Seeds for 05/12/2023 - Matthew 4:23-25, part 2
Scripture: 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
Observation: Yesterday, we looked at the general summary of Jesus’ ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing. Let’s follow up by looking at the initial results of this ministry, particularly, it seems, Jesus’ healing for all manner of issues.
Jesus’ following becomes broad and sizable. Geographically, this is a large and varied set of regions—north, south, east, west—from which He is gaining followers. Note that Jesus both calls disciples (4:18-22; Peter, Andrew, James, John) and gains followers. Each gospel writer uses terms slightly differently, but all find a way to describe this phenomenon in Jesus’ ministry. There are those closer to Him—Matthew calls them disciples (other Gospels refer to them as “apostles” or “the Twelve”). Then there are those who are attracted to Jesus’ ministry for one reason or another and who decide to follow Him. They simply “pick themselves,” deciding there’s something to this Jesus that they want to explore. Then there are also crowds—not named in these verses, but they are another group in Jesus’ ministry. They are up for gathering around to check Jesus out and listen to what He has to say. But they do not take the step of those who choose to follow.
Jesus’ fame and regard expanded through His teaching, preaching, and healing ministry, and He began gaining not only people He specifically called to be His disciples (students, apprentices), but also others who simply decided they wanted to see more of Jesus and what He was about.
For the disciples, followers, and crowds, they are about to hear plenty—in the Sermon on the Mount (Chs 5-7) and start to decide where they really will stand when all is said and done.
Application:
Where are you now—curious crowd? interested follower? committed disciple? What drew you to that point? What is your next step?
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, I want to be a life-long disciple and not only a temporary follower. Draw me closer to you daily. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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