Title: People of Gennesaret / Matthew 14:34-36
Contents Matthew 14 records four events.
The first (1-12) tells the story of John the Baptist being martyred at the hands of King Herod. King Herod married the daughter of King Areda of the Arabian Kingdom at that time, but by marrying a woman named Herodias, his wife fled to his parents' house, and King Areda, who was angry about it, attacked him, and Herod lost the war. The historian Josephus said that this was God's punishment for the sin of abandoning his wife and killing John the Baptist.
The second is the story of feeding 5,000 people with five barley loaves and two fish (14:13-21). If you look at the magic performed by magicians, there are many strange and surprising tricks. But they're mostly a gimmick. However, the incident of feeding 5,000 people with 5 bottles and 2 fish was the emergency providence of the Almighty Creator.
In 2 Kings 3, there is a miracle of water overflowing in the dry valley of Edom. It was a miracle that God performed after hearing the prayer of Elisha the prophet. However, in 2 Kings 3:18, referring to the miraculous event, it is said, “This is rather small in the sight of the Lord.” That's right. From our point of view, the events of the parting of the Red Sea, the parting of the Jordan River, and the calming of the storm in the Sea of Galilee seem like great miracles, but in the eyes of God they are only very small events. It is the same with feeding 5,000 people with 5 bottles and 2 fish and harvesting 12 baskets. Compared to the incident of creating the heavens and the earth with the word, the incident of five diseases is only a small matter.
It is the third incident of walking on the sea. (14:22-33)
In this case too, the question or doubt about how one can walk on the sea is foolish. To walk on water created by God, who created the heavens, the earth, and the sea with his word, is only a very small and small thing. In 14:33, those who watched him walk on the water said, "Truly, you are the Son of God!" They were amazed at the transcendent and supernatural power of God.
The fourth case of healing the sick in Gennesaret (14:34-36)
Gennesaret was a plain located to the northwest of the Sea of Galilee, and because the land was fertile, many people lived there. To the north of Gennesaret were Capernaum and to the south were Tiberias. The text explains the actions of the Gennesaretes and the grace they received.
1. I recognized Jesus.
Verse 35 says, “They knew that it was Jesus.” There is a difference between science and faith. Science is about knowing and then believing. Science is about experimenting, researching, testing and arguing, and then accepting, accepting, and believing the results. But faith is knowing only by believing. If you believe in God, you will see the creation of heaven and earth, miracles, and heaven. But if you do not believe, you will see nothing. So, the world of science is the world of knowing and then believing, and the world of faith is the world of believing and then knowing. The people of Gennesaret had already heard about the works and miracles of Jesus. And he knew who Jesus was and what he did. In other words, he did not simply know, but knew the power and deeds of Jesus.
Knowledge has great power. But inaccurate and uncertain knowledge is the cause of great tragedy and the seed of unhappiness. The librarian at the University of Edinburgh in England was sorting out used books to display the new books. While sorting out books in the natural sciences, I asked my professor to make a list of books that I no longer need or need to be organized. The professor's answer was, "Books that have been out for 10 years must be pulled out and put in the warehouse." This means that old or incomplete knowledge is already of no value as knowledge. So what is the right knowledge? What kind of knowledge is useful and correct?
We must find the answer in the Bible. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” The greatest knowledge is knowing and serving God. Even a person who has won a Nobel Prize, received the title of world-class scholar, and received dozens of doctoral degrees is spiritually ignorant if he does not know and serve God. And it is a person who does not know the root of knowledge. However, if even a first-year elementary school student who barely reads the Bible knows and believes in God, he is a person who has mastered the fundamentals of great knowledge. In that sense, the Gennesaretes are great people.
Applicants came to the seminary, which boasts a prestigious reputation. The principal asked him. “How did you come to apply for our seminary?” "I applied to acquire knowledge of modern theology by studying excellent theology under the famous professors of this school." But the principal told him. "If you wish to attend our seminary, please come to the school by 9 o'clock tomorrow morning. And stand at the front door and say hello to everyone who enters and leaves..." The next day he bowed and bowed. However, the principal told him, "Come back to school tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. And clean the shoes of everyone who enters the front door." Upon hearing this, the applicant protested to the principal. "I'm not here to polish my shoes. I'm here to learn theological knowledge." Then the principal said, "These two are our school's entrance exams. We
To be a school student, you need to be humble and learn to serve everyone. You passed one subject but failed the other. Please go home.” The church is not just a place to go for religious knowledge or Bible knowledge. It is to learn the Bible and study theology to know and believe in Jesus.
2. All the sick people were brought to Jesus.
Noticed means "Apostello". Apostello means "to send messengers to bring news". That is, the people of Gennesaret informed their neighbors and townspeople that Jesus had come one by one. There are two ways we can make Jesus known to our neighbors, friends and neighbors. One is by word of mouth and the other by life. I have to say with my mouth that the Lord is in my heart, that Jesus is my Lord. Romans 10:10 says, "With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made, resulting in salvation." But more importantly, it is what I convey with my life. The world sees us and sees Jesus. By looking at us, we come to know who Jesus is and why we should believe in Him. When I become a little Jesus who resembles Jesus in the field of life, Jesus is preached to my neighbors and friends.
More importantly, it does not end with announcing Jesus, but "all the sick have been brought to Jesus." The person who recommends purchasing insurance is called a solicitor. It is said that 50 people a week are encouraged to purchase insurance over the phone and are introduced to insurance. However, only about 15 people are connected by phone, and 1-2 out of 15 people are said to be insured. If it's one person a week, that's 52 people a year. Let's apply this calculation to evangelism.
Insurance recommendations are for a comfortable life in old age or in the future. However, evangelism is to encourage the way to live forever. And it is recommending how to go to heaven without going to hell. Should I do that evangelism? Should I not? Billy Sunday in America is a famous tract. He said, "No one is as foolish as he who does not believe in Hell. It is not like putting out a burning fire, but rather locking the door and waiting for it to burn in a room."
Someone was talking to the skeletons in a dream. I asked the bare skeletons. “Where is the soul that stayed in you now?” “You are falling into hell because you did not believe in Jesus and worshiped idols.” I asked again. “Is there any soul that has fallen into a deeper hell?” “Yes. Betrayed Jesus and was crucified. The slain Jews are groaning in the depths of Hellfire, and I asked again, "Is there any soul in Hellfire that is deeper than the Jews?""Of course. The souls of Christians who know Jesus and know salvation, but do not value it and live their lives as they please, are screaming in the pit of fire at the bottom of hell." This is a big story.
The Gennesarets brought the sick and the poor to Jesus. Let's make Jesus known and bring people to Jesus.
3. Everyone who touched it was healed.
Verse 36 says, “But everyone who touches the edge of Jesus’ robe will be healed.” In us, we discover the power of the Lord to heal if we touch the edge of our clothes, and the belief of the Gennesaretes that if we touch the edge of our clothes, we will be healed. “You will be healed” means “completely saved.” Their belief that just touching the hem of Jesus' robe would be healed not only healed the sick, but also saved the soul.
John 11:25-26 says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
What matters is what the answer is. If you answer, "Yes, Amen, I believe," you will live forever and live again. But if he answered, "Well, it can't be," he would live for a short time and die forever. "A fool or a dead man never bends or changes his opinion," said Touel, in April 1912, when the Titanic, which left New York Harbor, collided with an iceberg south of Newfordland. Ignoring warnings about icebergs was due to the arrogance of humans in their belief in the size of ships and the omnipotence of science. 1500 people were killed in the accident. After the incident, an American newspaper published two photos. One was a picture of a wrecked ship sinking. Under the picture was written "The weakness of man, the greatness of nature." Another photo showed passengers yielding seats on a rescue boat to a mother holding her baby. Under the picture was written "Nature's weakness, human greatness."
The people of Gennesaret met the Lord who healed people who were falling, people who were falling, and people who were sick and groaning while sitting down. And he touched the edge of the garment and was healed. "He who touches it will be healed"
I pray that these words will become words of blessing for you today. I pray that you will receive the grace of being healed, healed, and saved. Amen