First Evangelical Free Church Sioux City, Iowa

Matthew 8:28-9:8 The Power of Words

Pastor Kevin Miller preaches through a passage which emphasizes the power of Jesus' words.  You can listen to the sermon by clicking here.

1. The Gadarenes
   1. After calming the storm, Jesus lands on the other side of the Sea of Galilee in the land of those who were Gentiles.
   2. Matthew 8:28-29 A problem is immediately presented: Jesus is confronted by two demoniacs who recognize His ultimate authority and yet desire for Him to leave them be.
   3. Matthew 8:30-34 The story moves quickly at this point, as Jesus tells the demons to leave the men and go into a herd of _________. The pigs rush to their death and this is reported to the town which asks Jesus to leave them.
      1. Note how different this response is when compared to the other Gentile stories of faith we've heard.
      2. The townspeople cared more for their herd of pigs than for the healing of the two men.
2. The Paralyzed Man
   1. Matthew 9:1-2 A study in contrasts - Jesus heads back across the Sea and is confronted with the challenge of a man who is completely paralyzed. The response Jesus gives ("your sins are forgiven") is certainly not the expected one, and yet it is the necessary one because Jesus cares for what is eternal even more than what is temporary.
   2. Matthew 9:3-6 Just as with the story of the Gadarenes, there is more to this story: it's not only about a healing but also about how the teachers of the law respond to Jesus' authority. Jesus, however, knows their thoughts and so chooses to heal physically as an example of His authority which extends to both physical and spiritual.
   3. Matthew 9:7-8 As confirmation of Jesus' authority, the man rises up and _________! The crowd's response is recorded by Matthew: they praise God.
3. Our Application
   1. Jesus authority is the cure to our spiritually sick souls.
   2. Do we faithfully bow to Jesus' authority in our lives?