Post by Bro. Freddie on Nov 11, 2007 23:10:54 GMT 12.75
Matthew 4:23-25 (King James Version)
23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24. And His fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them.
25. And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
If you will recall, we have been looking at the early ministry of Jesus. Last week we saw how He called His first Apostles and the beginning of the first church. We saw how 4 men answered the call to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men. This week we are going to continue to look at His early ministry and the effect it had on the people of that time.
In verse 23 we read that Jesus went about all Galilee teaching, preaching and healing. Now remember, Galilee was a province of Israel, not a country. It is kinda like we refer to the United States today. We have the South, the Midwest, the North, the Northwest, etc. We have different regions and it was the same way then too. Now the Galilee province was divided up into 2 regions, the upper Galilee and the lower Galilee. The lower Galilee was a area of plains which produced grain. The upper Galilee was a mountainous region which grew a lot of olives. I believe Jesus was in the lower Galilee region during this time because of what is going to happen soon (more on that in a later sermon). But anyway, Jesus went about this region teaching, preaching and healing. I want us to look at these in a little more detail.
First, Jesus taught in the synagogues. There is evidence that the synagogues sprang up during the time of the Babylonian captivity, but we have no firm record of this. The synagogues were places that the Jews met every Sabbath to be instructed in the Law, not places to worship. Since a church is a place of worship, there is a difference between that and a synagogue. Don't get the two confused! But what I want us to notice is that Jesus taught. Folks, Jesus knew the Law and He instructed the people in it. Let's think about that a moment. How do you think Jesus taught the Law to the people? Do you think He was like the Pharisees and Sadducee's who taught the letter of the Law but not the spirit? NO! Jesus taught the Law in the manner it was designed, which was to point people to Him. Remember, the Law was designed to show men that they were sinners and had failed to live up to God's standards. Folks, Jesus taught the true meaning of the Law then just as He did in His later ministry.
Secondly, He preached the Gospel of the kingdom. If we look at it in more detail we find that Jesus declared (preached) the good news (Gospel) of the kingdom. Well, what was this good news? It was that the Saviour was here! It is my belief that Jesus declared unto the people that He had come after about 4,000 years of prophecy. Brethren, that is good news! The King of Kings had come!
Thirdly, Jesus healed all manner of sickness and disease among the people. Only the God of creation could have done this. There are those today who claim to be able to heal, but I don't see them in hospitals healing. Folks, Jesus done this in plain open sight so that all might see. He didn't do it for personal glory like those of today do, but He did it because He loved the people.
One thing I want you to notice is the order of things. Jesus taught first, preached second, and then healed third. Look at the significance of this. He taught the people that they needed a Saviour, then He preached to them that He was the Saviour, then He healed them, or as I like to look at it, He saved them from the effects of their sin. Jesus showed us how to be fishers of men! We should follow His example! We should first teach others that they are sinners, in love not malice. Then we are to tell them of the love Jesus has for them. Then, Jesus will heal them of the consequences of sin. Are we following Jesus' example?
As we look at verse 24, the first thing I noticed is that His fame went out throughout all Syria. Now "fame" doesn't mean famous. It means to hear a report about. So the people of Syria heard a good report about Jesus. Now, I haven't been able to nail down exactly what Matthew means when he used the term "Syria". It could have been the country of Syria that we know today, or it could have been smaller, or it could have even been something else. One commentator I read says that it could have been Samaria. But I just don't know. But what I do know is that Jesus' good report was heard over a large area. Now how large that are was is something that I haven't been able to nail that down yet. But anyway, Jesus' good report was heard by the people and they believed it. And these people acted upon what they had heard. They brought all manner of sick people to Him to be healed. They brought to Him those that had diver's (or as we would say today various) diseases and torments. They brought unto Him those that were demon possessed, lunatick (epileptic), palsy (paralytic) and other various diseases. In other words, the people recognized that Jesus was the only One that could help these people that were sick. The doctor's of that era couldn't. But what I want us to learn from this verse is that the people acted upon what they had heard. Now, I don't know if these people were saved when they came to the Lord or not. That is a debate that has raged for centuries. What I do know is that when the people heard about the Lord, they acted. Do we? When you hear a message preached, and the Holy Spirit is convicting, do you act upon it?
As we look now at verse 25 we see that there were a lot of people following Jesus. They came from all over the region. They came from Galilee (a region west of the Jordan River), Decapolis (a region east of the Jordan which included the city of Damascus), Jerusalem, Judaea, and from beyond Jordan (meaning the Jordan River). In other words, they came from all over to hear Jesus. As I sat and thought on this, I asked myself why they came from such a vast area to follow Him. Could it have been for His teachings? Or was it just for the miracles? Knowing human nature, I think it was both. Some were following Him to because of His teachings, and some were there just for the miracles. I believe that some of these people actually trusted Jesus as their Saviour, while some were there just hoping to see a show. Folks, that is the same way it is in the church today. There are some who truly come to worship God, and some who come just to be seen of man. I know of people who go to church just to further their business ventures, but on the other side of the coin, I also know of those who come to truly worship the Lord. Which are you? Do you worship Jesus for who He is? Or are you there for other reasons?
This week we have seen that Jesus taught, preached and healed. We have seen that a large number of people came to Him to do what no other person could do. My question to you is have you came to Jesus? Have you trusted in Him as your personal Saviour? Or, are you claiming to be a follower just to further your own interests?
23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24. And His fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them.
25. And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
If you will recall, we have been looking at the early ministry of Jesus. Last week we saw how He called His first Apostles and the beginning of the first church. We saw how 4 men answered the call to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men. This week we are going to continue to look at His early ministry and the effect it had on the people of that time.
In verse 23 we read that Jesus went about all Galilee teaching, preaching and healing. Now remember, Galilee was a province of Israel, not a country. It is kinda like we refer to the United States today. We have the South, the Midwest, the North, the Northwest, etc. We have different regions and it was the same way then too. Now the Galilee province was divided up into 2 regions, the upper Galilee and the lower Galilee. The lower Galilee was a area of plains which produced grain. The upper Galilee was a mountainous region which grew a lot of olives. I believe Jesus was in the lower Galilee region during this time because of what is going to happen soon (more on that in a later sermon). But anyway, Jesus went about this region teaching, preaching and healing. I want us to look at these in a little more detail.
First, Jesus taught in the synagogues. There is evidence that the synagogues sprang up during the time of the Babylonian captivity, but we have no firm record of this. The synagogues were places that the Jews met every Sabbath to be instructed in the Law, not places to worship. Since a church is a place of worship, there is a difference between that and a synagogue. Don't get the two confused! But what I want us to notice is that Jesus taught. Folks, Jesus knew the Law and He instructed the people in it. Let's think about that a moment. How do you think Jesus taught the Law to the people? Do you think He was like the Pharisees and Sadducee's who taught the letter of the Law but not the spirit? NO! Jesus taught the Law in the manner it was designed, which was to point people to Him. Remember, the Law was designed to show men that they were sinners and had failed to live up to God's standards. Folks, Jesus taught the true meaning of the Law then just as He did in His later ministry.
Secondly, He preached the Gospel of the kingdom. If we look at it in more detail we find that Jesus declared (preached) the good news (Gospel) of the kingdom. Well, what was this good news? It was that the Saviour was here! It is my belief that Jesus declared unto the people that He had come after about 4,000 years of prophecy. Brethren, that is good news! The King of Kings had come!
Thirdly, Jesus healed all manner of sickness and disease among the people. Only the God of creation could have done this. There are those today who claim to be able to heal, but I don't see them in hospitals healing. Folks, Jesus done this in plain open sight so that all might see. He didn't do it for personal glory like those of today do, but He did it because He loved the people.
One thing I want you to notice is the order of things. Jesus taught first, preached second, and then healed third. Look at the significance of this. He taught the people that they needed a Saviour, then He preached to them that He was the Saviour, then He healed them, or as I like to look at it, He saved them from the effects of their sin. Jesus showed us how to be fishers of men! We should follow His example! We should first teach others that they are sinners, in love not malice. Then we are to tell them of the love Jesus has for them. Then, Jesus will heal them of the consequences of sin. Are we following Jesus' example?
As we look at verse 24, the first thing I noticed is that His fame went out throughout all Syria. Now "fame" doesn't mean famous. It means to hear a report about. So the people of Syria heard a good report about Jesus. Now, I haven't been able to nail down exactly what Matthew means when he used the term "Syria". It could have been the country of Syria that we know today, or it could have been smaller, or it could have even been something else. One commentator I read says that it could have been Samaria. But I just don't know. But what I do know is that Jesus' good report was heard over a large area. Now how large that are was is something that I haven't been able to nail that down yet. But anyway, Jesus' good report was heard by the people and they believed it. And these people acted upon what they had heard. They brought all manner of sick people to Him to be healed. They brought to Him those that had diver's (or as we would say today various) diseases and torments. They brought unto Him those that were demon possessed, lunatick (epileptic), palsy (paralytic) and other various diseases. In other words, the people recognized that Jesus was the only One that could help these people that were sick. The doctor's of that era couldn't. But what I want us to learn from this verse is that the people acted upon what they had heard. Now, I don't know if these people were saved when they came to the Lord or not. That is a debate that has raged for centuries. What I do know is that when the people heard about the Lord, they acted. Do we? When you hear a message preached, and the Holy Spirit is convicting, do you act upon it?
As we look now at verse 25 we see that there were a lot of people following Jesus. They came from all over the region. They came from Galilee (a region west of the Jordan River), Decapolis (a region east of the Jordan which included the city of Damascus), Jerusalem, Judaea, and from beyond Jordan (meaning the Jordan River). In other words, they came from all over to hear Jesus. As I sat and thought on this, I asked myself why they came from such a vast area to follow Him. Could it have been for His teachings? Or was it just for the miracles? Knowing human nature, I think it was both. Some were following Him to because of His teachings, and some were there just for the miracles. I believe that some of these people actually trusted Jesus as their Saviour, while some were there just hoping to see a show. Folks, that is the same way it is in the church today. There are some who truly come to worship God, and some who come just to be seen of man. I know of people who go to church just to further their business ventures, but on the other side of the coin, I also know of those who come to truly worship the Lord. Which are you? Do you worship Jesus for who He is? Or are you there for other reasons?
This week we have seen that Jesus taught, preached and healed. We have seen that a large number of people came to Him to do what no other person could do. My question to you is have you came to Jesus? Have you trusted in Him as your personal Saviour? Or, are you claiming to be a follower just to further your own interests?