What Jesus Did

Key Passage
"I will tell you something. Go and learn what it means: 'I don't want animal sacrifices; I want you to show kindness to people.' I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners."

— Matthew 9:13 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
God has never wanted to condemn. That has never been his purpose. His Old Testament Laws were meant to distinguish the Israelites as his people and preserve them from spiritual and physical harm. When people rebel, rather than looking...

 

Key Passage
Jesus ate dinner at Matthew's house. Many tax collectors and other bad people came and ate with Jesus and his followers. The Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with these people. The Pharisees asked Jesus' followers, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other bad people?" Jesus heard the Pharisees say this. So Jesus said to the Pharisees, "Healthy people don't need a doctor. It is the sick people that need a doctor."

— Matthew 9:10-12 ERV (Read Full Text)...

 

Key Passage
When Jesus was leaving, he saw a man named Matthew. Matthew was sitting at his place for collecting taxes. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Then Matthew stood up and followed Jesus.

— Matthew 9:9 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Not only does Jesus have the authority to forgive sins, he has the authority to command sinners to follow and they follow. They respond with a change of heart and behavior. A classic example is Matthew the tax collector—tax collectors in Jesus day...

 

Key Passage
Jesus knew they were thinking this. So Jesus said, "Why are you thinking such evil thoughts? The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. But how can I prove this to you? Maybe you are thinking it was easy for me to say, 'Your sins are forgiven.' {No one could see if it really happened.} But what if I say to the man, 'Stand up and walk'? Then you will be able to see that I really have this power." So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up. Take your mat and go home."...

 

Key Passage
Jesus got into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. Some people brought to Jesus a man that was paralyzed (crippled). The man was lying on a mat. Jesus saw that these people had much faith. So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Young man, you'll be glad to hear this! Your sins are forgiven." Some of the teachers of the law heard this. They said to themselves, "This man (Jesus) talks like he is God—that is blasphemy. "

— Matthew 9:1-3 ERV (Read Full Text)...

 

Key Passage
The men that had the work of caring for the pigs ran away. They went into town and told the people what happened. They told about all that happened with the pigs and with the men that had demons. Then the whole town went out to see Jesus. When the people saw Jesus, they begged him to leave their area.

— Matthew 8:33-34 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
The status quo is very powerful! We would rather things not change if they are going to threaten us or our livelihood...

 

Key Passage
Near that place there was a large herd of pigs feeding. The demons begged Jesus, "If you make us leave these men, please send us into that herd of pigs." Jesus said to them, "Go!" So the demons left those men and went into the pigs. Then the whole herd of pigs ran down the hill and into the lake. All the pigs drowned in the water.

— Matthew 8:30-32 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Two truths are powerfully illustrated by these verses. First, Jesus commands and demons must...

 

Key Passage
Jesus arrived at the other side of the lake in the country of the Gadarene people. There, two men came to Jesus. They had demons inside them. These men lived in the burial caves. They were very dangerous. So people could not use the road by those caves. The two men came to Jesus and shouted, "What do you want with us, Son of God? Did you come here to punish us before the right time?"

— Matthew 8:28-29 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Jesus is in foreign territory. This is...

 

Key Passage
Jesus answered, "Why are you afraid? You don't have enough faith." Then Jesus stood and gave a command to the wind and the waves. The wind stopped, and the lake became very calm. The men were amazed. They said, "What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the water obey him!"

— Matthew 8:26-27 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
There is nothing that can stand in the way of Jesus. No enemy has the power—he simply casts out the demons. No teacher or skeptic can stump him with...

 

Key Passage
Jesus got into a boat and his followers went with him. After the boat left the shore, a very bad storm began on the lake. The waves covered the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The followers went to Jesus and woke him. They said, "Lord, save us! We will drown!"

— Matthew 8:23-25 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
The biggest issue in this story is not the storm. Just like the biggest issue in each of our crises is not the crisis. It's all about trust. Can we trust the one we...