Matthew 7:24-29
The Wise and Foolish Builders
“So then, everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man. He builds his house on the rock. The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. But it does not fall. It is built on the rock. But everyone who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man. He builds his house on sand. The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. And it falls with a loud crash.”
Jesus finished saying all these things. The crowds were amazed at his teaching. That’s because he taught like one who had authority. He did not speak like their teachers of the law.
Matthew 8:1-22
Jesus Heals a Man Who Had a Skin Disease
Jesus came down from the mountainside. Large crowds followed him. A man who had a skin disease came and got down on his knees in front of Jesus. He said, “Lord, if you are willing to make me ‘clean,’ you can do it.”
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing to do it,” he said. “Be ‘clean’!” Right away the man was healed of his skin disease. Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone. Go and show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift Moses commanded. It will be a witness to everyone.”
A Roman Commander Has Faith
When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman commander came to him. He asked Jesus for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home and can’t move. He is suffering terribly.”
Jesus said, “Shall I come and heal him?”
The commander replied, “Lord, I am not good enough to have you come into my house. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. I myself am a man under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those following him, “What I’m about to tell you is true. In Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west. They will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of heaven. They will sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But those who think they belong in the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness. There they will weep and grind their teeth.”
Then Jesus said to the Roman commander, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
Jesus Heals Many People
When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law. She was lying in bed. She had a fever. Jesus touched her hand, and the fever left her. She got up and began to serve him.
When evening came, many people controlled by demons were brought to Jesus. He drove out the spirits with a word. He healed all who were sick. This happened so that what Isaiah the prophet had said would come true. He had said,
“He suffered the things we should have suffered.
He took on himself the sicknesses that should have been ours.” (Isaiah 53:4)
The Cost of Following Jesus
Jesus saw the crowd around him. So he gave his disciples orders to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Then a teacher of the law came to him. He said, “Teacher, I will follow you no matter where you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens. Birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Another follower said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
But Jesus told him, “Follow me. Let the dead bury their own dead.”
