Matthew Chapter 9

We start wtih a short review of Jesus healing the paralytic. 
He and his followers were in Capernaum, which is where He was basicall living at this point in time.  Some men brought a paralized man in for healing but in this version of the story Matthew doesnt tel us that the man was lowered through the roof.  He does tell us that Jesus arrived there by boat and all three of the Gospels that tell this story repeat that Jesus saw THEIR faith. 
Its interesting as well to read that Jesus SAW thier faith;  how do you see faith?  James 2:18 tells us "by what I DO"  Their could include the paralized man, not just those who brought him.  Faith brought them to Jesus, he reconized that and what?  He healed teh man.  But not immediately.  Do you see that first, He forgave the man of his sins.  This really upset the Jewish leaders as only GOD can forgive sins.  So by what he waid, Jesus was showeing himself to be God.  OH and he could read thier thoughts too.  He THEN showed them that the mans sins were forgiven by healing him.  Apparantly in this case the mans sickness was the result of sin, and when it was forgiven he could be healed.  


The point here is that faith in Jesus should cause you to live differently.  If your life doesnt SHOW your faith then it isnt very strong.  Its that simple.  Live like you meant it.  Come to jesus when you ahve problems and need his help.  The very first thing you need to do when you come, however is ask to be forgiven of yoru sins.  He can read YORU thoughts and your heart as well.  After you have come to him, after hes forgiven you, Hell tell you something you shoudl do.  do it, just like the man got up and went home.  What do you think he DID when he got home? 

Matthew 9: 9-17  Matthews personal autobiography
Perhaps the most unlikely choice for one of Jesus' original disciples.  Matthew had a unique placein the Jewish society of the time.  He was  Jew by birth, who contraactdwith the Roman government to collect its exorbitant taxes from his won people.  He was, along with his fellow tax collectors, the most disliked and despised class of individuals in the nation.  The Jewish contempt for these individuals is evident byt he numerous associations made throughout Scripture to the "tax collectors and sinners"  To appreciate the decision Matthew makes to leave everthing he knew behind him and follow Jesus, you have to understand the kind of wealth, status and privilege he was giving up as a Roman Tax collector. 

The romans sold a "franchise" for an area to the highest bidder, and allowed that person to collect the area taxes.  The tax collector was told how much to pay the roman government but what ever else he could collect beyond that was his to keep.  His pay as it were.  They over taxed as much as they could getting rich off of thier "friends and neighbors"  Naturally they were not a popular group of people.  Matthew had undoubtedly heard of Jesus and probably had also heard what John the Baptist had said about him, so it was not new information when Jesus called out to him.  Notice how he reacted to Jesus' call.  Matthew got up and followed him.  He ALSO brought his associates and friends to meet Jesus. 
The Pharisees and other religious leaders were unhappy that Jesus was hagning out with sinners.  This again caused him to speak out to the leaders.  he responds that the sinnersneeded what he had to offer.  The Scripture he quoted reminds us again that God is concerned about our HEART attitude, not what we show to the outside world. 

Matthew then tells of a time when Johns  disciples questioned Jesus as to why his disciples didnt fast.  Fasting was done to bring oneself closer to God and Jesus points out that he is WITH them so at that point, they didnt need to fast.  His teachings are contrary to much of what was common for the time.  Many things Jesus did and taught went against the tradtion of the time.  He says, so he has to begin fresh wtih his disciples.  he cant jsut "add on to the jewish beliefs"  They need to truly understand WHY they do what he encourages them to do.  We cant just come to Christ, we have to leave old ways of thinking and doing things and even being, bhind us.  We must each come to christ like Matthew did, leave everything and recognize that we are sinners and need him.  Not that we are really ok and just oging to add a few new practices on.  and we can only do this with is help. 

Matthew 9: 18-26.  A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman
While he was still speaking to John's disciples he was interrupted.  One of the elders of the synagogue, (refered to here as ruler) came to ask for help for his daughter.  Again, we have parallel accounts in the gospels of this episode.  Mark and Luke tell us theat the daughter was dying.  Matthew may have meant that she was certain to die, but at a rate her father showed his faith by his comfidence in jesus even though he was going against everything his friends and family believed about this guy. 
Jesus went with the man to see the daughter. 

On the way, he passed a woman who had been sick for 12 years with a disease that made her ceremonially unclean.  (Look up Lev. 15:25-27)  It seems strange that she watned to touch his cloak but it was the tassels she touched (numbers 15:38-39)  We cn read the story in Mark and Luke to see that SHE KNEW she was healed even as Jesus felt that she had d drwan on his power.  He stopped to speak to speak to her and let her know that it was her faith that enabled her to be healed. 

Arriving now at the house of the ruler, they encountered croweds of hired mourners.  These people were hired and had no real connection to the family so Jesus put htem out. He then went to raise the girl up.  And the news once again spread. 

Again, jesus not only wants us to have faith in him, but he wants us to act on that faith  He wants us to come to him as confidently and reverently as teh synagogue ruller did.  He watns us to reach out to touch him with the same confidence the woman had.  We also hae to realize that the attitudes of those around us cna have an affect on us.  The hired mourners had laughted an t Jesus and he made them leave.  If the people you hang out with cause you to stuble in yoru walk with jesus or are a distraction to you in trying to walk beside him, you need to find new friends.  Is hat drastic?  Yes but its part of acting onyour faith.  Evaluating yourself and your surroundings and adjusting to see where God wants us to be.

We DONT have jesus standing here eating, drinking and walking with us so today, this week, we need to consider prayer and fasting to see where we are to be going in our walk with Him.

Mercy looks outward not inward

On our way to Clovis this evening, M. and I were listening to the radio as we drove along and talked.  I wasn't really listening that carefully but I heard a sentence that made me stop and take notice.


"Mercy sees beyond its own pain and discomfort to the needs of others"


It definitely stuck in my head and rattled around

mer·cy

[ múrssee ]

1. compassion: kindness or forgiveness shown especially to somebody a person has power over
2. compassionate disposition: a disposition to be compassionate or forgiving of others
3. something to be thankful for: a welcome event or situation that provides relief or prevents something unpleasant from happening

Synonyms: compassion, pity, clemency, forgiveness, kindness, sympathy, humanity, understanding, generosity, leniency, benevolence, forbearance, grace

 

     It makes me wonder as I look at some of the people around me,  would they be in less pain and discomfort themselves if they saw past their own noses?   I know that I get wrapped up in myself and my own situation and forget to be merciful to those around me, I am as human as anyone else.  But, I have had such good teachers through out my life to show me how to look around no matter what my situation is and to see that there are others who need my kindness. 

     I had a friend a few years ago, who told me something wise and valuable.  She not only told me but she showed me how to put her words in to action.  She told me that when you are feeling down, or having problems in your own world, the best thing you could do is to find someone around you who needs some kind of encouragement and find a way to do something for them in secret.  She told me that it is amazing how much it can help YOU to do something for someone else and the biggest part was the doing it with out anyone knowing.  Then, you just sit back and watch. 

     Through out my lifetime, I have watched my parents go through the loss of not one but 3 children, granted 2 of them were adults at the time but still,  I saw them continue to reach out to those around them to be a light.

      I watched both sets of my grandparents be some of the most giving people I have ever seen despite a lack of what most would call wealth, with no real thought for themselves. 

      I could go on and on to list the givers in my life but it would probably be uninteresting to anyone else who chose to read my blog. 

 

As I sit here writing and thinking about how cranky I do get sometimes because I feel like my goal in life is to give as much as I can to those who need around me.  Sometimes, I am human and DO want recognition for my efforts.  I also know that I don't accept that recognition well when it DOES come along.  I really DO try to care about people just because they need caring for.  And I know that when I get outside my self, I DO feel better in every single way. 

 

I am writing this from the yearly youth conference that our church youth goes to.  I am watching the group of girls drift in and out of the room where we will be sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor.  The group of giggly, wiggly, energetic girls and women.  Over in the next building is a group of wiggly, smelly, energetic boys and men.  The women and men who are here are selflessly giving of their time and talents to give this group of kids a place to be on at least this weekend.  Besides hearing the Word of God, meant to encourage them in their lives, they will also be playing basketball, volleyball, football, showing off their art work, photography, writing, singing, instrumental talent, preaching and the final Bible quizzing meet.  Mercy will be a great part of these next hours as these are teenagers with all the things that go with being teenagers in a group. 

 

Earlier today, I was feeling very cranky, and put upon and wondering why I had committed to do this when no one really cared that much.  But now that I am here........... Mercy!!!!!

 

Bedroom Floor

Work schedule has changed so that hopefully we can complete this project is a more timely manner.  I am excited abotu how it is going to look when we are done.  It wil give me incentive to finish some other projects that I have planned to make our bedroom a real sanctuary for rest and peace.

My Weekend Vacation

 Where Was I this weekend?   From the photos here, can you guess?

Adventure time:

We are leaving in a couple hours on an adventure for the next less than 48 hours.  I am not telling where we are going until I blog my experience when I get back.  Watch to see, in the next few days.