PREPARING FOR THE SERMON
November 3, 2024
Matthew 9:9-38
Context:
The current pericope is set up from the section in which people relay different degrees of commitment to Jesus. The current section similarly deals with deciding what to believe about Him, but it contains misunder-standings about Who He is, how He is able to perform the miracles, and even who is accepted by Him. The subsequent section will be the first time the disciples are called together as a group, so it is not surprising the interactions appear on a personal level.
Jesus ministered to a diverse set of people in the passage. He began with tax collectors before rejecting the external righteousness of the Pharisees. He healed a woman who had been bleeding for years (taboo and unclean) and a foreigner. He made the blind see as opposed to the Pharisees who should have seen but were spiritually blind. He made the mute from demon possession speak of His righteousness.
Structure:
9-13 “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (v 13)
14-17 “new wine is put into fresh wineskins” (v 17)
18-26 “your faith has made you well” (v 22)
27-31 according to your faith be it done to you” (v 29)
32-34 “Never was anything like this seen in Israel (v 33)
35-38 pray to the Lord of the harvest to send (v 38)
Key Ideas: faith, seeing, healing, harvest
Some things to think about: