sf173 - Great Grace (Matthew 15 29-39)
Matthew 15:29-39
Introduction
Textual and contextual background
Liberal scholars have long tried to use this portion of Matthew’s gospel as a means to cast doubt on the accuracy and inspiration of Scripture. They have contended that this is simple a duplicate of the miracle recorded in Matthew 14.
Leon Morris answers these critics masterfully in his commentary…
“Matthew clearly regards the two incidents as distinct: the numbers of people are different in the two incidents, as are the quantities of food and the amounts of left over; the words for “basket” (small baskets, kophinos in Matthew 14; large baskets, spuridas; here) are different; the people in this incident had been with Jesus three days(15:32) whereas in the earlier incident they had just gone around the lake to head him off(14:13-14)… The times appear to be different, the earlier feeding being when the grass was green (Mark 6:39), that is, in the spring, while here there is no mention of grass and the ground appears to be hard (15:35); in other words it is late summer.”
God is a God of grace, mercy and compassion
Lamentations 3:22 “Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.”
Over and over again God showed compassion on His people when they were in need, despite their sin and rebelliousness against Him.
From the earliest part of His ministry; Jesus felt compassion for the multitudes.
In the text before us we see God’s grace displayed and we can learn some important lessons about God’s grace.
1A. God’s Grace Displayed
1B. The Lord’s genuine concern (15:29-31)
The place (15:29)
Ø We learn from Mark that Jesus went around the Sea of Galilee, apparently on the east side, stopping in “the region of Decapolis” (Mark 7:31), another Gentile area on the southeast side of the Sea of Galilee, directly south of the modern Golan Heights.
Ø Decapolis means “ten cities” (from the Greek deka, “ten,” and polis, “city”) and derives its name from the ten city-states located within its boundaries.
Ø In and around these ten cities archaeologists have discovered the ruins of elegant amphitheaters, forums, and countless pagan statues and monuments honoring the various gods of the Greek pantheon—including Zeus, Aphrodite, Athene, Artemis, Hercules, Dionysus, and Demeter.
The people (15:30-31)
Ø Their woes (15:30)
Maimed (kullos)any part of the human body that is deformed or unable to be used, and includes mutilation or total loss.
Laid (rhiptoô,)to cast or throw down in haste but not carelessly
Ø Their wonder (15:31a)
Marveled (thaumazoô,)to be struck with awe
Ø Their worship (15:31b)
The people from Decapolis glorified the God of Israel.
2B. The Lord’s great compassion (15:32-34)
The Lord’s compassion (15:32)
I feel compassion (splanchnizomai,) to be moved in one’s inward parts, in the bowels or viscera; “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the pain and remove its cause.”
Ø Jesus had compassion for people’s spiritual needs, which were eternal in their consequences.
Ø He had compassion for their physical afflictions, which were often lifelong in their effect.
Ø But He also had compassion in regard to their food, which sustained them from day to day.
The disciples’ confession (15:33-34)
Ø They confess their inability (15:33)
Ø They confess their insufficiency (15:34)
3B. The Lord’s gracious command (15:35-39)
What He demanded (15:35)
What He did (15:36-39)
Ø He thanked the Father, the source of the blessing (15:36a)
Ø He involved the disciple, the means of the blessing (15:36b)
Ø He satisfied the people, the recipients of the blessing (15:37-39)
Alfred Edersheim observed that “the Lord ended each phase of His ministry with a feeding. He ended the ministry in Galilee with the feeding of the five thousand. He ended the ministry in the Gentile area with the feeding of the four thousand. And He ended the Judean ministry before His death on the cross with the feeding of His own in the upper room.”
2A. Lessons About God’s Grace
1B. Christ was and is equal to God in all ways.
Revealed in His creative power - only God can create, only God could have multiplied those seven loaves of bread and a few fish even one-fold, not to mention many thousand-fold.
Revealed in His healing power - He not only cured diseases and restored hearing and sight but restored those who were kullos (maimed).
Revealed in His worship by the people - their worship was Jesus’ supreme goal.
Ø The goal of evangelism is to “worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers” (John 4:23).
2B. We are completely dependant on God for everything.
We are most usable to the Lord when we acknowledge our own lack of resources and turn to Him.
God’s resources are never diminished, much less exhausted, because He has an infinite capacity to create.
Ø God’s people will never lack resources to do what He calls them to do.
Although the Lord is able to do His work without us; He chooses to do it through us.
3B. God’s grace is indeed great.
God gives liberally moved purely by His own compassion.
What God gives satisfies completely.
Matthew 15:29-39
1A. God’s Grace _______________________________
1B. The Lord’s genuine ________________ (15:29-31)
The _____________________ (15:29)
Ø Decapolis means “ten cities” (from the Greek deka, “ten,” and polis, “city”) and derives its name from the ten city-states located within its boundaries.
The _____________________ (15:30-31)
Ø Their woes (15:30)
Maimed (kullos)any part of the human body that is deformed or unable to be used, and includes mutilation or total loss.
Laid (rhiptoô,)to cast or throw down in haste but not carelessly
Ø Their ______________________ (15:31a)
Marveled (thaumazoô,)to be struck with awe
Ø Their worship (15:31b)
The people from Decapolis glorified the God of Israel.
2B. The Lord’s great __________________ (15:32-34)
The Lord’s compassion (15:32)
Ø Jesus had compassion for people’s spiritual needs, which were eternal in their consequences.
Ø He had compassion for their physical afflictions, which were often lifelong in their effect.
Ø But He also had compassion in regard to their food, which sustained them from day to day.
The disciples’ _______________________ (15:33-34)
Ø They confess their _________________ (15:33)
Ø They confess their insufficiency (15:34)
3B. The Lord’s gracious command (15:35-39)
What He ________________________ (15:35)
What He did (15:36-39)
Ø He _____________________ the Father, the source of the blessing (15:36a)
Ø He involved the disciple, the means of the blessing (15:36b)
Ø He ________________ the people, the recipients of the blessing (15:37-39)
2A. Lessons About God’s Grace
1B. Christ was and is __________ to God in all ways.
Revealed in His ___________________ power
Revealed in His healing power
Revealed in His worship by the people
2B. We are completely ______________________ on God for everything.
We are most usable to the Lord when we acknowledge our own lack of resources and ____________________ to Him.
God’s resources are never diminished, much less exhausted, because He has an infinite capacity to create.
Although the Lord is able to do His work without us; He _________________________ to do it through us.
3B. God’s grace is indeed great.
God gives liberally moved purely by ______________ own compassion.
What God gives ____________________ completely.