29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. 31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Hurting humanity constantly sought the Healer for healing. The signs of Christ’s power and of His goodness were neither scarce nor scanty – they still are not. In our verses for today we discover our Lord sitting on a mountainside so that He was both visible and accessible to all – so like Jesus. Christ received all kinds of people – the poor as well as the rich, the ordinary as well as the opulent, those in bondage physically as well as those in bondage emotionally and spiritually – the souls of the lowly, the outcast, the “undesirables” being as precious to Him as the souls of the highest and greatest in the social strata. We are all the same at the foot of the cross are we not? It was as if Jesus settled in to do His gracious and good works. Isaiah tells us:
18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)
“Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed, finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest.” Frances Havergal
We also discover in our passage for today the sick coming forth seeking Him like flies to honey. People were continually bringing their infirmed relatives and friends and laying them at Jesus’ feet as objects of pity for His healing touch. Their illnesses spoke for them much more eloquently and clearly than mere words could have ever accomplish. Certainly, the only way to find peace and relief to all problems plaguing humanity is to lay them at Christ’s feet. The physically sick being normally more eager to seek His healing than those trapped in spiritual diseases – those in bondage to sin and death. Now, just as then, the Lord Jesus eagerly desires to heal all.
2 When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you? Isaiah 50:2 (NIV)
Yet we all desire wholeness – peace like the river and righteousness like the waves of the sea. If we are honest with ourselves we will agree that our dreaded rebellious streak – our persistence in going our own ways – paths which are against God and His ways have caused us much harm and futility. Yet He holds out His arms to us ever wooing and drawing us back.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30 (NIV)
“There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God.” Frederick William Faber
17 This is what the LORD says--your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” Isaiah 48:17 (NIV)
Faith comes in believing what God says is true – that He has our best interest at heart and that His ways work out to our advantage in the end – not that they will be easy or painless but they will be for our best. He always has our best interest at heart. We can trust Him. Similar to these physically sick people who were clamoring for His touch – obviously they believed He could and would help them. The scene described today is very reminiscent of the one described just prior to the Sermon on the Mount. Earlier in Matthew we are told:
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Matt 4:23-24 (NIV)
The work of our Savior was not limited to His merely preaching the Truth. His miraculous deeds pointed to the fact that He was Who He claimed to be – His Words authenticated by His actions. Indeed, Jesus came teaching, preaching and healing:
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. Matt 9:35 (NIV)
“His love in times past forbids me to think, He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink.” John Newton
"And they praised the God of Israel."