lessons from matthew 7&8
Matthew 7 reveals the person of Jesus and the message He came to bring. He came into the world to save sinners, yet many rejected Him. The message of Jesus is a call to repentance and entrance into another Kingdom – the Kingdom of Heaven.
When I was imprisoned in Czechoslovakia for Bible smuggling, after four months of interrogation, they brought a man into my cell who spoke seven languages. He had originally been imprisoned simply for possessing a gift – a book about the Royal Family. After serving two years, as he was leaving prison, he was rearrested because his former cellmates had falsely accused him of a crime. Through his experience, I was warned of what could happen to me.
But God had a purpose. I led this man to the Lord, and before my trial he quoted the words of Jesus:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7.)
During my trial, the Holy Spirit gave me the words to speak, and I was able to answer their accusations. Yet I was still sentenced for sedition because they claimed that the Bible attacked the state. The truth was that the message of Jesus was proclaiming a different Kingdom – and that is the message we must preach today.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9-11.)
The Bible tells us that we are all sinners: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We need to repent. Sadly, many churches today teach that people are naturally good, but that is not the message of Scripture. Jesus began His ministry with the words:
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17.)
Jesus warned us about false prophets:
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” (Matthew 7:15.)
We must enter through the narrow gate, because only those who truly seek the Kingdom of God will find it.
Jesus also taught about the importance of a firm foundation:
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24.)
I have built my life upon the Rock, which is Jesus Christ. I do not follow personalities or preachers; my desire is to know Christ. When I have faced the storms of life – through imprisonment and cancer – I have called upon God.
When I had throat cancer, I prayed, “If You want me to leave everything and become a full-time missionary and evangelist, I need a miracle!” That night, God healed me. I left behind my pastor’s salary and devoted myself fully to smuggling Bibles into Communist Europe. Later, by faith, I built the house where I still live today.
At that time, seven houses were built along the same hillside road. Of those seven, mine is the only one that has not suffered from subsidence. Why? Because it was built on solid foundations.
It is the same with our lives. We must build upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ. When the storms come – and they will come – those who are built upon Him will not be shaken. But those who build on anything else will eventually fall.
Jesus is the only foundation that will stand.
In Matthew 8, we see the compassion and authority of Jesus revealed.
“When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.” (Matthew 8:1-3.)
This man came to Jesus in faith, recognising both His power and His willingness. Jesus did not turn away from him; He reached out, touched him, and healed him. Then Jesus instructed him:
“See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (Matthew 8:4.)
This man was required to give a public testimony of what God had done in his life. His changed condition was evidence of the power of Jesus. It is the same for us today. When we come to Christ, our lives must be transformed. Our salvation is not just something we speak about – it must be demonstrated through our lives as a witness of what God has done.
Then we see the faith of the Roman centurion. He came to Jesus on behalf of his servant and said:
“Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (Matthew 8:8.)
The centurion understood the authority of Jesus. He knew that Jesus did not need to be physically present; His word alone was enough. When Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said:
“Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” (Matthew 8:10.)
The question for each one of us is: in whom is your faith?
It is not following famous preachers that saves you. It is not belonging to a particular church or denomination. Only faith in Jesus Christ brings salvation. Like the leper and the centurion, we must come to Jesus, trust His word, and allow His power to transform our lives.