After the Sermon

We just finished our study of the Sermon on the Mount. I hope it was beneficial and challenging to you. Have you ever thought about what happened after the sermon? According to Matthew eight and verse one, when Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. Why? He had just given them some powerful teaching that amazed them (7:28). I think partly that was because He taught as one having authority (7:29). So what else will He teach or do? I do not know, but I am going to follow Him.

In chapter eight verse two, we see a leper desire to be cleansed. This man seems to have great faith in that he believes Jesus can heal him if He desires. What will this Jesus, who we think has all this authority, do? Jesus stretches out His hand and heals the man. The one who taught with authority now shows His authority over sickness. Part of the reason Jesus did miracles was to prove that what He said was something you had better listen to and apply (Acts 2:22). That is what Jesus wanted you to do: to take His words and live them out because what He said was truth (Matthew 7:24-27; John 17:17).

A last lesson I want to cover in this event was that Jesus told the leper to go and show himself to the priest. Why? Well, Jesus tells us Moses commanded it (Leviticus 14). Before Jesus died, these people were still living under the Old Law. Jesus believed and taught people to obey God. Would Jesus not call us to do the same today? Do you think that leper went and showed himself to the priest? I am guessing he did. After being in exile, I think he was so thankful that he would have done whatever Jesus asked. When you think about our situation, we were exiled from God because of our sin, and Jesus paid the price to redeem us. Should that not make us so grateful that we desire to do whatever Jesus wants?