BULLETIN ARTICLE
29 March 2020
RECEIVING JESUS’ HEALING TOUCH AND BEING HIS DISCIPLE
In Matthew 5-7, we see how Jesus spoke and taught the Sermon on the Mount to the people. Even then, the lesson was far from over. As he descended the mountain, we will again see from the first few verses of chapter 8 the sermon in action.
The first person Jesus encounters is a man with leprosy. It was erroneously thought then that all who contracted leprosy had it because of some great personal sin as some people in history were judged with leprosy (Numbers 12:6-10; 2 Chronicles 26:19; 2 Kings 5:25-27). That said, the plight caused by leprosy did parallel the wasting and deadly effects of sin, though the leper is not more sinful than other people.
This leper would have shouted “Unclean! Unclean!” (Leviticus 13:45) and mourned over his known condition as he came to Jesus. He then knelt down before Jesus, expressed his faith in him (“Lord, if you are willing…”), and then received his touch (Matthew 8:1-3). Writer R. Kent Hughes reminds us: We too are spiritually unclean and totally unable to help ourselves. We need to kneel before God in worship as our only possible source of healing, express our faith through belief in Jesus that he has the power to save us, and then receive his healing touch as he takes our sin upon himself and cleanses us, giving us his cleanliness and grace. This whole experience reflects the first two beatitudes – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:3-4) Let us experience Jesus’ healing touch today.
As the next encounter with the centurion teaches us, the healing from Jesus is not just for the Jews but also for the Gentiles, if they likewise express faith in him. Do we like the centurion acknowledge who Jesus is – that he came under the authority of God the Father and is the appointed One (Matthew 8:5-13)?
Women in those days were not accorded proper status in society. Yet Jesus was concerned enough to heal Peter’s mother-in-law. As in the other instances, she too received his healing and “she got up and began to wait on him” (Matthew 8:14-15). How often we sit around and focus on our own issues and desires even after being saved into the kingdom. Let us realise the privilege we have been given to serve our Lord Jesus.
Indeed, Jesus’ authority is absolute as he is able to save and deliver from sin all who come to him (Matthew 8:16-17). Now recognising who Jesus is and the authority he has, how should we respond when called to be his disciple? Will we be wise to count the cost and follow him? Such a call to follow him should not merely be a mindless profession (Matthew 8:19-20), and we should not tarry (Matthew 8:21-22). It is a call to full commitment and instant action in spite of uncertainty and the loss of our own comforts. Are you his disciple yet?
