Invitation and Challenge

The Gospel of Matthew is my favorite of the four Gospels. I'd like to share a section out of it for you. I'm thinking about Matthew 8-9. It is broken up in a very interesting way. Matthew has a series of 3 blocks of 3 miracles with a discourse upon discipleship in between the episodes.

 
The First Block:
8:1-4 The Healing of the Leper
8:5-13 The Faith of a Centurion
8:14-17 Jesus Heals Many

Discipleship Discourse
8:18-21 The Cost of Following Jesus

The Second Block:
8:23-27 Jesus Calms the Storm
8:28-34 Jesus Heals Two Men with Demons
9:1-8 Jesus Heals a Paralytic

Discipleship Discourse
9:9-17 Jesus Calls Matthew and is Questioned about Fasting

The Third Block:
9:18-26 A Girl is Restored and a Woman is Healed
9:27-31 Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
9:32-34 Jesus Heals a Mute Man

Concluding Discipleship Remarks
9:35-37 The Harvest is Plentiful

You may be wondering why this is so important. Well not only does it show the creative writing ability of Matthew, it shows the profound theological practicality in the mission of Jesus: Challenge and Invitation. There are several themes that emerge through these two chapters. I’ll just touch two and just name the rest of the implications.

What is the Challenge?

Notice with me these verses, v. 8:4, 8:13, 8:32, 9:6, 9:13, 9:24, 9:32. In each verse you see the word “Go”. Jesus speaks the word “go” to a leper, centurion, demon, paralytic, Pharisees, crowd of people, and blind men. The interesting thing…they all obeyed Him. He commanded them and they went. Not only that but it was with His word that sickness left and the storm was calmed. We can say that Jesus gave the challenge and they all obeyed. It was by His words that the people were astonished, for He spoke with authority.

What is the Invitation?

But Jesus also gave an invitation, twice actually in verse 8:21 and 9:9. The invitation was to “Follow Me”. Notice that only one, Matthew, a dirty evil tax collector, took Jesus up on his challenge and the other guy…well, didn’t follow Him. This guy was looking to follow someone but the cost of following Jesus was too difficult for him. But Matthew responded. He rose and followed Him. 

What’s the Point?

This is the nature of the Kingdom of God. People can accept or reject the invitation of Jesus but if Jesus gives a challenge, you must obey. The invitation is to “follow me” and the challenge is to “go”. This is clear in the call of the twelve apostles in chapter 10. Jesus “called them” and he “gave them” authority. The same authority He Himself has… Kingdom of God authority!

So here is the invitation and challenge: follow Him and then go and tell others.

Here are some other implications in Matthew 8-9:

·         Faith is coupled with obedience

·         The Kingdom of God is about Word and Deed

·         Jesus is both rejected and glorified

·         The irony is that the disciples of Jesus lack simple faith

·         If demons obey Jesus, why don’t you?