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Daily Devotions

Matthew

Matthew 
Day 
Day 226

Summaries of Ministry

Text: Matthew 15 : 21 - 39

From time to time, Matthew would pause and make what we may call little “summaries of ministry.” He used summaries to do a number of things.

1. To give a general view of the ministry of Jesus

This explains the text found in Matthew 4, where the first summary statement was found.

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds
of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went
throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who
were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those
who were demon-possessed, epileptics and paralytics;
and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him –
from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea
and beyond the Jordan.”
MATTHEW 4:23-25

The ministries of Jesus were highlighted in this summary.

a) Ministry of Teaching

The ministry of teaching featured prominently. Jesus lovingly taught the Word of God.

b) Ministry of Preaching

Many were drawn to Jesus through His preaching of the Kingdom. Many had never heard such gracious words before! They had never heard better preaching in their life!

c) Ministry of Healing

What drew people was the fact that Jesus was able to match power with words! Many were astonished by the display of power in Jesus’ ministry! Thus His fame spread!

2. To give a glimpse of the heart of Jesus as He ministered to the multitudes

This explains the text found in Matthew 9, where the second summary statement may be found.

“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of
the kingdom and healing every sickness
and every disease among the people.
But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion
for them, because they were weary and scattered,
like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples,
‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few.
Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out
labourers into His harvest.”
MATTHEW 9:35-38

The following truths were highlighted:-

a) The Teaching and Healing ministries of Jesus

The needs of the people were many! Everywhere Jesus went, He seized every opportunity to teach the Word of God.

b) The compassion of Jesus

The needs of the masses moved the heart of Jesus. How they needed shepherding, not just healing! The multitudes did not understand their own needs.

c) The need for more labourers to enter into the ministry

How Jesus longed for more to yield themselves to serve as labourers in the harvest field. But the Father would hear only insofar as people prayed earnestly for labourers to be sent forth!

3. To offer a review of Jesus’ life and ministry

This explains why we have the third summary statement in Matthew 15.

“Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee,
and went up on the mountain and sat down there.
Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them
the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others;
and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.
So the multitudes marveled when they saw the mute speaking,
the maimed made whole, the lame walking,
and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”
MATTHEW 15:29-31

The following things may be noted:-

a) There is no reference to the preaching or teaching of Jesus in the third summary

This does not mean that Jesus did not preach and teach at all. Matthew is merely noting that the multitudes kept pressing to see Him about their illnesses.

b) The healing ministry consumed much of Jesus’ time

This was what Jesus was most concerned about. He would have preferred a ministry where He spent most of the time teaching rather than healing.

c) People glorified God as they saw the mighty miracles of Jesus

Mercifully, some did understand and appreciate that God was doing mighty works through Jesus! However, this does not represent any great depth of thought or faith. This was small comfort for there were deeper issues that mattered!