELL.  Jesus said it was her FAITH that made her well.  As she believed - so did she receive.  We covered this in Matthew 7:7-11, it's also in Mark 11:24.   IF it takes you repeating the same thing over and over again, until you build your FAITH - then do it, until you have NO DOUBT you will be healed.

o      When people hear you have the gift of Healing or Intercessory, you'll be asked often to lay hands on them or intercede on their behalf.  I'd recommend asking the Holy Spirit "how you should," Jesus never healed the same way.  But the conditions are the same - you must believe to receive.  Without faith [believing He's able], you won't get anything.

o      Jesus wasn't upset because she touched His garment - He saw that she built her faith up, and told her to be of good cheer - it worked!

·       [Matthew 9:23-26 NKJV] 23 "When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land."  Nothing like having the Word spread!

o      Back to the ruler.  Women were having a crying jag, they were playing music and a noisy crowd in disorder.  That was part of the ritual when someone died back then.  Could Jesus heal her, with all that unbelief in the room?  Does "as you believe, so shall you receive work here?  NO! So Jesus made everyone leave, but of course the crowd mocked Jesus - what else is new?  But the VICTORY was for the parents and Abba.

o      Yes, Jesus took the little girls hand then she arose, AFTER Jesus got rid of the unbelief.  So there are times, we may need to do more than just pray.

·       [Matthew 9:27-30 NKJV] 27 "When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" 28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See [that] no one knows [it].  31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country."

o      Do you think the 2 blind men heard about the resurrection of the little girl?  I do, and they probably thought IF HE can raise the dead, surely He can heal our blindness.

o      Jesus didn't get upset about them following Him, just asked them "Do you believe that I'm able to do this?"  Again, it's their FAITH and BELIEVING JESUS could heal them, that Jesus then touched their eyes.  Jesus said, "According to their faith, let it be to you."

Ø     [Romans 10:17 NKJV]  "So then faith [comes] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

o      Healing is not a MYSTERY.  As we've seen, they asked, believed and received .

o      It's not your job to heal them, just know IF they believe Jesus can - they will be healed.  Always make sure ALL GLORY goes to ABBA in Jesus Name.  Be sure that you do not take any of the GLORY, or you may loose your gift of healing.

·       [Matthew 9:32-34 NKJV] 32 "As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. 33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel!" 34 But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons."

o      Here, it just says the demon was cast out and then the mute could speak.  Praise the Lord!  The multitudes following Jesus marveled.  WHY?  Because they've never seen any of the religious men remove a demon or heal the sick.

o      Naturally the religious men; Pharisees tried to tell the people that Jesus cast out a demon, by the ruler of demons.  That could hardly happen, the twerp [satan] likes his demons possessing humans - so they could control them, putting the FEAR [of God] in them.  But can you imagine, a mean spirited low life [like satan] being happy one of his workers were thrown out.  One less human the twerp could take with him into the fires of hell to torture for eternity?  I can't!

o      None the less, the Pharisees didn't have any of the answers of HOW or WHY, so they tried to destroy the works of Jesus.

·       [Matthew 9:35-38 NKJV] 35 "Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly [is] plentiful, but the laborers [are] few. 38 "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

o      YES, as Jesus went preaching the gospel, so should we, as the Missionaries, Pastors, and Teachers do today.

o      So, PRAY, PRAY and maybe you will BE a Laborer in His harvest.  We have the original 12 Disciples/Apostles, who followed Jesus to learn by.  If you've been reading the blog, then you know we should be busy doing the Father's will on earth.  We must all do our part, so we can help fulfill Jesus' desire - that none should perish.

o      How can a person choose Jesus, when they don't know Him?  They're sheep [followers] not taught about Jesus.  Until they hear the TRUTH, they don't know any other way.

o      IT'S OUR JOB TO MINISTER TO THEM.  TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS AND WHAT HE'S DONE FOR US.  AND TELL THEM JESUS IS COMING SOON.

    My prayer 4 U:  Father, in Jesus' Name I'm asking You to reveal, to Your Children, how to think from Heaven's perspective, so we can release Heavenly solutions in our lives and to help others, help us NOT TO LEAD with our head, but with the heart of JESUS!  -  In Jesus' Name - AMEN! and AMEN!

Blessing to ALL,

Sandy - The Lord's Servant