poolsandpastures
Thoughts on the Gospel, Life, and Ministry
The NT365 Experiment: Matthew 9
I’m really starting to like this project. Reading through Matthew and processing the Scripture has challenged and encouraged my soul. I have noticed that I am developing a thirst for God’s word and the application of it in my life.
Accessibility and Assistance
When I read Matthew 9 today, two thoughts came to mind — accessibility to God’s kingdom and people introducing others to Jesus. Every one of the seven little stories of Jesus’ interaction with people that the chapter contains has to do with the accessibility of God’s kingdom through Christ. Jesus is accessible to the paralytic. Jesus is accessible to the tax collector. Jesus is accessible to John’s disciples. Jesus is accessible to the man with the ill daughter. You get the point. Jesus makes God’s kingdom accessible to men and women, to you and me. Because Jesus came, we are able to access God through him.
Also, I noted that many received healing and restoration from Jesus because someone brought and introduced them to him. Some people brought a paralytic to Jesus, and Jesus healed him. A father brought Jesus to his daughter, and Jesus healed her. Others positioned blind men by the path Jesus traveled on, and Jesus healed the blind men. Still others, brought a mute demon-oppressed boy to Jesus, and Jesus cast out the demons. People brought the ones they loved, those who were in need, those whom Jesus saw were “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” to Jesus. Jesus is the one that people need. He is the only Savior of the world. He is the king of glory. People must be introduced to him, and we are the ones who are to make the introduction possible.
Encouragement and Challenge
I take an encouragement from chapter 9 for my life today. God’s kingdom is accessible to me because God made it accessible through Jesus. I can dome into God’s kingdom through faith at any time because of his grace in Christ Jesus. I am also challenged by the example of those who brought others to Jesus. It is my goal today to find at least one person in my life to introduce to Jesus in some way or another. May God grant me the grace to do it.
poolsandpastures 