In this sermon, Pastor Tony delves into Matthew 8:28–34, exploring the themes of “Opened Doors and Closed Hearts.” Listen as he unpacks Christ’s encounter with the demon-possessed men in the region of the Gadarenes.

In this sermon, Pastor Tony delves into Matthew 8:23–27, where Jesus calms the storm. Join us as we explore, our need for rescue, our help, and our response.

Why does Jesus actively discourage would-be followers? Two encounters give Jesus the opportunity to bring clarity. Following him is costly. Join us as we consider the humility, the rejection, and the paradox of following Jesus. He is at once both the suffering servant of Isaiah and the Son of Man of Daniel 7. What will you do with the challenge he lays before you?

What if Jesus doesn’t heal me? As Matthew continues to narrate Jesus’ healing ministry we see him again heal by touch and by word, yet Matthew peels back the curtain and sets it in the context of Jesus’ larger mission. As he does so we find that Jesus everywhere transcends what we expect, so that even when he does not deliver us from this light and momentary affliction, he nevertheless prepares for us an eternal weight of glory!

How does the centurion’s faith relate to the promise to Abraham? How does Jesus use it to challenge a presuming crowd? And how do we see Jesus’ power on display in this encounter? Join us as we consider the second in a series of healing miracles that follow the Sermon on the Mount, and search your hearts in light of Jesus’ words in this passage.

How does an encounter between Jesus and a leper portray for us the wonder of the gospel? Join us as we examine this brief encounter that displays the depths of ruin and sin, the breadth of Jesus’ love, and the heights of the gospel’s power! And whenever you find yourself doubting the extent of Christ’s love for you, knowing he is able but doubting whether he is willing, return to this passage!

What becomes of those who do not heed Jesus’ teaching? As Jesus wraps up the Sermon on the Mount he turns to his hearers and presses home the urgency of his teaching and the danger of being entertained by Jesus’ words and yet holding his demands at arms’ length. Four illustrations drive home the importance of heeding Jesus’ words and not merely hearing them. Let us not be like the crowds who are astonished at one moment and cry out “Crucify him!” the next.

How do I love my neighbor as myself? Just as Jesus leaned into our love for God, so now he turns to press us with regard to our love of neighbor. As he begins to draw the Sermon on the Mount to a close he reveals the hypocrisy of a condemning spirit, the necessity of discernment, the help the Father is ready to provide, and a handy rule of thumb to help guide our interactions with one another. Misunderstandings multiply when we consider parts of this passage in isolation; let us give attention to the flow of Jesus’ thought.

How does Jesus help calm our worries? Like a tender shepherd Jesus knows his sheep, and he knows his preceding words about worldly wealth may exacerbate our anxiety. Join us as we see him remind us of the fullness of our life, our value in our Father’s eyes, and the futility of our anxiety to give us anything of value. Drawing on his words in this and earlier paragraphs we also consider the practical means he provides us to combat the worry and anxiety that beset us. May God increase our faith!