Scripture Reading:

Matthew 8

Please comment below with your conversation with God and/or insights from today’s Scriptures.

You can answer the following:

1. What’s your first impressions about this chapter?

2. What happened in this chapter?

3. What’s a verse or passage that stuck out to you?

4. What is your prayer to God brought on by this chapter?

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Chapter Notables:

1. First record of Matthew of Jesus’ miraculous work - verses 1-4

2. The centurion (commander of 100 Roman soldiers) expresses his faith in the authority of Jesus and have his servant healed - verses 5-13

3. Peter has a wife (who Jesus heals) and the fame of Jesus’ miraculous work spreads - verses 14-17

4. Jesus tells us about sacrifices we have to make following Him - verses 18-22

5. Jesus calms the seas fulfilling Scriptures - verses 23-27

6. The tormented man of Gadera (check here for the geographic discussion concerning the exact location) who had a “legion” of demons possessing him which Jesus delivers him from , demons talk back, 2000 pigs jump off a cliff and the townspeople wanted Jesus out because of it - verses 28-34

Pig Headed | Lemuel Ayudtud

Our misguided perspective can make us miss out on a greater miracle. What we pay attention to can not only reveal where our hearts are at, but it can show us how we appreciate (or value) God (even people) in any given circumstance.

Let’s get into the Scripture!

Jesus finishes His Sermon on the Mount and begins to showcase His divine authority and person. He heals a leprous man; He heals Roman soldier as requested by a Roman commander; He heals Peter’s (the disciple) wife and starts to showcase His power and dominance over sickness and even demons; He calms the seas by His Word alone; and the chapter is capped with His deliverance of a tortured man, possessed with a “legion” of demons, that’s at least 2000 if we correlate the amount of pigs that died (after the demons were allowed to enter into the pigs, the pigs jump off a cliff to their death—kind of makes one consider the spirit behind suicide). Sandwiched between the records of His miracles thus far and interactions with people, is Jesus talking about the sacrifice of following Him.

He said in no uncertain terms that it’s rough following Him. Even birds have nest and foxes have dens, but He didn’t have a sure place to lay His head. Another guy tells Jesus, “Hey, I’ll follow you, but my dad just died so I got to attend to that first.” Jesus replies with, “Let the dead bury the dead.” Umm, okay!

Shouldn’t Jesus have been making it easy for people to follow Him? He just started His ministry and, instead of getting people hyped up on the miracles He’s doing, He’s telling people how difficult the journey following Him would be. Why would He do such things? Besides the point, the writer, Matthew, wedges those interactions in a chapter full of incredible miracles and demonstrations of signs and wonders. Why showcase Jesus’ power just to let people know it ain’t all fun and games?

Is it possible that the Lord is trying to help us align our perspectives?

At the end of the chapter we read of the man with the legion of demons. Jesus actually travels across the sea to the town to teach the crowd about the Kingdom of God. When He got there the first thing recorded of Him doing was the deliverance of this demon possessed man.

Reading another telling of this story, you can sense that he’s been haunting this village for a minute! He howls at the moon, tears his clothes off, hurts himself with sharp objects, he lives in the graveyard, he scares anyone going by him, and when people try to help him or maybe get rid of him by shackling him, he’d exhibit supernatural strength, breaking off the chains they’d use to bind him. So you’d think that Jesus casting the demons out of the man would have made the town rejoice. Nope. Why not?

Apparently the place made its money off of selling pigs. 2000 pigs can fetch a ton of money. Another argument can be said that Jesus being Jewish wanted to get rid of the pigs, so it’s more of an anti Semitic/counter cultural conversation that caused the people of that town to try to get rid of Jesus. Maybe it was both. Whatever the case maybe, they were looking at the right thing the wrong way.

Can you imagine having Jesus in their midst, a man who was tormented for years delivered, and all the townspeople see are dead pigs? Was it right that Jesus healed the man? Of course. Was it wrong for Jesus to allow the demons to possess pigs so much so that the pigs kill themselves? Apparently, to the townspeople. The question is would they rather have dead pigs or a freed man? Their perspective drove their answer.

The issue with their perspective is that not only were they trading a freed man for dead pigs, but the power that freed the man has the power to set the whole entire town/village free from their diseases, sicknesses and other demonic activities. The freed man could have been the beginning of an incredible move of God in that town. Sure they lost the pigs, but Jesus was in the midst—and where God is, anything is possible.

If they were concerned about money, He could have made a way for them. This town could have experienced what 5000 people later on experienced: Jesus turning 5 loaves and 2 fish into enough food that it fed 5000+ people and had left 12 baskets full. So in seeing the dead pigs instead of the authority of Jesus over demons, they put a lid where leftovers could have been.

Take time to consider what we’ve read with the Lord’s sermon (chapters 5-7). Consider how the sermon opens with the Beatitudes, how it continued with chapter 7 opening up with His teaching on proper judgment, and lastly how the sermon closed with the wise and the foolish builders. Then the sermon is followed by these stories of miracles with Jesus pretty much telling people who asked to follow Him: It’s going to be rough. And I need you to consider how you view your earthy responsibilities in light of following me. I know He didn’t say those things, but that’s how it reads, doesn’t it?

God will do great and mighty things. Your perspective can make you lose out on the truth of following, even knowing Jesus. While some wanted Him because of the miracles, others reject Him because it may cause them money or some other material gains.

Miracles, money, material stuff can be a distraction to the what God is offering us. Reread the chapter again. It becomes obvious that it’s not about the “3 M’s”; it’s about God’s authority and our faith in His sovereignty.

The seas obey Him. Sicknesses obey Him. Demons obey Him. And the people saw the miracles? Well, they had opinions on whether or not they should have done the same.

We’re a bit pig headed when it comes to following God. We like to think we know better.

The centurion understood the authority of Jesus. Everything is under His rule to serve Him. The Centurion said, “At your word.” Pretty much: “You’re in charge here. Say the word and whatever it is, it has to happen.” Just say the word! The servant was healed—and then even two thousands demons couldn’t resist His word!

Let’s check our perspective on everything. Being pig headed can make us lose sight of the ways and methods of God—refusing to submit to His authority. We may see loss where we’ve actually gained. We may elevate our comforts over God’s calling. Mourning over the things that had to die instead of seeing people that needed to be delivered. Let’s not exchange God’s sovereignty over our selfishness; choosing a passel over His Presence.

Lord, help me to keep my eyes on you. I know I have my own thoughts and viewpoints, but if I’m having a hard time surrendering them to You, then please help me. I want to see life and the world from Your perspective. You are the most valuable to me. And no matter what trouble I may experience in my life serving You, please give me the grace to humbly submit to Your sovereignty. I ask this in Your matchless Name, Jesus, amen.