Matthew 8:28-34 – They Sent Jesus Away – Bible study

Matthew 8:28-34 They Sent Jesus Away Get what the Bible says of this city \#34\ – "the WHOLE city came out." That sounds like most everyone. And "they besought him that he would depart." They sent Jesus away. That is an incomprehensible statement to me. Most figure the reason they sent Jesus away was because He had cut into their finances. Never mind the fact that the great miracle-worker of Nazareth had come to their small village. Never mind the fact that two men who had been torment for years were now clothed and in their right minds. Never mind the fact that now their village was a safer place for their children and wives. Never mind the fact that a great miracle had been done and that miracle would indicate something important was happening in their lifetimes. The bottom line was their bottom line and that had been cut into so this Jesus fellow had to go. Believe it or not, this is NOT the only time this kind of thing happened 1. \#Luke 9:51-53\ – A Samaritan village refused to allow Jesus to come because he was just passing through. 2. \#Luke 4:16-30\ Jesus own city physically drug Jesus out of the city and would have thrown Him down a cliff to kill Him. When I came across these passages, several questions came to my mind. 1. Who would send Jesus away? 2. How would they send Jesus away? 3. Why would they send Jesus away? I. Who would send Jesus away? A. The easiest answer is the lost would. Jesus told many parables all with a similar point. 1. One is about a king who invited others to a great feast. Matt 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. a. In this parable, Jesus is describing the lost. b. The feast they have been invited to is not just any feast but the feast of salvation. c. The king who has invited them is not just any king. It is the Lord God almighty. d. However, you dont need to decipher any symbols to understand the peoples response. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. e. Theyre not only not coming, they wanted the King gone! 2. In the preceding chapter (Matthew 21), Jesus told a similar story where the owner of a large house sent his son to the ungrateful and rebellious servants as a last attempt to reconcile with them. Matt 21:38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. a. Again, the owner represents God and the son represents Jesus. b. They not only werent going to come to Gods feast, they wanted His Son GONE! 3. For whatever reason, this lost world-as a whole-has no use for God or His Son. a. What Jesus was telling in parables happened in reality when Jesus was on this earth. b. The world was not content with just rejecting Jesus. c. They wanted to kill Him. d. According to these parables, the motive for them crucifying Jesus was to get Him out of here. e. They were trying to send Jesus away. B. The saved would. 1. I would hope that your first reaction would be, "No, Preacher! I would never send Jesus away." 2. However, Christians do it every day! II. How does one send Jesus away? A. The lost send Jesus away today just like they did when He walked on the earth. 1. They refuse to let come Jesus in. 2. In Bible days, they refused to let Jesus into their village. Today, the lost refuse to let Jesus into their heart. Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. B. The saved also send Jesus away. 1. Jesus has promised us to gather with us when we, as Christians, assemble. Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. a. When we refuse to gather, in essence, what we are saying to God is, "I dont need you. Dont bother coming to see me." b. If one of my children says, "Ill meet you at such and such place at such and such time," and I miss that meeting, not just once or twice, but 2 or 3 times a week for a several months, I believe my children would get the idea that I dont want to be with them. 2. Remember, going to church is not about listening to a preacher or getting entertained. It is about going to worship Jesus! 3. Please, dont send Jesus away by not being at His house. C. But we also send Jesus away by offending His Other. 1. Jesus told His disciples that He was leaving but that He would send "another Comforter." John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 2. He also told us that the other Comforter would be the Holy Ghost. John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 3. So, how we treat the Holy Ghost is how we are treating Jesus. 4. The Bible warns us that we can treat the Holy Ghost very badly. a. The Bible describes four sins that can be committed against the Holy Ghost (although there are likely others.) (1) We can rebel against the Holy Ghost. Isaiah 63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. (2) We can resist the Holy Ghost. Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. (3) We can blaspheme the Holy Ghost. (That is probably a lost persons sin.) Matthew 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. (4) We can lie to the Holy Ghost. Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? b. The Bible also describes two effects our bad behavior can have on the Holy Ghost (although I feel certain that there are others.) (1) We can grieve the Holy Ghost. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (2) We can quench the Holy Ghost. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit. 5. How many of these sins can we commit against the Holy Ghost and the Son before they get the message behind our actions? a. How many times can the Holy Spirit speak to us about something and we ignore Him, or make up excuses for not doing, or put something else ahead of Him before we grieve Him to the place of leaving? b. How many times can God start doing a work and we sit still, sit silent, sit sullen, sit in a spiritual stupor, quenching the mighty moving of His Spirit before God just packs up and leaves? 6. Even the wife of the reprobate priest, Phinehas understood enough to know when Gods presence had left His people! 1Sam 4:20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. 21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. 22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken. (1) As she bore Phinehas son, she named him, Ichabod, which means NO GLORY and she said, "The glory is departed from Israel." (2) God had left Israel! Why? Because the people had sent Him away! 7. Friend, do not reject the work of the Holy Spirit of God and be self-deceived. a. Some are saying just as surely as the village by the Sea of Galilee, "Depart! Depart! Depart!" b. Christians are always bemoaning the condition of this world, but when we have opportunity get near to God we can often be heard telling God, "Go away and leave me alone." c. If you want God (1) to save you and change your life (2) to save a family member (3) to heal a sickness (4) to keep your family together (5) to revive your heart (6) to save this nation (7) THEN COME TO HIM! III. Why would anyone send God away? I can only think of three reasons. A. Some send Him away because they do not believe in Him. 1. This would primarily be the lost. 2. I suppose a saved person could be bitter at God over something where he felt God had wronged him and no longer believe in Gods goodness, mercy, or willingness to answer prayer; but mostly, it would the the unsaved person who did not believe. 3. If you are a God doubter, that is your God-given right; but be sure that is the way you want things for you will surely live with that decision forever. B. Some send Him away because they will not yield to Him. 1. Another of the parables like the ones I mentioned at the opening of this message has a telltale line in it. Luke 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 2. Both lost people and extremely backslidden saved people desire to control their own affairs. 3. In almost identical behavior, both groups would just as soon Jesus be out of their village so they can be free to do as they please. 4. The best I can say to you right now is YOU ARE MAKING A HUGH MISTAKE. (a) But youre probably going to have to find it out for yourself. (b) I hope you do before its too late. C. Some send Him away because they will not love Him. 1. Christians, if you too busy to put God first in your life, then you love something else more than Him. 2. Anyone or anything you love more than God is a false god and you are challenging God to remove it out of your life.