Matthew 9 -- Comfortable In Their Ruts

In the midst of amazing miracles, I was amazed at the reactions of the religious leaders, who did not want their authority challenged and who felt that they had to protect their religion from the Son of God!

 

When Jesus healed the paralyzed man, He first said, “Your sins are forgiven.”  The Pharisees called that blasphemy.  Then Jesus told him to get up and walk and he did!

 

Jesus went to Matthew’s house to eat with him and his fellow tax collectors, who were despised by the Jewish leaders as Jews sold out to Rome.  Other assorted sinners were there as well.  The Pharisees were appalled that He would defile Himself in this way.  Jesus reminded them that you don’t usually see well people in a doctor’s waiting room!

 

Even John the Baptist’s followers got hung up on religious ritual, complaining that Jesus’ disciples never fasted.  Jesus compared Himself to a bridegroom at a wedding and noted how inappropriate it would be to fast at such a time.  God was doing something new, and just as they knew the folly of putting new cloth patches on old material and new wine in old wineskins, Jesus was showing them that not only lives were changing, but so was the Jewish religion.  It wasn’t being destroyed, but rather fulfilled.  They were failing to keep up with what God was doing.

 

How hard it must have been then for a Jewish leader like Jairus to ask for healing for his daughter, who was near death.  The delay caused by Jesus stopping to talk to the woman who had believed she could receive healing by touching his garment really stretched him, because he then discovered his daughter had died.  But Jesus reassured him, traveled to his home, kicked out the hired mourners who were making fun of His upcoming miracle, and told him not to doubt.  I wonder what Jairus’ sermons were like the following Sabbath, with his totally healed daughter in attendance?

 

Also, the Pharisees saw Jesus heal two blind men and a demon-possessed mute man.  In an effort to discredit Him and keep their authority, they claimed that the healing came from Satan!  It seems that they couldn’t stand having their authority challenged.

 

Seeing the sea of people around Him, hurting and helpless, Jesus was moved and likely wondered how He’d ever get it all done before His time was up.  It was then that He suggested that they all pray that God would provide more workers.  Before long, His disciples would be picking up the slack.

 

Father, we all can get very comfortable in our ruts, not wanting change.  But You brought newness to worship through Your Son.  You showed us that it’s about relationship and not ritual.  Help us to stretch spiritually and give You the opportunity to show us what You’ve got in mind.  Help us not to be like the Pharisees.  Lift us gently out of our ruts.

 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford