A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

SAVED       

Matthew 9:23-26 “When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, He said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at Him. After the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region.” (read also Matthew 9:21-22)   

In both verses 21-22 and 23-26 the key word is “saved.” This word, though not translated into English, is found in the Greek in both the raising of the synagogue daughter and the healing of the woman with the flow of blood. The woman with the flow of blood was ceremonially unclean for a continuous twelve years and the young girl who died was unclean due to death. Jesus, “saved” both of them by restoring them back to life, health and ceremonial cleanness.  

Every time you go to God through Jesus in faith confessing your sins and seeking forgiveness, the sins that make you unclean in God’s sight, Jesus removes with His shed blood and restores you back to a right relationship with God. David’s prayer in Psalm 51 becomes your prayer: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (verses 10-12)  The Father put complete faith in Jesus to minister to his daughter. The woman with the flow of blood put complete faith in Jesus to heal her of her decade long illness. In fact, in both instances, they said they knew and believed Jesus had the power and authority to “save” them. In the case of the woman, to stop the flow of blood and the daughter to give her life.  Jesus says to you today, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep . . . whoever enters through Me will be saved . . . I have come that they (my sheep) may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:7-10)  

Prayer: Thank You Jesus! You have saved me through Your life, death, and resurrection. You have given me a life even to all eternity. Amen. 

Christ the life of all the living, Christ, the death of death our foe,  
Who, Thyself for me once giving To the darkest depths of woe;  
Through Thy sufferings, death, and merit I eternal life inherit  
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus unto Thee. 

Thou, ah! Thou, hast taken on Thee Bonds and stripes, a cruel rod;  
Pain and scorn were heaped upon Thee, O Thou sinless Son of God!  
Thus didst Thou my soul deliver From the bonds of sin forever.  
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus unto Thee. 

Thou hast borne the smiting only That my wounds might all be whole;
Thou has suffered, sad and lonely. Rest to give my weary soul;
Yea, the curse of God enduring, Blessing unto me securing.  
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus unto Thee. 

Heartless scoffers did surround Thee, Treating Thee with shameful scorn
 And with piercing thorns they crowned Thee. All disgrace thou, Lord, hast borne.
 That as Thine Thou mightiest own me And with heav’nly glory crown me.
 Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus unto Thee. 

Thou has suffered men to bruise Thee, That from pain I might be free;
Falsely did Thy foes accuse Thee: Thence I gain security;
Comfortless Thy soul did languish Me to comfort in my anguish.  
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus unto Thee. 

Thou has suffered great affliction And hast borne it patiently,  
Even death by crucifixion, Fully to atone for me;  
Thou didst choose to be tormented That my doom should be prevented.
 Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus unto Thee. 

Then, for all that wrought my pardon, For Thy sorrows deep and sore,
For Thine anguish in the Garden, I will thank Thee evermore,
Thank Thee for Thy groaning, sighing, For Thy bleeding and Thy dying,
For that last triumphant cry, And shall praise Thee, Lord, on high.  

Christ, the Life of All the Living // LSB 420