As I sat and listened to Aaron preach in the dark last week (as our power went out mid-service), I was thinking how well what he was saying dovetailed into the text we’re looking at this morning. Aaron was preaching from Daniel 2 and noted that the Lord through Daniel foretold that in the days of the Roman Empire, the Lord would inaugurate a kingdom that would have no end – the kingdom of God – and that this kingdom came with the arrival of Jesus. And as I thought of that, I thought to myself, “Yes, and Matthew 9:18-34 gives us a glimpse of what God’s kingdom looks like, how the world will respond to the arrival of God’s kingdom, and how you and I must live as citizens of the kingdom of God, even while we still dwell in this age.”
To see these points, we look at a text that is the conclusion of a section of recorded miracles in Matthew’s gospel that begins in 8:1 and ends in 9:34.1 These two chapters contain ten different miracles, arranged in groups of three: 8:1-17; 8:23-9:8; 9:18-34. Then, in between these three miracles sections are two sections (8:18-22 and 9:9-17) that give us a picture of the cost, call, and challenge in following Christ. To get a picture of this in outline form, it might look like this:
8:1-17 – Miracle stories (leper, centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law)
8:18-22 – The cost of following Christ
8:23-9:8 – Miracle stories (calms the sea, casts out demons, heals paralytic)
9:9-17 – Call and challenges (call of Matthew and sinners, challenges from many)
9:18-34 – Miracle stories (ruler’s daughter, woman with blood issue, blind, and mute)
Now, what you can see in this outline is that this section in Matthew’s gospel is confirming a few things. It’s showing us a picture of Christ’s authority over disease, disabilities, demons, and death. It shows us that we are called to follow Christ, but that we must count the cost of following him. And it shows us that following Christ will means that people will challenge you and persecute you. I say this because Jesus is challenged throughout these two chapters (by the Pharisees, the crowds, John’s disciples), and in our text this morning the Pharisees specifically charge Jesus with casting out demons by the prince of demons. And what I think goes on in this final section (9:18-34) is that all these points are reiterated. That is, this becomes a microcosm of what the entire two chapters teach us. All of these themes come up this final section, so I want to note these points once more, both as the message of this final section as well as a concluding note that reminds us of what we have seen in these two chapters. And as I mentioned earlier, this section gives us a glimpse of what God’s kingdom looks like, how the world will respond to the arrival of God’s kingdom, and how you and I must live as citizens of the kingdom of God, even while we still dwell in this age. This is what I want us to see this morning as we consider these miracle stories in Jesus’ ministry. First, we are reminded in this section of Matthew that:
Now, just consider for a second how prominent the kingdom of God (or kingdom of heaven as it’s often referred to in Matthew) is in this gospel. Jesus’ first words in his public ministry were, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). When he starts the beatitudes, his first is, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (5:2), and his last is, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (5:10). In the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, as Jesus is instructing us in what should be our focus, passion, and desire, he says, “Seek firs the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (6:33). And when he refers to having eternal life, he refers to it as entering the “kingdom of heaven” (7:21). In the next chapter, as he sends out his apostles, he’ll tell them to go proclaim, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” as they also heal the sick, raise, the dead, and cast out demons (i.e., preach the kingdom and demonstrate the nature of the kingdom) (10:7). Then in chapter 13, he’ll tell parable after parable about what the kingdom of heaven is like. And I could point out more and more references, but I think the picture is clear. Jesus’ is making clear that God’s promised reign whereby he will set up his king and make all things right has come with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, certainly we should acknowledge that we don’t see the kingdom in all of its fullness, for though we witness the power and reign of Christ as people are saved, transformed, healed, and helped, we also still see plenty of sin, death, disease, etc. But what happens in Jesus’ ministry is that he gives us a taste of what one day will be.
One day, years ago, I was at Reggie’s Barbecue when it was on Old Hickory Blvd, and the owner walked out to the counter as I walked in, and he said, “Oh, I’ve got something for you.” Then, he grabbed a toothpick, dipped the very tip of it in some sauce, and handed to me, saying, “Try this.” The fact that he dipped only the very tip of the toothpick into the sauce should have been a warning to me that I should have refrained from touching that toothpick to my tongue. But I was young, so I did it. And within a couple of second, as I was sweating, asking for water, and he was laughing, I knew I didn’t want any of that sauce. That little taste was enough of a glimpse to let me know I wanted no more.
What we find Jesus doing in his ministry is just giving us a little taste, a little glimpse, of what the kingdom of God is going to be like. And one of the things that we can see from the glimpse of the coming kingdom in Matthew 9:18-34 is that the effects of the fall are going to be gone in the coming kingdom. That is, once Jesus returns, his people are raised to life, and his reign is established forever, there’ll be no more effects of the fall. No more disabilities, death, disease, or demonic torment of individuals. And we get a glimpse of it right here in these verses.
In these verses, we read of a ruler approaching Jesus, saying that his daughter has died, and asking Jesus to come and raise her back to life. And Matthew tells us that Jesus does that very thing, bringing her back to life just like she was simply sleeping and needed to be woken up.
But that miracle is interrupted by another miracle Jesus performs along the way. As he’s on his way to the ruler’s dead daughter, a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years that no one had been able to cure comes up behind him, touches the fringe of his garment, and is healed.
Then, in the second section of our text, two blind men are healed, simply by Jesus touching their eyes and making them well. And finally, in the last section, a man is tormented by a demon such that the man is unable to speak, and Matthew simply states, “And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke” (9:33).
These miracles are a glimpse into what the kingdom of God will be like when it is here in all its fullness. As Jesus removed disabilities, heals diseases, casts out demons, and overturns death, he’s giving us a picture of what the kingdom will be like, and he’s showing us that this will be a time when all the effects of the Fall are gone. There’ll be no more demonic torment, no more disability, no more disease, and no more death.
Now, why does that matter that we get this picture of what the kingdom holds for us? Let me note a few reasons.
For one, there are many moments in life where our deepest comfort is going to be found in looking beyond this age to the age to come.
Paul says in Romans 8:18 that he knows that the suffering of this age is not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed to us. Sometimes we get to points where we realize that this disease will end in death, or that we’ve suffered yet another miscarriage, or that here comes one more of those debilitating migraine headaches that seem to come almost daily now, show no signs of lessening, and leave us paralyzed in pain or paralyzed by pain medication. And I could go on with real-life scenarios. And in those moments, we need to be able to look to something beyond this age and remind ourselves that this affliction is momentary, and there is coming an eternal weight of glory. We have to hold on to the glory of what awaits us at the resurrection, for Paul will tell us that if we don’t have that, we are to be of all men most pitied.
Another reason, we need to be reminded of the nature of the coming kingdom is because Christ calls us to endure in obedient faith in situations where it looks like things aren’t changing for the better.
That is, sometimes the Lord allows us to walk through situations that just don’t seem like they’re going to improve, but he doesn’t give us the option of getting out of that situation. The Lord Jesus Christ gives us the perfect example of this, doesn’t he? As he prayed in the garden, “Your will be done,” he knew what lay ahead for him. It was suffering so intense that he thought the sorrow he felt was going to kill him. So, how did he walk in obedience all the way to the point of death? Hebrews 12:2 says that he “endured the cross” “for the joy that set before him.” He endured in obedience. And he endured by setting his eyes on the joy that was before him.
And you and I may well find ourselves in similar situations. Maybe it’s a difficult marriage, some form of persecution, or raising a child in difficult circumstances, and you press on in endurance, remembering that this life and this age is only temporary, and you press on waiting for that day which will be characterized by no disabilities, no disease, no demonic torment, and no death, and for the joy set before you, you endure.
Let me note one more reason. Jesus instructs us in the model prayer that we saw back in Matthew 6 to pray for his kingdom to come. That is, you and I (and believers throughout the ages) should be in unity with one another in praying, “Lord, let your kingdom come in all its fullness” or, in the words of John in Revelation 22:20, “Come, Lord Jesus.” But that prayer, I believe, will only come from our lips as we spend time contemplating what the kingdom will be like in all its fullness. And as we look around at this world of death, disease, disability, and demonic torment of believers, realizing that the kingdom of God will bring an end to every effect of the Fall, I think it’s easier for us to pray, “Lord, let your kingdom come.” So, first, we’re reminded through Jesus’ healing ministry, specifically in these four episodes, that the kingdom of God will bring an end to the effects of the Fall.
Second, we’re reminded in this text that:
Let me try to lay out this point in sections. First, the reason I want to say, “In this age of challenge and misunderstandings” is because that’s what we see in this text with Jesus. We’ve seen this throughout chapters 8-9, but we see it again here. For example, in the first section (vv. 18-26), we see a misunderstanding as Jesus comes into the scene where the ruler’s daughter has died. It was common in that culture to hire people to make a big mourning scene. And that’s what is going on here. Matthew tells us that when Jesus got to the ruler’s house, he “saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion” (v. 24). And Jesus said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping” (v. 25).
Now, that either meant that Jesus had already, by his power, moved from girl from death to life so that now, instead of being dead, she was only sleeping, and he was about to go in and wake her. Or, it meant that Jesus was about to raise her from the dead just like we wake someone from sleep, and, therefore, he refers to her death as if she were merely sleeping. Either way, the crowds should have known Jesus’ authority and power, waiting for what he might do. But instead, we are told, “they laughed at him” (v. 24).
n the second section, after Jesus heals the two blind men, we notice a few things about Jesus’ desire for secrecy. First, we’re told that Jesus is simply walking along as the men are crying out publicly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David” (v. 27). This is a public acknowledgment that they think he’s the promised Messiah, but instead of Jesus responding to them publicly, we are told that Jesus spoke to them “when he entered the house” (v. 28). Do you see at the beginning of verse 28? This removed them from the public scene. Then, after healing them, we’re told, “And Jesus sternly warned them, ‘See that no one knows about it’” (v. 29).
Now, why would he keep everything so secret? As we saw earlier in 8:4 and as most commentators agree, it seems to be Jesus’ way of avoiding some great acclaim by the crowds that think he’s just a wonder worker or who might think that his authority derives from their support and demand of him to do more. Rather, he is the faithful and humble servant of Isaiah who is here to do his Father’s will at every step and eventually lay down his life for his people. Again, we can acknowledge, this demand for secrecy is an attempt to avoid the perpetuating of a false understanding of Jesus’ mission.
Finally, in our last story, as Jesus casts a demon out of a man so that he is enabled to speak, we read, “But the Pharisees said, ‘He casts out demons by the prince of demons’” (v. 34). And this challenge is particularly helpful for us because in just a few verses in 10:24-25, Jesus will say, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. . . . If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.”
In each of these situations, Jesus is misunderstood – either intentionally or unintentionally – and in the last case directly challenged. And Jesus says, “That’s how it will be with my followers.” Consequently, we as followers of Christ should understand this age to be characterized by similar misunderstandings and challenges.
The world is not going to understand our commitment not to watch certain things, to avoid sexual immorality (preserving sexual intimacy only for a man and woman united in marriage), to want those who are tempted with same-sex attraction not to give in to it but to walk in obedience to Christ, or to want all people to repent and come to faith in Jesus Christ. They’re not going to understand us, and some may directly challenge us, so don’t be caught off guard as if something completely unpredictable is happening when you encounter this. Jesus said it would happen. But in the midst of that, Jesus demands of his followers faith and trust (the second half of the point).
This demand from Christ shines forth in these stories. Jesus first says to the woman who touches his garment so that she might be healed, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well” (v. 22). Then, we see that Jesus heals the ruler’s daughter in response to the man’s expression of faith in v. 18, as he stated, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And finally, Jesus healed the two blind men only after first asking them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” And after they said, “Yes,” he said to them, “According to your faith be it done to you” (vv. 28-29).
Now, I don’t think these stories teach us that we must believe and not doubt that Jesus will heal every disease, and if we just have enough faith, we will be healed. And the reason why is because God nowhere reveals that he will heal every disease. Where God has objectively revealed something in the Word, we better believe it. We believe, for example, that he could heal any disease because he reveals clearly his authority over sickness and death. But when we move away from what God has objectively revealed in his Word to what we subjectively think he might do or want him to do, we cannot demand of ourselves or others that someone must believe and not doubt God will do something. So, we rightly pray for our brother or sister that God will heal the cancer in his or her body, but since we have no objective revelation from God that he will do so, we pray, knowing he can heal, knowing he loves us, knowing he’ll work all things for our good, but we do not demand of our brother that he must believe God will heal him, for God has not revealed that.
We might compare this to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who, it seemed, believe God may well deliver them from the fiery furnace. But since God had not revealed that he certainly would do that in the pages of Scripture, said, “But if he doesn’t, we still won’t disobey him.” So, this text cannot be used in this way that many have abused it, by demanding that we believe without doubt that God will heal our every disease and charging those who aren’t healed with lacking faith. That is a cruel, wrong, and unloving application of this text.
But what Jesus’ demand for faith in these instances does remind us is that Jesus commands us to be characterized by faith and trust in him in all circumstances of life. And by faith and trust I, of course, mean a faith and trust that reveals itself in obedience.
In other words, when you and I find ourselves in a situation where your circumstances are challenging and your flesh cries out for disobedience, Jesus demands in that moment that you trust him, trust his Word, trust that his commandments are best for you, and obey. For example, if you are single and long to be married, there can come along someone who isn’t a believer who finally starts paying attention to you in a way that you have longed for, for a long time. And, boy, it can be challenging. But Christ commands us not to be unequally yoked to an unbeliever. So, in that moment, you must exercise the faith and faithful obedience of saying, “I trust that obedience to Christ will be better for me than choosing this path of disobedience.” And that man or woman or the world around you may well misunderstand your decision and challenge your decision, even as we see in the text. But Jesus demands faith and trust.
And it may well look like the decision to trust the Lord and obey him in faith has cost you much. But you’ll not regret it in eternity. Remember what the author of Hebrews tells us about Moses in 11:24-26. He writes, “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”
I think that’s a good summary of what Matthew 9:18-34 teaches us. There is a day of reward and blessing coming that is greater than the wealth and treasures of Egypt. The kingdom of God will one day be here in all its fullness, and in that day where will be no more demons, no more disease, no more disability, and no more death. And because of that sure and certain day, Jesus demands that we live in this day, full of misunderstandings, conflict, challenges, and difficulties, exercising faith in our Lord and his Word, knowing that it is right and good for he lived, died, and has been raised for our sins. Therefore, let us now publicly declare our willingness to turn from the fleeting pleasure of sin, look to that great day, and obey the Lord in faith according to his grace, as we come to the table. Amen.