This past weekend at Eastbrook, my friend, Will Branch, continued our series entitled “The Messiah’s Mission,” by looking at Matthew 9:9-17. This includes Jesus’ calling of Matthew from his tax booth, as well as teaching about Jesus as the bridegroom and new wine skins.

You can find the message video and outline below. You can also view the entire series here, as well as the devotional that accompanies the series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

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The Messiah’s Mission:

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.” Matt 9:9

Response to Jesus’ Call

• Matthew: Obedience
• Tax Collectors and Sinners: Fellowship The Pharisees: Contempt
• John’s Disciples: Questions
• The Lesson: Mercy not Sacrifice

Jesus’ Call and Response

• To the sick: Eat and be well
• To the Pharisees: Go and Learn
• To John’s Disciples: Why fast? I’m here.
• The Lesson: The old way doesn’t work with the new.

Lessons to be Learned

• The doctor is in: Are you sick?
• The sacrifice has been made: Are you merciful?
• The Bridegroom is gone: Are you mourning?
• The old is gone: Are you new?

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our new series entitled “The Messiah’s Mission,” based in Matthew 8-12. This weekend I explored Matthew 8:23-9:8, where Matthew groups three miracles of Jesus around the theme of His authority. We see Jesus’ authority over nature, demonic spirits, and sin and forgiveness.

The entire series of episodes leads us to the sharp and important question: who is Jesus?

You can find the message video and outline below. You can also view the entire series here, as well as the devotional that accompanies the series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

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“When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.” (Matthew 9:8)

Who is this? (8:27)

• The basic question about Jesus
• Our need to answer it for ourselves

Jesus: The One with Authority Over Nature (Matthew 8:23-27)

• Miracle on the water
• “Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (8:27)

Jesus: The One with Authority Over Demonic Spirits (Matthew 8:28-34)

• Miracle on the far side of the lake in the Gentile lands
• “They shouted, ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’” (8:29)

Jesus: The One with Authority to Forgive Sins (Matthew 9:1-8)

• Miracle back home in Capernaum
• “They were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man” (9:8)

Getting into Jesus’ Boat

• Following Jesus into the boat (8:23)
• Calling to Jesus amid the storms of life (8:24-25)
• Encountering Jesus’ authority and power (8:26)
• Growing with Jesus from little faith to greater faith (8:26-27)

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Dig Deeper

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper into Jesus’ authority and our response to Him in one or more of the following ways:

• Consider memorizing Matthew 9:5-6 this week.
• In order to reflect more deeply on them, select one or more of the episodes of Matthew 8:23-9:8 to sketch, ink, or paint. As you do that, prayerfully reflect on the power and authority of Jesus in general but also in your own life.
• Watch “The Messiah” theme video from The Bible Project
• In order to dig deeper into the calling of discipleship consider reading either Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship or Os Guinness’ The Call.