Matthew 8

Matthew 8 (NKJV)

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

1 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Note: “I am willing.” Those are some powerful words that carry over to today. Jesus is willing to heal us. HE took our infirmities to the cross. If HE wasn’t willing, He wouldn’t have done that. At this time Jesus didn’t want to make known what was happening, but today we can shout it from the mountain tops. Be cleansed in Jesus name.

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant

5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Note: The Centurion understood authority. He knew that Jesus just had to speak to it and it would be done. He has given us authority today through the Holy Spirit. Don’t be afraid to take authority over anything that the enemy is throwing at you. With God’s Spirit in you, you are a powerful force.

Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed

14 Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. 15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

Note: He just touched her. Allow Him to touch you today. Just believe that God wants to touch you and will be healed. When you visit the sick, believe that God wants to move through you.

Many Healed in the Evening

16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

“He Himself took our infirmities

And bore our sicknesses.”

Note: Another prophecy being fulfilled. The power of a word. We can speak death or life, choose life. Let your mouth be full of life. Speak life over your family, over your friends and most importantly, over yourself.

The Cost of Discipleship

18 And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”

20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Note: Following Christ. Many will make the commitment but won’t hold to it. In Isaiah 6 the Lord ask the question “Whom can we send and who will go for us?” He has send many but not many have gone. It’s the narrow path and not always the easiest.

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Note: When your going with Jesus, what do you have to be afraid of? The devil was trying to keep Him from getting to the other side and caused a storm that Jesus spoke to and it was gone. Many storms arise in our lives because the devil knows what will happen if we arrive where God is calling us to. We have the Holy Spirit empowering us and giving us authority to us. Speak to your storm about your God, not telling your God how big your storm is.

Two Demon-Possessed Men Healed

28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”

32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.

33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.

Note: Mark 16 tells us that as believers we have that power in us to cast out demons. There is so much available to us through the Lord and Holy Spirit, it is just believing and learning to walk in it.