Studies from the Book of Matthew- Lesson 22
Game/ice breaker-
Worship-
Opening Prayer-
Bible reading -9:1-8
Lesson. “The healing of the Paralytic man”
( It will be good if the leaderr can read the story in Mark 2:3-12 and Lk 5:18-26, beforehand as additional details are given. )
Last week, we saw that the people of Gedara (a gentile region), asked Jesus to leave their place because they did not like the loss of Pigs. Jesus left by boat and came to his place (according to Mt 4:13 and 11:23, Jesus left Nazareth and lived in Capernaum). Here Jesus is teaching a large crowd. Perhaps it was in Peter’s house or could be some other house. In the account in the other gospels we see that the Pharisses and other religious leaders from the surrounding areas were also present.
In the same town there was a paralytic. The friends of the paralytic man, carried him to Jesus. They heard or perhaps saw Jesus heal the sick.They had the faith that Jesus can heal their friend also.They had faith in Jesus’ power to heal and they also loved and cared for their friend and wanted to help him. When they reached the venue, there was a large crowd and they could not even enter into the house. They didnot give up hope. They climbed to the roof of the house. It must not have been easy, because they had to carry the man lying in his bed. They went to the roof and removed the tiles of the roof, where Jesus was sitting and lowered their sick friend.
This caught the attention of Jesus. He saw two things.
-Jesus noticed the faith of the sick man’s friends.
-that the man was sick because of his sins. He also saw that the man was very afraid.Perhaps he was afraid of Jesus, of the crowds and of the way he was brought to Jesus.
Jesus looked at the sick man and said, “son, your sins are forgiven you. Be of goood cheer”.
Individual sin is not always the direct cause of a person’s disease or illness (Jn 9:2-3).But at the heart of all sickness is the ‘result of sin’. Once the sin is forgiven, sickness went away. At the word from Jesus, the paralytic man got up, rolled up his bed and walked out of the house and went home.
This should have been a cause for rejoicing. But the Pharisees and the Sadducees were angry. They accused Jesus of blasphemy.Blasphemy is an act in which a human insults the honor of God.This extends to misusing the name of God.This can be either cursing or reviling(making fun of or using the name of God lightly) .The penalty for this was death by stoning.( Lev 24:10-23). The teachers of the law, felt Jesus was blaspheming, because they felt that Jesus was dishonoring God by taking the prerogative of forgiving sins, something that only God can do.
Jesus knew their thoughts and counter questioned them as to which is easier- forgiving sins or to say arise and walk. The pharisees could not answer because only God can forgive and only God can make a paralytic walk. The people marvelled and praised God. They considered Jesus a man of God or Prophet but still they didnot recognise Him as “God”.
Q. What are the ways in which we can dishonor God ?-Discuss
( Taking the name of God in vain-Using words like
Damn you or dammit- “God damn you”
Jees Or gees-Jesus
God promise, by God, etc). Discusss other ways we can dishonour God.
Read Matthew 9: 9-15
Lesson- Call of Matthew.
Taxes in ancient Rome were collected by persons who were the highest bidders for a collection contract. But in Palestine tax collectors were employed as representatives of the Roman Empire.
They were enlisted from the local population, as they needed to know the local opeople, customs, language etc. They were expected to collect certain amount for the Roman Government and what ever extra (a small percentage) they collected was their own. Often they were greedy and collected far more than they should have.They were hated by the people and considered corrupt. Mathew must have been collecting taxes from the travellers and fishermen for their business. Jesus looked at Matthew and asked him to follow Him and Matthew obeyed. Not much is kown of this Matthew Levi, except for the oral traditon that he is the author of the gospel according to Matthew. As a Jew,a scribe and levite, he recorded the events of Jesus life beautifully and also from the perspective of the Old Testament Prophecies and expectations.
Then Jesus sat for dinner with tax collextors.Probably in Matthews house. Though they were Jews, tax collectors were considered unclean because of their corrupt practices and because they had to deal with gentiles.They also compromised by working on the sabbath.The pharisees felt Jesus was condoning the behavior of the tax collectors.The Pharisees felt they were righteous because of their rituals and observances. They did not realise that in the sight of the God who sees the hearts, they were wanting. Jesus said that it is the sick who need the doctor. Indirectly he told that, “he came to save sinners” but He was not understood at that time. Jesus also said, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice”.
The disciples of John the Baptist, also came to Jesus. John was a hermit, who lived in the desert,wore rough clothes and ate simple food. He preached repentence and holiness. His disciples would have been fasting and praying a lot along with John. They must have been surprised to see Jesus and his disciples at a feast. Jesus alludes to himself as the “bridegroom”and says that when he is not with his disciples then they will fast and pray.
Q-There is alot of criticism about men of God like Dhinakarans, Bennyhinn etc, about their way of travel, where they stay, the money they charge etc. Is it right to judge them?
-How do you decide who is aan annointed man/woman of God?-Discuss
Closing prayer-
-God sees our hearts. There is nothing hidden from Him. Spend some time confessing your sins and in prayer.
-Ask God to give love, mercy and kindness and humility. Without these qualities we cannot please God.We cannot serve Him.
-Pray for each other’s special needs.
-Pray for GCLC pastors, missions, ministries and sunday services.
Carecell 