(Matthew 9:32-34) As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. 33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
#1 They brought to him a dumb man…
We typically look to the lame man that was lowered through the roof by four men when we want to speak about the faith of others and it’s bearing on that one lame man’s forgiveness and healing. Jesus saw their faith and helped the lame man. We use this to encourage the church to bring them in. So I just want to point out that this man also was brought to Jesus.
Bring them in, bring them in,
Bring them in from the fields of sin;
Bring them in, bring them in,
Bring the wand’ring ones to Jesus.
(Luke 4:40) Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. There is the lame man brought by the four. This dumb man that was brought to Jesus. The nobleman wanted to bring Jesus to his son. The man with devil in the synagogue said Let us alone. Jesus was brought to Peter’s mother-in-law. The centurion at first besought Jesus to come and heal. The man in the synagogue with a withered hand was not looking for Jesus to be healed. He was healed to teach the Pharisees a lesson. Jesus was moved in compassion by the widow’s tears and raised her dead son from the dead. Jesus made a special visit to Gadara just to cast out Legion. Jairus begged Jesus to come to his house and heal his daughter. I’ve covered about half of Jesus’ miracles and in most of them, it was not the sick seeking the physician. It was either somebody that loved them or Jesus himself. This is the reality of evangelism.
#2 A dumb man possessed with a devil…
One day I want to preach a message on Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due. We need to give God the credit where credit is due. We need to give the flesh credit where credit is due. And I see this verse and think that we need to give devils credit where credit is due. I wonder how man ailments that people have are truly devil possession. We send them to the hospital when they really need to go to church. A doctor will do them no good. They need Jesus. When Paul was speaking about examining ourselves before the Lord’s Supper he said this, (1 Corinthians 11:29-30) For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. I know this verse doesn’t deal with devil possession, but it does illustrate some things; that some physical problems are just truly not physical, but spiritual. Most people would probably throw a fit if you suggested to them that their diabetes or their high-blood pressure was really devils. But I can see the wisdom in the enemy’s strategy; to exploit the weaknesses and infirmities of man. Why not? Doctor’s do it shamelessly. Anyhow, it’s something to consider.
#3 When the devil was cast out…
The dumb man spake and the multitudes marveled. Things happen when Jesus saves sinners. Things happen to the sinner and things happen to the spectator. When a sinner gets saved, it has an effect on the people around them. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. People notice new things. If you show up to work or church with a brand new King Ranch F350 Duelly, people are going to marvel. I would. What’s new about you? (Luke 7:22) The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. Has what God done in your life make the multitude marvel? Why wouldn’t it. Is not Jesus marvelous? Is not his love and mercy marvelous? Don’t sell Jesus short. Maybe you just need to speak up.
# But the Pharisees said…
Who cares what the Pharisees said! The Pharisee is the nay-saying, self-righteous critic that has nothing good to say about anybody. Their words don’t help, they hurt. When they speak, they put everybody else down in order to lift themselves up. The Pharisee is not the preacher who preaches against sin and, in love, reproves, rebukes, and exhorts with all long-suffering and doctrine. No. That man is trying to help you. The Pharisee is the one that will speak ill of this man every chance he gets. The Pharisee is the straw-man basher. The Pharisee will twist and turn the work of God into the work of the devil. The Pharisee has always got to mischaracterize the people of God for their own gain. They’re know-it-alls; ever-teaching, never learning. A Pharisee is a well without water. He’s the king without clothes. They’ll criticize those who stand for something and glory in their stand for nothing. Who cares what the Pharisee said?