DISCIPLESHIP

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MATTHEW 8:18-34
Lesson #23
DISCIPLESHIP

• Memory verse: Luk 9:23
• Read Mat 8:18-22 Discipleship
  • The Parable of Foxes and Birds
    • Who is the audience for this parable?
    • General multitudes of sick and non-believing
  • Principles:
    • To follow Jesus means to partake of His sufferings
    • Some people follow Jesus for the miracles and the warm fuzzies. (19) But Jesus had no material possessions. (20)
    • Some people want to follow Jesus on their own conditions. (21) But to follow Him, Jesus must be top priority (22)
    • To follow Jesus, requires faith, for which He will continually test us (23-27)
  • What is the central truth of the parable (Mat 8:18-22)?
    • To be a disciple of Jesus is not easy and comfortable. ‘
    • It requires commitment, sacrifice, and faith, trusting him to provide everything you will need.
  • What kind of people does the first man represent?
    • The scribe is the type of person moved by emotion.
    • He makes a decision on the whim of the moment. (19)
      • In a chapter of miracles, verses 18-22 seems to be out of place.
      • However, the incident is a miracle.
        • The man who came to Jesus was a scribe. He gave Jesus the highest honor by calling Him “Teacher” (rabbi).
        • It was a miracle that any scribe would come to Jesus and wish to follow Him.

Jesus represented the destruction and end of religious legalism on which scribal religion was built.

Jesus tells the man to count the cost of discipleship.

• • What kind of people does the second man represent?
    • The second man represents those who want the benefits of being a Christian but only on their own terms and as long as it’s convenient. (21)
    • The phrase in verse 21 “go bury my father” is a euphemism meaning he wanted to go and take care of his father until he died, then he would follow.
      • Jesus’ response in verse 22 seems harsh, but it is emphasized for contrast and to get your attention.
      • What He means is that the world’s passing human affairs will take care of themselves, and an eternal perspective is worth more.
      • This man is the procrastinating kind of person, entangled with the affairs of the world.
        • What did jesus’ mean by “foxes have holes and birds have nests“?
        • Even the animals have a home, material possessions, but Jesus had nothing but the robe on his back. To follow Him will not be comfortable but requires sacrifice.
  • What are the specific costs of discipleship? (Discussion)
    • Read Luk 14:25-33
    • Jesus comes before any human relationship.
    • Jesus comes before any selfish desire or plan.
    • Jesus comes before your own life.
  • Summary:
    • Read Luk 9:57-62
    • The demand of the kingdom of God is absolute:
      • Absolute commitment to sacrifice for Him
      • Absolute priority to an eternal perspective. This world is not our home, we are only passing through.
      • Absolute faith no matter what happens.
    • What do we learn about Jesus from these verses?
    • The King demands power over religious legalism.
• Read Mat 8:23-27 Calming the storm
  • Background:
    • The Sea of Galilee is small 13 miles long and 8 miles wide.
    • The climate is warm and usually calm.
    • However, there is a great danger. When a cold wind comes from the west, down the mountains through gullies, it brings a sudden violent storm on the lake.
      • The Greek word for storm here is (seismos) which is the word we use for earthquakes.
      • Many of the disciples were seasoned fishermen and were well familiar with the dangers of storms on this lake.
  • The conditions:
    • The waves were so high the boat was hidden in the trough of the waves that broke over the boat. Jesus was asleep because he was exhausted according to Mark’s description.
    • Why did Jesus have to rebuke the storm? Wasn’t God in control of things?
      • Read Psa 89:9
      • God is in ultimate control of everything in this world because it belongs to Him as the creator. However, God allows Satan to be the temporary god of this world (2Cor 4:4) in order to give man a free will choice of who to serve.
  • Jesus rebuked the storm because Satan and his demons were behind it. Satan wanted to kill Jesus before He could go to the cross with our sins.
    • Satan’s first attempt was through King Herod who killed the babies under 2 years in Bethlehem causing Jesus and his family to flee to Egypt.
    • This storm is the second attempt.
    • It is possible that some of Satan’s fallen evil angels were behind the storm.
      • Some of the fallen angels roam the earth and possess people.
      • Some are bound in chains under darkness according to Jude 6.
      • There is some thought that perhaps these were cast into the seas according to Rev 20:12-13 and are raised with the unbelieving dead.
  • Jesus reprimands the lack of faith of the disciples (26).
    • The disciples were not absolutely faithless. They came to Him knowing He could stop the storm.
    • Where did their faith fail?
      • They forgot that God was in ultimate control and had a plan for Jesus to carry out.
      • God would not have permitted Satan to kill his Son before the cross.
      • They did not apply their faith. They could have stilled the storm themselves without waking Jesus.
        • Jesus was teaching them that they had the power and authority given to them by God.
        • Remember, He is training them for ministry.
  • The disciples did not have faith in Jesus’ word when He commanded them to go to the other side of the lake. (8:18)
    • The disciples were filled with fear. (26)
    • Remember that fear is not only the opposite of faith, but fear also paralyzes faith.
    • What do we learn about Jesus from these verses? The King has power over nature.
• Read Mat 8:28-34 Healing the demon possessed men
  • Only Matthew says there were 2 men, while Mark and Luke concentrate on only the one.
  • Read Mar 5:1-19
    • Background:
      • It was a common belief not only among Jews but in other religions and cultures as well that men could be possessed by demonic spirits.
        • Many people today do not believe it is possible or that it occurs.
        • However, many people do not believe there is a personal devil that seeks to destroy men’s souls.
      • However, Jesus believed it.
      • The Jews believed that when their Messiah came He would destroy demons.
        • Lev 19:31; 20:6,27 tells us that if a person was demon possessed, he was to be put to death.
        • We do not see that done in Jesus’ time.
        • Perhaps it is because the Jewish religious system did not have the authority to carry out the death sentence. Only Rome had that authority.
    • Satan and demon possession:
      • The Bible clearly teaches there is a devil and evil spirits. Satan’s power is displayed in 3 ways:
        • =1= Satan personally works in this world. (1Pet 5:8 Eph 2:2)
        • =2= Satan works through demons to possess, deceive, and influence.
        • =3= Satan works through human beings whom he can possess or influence to do his will. (Joh 13:27)
      • This occurs only if the human being gives consent to it.
    • The condition:
      • Luke says that the one man was a raving maniac, guilty of self-mutilation, naked, unclean, having great strength, and shrieking wildly.
      • Caution:
        • The Bible refers to cases of insanity, epilepsy, blindness, dumbness, fevers, etc. that are associated with demons. (Mat 12:22; 9:32 Mar 9:17,25; Luk 11:14-16)
        • However, all such illnesses are not caused by demons! Jesus could tell immediately whether they were or not.
        • The man lived in tombs. Mark calls him a man with an unclean spirit. Tombs were considered unclean by the Jews.
  • The demons and jesus:
    • Notice that the demons recognize who Jesus is. The man did not come seeking healing. He was probably beyond knowing what he was doing. It’s the demons that speak to Jesus.
    • “Jesus, thou son of the most high God” (Mar 5:7)
      • This is the first time such a divine title is given to Jesus in the New Testament.
      • The name goes back to Gen 14:18 in reference to God (El Elyon).
        • Jesus is not too happy to have the demons testify of who He is.
        • The demons not only know who Jesus is, but they also know their destined end in the lake of fire.
      • The demons also know that Jesus’ first coming is not the time for their judgment. They ask if Jesus has come to torment them “before the time“.
        • The time of their judgment is after the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth (the millennium) at the great white throne. Rev 20:12-13)
        • When commanded to come out, the demons resist. Jesus asked their name.

The name is “legion“, for they are many.

In the Roman army, a legion contained 6,000 soldiers.

• • The results of the healing:
    • The swine:
      • The demons asked for permission to enter a herd of swine. Mark says there were 2,000 swine.
        • Jesus is often criticized by animal lovers for sending the demons into the swine.
        • The Bible does not say that.

Jesus merely drove the demons out of the man. He did not drive them into the swine. He only permitted it.

Jesus considered the souls of men more valuable than animals.

• • • • The importance of the herd of swine in Matthew:
        • Jesus knew that the people’s value system emphasized economics rather than spiritual things of God.
        • To the Jews pigs were unclean to eat, but the Roman’s ate pork.
        • However, the Jews did not hesitate to provide pork for the Romans to eat.
        • Therefore, the destruction of the swine was a deserved punishment for breaking God’s law.
    • The healed man:
      • He wanted to follow Jesus as a disciple.
      • However, Jesus refuses Him. Why?
        • The area in which this miracle occurs is mostly a Gentile area. The area called Decapolis was a trading confederation of 10 Greek cities.
        • We are not told whether this man was a Jew or a Gentile.
  • Discipleship takes 2 forms:
    • =1= Some are called to distant places.
    • =2= Others are called to stay home and minister in their local areas.
      • • The man is told to tell everyone about the miracle.
        • Previously we saw Jesus tell the healed leper to tell no one.
    • Why the difference?
      • When Jesus is in a predominately Jewish area dealing with Jews, He always restricts people from telling of the miracle.
      • He probably wanted to avoid as much religious antagonism from the religious authorities as possible until the time for the crucifixion.
        • When Jesus is in a predominately Gentile area dealing mostly with Gentiles, He always tells them to freely spread the news.
        • In these areas and with these people, there was not the danger of an untimely death by Jewish authorities.
  • What do we learn about Jesus from these verses: The King has power over Satan and his demons.

Homework

Matthew 9:1-17

• Application of Mat 8:18-34
  • Consider your conditions of personal discipleship with Jesus.
    • Do you follow Him only when you feel like it?
    • Do you follow Him for what He can do for you?
    • Do you follow Him only when it’s convenient?
  • Write down exactly why you chose to follow Jesus in the beginning and why you follow him today.
• Preparation for Mat 9:1-17
  • Read Mat 9:1-8
    • What do you learn about faith from these verses?
    • What do you learn about Jesus?
  • Read Mat 9:9-17
    • The parable of the sick and the physician (Mat 9:10-13)
      • What is the central truth of this parable?
      • Who is the physician? (Mat 8:17 and Isa 53)
      • Who are the well?
      • Who are the sick?
    • The parable of the bridegroom (Mat 9:14-15)
      • What is the central truth of this parable?
      • Who are the guests?
      • Who is the bridegroom?
      • What does Jesus mean, “the bridegroom will be taken from them?”
    • The parable of old garments and old bottles (Mat 9:16-17)
      • What is the central truth of this parable?
      • What is the “patch of unshrunk cloth“?
      • What is the old garment?
        • What is the “new wine” (remember what wine symbolizes in scripture in Act 2:13)?
        • What are the “old wineskins“?
        • What are the “new wineskins“?
• Memory verse: Heb 8:13