Faith in the King's Compassion - Matthew 9:18-34 from Damascus Road Church on Vimeo.

Introduction

Good Morning! We are continuing to preach through the book of Matthew, the gospel account

of Jesus as the Savoir-King of God’s people. We are in Part 2 (Chapters 8-13) the Mission of

the King. Jesus wasn’t merely a good teacher he is a great savior and king. This means his

ministry doesn’t solely consist of words, but words that lead to actions. We see the pattern

throughout Matthew of Jesus proclaiming the values of the kingdom then displaying his authority

as king. The last several weeks we have been looking at Jesus’ actions after preached his

sermon on the Kingdom of God. He has been showing clearly and dramatically His God-Savior- King credentials fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah 53 as the suffering servant that heals God’s

people. He calmed a storm when he and his disciples were on a boat going from one mission

to another, He’s healed two demon possessed guys, a paralytic, and very miraculously healed

the heart of a reprobate tax-collector named Matthew who became one of Jesus’ disciples and

wrote this account of the Gospel. Jesus is clear, he is the King. He is also the great physician,

who has come not to heal those who are well but to heal the sick and call sinners to repentance,

turning from sin to God. In these verses we see three more episodes of Jesus miraculous

healing, 6 people healed total. These accounts are grouped together and significant to teach us

the exceeding depth of both the King’s compassion for his people and the faith Jesus people

have in his willingness and ability to use his power to act out his compassion.

Matthew 9:18-34

18While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him,

saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19And

Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples.20And behold, a woman who had suffered

from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his

garment, 21

turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And

instantly the woman was made well.23And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the

flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead

but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25But when the crowd had been put outside, he went

in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26And the report of this went through all that

district.

for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus

27And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy

on us, Son of David.”28When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said

to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29Then he

touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30And their eyes were

opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31But they went

away and spread his fame through all that district.

32As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to

him. 33And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled,

saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34But the Pharisees said, “He casts out

demons by the prince of demons.”

Faith in...

The point of these three accounts is to emphasize the importance of faith and specifically the

object of faith. There are miracles yes, but faith takes center stage. We need to distinguish

what faith we are talking about. When the world talks about faith it is talking about something

as generic and universal as it is powerless. Faith in yourself, faith in the goodness of humanity,

faith in karma, etc. We use empty phrases like, we’re sending good thoughts your way, we talk

about people of faith and communities of faith. Everyone is a person of faith, everyone has put

their faith and hope into something. Sometimes a big group of people put their faith into one

thing, then it’s a community of faith. Chicago Cubs fans are a community of faith. These are all

ultimately worthless in their pursuit and powerless to effect lasting change to actually realize the

hope for something better we have placed our faith in. The amount of your faith in something is

absolutely meaningless it is the object of your faith that matters. When the bible or Christians

talk about the power of faith we are talking about the effect of exclusive faith in Jesus that God

gives as a gift. We see in these verses faith in Jesus saves from death, restores abundant life,

opens eyes to see, breaks the chains of spiritual bondage, and gives voices to speak to the

fame and glory of who he is.

v18-19 Compassion to - Faith of a Father

A ruler, who we know from other accounts (Mark 5 and Luke 8) is named Jairus and is a ruler

in the synagogue, comes to Jesus grief stricken at the death of his 12 year old daughter. Ruler

would have been a significant person in the social and religious life of the synagogue. He would

have been one of the stewards of the building, chose who would be leading their services,

and picked the scripture readings and other important duties. It is clear that her condition is

completely hopeless at this point. For him to reach out to Jesus who the Pharisees and Scribes

have already expressed their displeasure with shows just how desperate he is. He is willing to

risk his social standing with in the only community he has ever know to reach out to Jesus even

bowing before him as LORD on behalf of his only daughter. His desperation has lead him risk all

he knows because he has faith Jesus can heal his daughter even though she had just died.

It’s Father’s Day today so it’s worth noting, Jairus comes to Jesus on behalf of the life of his

child. That is a good dad! What are your goals and desires for you children? (examples) What

is more basic than life? God is the source of all life so if they are living apart from a relationship

with God they are as dead spiritual as Jarius daughter is physically. Jairus faith is regardless

of how hopeless the life of his daughter seems, if his child is simply touched by Jesus they will

live. Faith in Jesus saving power leads us to pursue Jesus for others. Parents are you pursing Jesus on

behalf of your children? Are you showing them your only faith and hope for their life is in Jesus?

or are your actions showing them your faith in other things?

Jesus responds to Jairus and gets up with urgency, he is eager to show compassion to this man

and his daughter. There is a fundamental truth on display here that I don’t think we recognize

easily. Jesus loves your children more than you do or can. His love is more powerful than yours. His

love and compassion for your kids has the power to heal, the power to save, and the power to

give life.

Crowds begin to follow to see the spectacle “we heard this guy has calmed a storm, and healed

others, but can he raise someone from the dead?” The crowds desire is to be near something

amazing but not necessarily worship Jesus and trust Jesus the way Jairus does. They begin to

gather around Jesus closely.

V 20-22 Compassion to - Faith of the Long Suffering

Jesus is on mission on the way to mission. Jairus and certainly the disciples (Luke’s account)

had to be a little anxious or even annoyed by the interruption Jesus is about to experience.

Jesus has a big miracle to preform, there is a very important man’s daughter who has died

and they are preparing to bury, he can’t be bothered with anything else, this is urgent. This is

when Jesus clothes are touched by a woman who has be long suffering with a blood discharge

condition. Her condition apparently was not life threatening but the quality and condition of her

life was greatly diminished by it. It was physically debilitating.

Perhaps the most painful part of her condition is, like the leper Jesus heals at the beginning

of chapter eight, this women’s discharge makes her both ceremonially unclean an unfit for

marriage. There is a great contrast between the last 12 years for this woman and for Jairus.

While Jairus has been raising his only daughter and enjoying a life of status and responsibility

in his community, this women has been cut off from all religious and societal benefits with no

husband, no children. She can’t go on but has faith Jesus is powerful to heal her by only simply

touching his outer robe. In the chaos of the growing crowd she makes her way to Jesus and

grasps his clothes hoping her touch would not be noticed.

What she did was both bold and fearful. She didn’t want anyone to know she had touched Jesus

because then Jesus would have been made “unclean”. That is why she only wants to touch

his clothes. After a dozen years of being marginalized in her society she wants to keep a low

profile. She is desperate, she has spent all she has had with a variety of doctors and treatments

and she has not gotten any better she has only gotten worse. Deep healing faith in Jesus is

birthed out desperation. This desperation comes from realizing everything else you’ve pursued

has been ineffective for healing. This faith leads to an expectation Jesus has the ability and

willingness to heal. What have you pursued or spent in efforts to heal yourself?

The woman hoped to remain anonymous. But Jesus knows his power is at work. Jesus

publically asks who touched him? She came with fear and trembling. How is this going to go

down? Jesus tells her in front of everyone “Take Heart, Daughter, your faith has made you

well.” Jesus encourages her. This is a women who has not been encouraged for quite some

time. Jesus calling her out publically also shows the community she has been healed, no longer

unclean, and can participate in the community once again. Only women Jesus calls daughter.

Jesus is telling her “God the Father cares about you and is compassionate.” Jesus is also telling

Jairus, “I care about this women the same way you care about your daughter.” It is not the

amount of her faith that has healed her, it is the object of it. Jesus has compassion for those in

grief and tragedy who have had comfortable lives AND he has compassion for the long suffering

desiring to give them a better life. Faith in Jesus turns trembling into triumph. There is real life

and joy when your faith is in Jesus. Not an easily life or one without any suffering, but a joyful

one.

John 10:9-10 9

and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have

life and have it abundantly. Faith in Jesus compassion and power leads us to pursue Jesus for

our own healing.

V23-26 Mourning to Marveling

Jesus arrives at Jairus’s house to a home in full mourning. At that time even the poorest were

required to hire at least 2 flute players and person just to wail. Grief was a corporate activity and

no one was to grieve alone. It was a demonstrative activity with constant wailing. Jairus was

an important guy in the community, so there were several professional mourners in his home

along with many from the community. It was noisy. Jesus wants the mourners gone, because

he knows what he is about to do, this girl will be alive today. In a home full of mourners, Jesus

is laughed at. Unlike Jairus, or the women with the discharge, these people do not have faith in

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out

Jesus, they do not worship him, they do not trust him, so they mock him. We have assessed the

situation, there is nothing we can do about it and if we can’t fix the situation it is unfixable. It’s

over, we know better than you Jesus. But Jesus is not dissuaded, he came to save and he is

going to save regardless of what the crowd things of Him. Crowds and people don’t decide the

circumstances. Jesus does. (Pastor Hank in Honduras, “it’s not your circumstances that matter,

it’s your God that matters.) What have you decided Jesus is incapable of doing? What people or what

situations have you already written off because they are beyond your ability to fix or change?

Jesus says “the girl is not dead but asleep.” Let’s be clear where the Bible is clear, this girl was

dead. Jesus doesn’t leave his ministry to come to a guy’s house (no matter how important)

to wake their tween up from a nap. Jesus is here to save. Something truly amazing and

supernatural is about to happen and Jesus doesn’t want this to be a big spectacle where

people who don’t him Jesus are part of this miracle. Jesus wants the place cleared out.

Those who don’t have faith in Jesus to heal and save are separated and removed from the

house Jesus is in. This is about this girl and the faith of her family, not a big show. He is also

showing compassion for the daughter, she may have been a little worked up coming back to

life and finding an overwhelming group of people wailing in her home. With only the faithful

present Jesus takes her dead hand and speaks “Little girl, I say to you arise.” (Mark 5:41) and

immediately she gets up and starts walking around. Jesus even tells them to give her something

to eat, he is compassionate even about details. Because of the hand and word of Jesus, a

faithful father who was in mourning is now marveling at the saving life-giving work of Jesus in

the life of his child. Faith in Jesus brings life where there was only death. And it says a report

went out.... Well of course it did. This is a miracle! Because a faithful father pursued Jesus on

behalf of his dead child where things were once hopeless there is now life.

V 27-31Compassion to - Faith of the Blind

As the reports of Jesus healing go out more who are desperate place their faith in Jesus and

begin to follow and pursue him. Two blind men follow Jesus and beg him for Mercy. Have

mercy on us is not in the sense of mercy from judgment but rather asking Jesus to take pity on

their condition. Simply, Jesus be compassionate. We believe you are the “Son of David”, you

are the Messiah who will restore the kingdom to a state of glory, start with giving us our sight

back. We cannot see but we have heard of amazing things you have done. Even though we

haven’t seen them with our own eyes we believe, this is faith. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the

assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

These men could never have seen the amazing works of Jesus, they could have only heard

about them. But their faith in Jesus lead them to a conviction that if he can calm storms, cast out

demons and bring a girl back from the dead he can surely do something as simple as give them

vision. They believed if they are going to have vision restored it could only come from the one

source that all vision come from in the first place, the Creator God. Jesus is God, and if Jesus

can do big things, I can trust him for something less. Their faith in Jesus power and compassion,

who he is and what he is able to do, was rewarded by Jesus.

The face of Jesus may have been the first thing they had ever seen, at least Jesus was the

first vision they have had in quite sometime. They had faith in Jesus, but apparently didn’t have

great obedience of Jesus. This is not a goal. But they cannot contain what Jesus compassion

has done for them. They spread the fame of Jesus to everyone the come in contact with!! Faith

in Jesus leads to seeing the world with new eyes, and sharing with the world what Jesus does.

They go from being blind unable to see the works of Jesus; to broadcasting the amazing work

he has done in their lives. If Jesus has saved you, healed you, given you life, restored you, has

he sternly warned you not tell anyone about it? If not, then start spreading his fame.

V32-34 Compassion to the Faithless - Faith of Friends

Jesus compassion extends far beyond those who have previously demonstrated their faith in

him. Because of our own sin or spiritual forces there are barriers to people coming on their own

to Jesus. Not everyone who is hurting is seeking Jesus for healing, not everyone oppressed

is seeking Jesus for freedom, not everyone who is debilitated is seeking Jesus for restoration.

Spiritual conditions can sometimes have physical implications. In this last healing this guy is

spiritually possessed, mute, possibly deaf. He is not seeking Jesus, he does not have faith in

Jesus, in fact he is spiritually hostile to Jesus and his kingdom.

Yet, he is brought to Jesus. He has either friends or family who are keenly aware of his spiritual

condition who not only have compassion for him but have faith that if they bring him to Jesus

he can and will be saved and restored by him. Jesus saves despite this man’s complete lack of

faith. This time a crowd is watching, some marvel at Jesus saving work while some still remain

hostile. They can’t believe a good God would heal an evil man.

Somehow, you are here today. Someone brought you here or you were led to be here. If by a

friend or by a parent they have a hope and an expectation for what Jesus can do in our life. You

may have no faith in Jesus yourself, have been indifferent or even hostile to him. Despite your

lack of faith Jesus still shows his character and his ultimate compassion for those who do not

perfectly love him, worship him, or trust him, by the cross.

Col 1:19-23 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to

reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of

his cross. 21And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has

now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless

and above reproach before him, 23

not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all

creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Romans 5:6-10 6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For

one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare

even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for

us. 9Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved

by him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the

death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

The king is compassionate, have faith in Him. Trust Jesus!

if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast,