Matthew 8

The Explanation

Jesus came down the mountain, and a huge crowd walked behind him. Then someone stepped out of the crowd who nobody ever touched. He had leprosy, a sickness that ate at his skin. People ran away from him. He had to live outside the village, alone.

He knelt down. "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."

And Jesus did something nobody expected. He reached out his hand and touched him. Skin on skin. "I want to. Be made clean." Right away the man's skin was healthy again.

Further on, in the town of Capernaum, a Roman officer came to Jesus. A soldier with a hundred men under him. But his servant lay at home, sick and hurting badly.

"I will come and heal him," said Jesus.

"Lord," said the officer, "I'm not good enough for you to come into my house. Just say the word." He knew about commands. He said "Go" and his soldiers went. He believed Jesus could command sickness the same way.

Jesus stood still, amazed. "I haven't found so great a faith, not even in Israel." And at that very hour, far away, the servant got better.

That evening Jesus went to Peter's house. Peter's wife's mother lay burning with fever. Jesus touched her hand, and the fever left, just like that. She stood up and made food for him.

By the time it was dark, the whole street was full. Sick people, hurting people, people with evil spirits inside them. Jesus healed them all.

Then Jesus said, "Let's cross the lake." The disciples climbed in the boat with him. Jesus was tired. He lay down and fell asleep.

Then the storm came. Not a little wind. Waves crashed over the sides. Water in the boat, water in their faces. Fishermen who knew the sea were terrified.

"Save us, Lord! We are dying!"

Jesus woke up. "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then he stood up and spoke to the wind and the water, the way you would speak to a barking dog. And everything went still. Flat as glass.

The men stared at each other. "What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

On the other side it got even stranger. Out of the graveyard came two men with evil spirits in them. So wild that nobody dared walk that road. The spirits screamed at Jesus, because they knew exactly who he was. Jesus said one word: "Go!" The spirits left and rushed into a herd of pigs, and the pigs ran off the cliff into the water.

And then something sad happened. The whole town came out. They saw the two men, calm now, sitting there. And they asked Jesus to please leave.

What Does This Mean?

In this one chapter, look at everything that obeys Jesus. Sickness obeys him. Fever obeys him. Wind and waves obey him. Even evil spirits obey him. Nobody has to shout at Jesus twice. He says a word, and it happens.

But notice what kind of King he is. He does not stay far away, clean and safe. He touches the man with leprosy. He holds a sick woman's hand. He gets into a small boat and falls asleep like a tired man.

The Common Thread

Long before, the prophet Isaiah wrote about someone who would take our sicknesses and carry them. Matthew says: that is him. That is Jesus. He came to carry what is too heavy for us.

And notice who believed best of all. Not a priest. A Roman soldier, a foreigner. Jesus said people will come from the east and the west to sit at his table. The door is wider than anyone thought.

For You

The man with leprosy said eight simple words: "Lord, if you want to, you can." He did not know what the answer would be. He asked anyway.

You can do that too, tonight. Say out loud what you are scared of, or who is sick, or what you cannot fix. Ask Jesus. Then trust that he heard.

And do one thing this week that Jesus did: go to the person nobody sits with. Sit there.

Talk About It

Why do you think Jesus touched the man with leprosy, when he could have healed him with just a word?

The disciples were in a storm with Jesus right there in the boat. When does it feel like Jesus is asleep?

Praying Together

Lord Jesus, the wind listens to you and the waves listen to you. Nothing is too big for your voice. Thank you that you came close and touched people. When I am afraid, help me to wake you and ask. Amen.