Matthew 8

[Elder-Shawn Denise Briscoe]

This is the first recording of JESUS healing anyone of anything. What moved JESUS to heal this leaper? There are three important reasons why JESUS was moved.

1.  The leaper worshiped HIM.

2.  The leaper respected JESUS by announcing that HE is LORD.

3.  The leaper knew that HE was willing.

JESUS then confirmed the faith of the leaper by confirming that HE is willing. It was written in the Old Testaments that leapers once cleaned were to show themselves before the Priest before they could rejoin their families and community. Lev. 14:1-32

A centurion is a Roman military officer who is in charge of a group of one hundred. The centurion is one of authority and he recognized that JESUS is the LORD. It was because of this that JESUS was moved to heal the servant. However, when the centurion expressed to JESUS that HE did not need to actually come to his house because he knew that all JESUS had to do is say for something to happen and it will happen. This was a show of his faith and JESUS confirmed that because of his faith; because he believed in JESUS that the servant will be healed without HIS coming to the home. When JESUS came to Peter’s house and noticed that his mother in-law was sick with fever. JESUS did not say anything; HE simply touched her and she recovered. Notice how after her recovery that Peter’s mother in-law began to serve JESUS and the disciples. We must study the movements of JESUS as well as what HE said in any given situation. JESUS did not pray or hold conversation over those that were brought to HIM in this chapter. HE simple said one word and the demons were cast out of those that were brought to HIM. I like to think that the one word HE spoke was “leave”. Did you know that when JESUS takes on the illness of others HE is not affected? When we take on the sickness of others such as a cold we are affected. Anything that is not like JESUS will be destroyed. When JESUS told the scribe; (which is another way of saying copier or stenographer) that HE had nowhere to rest HIS head. HE did not mean that HE did not have a home. JESUS was constantly on the move like a nomad traveling from place to place bringing about change through forgiveness, grace, love and mercy. Saying let the dead bury the dead is not a literal physical death. HE wanted to make it clear that we are to choose life; following HIM is the pursuit of life. Ever had one of those days when everything is going well and nothing could possible go wrong? Then all of a sudden from every side turmoil erupts. Did you know that even when your life turns upside down; you can still have peace just as JESUS? Years ago there was a deodorant commercial out that said “never let them see you sweat”. We need to show our circumstances that we serve a GOD who is larger than our circumstances. We will not drown; we will proclaim peace in the midst of our storms. Anyone who has life in their body and gets a kick out of being around all things dead has big trouble. This was the case of the two who came out of the tombs which is a place where a corpse would be housed; a cemetery; a mausoleum. These two individuals were demon possessed and demons love being around death. The demons not the men began to speak to JESUS; it was the demons that recognized JESUS and they are aware that there is an appointed time when they will be tormented in the lake of fire. Although the demons tried to hold a conversation with JESUS; JESUS did not respond to them. But when the demons asked to be placed into the pigs; HE said one word “go”. The amazing thing also that I see is that animals will not tolerate being infected with death; they chose to kill themselves than be possessed by demons. People on the other hand the very image of the living GOD entertain demons daily and don’t even know it. Just as those in this chapter begged JESUS to go away after they witnessed what HE did. Today, people are doing the same. We are so comfortable with sin that we would rather live among the dead than to walk among the living.