Follow Me
Matthew: The King & His Upside Down Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted
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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.
Peter’s House = located in Capernaum, also Andrew’s house (Mark 1:29)
Fever = likely Malaria
He touched her = note that Jesus heals without being asked
She rose and began to serve him = she immediately responds by serving Jesus as an honored guest in her home
Q: Peter’s mother-in-law responds to being healed by serving Jesus. What is your response when God blesses you?
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.
Oppressed by demons = δαιμονίζομαι (daimonizomai) to be under the power, control, or influence of a demon
Cast out the spirits with a word = shows that Jesus did not need a process of exorcism
Sick = κακῶς (kakōs) to be in a severe state of illness and/or misery
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
Matthew is quoting Isaiah 53:4
Took = λαμβάνω (lambanō) to take upon, take as one’s own
Illnesses = ἀσθένεια (astheneia). n. fem. sickness, weakness. Refers to a weakness or disability, often due to natural limitations or illness.
Bore our diseases = βαστάζω νόσος (bastazō nosos) to carry away burdens
Q: In what ways does Jesus take our weaknesses and carry away our burdens?
Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.
Jesus saw a crowd = apparently people heard Jesus was in town healing a large number of people
To the other side = meaning the other side of the lake (Sea of Galilee) - Jesus would often withdraw himself after being with a crowd
And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Scribe = transcriber, teacher, interpreter, expert of scripture. Some were members of the Pharisees or Sadducees, and some were priests and Levites.
Teacher, I will follow you = meaning “I will be your disciple”
Wherever you go = he is willing to give up everything in his current life to become a disciple of Jesus
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.”
Son of Man = This is Jesus’ favorite title for Himself - comes from Dan. 7:13-14 where the Son of Man is given a kingdom over all people.
Nowhere to lay his head = If you want to follow me wherever I go, where we’re going is homeless.
Application: Following Jesus requires us to deny ourselves and trade our definition of life for His (Luke 9:23-24).
Q: If Jesus asked you to give up everything to follow Him, what would you hesitate to give up?
Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
Another disciple = a current follower who heard what Jesus said to the scribe (we’re going homeless)
Let me first go = I have other priorities that are more important
Bury my father = If I go with you now I might lose my inheritance
And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Follow me = become my disciple, devote your life to me
Dead to bury the dead = figure of speech, those who reject Jesus are without life
Application: True life is only found when we make Jesus and His kingdom first priority.
Q: What is on your list priorities? Where is Jesus and His kingdom on that list?