Matthew?s Gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom, and of the King. Here you see the King amid the storms of nature. Matthew 8:23, 24. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. In the quiet confidence of faith, resting upon his God. 25, 26. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save its: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. As great a calm as there had been tempest. After great trouble, expect deep, delightful rest and peace, if you are a child of God. 27. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! Now see the King in conflict with the powers of darkness. 28-31. And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment its before the time? And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought hint, How the demons crouched at his feet! The dogs of bell knew the power of his tongue; that was a whip whose lash they had felt before. 31, 32. Saying, If thou, cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. He never wastes words on demons. 32-34. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts. A sad prayer; yet Jesus granted their request. Men may once too often ask the Holy Spirit to depart from them. They may grieve him once more, and then he will have done with them for ever. Now we shall see the King in conflict with the diseases of mankind, and with human sin. Matthew 9:1, 2. And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith ? The faith of the bearers, and the faith of the palsied man himself, ? 2. Said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. It was remarked, by a mediaeval writer, that we do not find Christ calling any of the apostles, not even the very chief of them, by the name that he gave to this palsied man, ?Son.? This is the title that he gives to a sin-sick sinner, lying on a bed before him, waiting to be healed. Oh, the tenderness of Christ to sin and misery! He puts a kind of sonship upon this man which he had not possessed before. 3. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. ?He arrogates to himself the prerogative of God. Who can forgive sins but God only?? 4-8. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. They rightly saw in this miracle, wrought by Christ, power given to man for, as you observe, Christ said, ?The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins;? and these people magnified God that one Man should have such power granted to him. There is an elevation to the whole of manhood in the alliance of Christ with it; through him the Lord hath given great power unto men. 9. And as Jesus passed forth from thence, The King is now going to show his power over the human will. 9. He saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. Everything bows before him. Is he not King of kings, and Lord of lords? Have we ever comprehended the true measure of his divine and human nature? Even when he was on earth, and known as the Son of man, what gleams of his divine glory shone forth in these truly royal acts of his! Yet bow condescending was our King! Where is his court? Who are his attendants? Listen, ? 10. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. Lord of the sea, Conqueror of demons, Healer of the sick, Forgiver of sin, and now he has for his company publicans and sinners! When the Pharisees saw it, they did not see condescension in it, but they saw wickedness in it. 11. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? Ah! why, indeed? You and I know; that is a secret that has made us love him better than almost anything beside. 12. But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. He has come here on purpose that he might heal our sicknesses. Oh, you who feel to-night sick with sin, and sick of sin, come and sit down with him! He add, ?Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out,? and he will not cast you out, notwithstanding your sinnership, if you come unto him by faith. 13. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and no sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Let us never forget that Jesus is the sinner?s Savior. He does not come to save saints; he comes to save sinners, and the saints who are saved are kept from becoming sinners by his almighty love. May God bless this reading of the Scriptures to us! Amen. In Celebration of Life in Him, Dr. Jim DeBruhl, gembeaux@bellsouth.net
