Devotional Sharing, Submitted by Kenny Choi, Gracepoint Berkeley
Matthew 8:18-25
What can I learn from the fact that Jesus did not hold back from telling the would-be disciples the costs involved in following him?
The fact that Jesus did not hold back about the costs involved in following Him tells me that Jesus isn’t about sugarcoating the life of a disciple. He isn’t trying to “sell” discipleship by telling people that its going to be one great big rosy, smooth-sailing, happily-ever-after kind of life. I think if I was in Jesus’ shoes, and if someone came up to me and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go,” I would’ve been absolutely thrilled. The first words out of my mouth would have been to rattle off the entire benefits package of being a Christ follower, including unlimited grace and forgiveness, guaranteed eternity and free moment-by-moment access to Jesus Christ via prayer, with the added perks of community, constant good food and laughter, and how it will be the best life and one full of joy, love, and meaning. Yes, these are included once I make that decision to surrender my life to Him. But Jesus does not immediately highlight this aspect to this would-be disciple as the first thing he ought to know before signing the dotted line. He tells him outright that he may not even have a place to sleep peacefully at night. Truth is, Jesus is painting a very realistic picture of what it means to follow Him, and he does not want people to come on board without first taking into consideration that following Jesus will entail suffering and sacrifice. There is going to be a cost involved, because following Christ is following him all the way to His final destination, which is the way to the cross. The cost of discipleship is not loss but great gain, because what “costs” I pay in this world will be all worth it when I see my Lord Jesus face-to-face.
Matthew 8:21-22
“Most likely the problem was that his father was still quite alive. Jews understood the command to honor father and mother to mean caring for their elderly parents and giving them a proper burial. Apparently, this man had not yet put his commitment to Christ above these cultural expectations.”[1]
What might be some reasons why Jesus demanded such urgency and immediacy in following him? Jesus demanded urgency and immediacy in following Him because there is always something pressing to do now that can be used as an excuse to delay following Christ. I’m sure this man was convicted upon hearing Jesus’ message that he ought to follow Him but somehow, he felt like he could always set it aside on the backburner so that he can take care of more important matters first, like his family.
Matthew 8:18-25
- What can I learn from the fact that Jesus did not hold back from telling the would-be disciples the costs involved in following him?
Matthew 8:21-22
“Most likely the problem was that his father was still quite alive. Jews understood the command to honor father and mother to mean caring for their elderly parents and giving them a proper burial. Apparently, this man had not yet put his commitment to Christ above these cultural expectations.”[1]
- What might be some reasons why Jesus demanded such urgency and immediacy in following him?
- Are there “cultural expectations” or other obligations in my life that I regard as immovable and absolute, as if they are on the same plane as my responsibility before God? What specific social demands hinder me from placing my highest priority on following Jesus?
- What does Jesus have to say about this?
Matthew 8:23-34
- What lesson is here about the relationship between following Jesus and experiencing life’s “storms”?
- In what ways did the three groups of people in this passage (disciples in the boat, two demon-possessed men, townspeople) misunderstand Jesus?
- What fears led to this misunderstanding?
- In what ways have I allowed my fears to warp my perspective of Jesus?
Matthew 8:32-34
“This response is a sad commentary on the perversion of their values, for one would think they would rejoice at a victory over Satan’s demons. But as one commentator states, “all down the ages the world has been refusing Jesus because it prefers the pigs.” [2]
“Here is human selfishness at its worst. It did not matter to these people that two men had been given back their reason; all that mattered to them was that their pigs had perished. It is so often the case that people in effect say, “?I don’t care what happens to anyone else, if my profits and my comfort and my ease are preserved.?” We may be amazed at the callousness of these people of Gadara, but we must have a care that we too do not resent any helping of others which reduces our own privileges.”[3]
- What are the “pigs” for which people of this world reject Jesus?
- Identify people in our society today who, like the town people, are more concerned about profit than the destruction of human life.
- What are the “pigs” that I value that harden my heart towards the needs of others?
Additional Questions:
Matthew 8:2-4
- No leper would ever have come near an orthodox scribe or Rabbi; he knew too well that he would be stoned away. What does it say regarding the state of the leper’s heart as he came to Jesus?
- What is beautiful about the request of the man with leprosy?
- What can I learn about Jesus from the fact that he “reached out his hand and touched the man?”
- What healing do I need to experience in my life? What is keeping me from receiving healing in contrast to the leper?
Matthew 8:5-12
“The centurion is obviously a Gentile, because a centurion was an officer in the Roman Army. Most every Jew under Roman occupation felt a reason to hate this centurion, yet he comes to a Jewish teacher, and not for a selfish reason, but on behalf of his servant. The man’s understanding of Jesus’ spiritual authority made Jesus marvel. His simple confidence in the ability of Jesus’ mere word to heal shows a faith that is free of any superstitious reliance on merely external things.”[4]
- What was the centurion’s view of himself and his view of Jesus’ authority that caused Jesus to be astonished, calling it “such great faith?”
- Why was Jesus astonished by the centurion? Why does it follow that Jesus talks about many who “will take their places at the feast…in the kingdom of heaven” and the “subjects of the kingdom [that] will be thrown outside?”
Matthew 8:1-13
- What can I learn from the fact that out of the large crowds following Jesus, it was the leper and the centurion who had personal encounters with Jesus? What was the commonality between these two?
- What warning or encouragement does this passage have for me?
Matthew 8:14-15
- What can I learn from the fact that Peter’s mother-in-law “got up and began to wait on” Jesus immediately after he healed her?
Matthew 8:16-17
- How did Jesus heal those who were demon-possessed?
- How have I experienced Jesus’ words driving out the different spirits that seek to possess me?
Matthew 8:18-20
- What can I learn from Jesus’ discouraging response to the would-be disciple?
- How does Jesus’ response compare to my expectation of Christian life?
Matthew 8:23-27
- Describe the progression of emotions experienced by the disciples on this journey.
- How did this journey increase the disciples’ understanding of Jesus?
- How can I better respond to life’s difficulties and fears based on this passage?
Matthew 8:29
- What is ironic about the two men’s assumption regarding Jesus’ purpose in coming to them?
- Are there ways in which I view God’s purposes in my life with similar suspicion?
[1] Wilkins, Michael J. “Matthew 8:1 – 9:8” In NIV Application Commentary, New Testament: Matthew. By Michael J. Wilkins, 337-361. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 2004.
[2] Wilkins, Michael J. “Matthew 8:1 – 9:8” In NIV Application Commentary, New Testament: Matthew. By Michael J. Wilkins, 337-361. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 2004.
[3] The Gospel of Matthew : Volume. 2000, c1975 (W. Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, Ed.). The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed. The Westminster Press: Philadelphia
[4] Guzik, D. Bible Study Resources by David Guzik. Retrieved January 3, 2006, from http://enduringword.com/commentaries/4008.htm