Sermon On January 31, 2016

“The Kingdom Authority of Jesus”[1]

Matthew 8:5-13

Sermon Series: Kingdom Expectations

Main Idea: Jesus has the authority to bring healing into our lives.

What is your greatest fear? Think of the fear a woman experiences when she finds the lump in her breast. Consider the rush of panic when a man receives a call from his doctor after a routine physical to hear him say, “Your PSA numbers are extremely high, we need you to come in for additional tests.” Place yourself in the couple’s shoes who come home after vacation and realize with horror their house has been burglarized. Think of the dread and grief when a parent receives a visit from the Highway Patrol stating their child has been killed in a car accident. Imagine the anxiety when you are called into your supervisor’s office to be told you are being laid off from your job.

All of these are very real storms in life. Disease, spiritual oppression, crime, and the ills of our culture all produce fear. But the most dreadful of all of life’s challenges is sin. The other fearful challenges can ultimately result in physical death, but sin results in death for eternity. Facing death with the prospect of eternal consequences can evoke the greatest of all fears.[2]

Chapters 8 and 9 of Matthew’s Gospel stand together as one unit. Matthew is arranging his material intentionally, but not necessarily chronologically. In these two chapters, Matthew is arranging his material around certain themes. In these two chapters alone, there are nine miracle stories that contain a total of ten miracles. It’s as if Matthew is giving us back-to-back highlights demonstrating the authority of Jesus.[3]

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 7, Matthew says, “When Jesus had finished His sermon, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He was teaching like one who had authority, and not like the scribes” (7:28-29).

Matthew shows us in these chapters that Jesus possesses all authority in the world. That is good news for us as we struggle with sin, sickness, and suffering in this world. The National Cancer institute reports that one out of every two people who are born in the United States today will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their life.[4]

Even if it is not cancer there many other illnesses and struggles that we face in life. So Matthew wants us to see that Jesus has authority over it all.

I.                The Humble Request (8:5-7).

And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, ⁶ and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” ⁷ Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

Notice the overarching theological theme in this story is that Jesus heals the ethnically outcast.[5]

The centurion in this story and his servant would have been Gentiles brought into military service from somewhere like Lebanon or Syria. As a Roman centurion, he was not only viewed as an ethnic outsider by the Jewish people, but also as one who was opposed to the people of God.

Spiritual Truth #1: Humble trust is foundational for Jesus to bring healing into our lives.

We see this humility demonstrated by the Gentile centurion calling Jesus, and Jewish teacher, “Lord.” Our text tells us in v. 5 that the centurion, “pleaded” (NJKV) or “was imploring” (NASB) Jesus to heal his servant who was suffering from some sort of paralysis. Jesus had already cured the same malady of those brought to Him by the crowds in Matthew 4:24, so the centurion probably heard about Jesus’ power over this disease.

Consider what the centurion does know: Jesus is able to heal. The centurion didn’t question Jesus’ ability or power; He knew that Jesus was able to heal. The issue becomes what the centurion doesn’t know: Is Jesus willing to heal?

Spiritual Truth #2: We must understand the difference between Jesus’ sovereign power and His sovereign will.

For example, if you have cancer or any other sickness or disease, you shouldn’t question Jesus’ sovereign power. He is absolutely able to heal, no question about that. He has absolute authority over disease.

The question then becomes, “Is Jesus willing to heal?” In other words, is it His will for you to be made well? In this instance, the answer was “yes.” Jesus was willing. However, in the case of Paul’s struggle with “a thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7), the Lord was not willing to heal in that instance. He told Paul the reason He refused to heal him, was so that Paul would know the strength and sufficiency of Christ (2 Cor. 12:9).[6]

Matthew concludes this section in verses 16-17 by telling of Jesus healing many who were demon-possessed and sick, followed by another fulfillment saying:

When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick, so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. He Himself took our weaknesses and carried our diseases.

Matthew’s quotation in verse 17 is from Isaiah 53:4, a part of the prophecy of Jesus as the suffering servant in Isaiah 53. Isaiah’s prophecy concerns Jesus’ substitutionary death in the place of sinners, which causes many to wonder how this prophecy relates to Jesus’ physical healing ministry.

Does Christ’s death on the cross ensure that believers won’t have to endure sickness in this world anymore? This is an important question we must answer.

Some people have read these verses and concluded that as a Christian, God’s will for you is to be healthy because Jesus has taken away your sickness. This kind of thinking is at the core of health-and wealth teaching or prosperity doctrine as it is sometimes called. For example, here is well-known pastor Joel Osteen’s advice:

Maybe Alzheimer’s disease runs in your family genes but don’t succumb to it. Instead, say every day, “My mind is alert. I have clarity of thought. I have a good memory. Every cell in my body is increasing and getting healthier.” If you’ll rise up in your authority, you can be the one to put a stop to the negative things in your family line. . .Start boldly declaring, “God is restoring health unto me. I am getting better every day in every way.”[7]

Osteen is the not the only one putting this kind of unbiblical teaching. People flock to hear these messages and buy books like this by the millions. This is most certainly not what Matthew 8 or Isaiah 53:4 is teaching.

Contrast this with James Montgomery Boice, the well-known pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. In the spring of 2000 Boice shared with his congregation that he had been diagnosed with cancer and shared how they could pray for him:

Should you pray for a miracle? Well, you’re free to do that, of course. My general impression is that the God who is able to do miracles-and He certainly can-is also able to keep you from getting the problem in the first place. So although miracles do happen, they’re rare by definition. A miracle has to be an unusual thing. Above all, I would say pray for the glory of God. If you think God glorifying Himself in history and you say, where in all of history has God glorified Himself? He did it on the cross of Jesus Christ, and it wasn’t by delivering Jesus from the cross, though He could have. . .When things like this come into our lives, they are not accidental. . .God is not only the One who is in charge; God is also good. Everything He does is good.[8]

Boice’s testimony is a model in terms of what it means to have confidence in the sovereign power of God and to trust in the sovereign will of God. Like Boice, we are to trust that God will do what is good. Boice died eight weeks later after sharing those words with his congregation. He knew that Jesus was able to heal, yet he submitted to Jesus’ will. As Paul said, “His good, perfect, pleasing will” (Rom. 12:2).

II. The Miraculous Result (vv. 8-13).

1.     There was recognition of authority (vv. 8-9).

But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 

This Roman centurion commanded 100 men. He was considered a professional solider. He understood the Roman military exercised profound control over the lives of their troops, as was necessary in readiness for combat situations. But this centurion pays homage to an even greater authority in Jesus.

We all understand the principle of authority. In the military, the rank on the sleeve or collar designates who gets saluted, and who directs the troops. In the home the child is under the authority of the parent, who guides and directs their comings and goings and activities. The laborer is under the authority of their supervisor who dictates their tasks on a given day. The corporate CEO must answer to a Board of Directors for the direction and success, or lack thereof of a company. In every walk of life, you have a higher authority to which you must give an account.

Spiritual Truth #3: If you and I want to experience spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical healing, we must acknowledge Jesus as the ultimate source of authority in our lives.

“For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that He might be the Lord of both the living and the dead.”

-Romans 14:9

What does it mean to make Jesus Lord over all my life?

We are tri-part beings consisting of spirit, soul, and body. If Jesus is Lord of my life it means He holds absolute sway and exercise complete sovereignty in the realm of my spirit, soul, and body.[9]

Man consists of heart, mind, and will. Or, to put it another way, man is an emotional, intellectual, and volitional being. If Jesus is Lord of my life it means that He is Lord over my heart, mind, and will.

Every person has a physical body and many members in that body of which the apostle Paul speaks in Romans 6:13-eyes, ears, lips, hands, feet, etc. If Jesus is Lord of my life it means He is Lord of my eyes, ears, lips, hands, and feet-indeed every part.

Our life includes our home, occupation, friends, possessions, relationships, friendships, habits, and service. If Jesus is Lord of my life it means that He is Lord over any and all areas of my life. Jesus is there at my invitation and request, and there is no rival for my allegiance.

2.     An amazing statement (vv. 10-13).

¹⁰ Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. ¹¹ I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;¹² but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.

Notice that the actual healing is not in proportion to the amount of the centurion’s faith, nor is the healing caused by the centurion’s faith, but it is in response to his faith in Jesus. The centurion understands that Jesus is the hoped-for deliverer, whom Israel should have recognized. Jesus’ statement singled out the centurion for his faith and rebukes Israel for its lack of faith.[10]

The phrase “east and west” points to the full spectrum of people who will come to faith in Christ from the ends of the earth. Jesus’ words about Gentiles being a part of the kingdom in verses 11-12 would have been shocking to Matthew’s Jewish readers. He was essentially saying to them that their Jewishness guaranteed them nothing in eternity. The only thing that mattered was whether or not they had faith in Jesus.

This same truth applies to every human being alive today. Your eternal destiny is dependent on your humbly trusting in the authority of Jesus to save you from your sins and to rule over you as Lord of your life.

And all who trust in Him, like this, regardless of ethnicity or background, will be welcomed by the King at His table forever.[11]

For centuries people believed that Aristotle was right when he said that the heavier an object, the faster it would fall to earth. Aristotle was regarded as the greatest thinker of all time, and surely he would not be wrong. Anyone, of course, could have taken two objects, one heavy and one light, and dropped them from a great height to see whether or not the heavier object landed first. But no one did until nearly 2,000 years after Aristotle's death. In 1589 Galileo summoned learned professors to the base of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then he went to the top and pushed off a ten- pound and a one-pound weight. Both landed at the same instant. The power of belief was so strong, however, that the professors denied their eyesight. They continued to say Aristotle was right.[12]

In closing, who is the ultimate authority in your life? To what, or whom are you looking for guidance, hope, peace, and healing? If your authority is based on anything but Jesus Christ, I invite you to make Him Savior and Lord over your life.

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[1] ©Copyright by Bryan Cox 2016. All Scripture is New American Standard Version (NASB), ©Copyright 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

[2] Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew, The NIV Application Commentary (Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2004), 360.

[3] David Platt, eds. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Matthew, Christ-Centered Exposition (Nashville: B & H Publishing, 2013), 103.

[4] Ibid., 104.

[5] Platt, Matthew, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary, 107.

[6] Ibid., 105.

[7] Joel Osteen, Becoming a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day (Howard Books: Brentwood, TN, 2009), 45, 114.

[8] David Burnette, “Should You Pray for a Miracle? Dr. James Boice on God’s Sovereign Goodness in Suffering,” radical.net blog, September 30, 2013, accessed 30 January 2016, available from http://www.radical.net/blog/post/should-you-pray-for-a-miracle-the-late-dr-james-boice-on-gods-soverign-goodness/Internet.

[9] The following information was taken from Francis Dixon’s, “Crowning Jesus Lord of All,” article on-line, accessed 30 January 2016, available from http://www.wordsoflife.co.uk/bible--studies/study-8-crowning-jesus-lord-of-all/Internet.

[10] Wilkins, Matthew, The NIV Application Commentary, 342.

[11] Platt, Matthew, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary, 108.

[12] Illustration taken from sermonillustrations.com website, accessed 31 January, 2016, available from http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/a/authority.htm; Internet. 

Faith Demonstrated

Matthew 8:5-13

Context: Matthew 8:1–9:34

Memory Verse: Matthew 8:13

Main Idea: Jesus has authority over all His creation.

FIRST THOUGHTS

     A clearly recognized chain of command lies at the organizational heart of military life. The chain of command works due to the pervasive recognition of authority. The authority flows from the top down. Various symbols of authority include gestures like snapping to attention in the presence of one’s superior and offering a crisp salute. Recognition of authority can be heard in the language that carefully addresses those of higher rank with “Yes, sir” or “No, sir.” Authority is also demonstrated by stripes on a uniform. Recognition of authority makes the machinery of the military run smoothly when commands are given and obeyed.

List examples of how a chain of command is seen in society. How do these chains help bring order to society?

     Inherent authority resided in Jesus as the incarnate Son of God. His authority found expression in commands that caused nature to obey, demons to flee, and illnesses to disappear. God’s extended authority resides in inspired Scripture, which reveals truth, evidences the Spirit’s breath in its origin, and has life-giving power when received in heartfelt trust and lifelong obedience. Just as God’s spoken word had authority to cause the creation of all things, so too does God’s living Word, Jesus, have authority over all creation. Jesus’ authority was clearly seen in His dealings with a Roman centurion’s request that He intervene when a servant became paralyzed with his life in danger.

I. UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

Matthew 8:1–9:34

     Matthew’s Gospel draws a clear line of demarcation between the words of Jesus and the deeds of Jesus. There are five distinct teaching sections in Matthew’s Gospel: the Sermon on the Mount (5:3–7:27), instructions to the disciples as He sent them out to preach (10:1-42), parables of the Kingdom (13:1-52), instructions on living together as the family of God (18:1-35), and woes on the Pharisees and the coming judgment (23:1–25:46). Interspersed between these teaching sections are Matthew’s narrations of Jesus’ miraculous deeds. Matthew demonstrated that the words Jesus spoke and the deeds He performed displayed the matchless power and authority of the eternal Son of God in human flesh.

     More specifically for this week’s core passage, Matthew had just narrated Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5–7. Matthew reported that the crowds who overheard Jesus’ teaching “were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (7:28-29). Jesus’ sermon provided an opportunity to display His authority through the content of His teaching, the manner in which He delivered it, and the force of His personality as One fully God in human flesh. Coming down from the mountain, Jesus continued to display His power through His deeds. He immediately healed a leper (8:1-4), a centurion’s servant who was near death (8:5-13), and Peter’s mother-in-law of a high fever (8:14-15). Thus, Jesus’ authority over diseases complemented the authority of His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.

     Jesus also displayed His authority over demonic powers (8:16-17,28-34). Calming the storm evidenced Jesus’ authority over creation itself (8:23-27). Additionally, Jesus revealed His authority over human beings when He called Matthew to leave his former life and follow Him (9:9-13). Finally, Jesus demonstrated His authority over the final enemy, death, when He raised Jairus’ daughter (9:18-26). Thus, Matthew 8:1–9:34 provides irrefutable evidence of Jesus’ authority over demons, disease, the destructive forces of nature, and even death. Jesus has authority over creation and everything that it contains.

II. EXPLORE THE TEXT

A. Ask with humility (Matt. 8:5-7)

⁵ When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ⁶ “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” ⁷ And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

VERSES 5-6

     After concluding the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus came down from the mountain and immediately encountered and cleansed a leper. From there, He entered Capernaum, the city in Galilee that became His headquarters. He then encountered a centurion who begged Him to heal his servant.

     In order to grasp the full significance of the story, one must take into account that the man who approached Jesus was a Roman centurion. Most significantly, this man was a Gentile. Relationships between Jews and Gentiles were destined to be strained, since the fundamental theological affirmation for Jews consisted in the belief that there was one God who alone deserved worship (Ex. 20:3; Deut. 6:4). Gentiles, on the other hand, acknowledged and worshiped many deities. As a result, Jews viewed Gentiles largely with disgust. Jews mostly avoided dealings with Gentiles altogether, whether economic, social, or religious.

     Perhaps even more notable than the man’s ethnicity was his identification with the Roman military machine; he had even achieved the rank of centurion. A centurion held command over roughly 100 men. Although respected among Roman citizens, soldiers were despised by nations that Rome had conquered. The Jews, living under Roman occupation, would see the Roman military, and particularly their crucial officers, as objects of extreme revulsion if not downright hatred. All of this makes it remarkable that the centurion approached Jesus so respectfully and that Jesus responded so agreeably.

     Matthew’s account provides less detail than the parallel in Luke 7:1-10. Matthew says only that the centurion approached Jesus because his servant was paralyzed and in terrible agony. Matthew uses the term pais to identify the paralyzed person, a term that could mean child but can also mean servant. In the parallel, Luke identifies the one in need with the term doulos, definitely a slave. Taken together, the two accounts indicate a soldier who acted as a personal servant to the centurion. Matthew emphasizes the terrible suffering of the servant; Luke stresses his nearness to death (Luke 7:2). Also, Luke’s account explains more fully that the request was made on behalf of the centurion by Jewish elders who vouched for the centurion because “he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue” (Luke 7:5).

     What is evident in both accounts is the humble manner in which the centurion approached Jesus. That a Roman centurion would address any Jew, even a recognized teacher like Jesus, with the term “Lord” is remarkable. Although the term can function as a simple term of respect, like “sir” (see Luke 9:61; John 4:11; 5:7), when it is applied to Jesus it is a way of associating Jesus with God (Matt. 3:3; 4:7,10; 7:21-22; 8:25). In either case, that the centurion—a man of power and authority—would show such deference to a Jewish peasant is the initial indication of the centurion’s humility. He likewise revealed himself to be a man capable of genuine compassion for others, as demonstrated by his concern for his servant.

Verse 7

     Most translations present Jesus’ response in the form of an affirmative statement: “I will come and heal him.” However, it is also grammatically possible to read Jesus’ words as a question: “Shall I come and heal him?” (as in the NIV). Although the centurion’s statement in verse 6 implies that he wanted Jesus to help his servant, it is not explicit. It could be read as a simple statement of his servant’s situation. It seems plausible that Jesus could have responded with a question that would provide an opportunity for the centurion to show further humility and faith.

     Reading the text two thousand years removed from the tensions between Jew and Gentile might cause us to miss the significance of Jesus’ willingness to go to the home of a Gentile. Recall the vision given to Peter so that he might be willing to go to the home of another centurion, Cornelius. Peter explained to Cornelius’s household: “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation” (Acts 10:28). The suggestion that Jesus might go to the home of a Gentile would create quite a stir in Capernaum. Yet Jesus was always willing to respond to anyone who approached Him with humility and faith.

What part of the verbal exchange between the centurion and Jesus gives the strongest evidence of the centurion’s character?

B. Acknowledge his authority (Matt. 8:8-9)

⁸ But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

     The centurion’s response demonstrated his humility. Although he was a man of status and authority, he recognized Jesus’ greater status and unlimited authority.

Verse 8

     The centurion began by once again addressing Jesus as “Lord.” He also recognized his own unworthiness to have Jesus enter his house. Perhaps the centurion was acknowledging the Jewish distaste of entering into the home of a Gentile, a place of impurity and idolatry. In light of the inappropriateness of asking Jesus to enter his home, the centurion affirmed Jesus’ power to heal from a distance with just a word. The centurion’s affirmation reveals tremendous faith in Jesus’ ability to do the miraculous. He had likely heard of Jesus’ authority to heal a leper and to cast out demons with a word. As a result, he believed Jesus could do it for his servant as well.

Verse 9

     The centurion described his understanding of his own authority in comparison with Jesus’ authority. The centurion himself was under the authority of higher-ranking officials in the Roman military, and ultimately the entire military structure was under the authority of the Emperor Tiberius. But holding the rank of centurion meant that roughly one hundred men were under his authority. Thus, he was able to issue commands to his troops, and they would respond because he had authority over them. More precisely, they would respond because he had the full authority of the Roman military and even the Emperor behind him. While it was true that he was under Caesar’s authority, it was equally true that he had the authority of Caesar behind him. And yet, neither he nor the Roman power structure had any authority over the disease that held his servant in its deathly grip.

     As the centurion exercised his delegated authority to command his troops to obey, so Jesus had the very authority of God to command demons and diseases, and they must obey. With one word of command, the servant would be healed.

What part of the centurion’s words spoken to Jesus most clearly revealed his confidence in Jesus’ authority?

C. Anticipate in faith (Matt. 8:10-13)

¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. ¹¹ I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, ¹² while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Verse 10

     In an interesting reversal, Jesus marveled at the centurion’s miraculous faith, rather than others marveling at Jesus miraculous deeds. In fact, this is the only time in Matthew’s Gospel that this verb for marveled (thaumazō) is used with Jesus as the subject. The only other time Jesus expressed such amazement in any of the Gospels was in response to the lack of faith in His own hometown of Nazareth (Mark 6:6). While the man’s confidence that Jesus had the authority to heal impressed Jesus, even more notable was the reality that such belief could not be found in Israel. What a contrast between the little faith of the residents of Jesus’ hometown and the remarkable faith of a Gentile with limited exposure to the truth.

Verses 11-12

     Although publicly and privately Jesus continued to focus His attention on the lost sheep of the house of Israel, the faith of this Gentile foreshadowed the movement of the gospel beyond Israel, both ethnically and geographically. Jesus’ announcement that many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven provides assurance that the centurion would not be the last Gentile to respond to Jesus with faith. In light of Jesus’ previous statement about the centurion’s faith, the language of many coming from east and west can only be interpreted as including Gentiles as well as Jews.

     The kingdom of heaven should be taken as synonymous with the kingdom of God. This was the theme of Jesus’ teaching and preaching. Jesus’ proclamation that the kingdom had arrived was the announcement that God was acting decisively in Jesus to initiate His royal, sovereign rule. This rule started small, like a mustard seed, in the ministry of Jesus, but it would one day come to fullness in a decisive event that would signal the end of all that is opposed to God’s purposes, including death, darkness, and the Devil. This is what Revelation 21:4 refers to as a time when God will wipe every tear from our eyes, and death will no longer exist. The reference to Gentiles coming from east and west and to recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob looks ahead to that future consummation of the kingdom. John referred to it as the marriage supper of the lamb (Rev. 19:9).

     Jesus told a parable about a king hosting a great wedding banquet (Matt. 22:1-14). Many were invited and accepted the king’s invitation. But when the time came for the banquet, they refused to attend for various reasons. As a result, the king utterly destroyed those who rejected the invitation (22:7). Then, others were invited and attended. Some of those were not properly attired for the banquet and were cast into outer darkness (22:13). This is precisely the same language Jesus used here to refer to the sons of the kingdom who would be thrown into the outer darkness where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The sons of the kingdom likely refers to Israelites who were depending on their birth privilege as descendants of Abraham rather than faith in Jesus as Messiah.

     There was never a time in God’s work of redemption when race determined who was reconciled to God and who was not. It was always about grace through faith. Thus, in what would seem cruel irony to many Jews in Capernaum, Gentiles who expressed faith in Jesus would sit down at the table with Abraham and the patriarchs at the great marriage banquet marking the consummation of the kingdom, while Jews who refused to believe would experience eternal damnation and separation from God. Jesus was already foreshadowing the truth that the true Israelite is the one who acknowledges Jesus as Messiah, whether that person be Jew or Gentile. (See Paul’s extension of this teaching in Gal. 3:6-14; 4:21-31.)

     The faith of the centurion, and Jesus’ response to it, would have sounded a serious warning to Israelites in Jesus’ day who thought their Jewish citizenship ensured their citizenship in heaven. This passage should continue to sound a similar warning to complacent church members in our own day who believe American citizenship or church membership ensures membership in the Kingdom.

Verse 13

     Verse 13 brings the miracle account to a proper conclusion by highlighting two central themes. To begin, Jesus emphasized the faith of the centurion. The only other account in the Gospels where Jesus responded to the request for healing from a Gentile is story of the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to cast a demon from her daughter. After an uncomfortable exchange, Jesus granted her request with the following words: “O woman, great is your faith!” (Matt. 15:28). Once again, it was faith that provided the catalyst for Jesus to perform a miraculous deed on behalf of a Gentile.

     The other central theme in this account is Jesus’ absolute authority over disease. Matthew concluded the account by noting the servant was cured that very moment. Not only was the servant healed without Jesus actually touching the servant, but he was healed without Jesus even being in the vicinity. The simple word of Jesus spoken at a distance proved sufficient. Once again, the story is reminiscent of the healing of the Canaanite woman’s daughter, who was also healed at a distance by Jesus’ word (15:21-28). Moments like this caused people to marvel that Jesus’ authority was unlike the authority of the scribes, Pharisees, or anyone else they had ever known.

What does it mean to you to have faith in Jesus, despite so much pain and suffering in our own lives and the lives of those we love? Does strong faith guarantee that the healing we seek will always come immediately? What else might God be up to when the solution or healing does not come at once?

KEY DOCTRINE

The Kingdom

     The Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ.

BIBLE SKILL

Use other Scripture passages to help understand a Bible passage.

     To understand the fullness of Jesus’ authority, we should examine the passages where the Greek word for authority, exousia, is applied to Jesus. Read the following passages: Matthew 7:29; 10:1; 28:18; Mark 1:22,27; Luke 4:36; John 5:27; 10:18; Revelation 12:10. What additional insight do these passages reveal about Jesus’ authority?

Two Paths, One Choice

Matthew 7:13-21,24-27

Context: Matthew 7:1-29

Memory Verse: John 14:6

Main Idea: Every person faces an important choice regarding his or her eternal destiny.

FIRST THOUGHTS

     The reality of choices is a fact of life. A couple eating out must choose between chicken or fish for their entrée, not to mention whether to opt for a dessert. The teenage daughter dressing for an important date must decide between everyday casual or evening wear. People taking prescription medicines sometimes have to decide between generics or name brands. A family programming a GPS for a vacation trip must decide between the shortest route and the scenic route. Of course, many daily alternatives may not matter greatly, since the consequences are not serious or long-lasting either way. However, some choices matter greatly.

What was one of the most challenging and consequential choices you had to make in the past few weeks between two or more alternatives?

     Jesus set forth several serious choices toward the end of His Sermon on the Mount. He presented the choice between two roads with different entrances and destinations. He followed with another alternative between two kinds of fruit that serve as indicators of the quality of the trees that produced them. He ended with a choice between foundations on which to build a house. Each of these sets of choices carry crucial consequences for our lives.

I. UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

Matthew 7:1-29

     By the time we get to the concluding section of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew has prepared his readers for the demand to follow Jesus the King. The miraculous nature of Mary’s conception in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies (Matt. 1:18-25) and the worship of Jesus by the wise men (2:1-12) authenticated the arrival of the King.

     The ministry of John the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of King Jesus who was all-powerful and superior in every way (3:1-12). Jesus’ public ministry began with calling the disciples and then taking them up on a mountain to convey to them the King’s expectations for life in the kingdom. This manifesto is called the Sermon on the Mount.

     The Sermon on the Mount began with blessings, often called the Beatitudes, that belong to those who follow Jesus (5:3-12). This is followed by the responsibility of Jesus’ disciples to be engaged in the world as salt and light (5:13-16). As salt, we should slow the rotting process of a world that is rushing towards destruction as well as add seasoning characterized by a zest for life. As light, we are to serve as a beacon that draws those in the darkness to the truth. Jesus then described the true intent of the Mosaic Law and the nature of true righteousness in six statements beginning with “You have heard that it was said …. But I say to you” (5:21-48). In each instance, whether concerning murder, divorce, or retaliation, Jesus showed His kingly authority as the final interpreter of the law. In each case, Jesus got to the heart and motivation of human sinfulness.

     Jesus carried this forward in Matthew 6:1-18 as He called for proper motives in our acts of devotion for God. Whether we are giving charitably, praying, or fasting, our motivation must be the applause of God and not men. After a discussion of how His disciples should think about money (6:19-34) and how we should relate to others and to God (7:1-12), Jesus reached the conclusion of the sermon. In contrast to the blessings at the beginning, Jesus concluded with warnings for those who would build their lives on anything other than King Jesus and His teachings.

II. EXPLORE THE TEXT

A. Narrow versus wide? (Matt. 7:13-14)

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

     The final section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is built on the contrasts between two paths, two trees, and two houses. These contrasts lead the audience back to the fundamental truth that trusting in Jesus is the only path to true life. These contrasts also indicate the catastrophic consequence of a wrong response.

VERSE 13

     Jesus began this section with the imperative to enter by the narrow gate. The narrow gate corresponds to the narrow path. The contrast is with the wide gate, which corresponds to the easy path. The broad path leads to destruction, and many, even the vast majority, travel this path. The majority find themselves on the broad path almost naturally. Fallen people in a fallen world drift stubbornly down through the wide gate and travel the broad road. The broad path may seem more pleasant and without risk. However, things are not always as they seem: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Prov. 14:12).

VERSE 14

     The contrast to the wide gate and easy path is the narrow gate and the hard road. While the broad road represents the majority’s pathway, appearing to offer little resistance or danger, the truth is that it leads to destruction. The narrow gate, on the other hand, appears less attractive. It is lined with hardship. While admission onto the broad path requires no decision, admittance onto the narrow path requires a decision, namely, to follow Jesus. As a result, only a small percentage of the population will ever travel this road.

     The stakes here are not whether a person will have a reward in heaven. The contrast is between the saved and the lost. A person’s decision to enter the narrow gate and journey on the narrow path has eternal implications. The truth is that the way of salvation has never been the easy path, devoid of persecution, suffering, and hardship. Nor has it ever been the popular road traveled by the majority. It is, however, the only path that leads to life.

     In setting up this contrast, Jesus echoed the Jewish tradition of two ways between which a person must choose. The prophet Jeremiah declared God’s coming judgment on Israel because of the nation’s sin. The Babylonians would be the instrument of God’s judgment. But even in the midst of that judgment, God desired to forgive those who would repent. Thus, Jeremiah declared: “And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death” (Jer. 21:8). Those who obeyed God would live; those who did not would die. Deuteronomy 11:26-28 provides another example: “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.”

     Jesus’ teaching in these verses runs contrary to our contemporary ideas about which path the majority travels. A 2007 survey by the Pew Research Center on religion and public life interviewed 35,000 Americans 18 and older. The survey indicated that 78 percent self-identified as Christian, with 51 percent of the overall population claiming to be Protestant. These findings are typical of similar surveys. And yet, the numbers run contrary to Jesus’ teaching. According to Jesus, genuine Christianity will never be a majority movement, regardless of what the surveys say.

     Perhaps our desire for our friends, neighbors, and loved ones to be right with God has resulted in our willingness to believe that the majority has decided for Christ. Perhaps it is our yearning that they are traveling the narrow path to life regardless of the lack of evidence of Christ in their lives. The teaching of Jesus, however, would indicate that even our church membership lists are full of people who have been baptized and attend church but have not made a genuine commitment to follow Jesus. Only the narrow gate leads to life.

How might Jesus’ words impact the way we view our family members, friends, and coworkers? Is there a qualitative difference between the way we live our lives and the way they live their lives?

B. Good versus bad? (Matt. 7:15-21)

¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. ²¹ Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

     While the initial contrast in Matthew 7:13-14 focused on whether a person was saved or lost, verses 15-21 contrast a true and false prophet. Jesus warned His hearers about those who claim to speak and work for God but whose lives produce no genuine fruit. He also issued a warning against the false prophets themselves.

VERSE 15

     Jesus issued a strong warning to His disciples to beware of false prophets. While He provided no details as to their identity, the context would indicate that they came preaching cheap grace, presenting an easy path to life that neglected following the narrow path with all its difficulties. They are pretenders who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. The hostility between wolves and lambs was widely recognized, as it is today. Later, in His Olivet Discourse, Jesus returned to the warning against false prophets who would appear in the last days and deceive many people through signs and wonders (Matt. 24:11,24).

     These false prophets were particularly dangerous for three reasons. First, they were disguised as harmless leaders (sheep) but in reality were predators who used sheep’s clothing to deceive and move easily among the flock. Second, they were dangerous because they claimed to speak for God. The designation prophets would have given them elevated status and intrinsic authority. Third, they presented a greater danger because they were viewed as insiders.

     The greatest challenges to the community of God’s people do not come from outside the church. The church is typically strengthened and unified in response to persecution or attempts by outside forces to compel Christians to act contrary to their faith. As the early church father Tertullian observed in A.D. 197, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” The gravest danger is always from within. While Jesus did not identity the wolves, the language and context indicate they would be considered followers of Jesus rather than scribes, Pharisees, or Sadducees.

VERSES 16-20

     Jesus provided His disciples a basis for recognizing the genuineness of a prophet. The entire section is held together by the repetition of the line You will recognize them by their fruits at the beginning of verse 16 and the end of verse 20. Fruit in the New Testament is a metaphor for good works rooted in a life devoted to God.

     Behavior is the best test of inner spiritual health. The validity of inspecting the fruit as a way to test the genuineness of a prophet or spiritual leader rests in the reality that trees produce fruit in keeping with their species. The fruit, whether good or bad, reveals the nature of the tree. Just as thornbushes cannot produce grapes and thistles cannot bear figs, so a false prophet cannot bear good fruit.

     Just as the contrast between the two ways resulted in a warning for those entering the broad way, so Jesus also issued a warning in verse 19 for trees that fail to produce good fruit: they are to be cut down and thrown into the fire. Jesus consistently spoke harsh words against the non-fruit-bearing entities in the kingdom. As Jesus cursed the fig tree, so did He also curse the temple because it was not producing the fruit God intended—namely, to be a house of prayer for all nations (Matt. 21:12-13,18-19; Mark 11:12-17). Jesus also declared that the branches that are non-fruit-bearing would be cut off, gathered up, and thrown into the fire (John 15:1-6). We will recognize whether prophets or religious leaders are genuine by the fruit they produce. Jesus’ followers should choose carefully whose teaching and preaching they allow to shape their lives. We must test the authenticity of those who claim to speak for God not only by their words but also by their lives.

VERSE 21

     Jesus concluded the section on false prophets with one important qualification. The production of fruit, while critical, can itself be deceiving because of the possibility of fraudulent fruit. A person can say the right words, such as ‘Lord, Lord,’ and even appear to produce good fruit, but it can be a sham. It could be an intentional deception, like a wolf hiding under sheep’s clothing, or it could be good works produced by improper motives, such as trying to earn God’s grace or gain glory for oneself.

     We produce the good fruit that Jesus spoke of naturally and organically because we are connected to the vine. The good works do not save us or merit God’s grace. Rather, God’s grace shapes us and motivates us into fruit-bearing people. Jesus challenged His hearers to consider the fruit, or results, of those they chose to follow. Rest assured that the pretenders will ultimately be exposed for their lack of genuine fruit. One of the dangers in our day of social media is the devotion to pastors and teachers we know only from a distance, whether on TV or the internet. Are we able from 1,000 miles away to inspect their fruit adequately? Perhaps we should find our spiritual guidance and exhortation from our local church leadership.

When it comes to discerning false teachers, which would you deem most valuable as your safeguard: (1) Studying false religions in order to become well-acquainted with their teachings, or (2) Studying the words of Jesus to know what He says in order to judge what others say against His words?

C. rock versus sand? (Matt. 7:24-27)

²⁴ Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

     In concluding His sermon, Jesus compared the choice facing His hearers to the building of a house on sand and on rock. He warned them about building one’s life on anything other than Him.

VERSES 24-25

     Jesus equated hearing and doing His words with a wise man who built his house on the rock. These words reflected everyday life for Jesus’ audience. Most first-century Jews lived in houses made of mud bricks and thatch roofs. These dwellings were particularly vulnerable to heavy rains and the resulting flash floods. Only a fool would build on anything other than solid rock. In the same way, only hearing and doing Jesus’ teachings provides a firm foundation. The only sensible response to Jesus’ words is obedience. Jesus promised such builders that when the storms of life blow in, they would not be swept away.

VERSES 26-27

     Jesus equated refusal to do His words with a foolish man who built his house on the sand. These mud and thatch dwellings could not withstand the driving winds and rain. In the same way, a life built on anything but Jesus and His teachings will end in total collapse.

     Is this a warning to disciples that if they do not obey Jesus’ teachings they will revert to a lost condition? It is important to note that verse 28 indicates Jesus was speaking to the great crowds as well as His disciples. Perhaps this final contrast returns to the image of the two roads, a contrast between saved and lost. True disciples who have experienced God’s life-changing grace walk the narrow path and build their lives on the rock. To do anything else is to go off into destruction and ruin. Our security is not in our deeds but in Him. It is our security in Him that motivates us to obedience.

How do the images used by Jesus help you grasp His message? What do the images of an unfruitful tree and a destroyed house communicate? What do the images of a fruitful tree and a surviving house communicate?

How does Jesus’ teaching, even when offered as a strong warning, give security to the believer?

KEY DOCTRINE

Judgment

     According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness.

BIBLE SKILL

Use other Scripture passages to help understand a Bible passage.

     In Matthew 7:16-20 Jesus provided the basis by which a believer can discern a true and false prophet: Does the prophet bear good fruit? Several Old Testament texts provide further explanation. Read Jeremiah 23:13 and Deuteronomy 18:21-22. What additional insights do these passages contribute to our understanding of how to discern true and false prophets?