Good afternoon and welcome to the Panhandle. Come on in set a spell and join me for a study through the Gospel of Matthew. Today I am looking at Chapter 4:23-25.
Three weeks ago I told you that as we looked at Matthew 4:12-25 that you would look at three areas of growth in the life of Christ Jesus. The first area of growth was the Growth of His ministry. Last week we looked at the calling of the disciples and the beginning of their growth. This week we will look at the growth of Christ Jesus' Fame.
I am sure most of you have heard this before but it shows how Christ Jesus' fame grew, “The greatest man in history Jesus had no servants yet He was called Master. He had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. He never took a medical class or carried medicines, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He never won a conventional battle, yet He conquered the world and it's prince. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a borrowed tomb, yet He lives today.”
Christianity is still the world's biggest religion with over 2.1 billion followers. There is a song by Charlie Peacock that starts out:
They
know of You in Hong Kong,
They know in Baton Rouge
They know
in Carolina,
They know in Katmandu
They know of You in
Baltimore,
They know in Germany
They even know of You in
Nashville, Tennessee
It's
amazing, so amazing,
It's amazing how one man gets around
It's
amazing, so amazing,
It's amazing how one man gets around
They
know of You in Capetown,
They know in Amsterdam
They know of
You in Mexico,
They know in Vietnam
They know of You in
Hollywood,
Though that's up for debate
They know of You in
what was Russia,
Pick a Baltic State
While Christ Jesus' message has spread all over the world, He started preaching in the region of Galilee. It was there that Christ Jesus called his disciples and there that His fame began to grow.
Matthew 4:23-25
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
1. Christ Jesus Toured Galilee (vs. 23)
Christ Jesus’ strategy was to tour Galilee, teaching in the many synagogues. This itinerant pattern of teaching took the message of the kingdom to the people and probably lasted many months. Galilee was small but it had over 200 villages, each with hundreds and some with thousands of people.
When you look here at verse 23, you can see that Christ Jesus' ministry was a threefold ministry. His ministry was that of teaching the twelve disciples, proclaiming or preaching God's Word, and healing. This threefold ministry is the lens that we need to study Matthew's Gospel. It is the backbone of his entire Gospel and Christ Jesus' ministry right up to and including His death, burial, and resurrection.
One might ask aren't preaching and teaching the same thing? While the two may overlap, there is also a distinction. “Preaching is the banner flying atop the castle (seen far and wide), and teaching is the body of bricks and mortar that supports it (sought out by the followers). Teaching fills out the proclamation, explaining both it's support and it's implications.” - Stuart K. Weber in his Commentary on Matthew.
While the healing portion of Christ Jesus' ministry was quite dramatic it should be pointed out that it was not the main part of His three part ministry plan. I believe that Christ Jesus healed people because He felt compassion for them. Look at Mark 1:40-41 ~ And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
And in Luke 7:12-15 we see ~ Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep." And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!"
The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
God is still in the miracle business. And His biggest miracle is changing a spiritually dead person into a spiritually live person. He is just waiting to forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life. So why not ask Him to do so now?
2. Christ Jesus Went To The Synagogues (vs. 23)
Why did Matthew feel it was important to include this in these verses? Because the center of the religious life of each Jewish community was the synagogue. It was the most important institution in their life, and the primary center of their education.
In addition to the periods of prayer, the readings from the Law and the prophets, there was a third aspect of their service in which individuals had the privilege of addressing the assembly, followed by an opportunity for discussion. Christ Jesus used the open door of the synagogue to share the gospel of the kingdom.
The word synagogue is derived from a combination of words meaning “to lead together,” and it literally means “meeting place.” In fact, to this day, it is recognized that the development of the synagogue pattern through the Babylonian captivity was one of the finest educational systems in history. Wherever there was a Jewish community there was a synagogue. While the temple existed as the place where ritual sacrifices were made to God, the synagogue was the place of preaching and teaching. Synagogues were the popular religious colleges of the day. If anyone had ideas to share, the synagogue was the place to begin. What better place for Christ Jesus to preach the Good New?
Christ Jesus’ ministry was just beginning and He was already having an effect on those around Him. His activities were ceaseless as He went from one village and synagogue to the next, conducting His primary ministries of preaching and teaching. Again He was preaching and teaching “the good news of the kingdom.” When you look throughout the four Gospels you will see phrases such as, “the gospel,” “the gospel of Christ,” and “the gospel of God.” These are interchangeable phrases for “the good news of the kingdom.”
Matthew in keeping with his emphasis that Christ Jesus is the Messiah, used the words, “the good news.” Matthew wants everyone who reads his Gospel to know that it is Christ Jesus who is our Saviour and Redeemer, it is Christ Jesus who offers you the forgiveness and restoration of God. It is not the law, it is not trying to be good, it is not anything nor anyone, it is only Christ Jesus who can forgive you of your sins and restore your relationship with God the Father!
People were coming from all over to hear, see, and experience Christ Jesus' ministry as He was going all over the region of Galilee teaching, preaching, and healing. As He was teaching, preaching, and healing, the news of His work was spreading and folks were coming to Him and being brought to Him. Matthew tells us that people came from all over Syria, this doesn't refers to the modern country of Syria we know today, but the area North of Galilee during the time of Christ Jesus.
Christian author Matthew McCraw says, “Basically, they were coming from all around! People were coming from everywhere to be changed by Jesus and many lives were being impacted by His miraculous works!”
Matthew is once again showing his readers that Christ Jesus is not just a man, He is the promised Messiah. Matthew is also showing us that Christ Jesus did not crawl off in a corner, but dared to declare His message of the kingdom before each synagogue, in each village of Galilee. Christ Jesus through God's Word and God the Holy Spirit is still declaring His message of, “the good news of the kingdom.” And His message is for everyone, there is no sin to great that He can't forgive you.
God has promised us new life ~ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17). He makes all things new. - Pastor Kevin Brown
3. Christ Jesus Is Still Changing Lives
As Christ Jesus’ ministry was growing you can see that He was making an immediate impact on the lives around Him. He touched people at their point of need and from that point of need He led them to the experience of faith. Christ Jesus was changing lives nearly 2,000 years ago and He is changing lives still today. The gospel of the kingdom is the Good News by which you may be saved and live in the fellowship of the King.
Christ Jesus, Son of God, Messiah, fully God and fully man is a life-changer! No He is the only life changer! Won't you ask Him right now to change your life?
Sources used: Matthew McCraw, Augsburger, M. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. Stuart K. Weber
Thanks for dropping by, and don't forget to visit again next week. See ya, and may God richly bless you and yours.
Biblesurfer
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