Back to the Bible: Matthew 8:14-22

Peter’s mother-in-law had a fever. Jesus healed her and she got up and began to serve. In the evening, crowds flocked to Him. He healed them of their sicknesses and cast out demons. This fulfilled a passage from Isaiah 53.

As the crowd gathered, Jesus prepared to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. One man, a scribe, said he wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus told him to count the cost. He didn’t have a home.

Jesus called one to follow Him, but the man wanted to bury his father first. Some good Bible students have concluded that this man’s father had not passed yet (because a burial would have quickly followed his death), but the son didn’t want to abandon his father. Jesus said that other people, the (spiritually) dead could handle the dead (physically). There was more important work that needed to be done.

Lessons to Learn:
See the nature of Jesus’ miracles. Notice that Jesus’ miracle occurred immediately and did not require any kind of recovery time or therapy. Peter’s mother-in-law’s fever broke and she was immediately ready for service. That is the nature of Biblical miracles.

Jesus was able to take care of the full range of issues– medical and spiritual. This continued to certify His power.

Further, His miracles were a fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament. They also served as a preview of the more significant way in which He would bear our problems and issues. He would provide for the healing of our sin by providing forgiveness. Jesus bearing our sins was the way that promise was understood later (for example, I Pet. 2:24).

Count the cost of following Jesus. Notice that Jesus did not want this man to follow Him without knowing what it would mean. To follow Jesus means that we will sacrifice whatever is necessary in order to do His will. Jesus does not want to discourage us from following Him, but He does want us to be ready to be faithful wherever He leads.

Don’t let anything stand in the way of following Jesus. Jesus wants us to know the cost and to know that there is nothing that should hold us back. Following Jesus may cost someone a close relationship, even a family connection. Following Jesus would certainly merit such a sacrifice.

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