Access Granted
Website Editor • July 22, 2020
From Pastor Ky Martin's message on Matthew 8:1-17:
After Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, the crowds were ASTONISHED at his teaching — he was teaching as one who had *authority* and not as a scribe. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Matthew 8 shows Jesus using this authority to not only HEAL people but to give them ACCESS to God! The first three examples Matthew gives are accounts of the leper, a centurion, and Peter's mother-in-law:
The Leper
In Jesus’ day, the most despised and rejected people were those with leprosy. People with this infection were deemed unclean and untouchable. They were cast out of their homes and families to live in isolation.
In Matthew 8:2, a leper approaches Jesus KNOWING that He alone had the power to cure his incurable affliction.
Jesus, in response, stretched out His hand and *touched* the unclean man. Immediately, the leper was healed.
In touching the man, Jesus broke the Law of Moses (Lev. 13:45-46) — a taboo of taboos — but, instead of becoming unclean Himself, He took the man’s disease: abolished it, and released it. He healed the man and gave him (...an outcast among outcasts!) access to God Himself.
Jesus shows us that there’s no person beyond the reach of our God. He touches the untouchables; He heals the unhealables; He loves the unloveables.
The Centurion
The next appeal for miraculous help comes from a centurion, a Gentile. Matthew tells the story in a way which emphasizes the significance of an approach to a Jewish Messiah from a non-Jew.
The centurion comes to Jesus seeking healing for a servant lying paralyzed at his home. Jesus offered to come and heal the man, but the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed.”
Jesus MARVELED at this man’s faith and said, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you many will come from east and west recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”
The picture Jesus paints is one of Jews and Gentiles united together under His reign. ALL are welcome at this table.
Peter's Mother-In-Law
The account of Peter’s mother-in-law stands in contrast to that of the leper and the centurion, because of it’s simple-ness. It is simply the story of Jesus meeting with illness and responding with immediate healing power.
In this account, no one pleas for healing. Jesus simply sees her and goes to her.
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Through all of these examples, we see Jesus giving people access to Himself (God) in ways that wouldn't have been possible without Him.
From Moses' Tabernacle to Soloman's Temple, the only way for a person to come near God was to enter the "Holy of Holies". According to Jewish Law, only a high priest could enter this most sacred place, and only once a year at that. Surrounding the Holy of Holies were different levels of access at the temple in which your race, social status, and gender determined how close you could come to the most holy place.
In sharing the accounts of the leper (who wouldn't have been allowed anywhere near the temple), the centurion (who could have only entered the temple court), and Peter's mother-in-law (whose gender who have prohibited her from nearness to the Holy of Holies)
-- Jesus breaks this old covenant system and gives us something better.
Instead of having to go to the temple to be near to God, Jesus literally shows up at a woman's bedside. He met her where she was, just as He meets us where we are.
Jesus shows us that there’s no person beyond the reach of our God.
He touches the untouchables; He heals the unhealables; He loves the unloveables.
In coming to earth and dying for us on the cross, Jesus made a way for us ALL to have access to Him. That access -- nearness to Him -- is so much greater than any miracle or any healing we can imagine.
Want access? He already did the work. All you have to do is have faith, like the centurion, and believe.
Watch this sermon, here.
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….
