A Leper’s Amazing Encounter With Christ | Matthew 8:1-4

Introduction:
When Matthew tells us that Jesus began His ministry in Galilee, he describes that ministry as a fulfillment of Old Testament promise, and as the dawning of the sun.
The light was now shining.
ESV Matthew 4:13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- 16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned." 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Earlier, Zechariah had prophesied concerning his son John, and the role he was to play in the ministry of Jesus. That prophecy described the coming of Jesus in the same terms.
ESV Luke 1:76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
How was the light shining? It was shining in both word and in wonders.
ESV Matthew 4:23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
AFTER YOU HAVE THIS DESCRIPTION IN CHAPTER 4, MATTHEW GIVES US A SERMON, AND HE PRESENTS US WITH SIGNS.
The light was on display in preaching (the sermon on the mount).
The light was on display in signs (the signs that Matthew begins to record in this 8th chapter)
ESV John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
The people who encountered Jesus were without excuse, based on what they heard, and based on WHAT THEY SAW.
In Matthew 8:1-17, Matthew records three specific miracles. Think about it, Matthew tells us that Jesus was healing people in large numbers — there were hundreds if not thousands of miracles — and yet the Spirit of God directs our attention to some of them for a specific accounting.
The first 3 miracles that Matthew records testify together. We will look at them one at a time — each one has its own story to tell — but together they have much in common.
In each case, Jesus takes time for those who were least regarded in their world. People who were least regarded by the false religious leaders of the Jews, and as a result, by most of the people in that world.
The leper.
The Gentile and his servant.
And a woman who was sick — Peter’s mother-in-law.
John MacArthur —"in all three miracles Jesus ministered to the needs of someone who, especially in the eyes of the proud Jewish leaders, was on the lowest plane of human existence. The first person He helped was a leper, the second was a Gentile soldier and his slave, and the third was a woman. We learn from John that Jesus first revealed His messiahship to a despised Samaritan adulteress in Sychar (John 4:25–26), and we learn from Matthew that these three miracles of His early ministry served the humblest members of society. Our Lord showed special compassion toward those for whom society had special disdain.”
This morning we consider our Lord’s healing of a man who had leprosy.
• THE AMAZING ATTRACTION TO JESUS (vs.1)
Before we get to the man with leprosy, however, Matthew directs our attention to the attention that JESUS was receiving when He came down from the mountain.
Not just CROWDS, following Jesus, but MANY crowds, GREAT crowds, LARGE crowds.
Why? What are they seeking? What do they see as their need?
MATTHEW HAS ALREADY EXPLAINED THE SIZE OF THE CROWDS, AND WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM.
ESV Matthew 4:23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Jesus is teaching.
Jesus is healing.