31st

 Matthew 9: 27-31 blind men see

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”²⁸ When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”“Yes, Lord,” they replied.²⁹ Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; ³⁰ and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” ³¹ But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

So why doesn’t Jesus who just rose a girl from the dead and stories are being spread fast not want the two men who were blind but now can see to say anything?  Whenever Jesus, mostly in Mark but a few times in the other Gospels, says “don’t tell” I am brought back to why?  Is it that in this passage he wanted to just heal people in crowds and when he healed individuals he didn’t want everyone to know that he was available 24/7?  It is that by telling them not to tell he knew word would spread?  Is this just good boundaries or reverse psychology? 

Either way there is a lesson for us.  Jesus tells them not to say anything and yet the great news was too much for them not to share!  They shared anyway and thankfully they did.  We wouldn’t be Christians; heck we wouldn’t even know Christ if others hadn’t spread the news.  If his disciples hadn’t gone out after his death and if all those who believed had not share the story of how Jesus truly was their Redeemer.  It was through personal testimony that the early church thrived.  Let us focus on personal testimony today: what is one or two things in your life that you know happened or changed because of God? 

30th

 Matthew 9: 18-19, 23-26 girl is raised from the dead

¹⁸ While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” ¹⁹ Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. ²³ When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, ²⁴ he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. ²⁵ After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. ²⁶ News of this spread through all that region.

Jesus raised a girl from the dead!  This was to be a miracle of all miracles when Jesus brought  back life!  How could he do that?  Truly a real miracle.  As well as a foreshadowing of what Christ offers for all of us in the Kingdom of Heaven; a resurrection like his.  For those who Jesus raised during his ministry on Earth, back to life was the only option; for those after Jesus’ ascension, being raised has a new meaning in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Jesus uses the word “sleep” here and we see that as he is telling the crowds that she was but napping but in the Hebrews belief system upon death you sleep until the day of the Messiah.  For Jesus to say she was but sleeping and then bringing her back truly sets everyone up for the truth of his identity – Christ.   He could have healed her except for the fact that on his way he was interrupted, just enough that she passed away and the new life that Christ will offer us is revealed through more than a healing but a raising.