Matthew 8:1-4 - Spoken with Authority

Making an impression on someone is hard to do. Making an impression on a large crowd is even more difficult. Try speaking to a church sometime. There are times after delivering a sermon that I wished I could have morphed into a gooey ooze and slithered off the platform only to have people say that was exactly what they needed to hear. There are other times I knew that the people must be connecting with the message only to see people leave dazed and confused (okay so this happened in the early parts of my ministry but you get the point). Over time I have learned that I am just a voice used by God who is the difference maker.

Jesus is God and He spoke with authority. He impacted the lives of those who listened to Him. When one speaks with authority, they reveal knowledge. I have to study hard for knowledge; Jesus is the source of knowledge. As knowledge is revealed, wisdom begins to emerge. I have to work diligently just for a morsel of wisdom; Jesus is the manifestation of wisdom. This is why large crowds followed Him off the mountain. He has something to offer.

Then comes a man with a skin disease. This great teacher had just touched the lives of a large crowd with His powerful teaching, and this leper saunters up to Jesus and kneels before Him. Nobody brought this man; he came because he recognized the origin of authority. This man kneels in worship and simply asks:

“Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

What a powerful statement. The leper recognized the authority of Christ and with fear kneels before Christ and calls Him Lord. The leper did not ask,” Are you able to heal?” No, he knew Jesus had the power to heal. He put faith in Jesus. He did not demand healing, offer to pay for healing, or try to coerce healing out of Jesus. He simply knelt before the Savior and let his faith in Christ be the deciding factor. Jesus reached out His hand and healed him.

Jesus is willing, and He is able to heal. So why doesn’t He heal everyone? That is a question for which I do not have an exact answer, but I do know that God has purpose in all things and His will is perfect. He is willing to heal. Maybe the real question should be, are we prepared for His decision? Will we still love Him if He does not heal us?

Faith is not about the miracles and the healings. Jesus knew that and admonished the healed man to be silent. Jesus came to deliver a message of salvation and spending His days only healing and providing miracles would have distracted people from that message. Miracles and healing only heal a symptom of the greater problem – sin.

Jesus came to provide a way to God for a humanity that is separated by sin, and His willingness to demonstrate His love through acts of mercy and grace were just a small part of His overall message.

We have to be careful how we seek after Christ. Are we doing it for the pomp and circumstance, or are we approaching Christ because we have accepted His revealed Word of salvation?

• Are you prepared for God’s decision about healing?
• Is your love for God conditional?
• Do you desire the proof of God’s love before you will accept the power of God’s Word?

 Recommended reading: The Grace of God - Andy Stanley