Signs

Cutting Edge Christ – Matthew 8:

We’re turned signpost from a noun <ppt> to a verb “I signpost, you signpost, she signposts”!!

Jesus is signposting (and that is one of the meanings of his miracles). But what is he signposting to?

E.g. girl I spoke to in a shop. I asked “Can you tell me where the printer ink is?”, she replied “I can signpost you to it”!

These miracles are signposts pointing to something greater!

In Matt 5-7 we have a collection of Jesus’ teaching. Matthew’s summary of the big picture ideas of Jesus’ teaching.

<ppt> “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who builds his house on a rock”

When bad weather (=bad times) come his life is going to be secure, stable. His life won’t collapse around him

Look at how Matthew finishes this summary of Jesus’ teaching

7:28 “the crowds were [always] amazed at his teaching because he taught as one who has authority, and not like their teachers of the law.”

So the single factor that had the greatest impact on them from Jesus teaching was not his erudition (although he was clever) nor his humour (although sometimes he was funny) it was his authority. When he spoke, you had to take notice.

So if, today, we want to find the greatest ethics to live by in the family or in business or in our relationships – we need look no further than the sermon on the mount.

Jesus words and works <ppt>

Now Matthew does something very clever … What he does with Jesus’ words in chapters 5 to 7 he also does with Jesus works in chapters 8 & 9. <ppt> We’re going to see Jesus’ authority loud and clear again – and this time through what he did, as well as what he said.

This is a very deliberately chosen collection of amazing things Jesus did that Matthew chose

IN 5-7 he wove Jesus teaching together in a sermon, now in chapters 8 & 9 he weaves Jesus works together in a narrative.

We know they’re carefully chosen and put in a group because in Luke’s gospel they’re in a different order (and we know Luke was concerned with getting things in the right order). Matthew wants to make the point, Luke wants to give us the sequence.

So what’s the point?

Jesus carries God’s authority

The Authority of Jesus (v1-17)

The leper

Let’s sketch in the background

8:1 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him.

Just imagine the picture Matthew is painting here. Jesus is being followed by huge crowds of people.

But Jesus was not only interested in preaching to the crowd, he was passionate about individual people too. And Matthew singles out one person in particular.

:2 “A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”

The man didn’t say “if you’re able” (that’s taken as read!) he said “if you’re willing”!

“Jesus, if you choose to do this it will happen!”

What a wonderful example of faith!

When we pray and when we long for God to act, everything he does in response to our prayers is a matter of his will and his purpose. We take his ability for granted.

“you can make me clean”. He did not say “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me better” but “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”. Why so? Because lepers were spiritually unclean. Leviticus had very strict quarantine rules for people with leprosy-like illnesses. So this was a spiritual problem as much as a physical one. A leper was an outcast and a reject..

Jesus is reaching an outcast <ppt>

So Jesus heals him and then something else surprising happens.

Jesus apparently tells him to keep it a secret –

“See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them” (=the priest)

can that be true? After all, this man is one of the huge crowd. Dozens, if not hundreds of people have just seen this happen! It’s no secret!

The key is in the word ‘BUT’

Don’t tell just anybody, we know eastern greetings could be long, protracted affairs, BUT go to one particular person …

That person is the priest

‘offer the gift’ – that brings him back into the fold!

Jesus has the authority to bring people back into God’s favour <ppt>

… and then making sure he’s acceptable once again.

Christians have always had a reputation for treating the outcast.

The centurion (5-17)

Here’s a man who is a respected professional – a centurion. In the Roman army, commanding 100 men (ten squads of 10)

A man who is respected and followed (at least by the army)

Read vv 5-11

Matthew intends us to notice something about these people who felt Jesus authority – they’re both outsiders!

The leper, because of his illness and the centurion because of his position.

Jesus has authority over illness

Peter’s mother-in-law

She is an insider. A Jewish woman who was sick (it also shows that Peter was married) and Jesus caused the fever to leave her – instantly.

Messages from this?

• These instantaneous healings show Jesus’ authority over sickness.

• => nobody is beyond Jesus’ reach >>>

The Cost of following Jesus (v18-22)

These two men came and said they’d follow Jesus whatever – here’s Jesus reply

:20 “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but I don’t have anywhere secure to live” (are you up for that?)

And to the other one who wanted to wait until his father had died before following Jesus, he said

:22 “Let dead people bury dead bodies (i.e. are you ready to leave your family behind?)

If you’re thinking of coming to faith, I don’t want to kid you that following Jesus is always easy.

• Yes, you come into a deep and rich relationship with God himself!

• yes, your sinful stuff is forgiven and dealt with and you’re give huge freedom!

• yes, Jesus gives us a purpose and direction in life! Your spiritual journey will at last have direction and meaning.

• but will it be easy – sometimes definitely not.

Jesus claims authority over us

The person Jesus really is (v23-27)

Jesus is now in a boat with his disciples

• Furious storm broke out

• experienced sailors – but terrified

• Jesus sleeping sweetly in the boat = (how?)

• :26 “He replied ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid”? “Storm – shut up!” and voomph – millpond.

Now if I had been in that boat I think we would have gone “wow that’s impressive” – plastered it all over facebook and twitter. It would have gone viral!

But Mark tells us that the disciples were terrified. They were more terrified of the calm than they were on the storm.

I want to tell you about Easter day 1979

I was at home with my parents for the weekend and engaged to Rosi. We were going to get married in the July

I woke up on Easter Sunday and it was one of those days that was just stunningly beautiful. It was hot without being scorching, it was bright without being dazzling – it was just a perfect day.

• I remember saying “Lord,it would be just great if the day we get married was like this” and left it there.(you know what’s coming!)

• I woke up on the morning Rosi and I were to get married and that’s just how it was! And I felt the Lord say to me “do you remember Easter Sunday?”

I’m not claiming that I can pray weather into existence!

• I think the Lord did it just because … that’s what he’s like.

Jesus has authority over the natural world.

But there’s more.

• For them, turbulent sea was a sign of disturbing dark forces >>>

• Underwater there was evil that occasionally churned up the sea. So beware of open water.

• Jesus showed he can tame the forces of evil that lurk beneath turbulent waves

• But for them, only God has that power, so who are we dealing with here?

Jesus showing His true identity

The intimidating Jesus (v28-34)

Now Jesus is in a different area – probably gentile territory because there’s a herd of pigs.

• He meets two violent, demon-possessed men

• So violent that no-one dares to go anywhere near them.

Instinctively they know who Jesus is –

‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’

Jesus talks to these evil spirits as separate personalities and Jesus enters into a conversation with these spirits, as they speak through the men.

“The demons begged Jesus, ‘If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.’

So Jesus lets them go

v32 … they went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.

Jesus has authority in the supernatural realm

Now let’s use what we know – the pigs were now possessed by these spirits and where did they go – without being told?

• Into the sea and under the water. To the place of evil and turmoil.

34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.

Forget gentle Jesus meek and mild for a moment – When evil is present, Jesus poses a threat.

Matthew says nothing about what happened to the men after they were released – because he wants us to realise something – Jesus authority.

Just think about your life at present

It could be you’ve not handed the command of your life over to him yet, in which case now is a good moment – it’s why God brought you here this morning.

Or let me ask are there places, moments when you need Jesus to take authority

>>> Prayer