The Work Continues

The Work Continues

Matthew 15:29-31

The story of Jesus Christ truly is the greatest story ever told. One of the greatest aspects of that story is the fact that it is not over. Though Jesus ascended to Heaven, He is still working here on earth. Jesus is still changing the hearts and lives of people as we speak. Though He secured the ultimate victory at the cross, the process of redeeming mankind continues!

Jesus came as a babe in a manger with the eventual purpose of saving the world from their sins. The Bible gives us a brief account of His early years and then there is a gap in the record of His life. In John Chapter 1 we are reintroduced to the events of His life by John the Baptist as he proclaims - …Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) In Matthew 4 we witness Satan tempt Jesus after a time of fasting. Jesus resisted the Adversary there in the wilderness. Shortly after this Jesus preached in Galilee. He then chose and ordained the 12 Disciples. He continued throughout the region teaching, preaching and performing miracles. He healed multitudes of people (Peter’s Mother in Law, a leper, a paralyzed man ,a man with a withered hand, the woman with an issue of blood, the centurion’s servant and many other sick people.) Jesus even raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

By this point in His ministry He has preached the great Sermon on the Mount, He has been challenged by the Pharisees, He has cast out many demons (He even sent an entire legion into a heard of swine) He has walked on water, stood on a boat and calmed a raging storm, and fed 5,000 men with a little boy’s lunch. In the previous chapter He healed even more people - Matthew 14:34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret.35 When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed.36 They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

In recent days He has taught the Scribes & Pharisees about inner purity. And in the preceding verses Jesus cast a demon out of a little girl. Our selected text says that “they brought Him many sick and He healed them all” . Even with all that we have covered, Jesus was just getting started!

The Gospels record many miracles, there are many others that are not recorded, and the good news is that Jesus is still working today! Lost people are still being saved and saved people are still being sanctified. His amazing work continues. There are times when we grow tired and weary, but not Jesus! He is ever working in the lives of His people. I want to walk through these 3 verses and preach about the fact that "The Work Continues".

Scripture records several occasions where Jesus would see a multitude and He would have compassion on them. This has not changed. There is no shortage of people who are need of a miracle, and Jesus is the only hope that they have. Consider that:

I. THE NEED FOR A MIRACLE CONTINUES - v30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet;

Notice this phrase - “And great multitudes came unto him”. Certainly there were some who came to Jesus on their own. We have a picture of this in a previous miracle. The woman who suffered from an issue of blood sought Jesus out and reached down and touched the hem of His garment. Because of her faith she was made whole.

But in this specific passage, the majority of the people were bringing others to Jesus. They brought with them those that “were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others” . The blind man couldn’t see to get to Jesus. How did the deaf man know of Jesus unless someone told him? The lame man couldn’t walk to where Jesus was. People saw their loved ones in need and they took them to Jesus!! They saw the need and they cared enough to act on behalf of those in need. They took them and “cast them at Jesus’ feet”. It is very likely that some of those who brought people to Jesus had experienced His healing touch in their own lived.

Perhaps one who had been delivered from a demon brought others who were possessed. Maybe one of the previous blind, deaf, dumb or lame men brought others to Him. Maybe one of those who had been cleansed of leprosy went back to the leper colony and said COME WITH ME!!