While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went through all that district.
And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.”
Matthew 9:18-33
This is impressive to me. Jesus performed miracles one after another. Walking from one end of the street to the other, He healed several people.
I am left in awe at this . . . There's so much to be said about so many things in just these few passages.
"... your faith has made you well." It wasn't her faith in His garment, but the fact that it was His garment. The fact that the Son of God had touched something, power must be flowing through it--it's faith in Christ that heals us, not faith in an object. Not by her faith in His cloak, but faith in His power. People misplace faith so much, thinking that if we touch the preacher's hand, or we touch a symbol of a cross, or we hold onto a certain object while we pray, God will be more likely to answer our prayers . . . It all comes down to faith in God, not faith in the objects we touch while praying. Did the cross save you, or did Jesus? Crosses are fine and dandy, but i've seen many with faith in their crucifix (even protestants), and that unsettles me. It's faith in Christ.
"Do you believe that I am able to do this?" (...) “According to your faith be it done to you.”
Again, it was their faith in Him. He didn't say "Do you believe this can happen?", He asked "Do you believe that I am able to do this?". I. He said "Do you believe that I am able ...?" Faith totally in Him is what healed them.
I love that . . .
And this may have been throughout the course of more than one day, but it strikes me as being one trip through the city, as the woman with the discharge met Him on His way to the ruler's house, and as He passed from there, blind men followed, and as He was going away, a possessed mute was brought to Him. How would one keep track of all that He'd done over the course of years if this all happened in a single outing?
No wonder John wrote "Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."
"... your faith has made you well." It wasn't her faith in His garment, but the fact that it was His garment. The fact that the Son of God had touched something, power must be flowing through it--it's faith in Christ that heals us, not faith in an object. Not by her faith in His cloak, but faith in His power. People misplace faith so much, thinking that if we touch the preacher's hand, or we touch a symbol of a cross, or we hold onto a certain object while we pray, God will be more likely to answer our prayers . . . It all comes down to faith in God, not faith in the objects we touch while praying. Did the cross save you, or did Jesus? Crosses are fine and dandy, but i've seen many with faith in their crucifix (even protestants), and that unsettles me. It's faith in Christ.
"Do you believe that I am able to do this?" (...) “According to your faith be it done to you.”
Again, it was their faith in Him. He didn't say "Do you believe this can happen?", He asked "Do you believe that I am able to do this?". I. He said "Do you believe that I am able ...?" Faith totally in Him is what healed them.
I love that . . .
And this may have been throughout the course of more than one day, but it strikes me as being one trip through the city, as the woman with the discharge met Him on His way to the ruler's house, and as He passed from there, blind men followed, and as He was going away, a possessed mute was brought to Him. How would one keep track of all that He'd done over the course of years if this all happened in a single outing?
No wonder John wrote "Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."
(John 21:25)
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