2023 Summer Sermon Series

Matthew wants his readers to recognise Jesus’ identity and to rest their faith in him. This week we encounter a Centurion, a Gentile, who models a right response, he understood that just as he had power to give orders to his men, so Jesus had power to command the very created order to conform to his will: ‘just say the word and he will be healed.’ This man amazed Jesus because he grasped something of his authority and set his faith in him, faith that proved well placed. As we engage with Matthew’s account of Jesus, may we be among those brought in from ‘east and west’ to enjoy the restoring reign of Jesus, the ‘feast of the kingdom,’ as we entrust ourselves to him.

Reading: Matthew 8:1-13

Matthew has declared Jesus to be born of Mary yet called ‘Immanuel’ (God with us), Son of David, the Messiah, the promised king invested with all authority. However, the penny didn’t immediately drop for the disciples. In the calm after storm they asked: ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’ It seems a forgivable question, its not everyday a man demonstrates a divine authority over nature (Psalm 89:9; 107:29). Clearly they’d understood enough to call on Jesus for help, but they hadn’t fully grasped just who was in the boat, otherwise faith would have driven out fear; like Jesus, they’d have rested in the assurance that the one raised up by God to accomplish the mission of Messiah could not be lost until that work was done. One day he, the greater Jonah, would plunge into the depths to calm the ultimate storm, to save his people from their sins and for his kingdom, until then, the chaos could not claim him. What kind of man is this? He is Messiah, Sovereign and Saviour, Matthew reveals Jesus identity that faith in him might drive away fear!

Reading: Matthew 8:23-27

In his gospel Matthew has already recorded Jesus’ authority over suffering and sickness, across the nations and over the fabric of creation itself. Following one scene of chaos brought to calm in the stilling of the storm we encounter another with the healing of the men possessed by demons. Jesus has authority even over the destructive powers of darkness. What is remarkable is their recognition of Jesus as ‘Son of God’ and victor over them, yet they plead no mercy. Remarkable again is the response of the town, apparently more concerned for their economy than the identity of the one who could so powerfully restore. Yet more remarkable still is the deliverance of the men. Once dehumanised and ostracised among the tombs, they are released and recovered at Jesus’ command. Who is this? It is Jesus, the authoritative king, who would yet calm all chaos by becoming dehumanised, ostracised, among the tombs. By his cross, he conquered all chaos, the foe, the very gates of hell, to deliver his people into the peace and life of his reign forever.

Reading: Matthew 8:28-34

In recording the healing of the paralysed man Matthew provides fewer details than other gospel accounts, his aim is to emphasise Jesus’ authority with the crowd’s response of awe and praise. He’s building the picture of Jesus’ identity as Messiah, the king of the kingdom. Here we reach a peak, Jesus has authority to forgive! No doubt the friends of the man approached with one hope, his healing. Jesus, however, has a higher and lasting ambition for him, responding to their faith he declared the man’s sins forgiven. What a statement! What kind of authority is Jesus claiming for himself? Who can forgive but the one wronged? Sin is against God (Ps. 51)! The religious were outraged, but knowing their heart Jesus responded: ‘which is harder, to forgive or heal?’ On the face of it, we might say healing, it is immediately demonstrable, so Jesus heals to prove his authenticity, but, thinking further, what price forgiveness? Here our Saviour commits to the cross to meet his people’s deepest need, to be reconciled to God! This king with divine authority chooses to serve at cost to himself. How should we respond? In faith, awe and praise!

Reading: Matthew 9:1-8

Matthew has revealed Jesus as the one with authority even to forgive sins, the one born to ‘save his people from their sins.’ We see something of the reach of that forgiveness in Matthew’s own testimony as one called by Jesus. Before that invitation he was despised, a tax collector, a sell out to Gentile Roman occupiers, unclean and unworthy. However, it was for such as him that Jesus came, in his own words, he is a doctor for the spiritually sick, the restorer of sinners. No wonder he was often found mixing with such, as was the case at Matthew’s house following his calling. To the bemusement of the religious elite, Jesus was at the centre of a gathering of the notorious, those they considered beyond hope. What kind of ‘teacher’ is this? Surely bad people keep bad company? On the contrary, this party was nothing less than a snapshot of the greater banquet of the Bridegroom, the ‘ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven’ gathered around the Saviour, enjoying him, the great physician, the life and soul of the party. Perhaps the guest list is surprising to some, it is those who recognise their need of him that come to him and find healing and embrace.

Reading: Matthew 9:9-17

This week in our ‘Kingdom’ series, we look at Matthew’s gospel, chapter 9:27-34. It records further demonstration of Jesus’ identity and authority as Messiah. This is significant, in history we are given a foretaste of his reign, of kingdom come, where tears and mourning are no more (Rev. 21:3-4) Jesus is revealed as the one in whom the promised age of restoration and renewal is breaking in (see Isaiah 35:5-6). However, not everyone recognises the dawning of the age of Messiah. In an ironic twist it is the blind who have spiritual sight and those with physical sight who are spiritually in the dark. The blind men approached Jesus with the eyes of faith: ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David!’ and found their trust well placed as Jesus healed them. However, when the mute was delivered from possession, the Pharisees demonstrated their blindness as they attributed Jesus’ power to Satan. Praise God who gives spiritual sight that we might ‘see’ Jesus, and trust him, the king of all hope, our confidence for the kingdom.

Reading: Matthew 9:27-34

As we’ve been going through the Gospel of Matthew together, we’ve seen that Jesus, the King of Kings, has arrived – as promised by the prophets. He’s proclaimed good news – the Kingdom of Heaven is near – and taught about the upside-down Kingdom, where “the first shall be last, and the last first”. Jesus has been working miracles, healed many, calmed a storm and even forgiven sins – something that only God can do! Huge crowds thronged around, to learn from Him and to be healed.
Today we hear about the compassion of Jesus for these crowds, they were “like sheep without a shepherd”. His response to this overwhelming need was to send out his 12 disciples, the Apostles, to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom to the lost sheep of Israel. He gave them power to heal sickness, work miracles and even raise the dead – fulfilling the prophesies of Isaiah! This was a special commission from the King to a special group of people at a special time. Relying on God to provide for them, they would face many troubles and had to trust in Him to help them in this dangerous mission.
We are also commissioned by Jesus, in Matthew 28, to “go and make disciples of all nations”. We are not Apostles, but we can still be “apostolic”, sharing the good news about Jesus to our families, friends, neighbours – or even far away! We can expect resistance and even frank opposition – but if we’ve accepted the free gift of life from Jesus, can we not freely share this with others, in whatever way we are able?

Reading: Matthew 10:1-24

Jesus can never be accused of miss-selling discipleship. In his commission he leaves his followers with no doubt: ‘as it is for me, so it will be for you,’ own my name and you will be reviled and rejected, slandered and scorned, and not just among the anonymous ‘them out there’ but much closer to home. Such antipathy has been the norm for the through the centuries and around the world. The Church in the West has enjoyed relative ease, but as the culture drifts from its Christian moorings perhaps that anomaly is about to change. How will we respond if opposition increases? Jesus warns that self preservation is a move towards spiritual catastrophe, three times he encourages his followers ‘do not fear;’ truth will out, your life is in greater hands than any opponent, and the Father’s care reigns sovereign over your life. In light of these realities, entrusting our lives into God’s care, we take up our cross and follow the Saviour, as it was for him, so it is for us, as we faithfully fulfil our commission to make Christ known.

Reading: Matthew 10:24-42

Links to ‘Critical Theory’ leaflet and booklet
referenced in Chris Slater’s sermon