Matthew 8:14-17: The Physical Presence
Matthew 2023 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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If you have your Bibles turn to Matthew 8:14
The third oldest football team in the world is found in Wales. No, I’m not making a joke about Jonah starting an underwater football league, I’m talking about the nation of Wales. I’m also talking about the true football, what we call soccer. This soccer team is found in the city of Wrexham, a city not too different from our Steubenville (but about three times larger). They were a city built around industry and as the industry left, the city deteriorated. Drug and alcohol abuse are taking over and it was clear that the best days of Wrexham were behind them. To make matters worse, their storied and beloved soccer team had spent 15 years in what is called “non-league” football.
To understand English football you have to understand that they run very differently from American Sports. In American sports if we have multiple professional leagues, they are mostly independent of each other. The NFL has very little to do with the XFL. That isn’t the case in European soccer. In English soccer they have a multitude of leagues that are in levels and you can move up and down through leagues based on how well you play. The top league that would be comparable to the NFL, NBA, or MLB is called the Premier league. This is the most prestigious league with the best teams, biggest stadiums, and most money. Win this league and you’re a big deal internationally. Be in the bottom three teams of this league (like the Browns have done so much in the NFL) and you face the shame of what is called “relegation”. It means you get kicked out of the top league and you’re placed into the second league with the top three teams of the second league getting promoted into the premier league.
Wrexham was not in either of these two leagues. They also were not in the third or even the fourth level leagues, but they had spent 15 years in the fifth level league. The city had little hope. But then, November 2020, in what seemed to be a joke at first, American actor Rob McIllhenny and Canadian-American Hollywood superstar Ryan Reynolds bought the Welsh team. It took some time for the city to realize it was more than a publicity stunt, but over the course of spending millions of dollars to renovate the stadium and bring in an excellent coach and better players as well as being intentionally physically present in interacting with the fans and showing a genuine care for the city of Wrexham, they won over the trust and love of the city. In their first year as the new owners Wrexham came within one game of getting promoted to the fourth level league, their attendance went way up for their games, and the city started to buzz with excitement and hope. The presence of well known actors had other positive results as well. The economy saw a relative boom with new hope and joy in what the future could hold, as well as increased tourism boosting sales at local stores and restaurants. The town of Wrexham has been changed for the better because of the physical presence of a couple of actors.
If the physical presence of some human men can change a city so much, how much more so would the physical presence of God change the world?
We’ve spent a couple weeks on Matthew 8 talking about the miracle stories of the man with a skin disease who came to Jesus and said, “Lord, if you desire you can make me clean” and Jesus reaching out and touching the man said “I do desire that, be clean!”, as well as the Roman centurion who came to Jesus on behalf of his servant and said “Lord, I am unworthy to have you enter my home, just say the word and my servant will be healed!” and Jesus heals the servant from a distance! The interesting thing about each of these stories is that they are focused on outsiders. This morning, we will be looking at the first time Jesus heals a relative insider (by healing the relative of a disciple). This is also where the focus shifts from Jesus having authority over sickness, to him having authority over demons and nature itself.
Let’s read Matthew 8:14-17 together
And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
Let’s pray and then study this together
The Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law (8:14–15)
This is the first time in Matthew that Jesus heals someone close to him (with her being Peter’s MiL), rather than an outsider
Jesus’ action (vv. 14–15a)
Enters the house (14)
In Matthew’s story, there is no one but Jesus and the woman
Mark has four present—Peter, Andrew, James, and John
Luke has them ask Jesus to heal her
Matthew wants the attention only on Jesus.
In fact, this is the only time in Matthew that Jesus heals without a request.
Sees her sick (v. 14)
Touches her hand (v. 15a)
Matthew Explanation of the Text
Touching as a means of healing occurs also in 8:3; 9:29; 20:34. Here, however, he touches a woman. The Pharisees frowned on this as well as touching someone with a fever. Once more Jesus ignores such legalities in time of need. At his healing touch she is instantly cured and gets up to serve Jesus.
The result
She is immediately healed
She rises and serves him (v. 15b)
More Miracles That Evening (8:16–17)
They bring the demon-possessed to him (v. 16)
News of Jesus’ miracles traveled fast, and now many are brought to Jesus.
Jesus’ authority extended not only to nature and physical illness but to the spirit world as well.
This is the second occurrence of “demon-possessed” in Matthew, and it will become a major theme in terms of Jesus’ authority and victory over the cosmic powers (of nature as well as of the satanic realm)
Drove out the spirits with a word
The evil spirits are not overpowering beings.
John tells us that Satan works through deception (Rev 12:9; 20:3) more than power.
Jesus has complete authority over them and so “casts them out” “with a word.”
Just like in Matthew 8:8 (cf. 8:3, 26, 32) the authority of his “word” is enough for the demons to leave unlike other ancient exorcists, who prattled on and on with incantations and oaths.
Matthew uses the Greek word that means “the spirits” here (Mark and Luke have the word “demons,” and elsewhere in the gospels they are called “unclean” or “evil spirits”), probably to keep the emphasis on Jesus’ power over them.
And it says that Jesus heals “all” who are ill, putting emphasis on the universal mercy of God and the extent of Jesus’ authority!
Fulfillment of Isa 53:4 (v. 17)
Matthew closes this passage with a quote of Isaiah 53:4
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
The context of Isa 53 is focused less on healing and centers more on the vicarious suffering of the Servant who is “pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities.”
Matthew sees Jesus’ healing ministry as the work of the “Servant of Yahweh” of Isaiah.
Matthew uses Isa 53 often (20:28; 26:28; 27:12, 57) and likely intends a further nuance here, in which the healing of physical illnesses is a harbinger of the greater healing of spiritual illnesses at the cross.
It is an anticipation of the greater healing that Jesus provides upon the cross! It’s not just sicknesses that are taken away and healed, but the greater healing work is the mending of the great chasm our sin has torn between us and God! The suffering servant of YHWH in Isaiah 53 brings reconciliation and healing to our relationship with God!
It’s amazing! The presence of Jesus meant that everything was changing!
And brothers and sisters, Jesus really was there! He really was “incarnate” (which means “in the flesh” as a real human) and as I studied this passage, the wording made this point really clear that Jesus was really there in the flesh!
He sees Peter’s Mother-in-Law
He Touches her hand and heals her
She immediately serves Him meaning He eats and drinks!
He speaks and evil spirits are driven away!
And this matters
Jesus really was physically present on the earth and it changed everything!
What the Physical Presence of Jesus meant:
The Presence of God
The Start of the New Covenant
The removal of hearts of stone, lost in sin
The gift of hearts of flesh!
The healing of disease
The casting out of demons
The righting of wrongs
The welcoming of the outcast
Salvation from sin
The gift of righteousness!
The Promise of the Holy Spirit!
The presence of Jesus meant that nothing would ever be the same again!
He had all power over sickness, this was seen through his healing word and touch
But we also see that he had all power over spiritual forces as well!
The people brought to him many who were demon possessed and all he had to do was speak a word! Gone were the rituals! Gone were the incantations! When the King of all Creation is physically present, everything changes!
Now, if you are a critical thinker, you might be thinking “that’s wonderful, but Jesus isn’t physically present on earth anymore”
And I would say “you’re right. He’s at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, representing us!
But here’s some wonderful news, Jesus didn’t leave us alone. In fact, in John 16:7, Jesus said it is better that he left, because when he left he would send to us the “Helper”
This Helper isn’t some assistant or secretary that we get to command around, but rather it is the very Spirit of God Himself, come to be present within us and give us his strength and guidance!
He is the one who removes our heart of stone and gives gives us a new heart! He is the one who writes the Law of God upon our hearts!
The Presence of the Holy Spirit means that:
Christians are created
Sinners are saved!
Lives are changed
The Love of God is now poured into the hearts of believers (Rom. 5:5)
The knowledge from God is freely given (1 Cor 2:12)
Healing is given! (Gal 3:5)
We can trust God will fulfill his promises!
When the Spirit of God dwells within the lives of humans that means that Christians are made!
And historically, the presence of God through His Christian witnesses means:
The wrong things of the world are made right!
There are examples after examples of how when Christians come into an area the society is changed for the better!
Romans would abandon their unwanted babies in the elements. Christians would save and adopt those children!
The gladiator battles where people would kill one another for sport? Shut down because of Christians!
The creation of hospitals and specialized care for the sick and dying? Christians invented that!
A standard of literacy internationally? Christians led this charge because they believed people needed to be able to read the bible!
The father of literacy and education in India is a Christian missionary!
Slavery in England and the US? Christians led the charge and developed the primary arguments for abolition!
While I take a hard stance against Christians putting the majority of their faith and energy into politics, I plead with you to still be involved in seeking justice and righteousness in our nation!
The presence of Jesus on the earth meant that the outcasts of society were invited in to life and freedom
The presence of Christians, who are really Christians, not looking for power or fame, but are concerned with glorifying God, has historically meant that the world becomes a better place!
But when Christians have confused their roles, seeking to marry church and state they have historically committed atrocities in the name of Christ!
May we as Pleasant Hill Baptist Church be annoyingly committed to being lights of the Gospel of Jesus’ Coming Kingdom by reforming society and seeking the good of our neighbors
The final aspect of the PRESENCE that I wish to address this morning is What the presence of God in this church means
There are two aspects I could mean here:
First, since the Holy Spirit is present in believers and Jesus says in Matthew 18:20 “where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them”, where Christians gather, Christ is there. So in that sense the presence of God is in this church. This isn’t what I’m going to speak of.
Instead, I want to speak more on why we should desire the presence of God to be obvious in this church. Where the presence of God is, everything changes and we should welcome this. And I don’t think there’s anyone here who can look around this room and say nothing needs to change.
So what does the presence of God in this church mean?
It Means:
Real revival will occur
Not simply to have one full week of services
Not simply getting emotions built up and hasty decisions for Christ made
I’m talking about real revival!
Where lives are changed and sinners are saved!
Where sin is rejected and addiction is overcome!
Where people grow in their love for Christ and the Word of God!
Where real energy is seen in the church to share this wonderful news with their neighbors!
Where awe is a regular occurence because the presence of God is so tangible
To quote Charles Spurgeon
To my mind there is no worship like that which proceeds from a man when he feels the Lord is present! What a hush comes over the soul! Here is the place for the bated breath, the unsandalled foot and the prostrate spirit! Now are we on holy ground. When the Lord descends in the majesty of His infinite love to deal with the hearts of men... Man is set aside, for God is there! In such a case the most fluent think it better to be silent, for there is, at times, more expressiveness in absolute silence than in the fittest words.
The presence of God in this church means that Sinners will be saved and brought into the sheepfold!
The presence of God in this church means that the Love of God will overflow our hearts for one another and a kinship that supernaturally overcomes any cultural barriers or family feuds will be present
The Scriptures say that they will know we are Christians by our love for one another!
I long for the day when we see some of our family members who are visiting and aren’t Christians want to become one of us just cause they want to be part of our family!
The presence of God in this church means that the Love of God will overflow our hearts for our neighbors and communities and lead us to want for them to be here to be given this gift of being in the presence of God!
It will lead us to swallow our prideful fear, to study and know the good news, and to proclaim it to our family, friends, and neighbors!
The presence of God in this church means that new Christians will be made!
The saving power of the Gospel will be seen!
The baptismal waters will stir far more regularly as we see new life being made right before our eyes!
May we long for this presence and may it energize us!
A few encouragements on how we can strive to see the presence of God in our church
Pray
Pray like the life of this church depended on it (because it does!)
Pray like you want to see God change our neighborhood
Pray as if you realize that we can accomplish nothing if God is not in our midst
And seek ways and times to pray over our church and our brothers and sisters who are here (and those who are not!) with other members of the church!
Help make sure the church has life!
When I say this I mean, that we must have really regenerate people as the members of our church! It is vital that we do our due diligence as members of this church to speak to those who seek membership and to strive to, within our ability, be able to joyfully affirm their salvation
I also mean that we must seek to be rooted by the stream that gives us life and that stream flows from the pages of the Word of God!
We must hold firm to what is contained therein and we must be willing to loosen our grip on those things that are not contained within.
Some things we may love dearly and fear to lose from the church, but our unwillingness to let go could cause us to shrivel instead of thrive
We must be full of faith that
God is who he said he is
He will do what he said he will do
And we must plead with him to make it happen through our constant prayers!
Oh how I long for this church to see overflowing life. How I long to see God’s presence manifest in the life of this church.
Brothers and sisters, long for it with me.
Just as everything changed when Christ was present in the midst of the people, everything changes when God is present in our midst as a church. Let us rally around this and strive forward together!
I’ll leave you with a final quote from the Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon (“The Best War Cry” Sermon)
Where God is, we are told, "The shout of a king is among them." What is the shout of a king? When great commanders are known to have come into a camp, what a thrill of joy it causes among their trusty warriors! When the soldiers have been much dejected, it has been whispered in their tents—
"The king has come to marshal us, All in his armor dressed,"
and from that moment every man is cheered up. At the sight of the king, as he comes riding into the camp, the host raises a great shout. What does it mean? It is a shout of loyal love—they are glad to welcome their leader. So is it with us when we sing—"The King Himself comes near"—we are all as glad as glad can be! Those who cannot come out to see their prince, because they are lying on their sick beds in hospitals, clap their hands, while even the little children in their mothers' arms join in the general joy. "The king is come," they say, and his presence kindles their enthusiasm till they make the hills ring again!
May we join in that great war cry of a people who knows the King is in their midst and may we be forever changed by His presence.