Matthew 9

This is round two of going through the book of Matthew one chapter a day with a comment, story or quote on a passage of scripture in the chapter. Today is chapter 9:

Matthew 9:18 While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” 19Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

20Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

22Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment.

23When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, 24he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. 25After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26News of this spread through all that region.

Apparently there is a little girl that is sick. And this little girl has a very powerful, influential father. When this father speaks people listen and obey. When this little girl gets sick she knows that she has a strong advocate on her side. Then there is a woman who has been bleeding for 12 years and has found no relief. Because of this issue of bleeding, she would not be able to worship at the temple and she would be ceremonially unclean and anyone who touched her would be defiled.

So a little girl who’s strong father is fighting for her and another woman that no one will touch.

What I find intriguing about this story of this woman with the issue of bleeding is that it is wrapped up within the story of this little girl who’s father is pulling every string to have her healed and eventually she is healed by Jesus.

I wonder if one of the reason’s this older untouchable woman’s story is wrapped up within this other story is God’s way of saying that when it seems that no one is fighting for us, he is. I wonder if it is God’s way of saying that when no one else will touch you, I will.

There is another girl in this story. She is an older girl.

Matthew 9

Continuing to go through the book of Matthew one chapter a day with one thought for the day. Today is Matthew chapter 9

Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

“Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone.”
-Dallas Willard (The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship)

“If you don’t have a teacher you can’t have a disciple.”
-Dallas Willard

“…we [should] intend to make disciples and let converts happen instead of intending to make converts and let disciples happen…we are not talking about the duties of full time ministers, but the duty of a friend, a neighbor…”
-Dallas Willard