Matthew 15:29-31: "Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel."

Who are the "many others" that Jesus healed on the mountainside that day. The great crowds that gathered near the Sea of Galilee represented far more than just the lame, blind, crippled and mute. These were obvious afflictions and needs that were visible to everyone present. It’s the “many others” that are mysterious in nature because their afflictions and needs are not visible enough to name. Yet, they gathered at the feet of Jesus to receive healing. This past Sunday in our worship service we read a few examples of what we thought the “many others” could represent.

The Others List

- The broken, the weak, the prostitute, the tax collector, the tempted, the dangerous and violent, the abuser, the liar, the untrustworthy, the thief, the evil and vile, the hater, the insolent and arrogant, the haughty and proud, the unfaithful, the adulterer, the murderer, the tempted, the failure, those trusting in riches and the incredibly poor, the hungry and thirsty, the unjust, the damned and the hopeless, the shameful, the shameless, the unfeeling and cold, the angry, the bitter, the depressed, the shifty and irritating, the drunk, the high, the totally wasted and staggering, the dead-beat dad, the absentee mother, the religious, the sleepers, lovers of money and pleasure, the barren and weeping, the overwhelmed and fearful, the overconfident and foolish, the homosexual and sexually defiled and abused, the lustful and the loose, the self-destructive, the self-centered, the self-reliant and self-condemning, the restless, the fist shakers, finger pointers and accusers, those in pain, those in doubt, the desperate, the insecure, the manipulators, the lonely and those who hide behind a mask. -

During his life and ministry, Jesus Christ healed many needy people. Jesus said in Luke 5:31, 32 - “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Being on the “Others List” is a reminder of what Ephesians 2 tells us, that we were once dead in our sins, following the course of this world and by nature were children of God’s wrath but because of God’s mercy and great love, we are saved by Grace. We need to be reminded often of the saving grace of God by remembering the time we were laid at the feet of Jesus in desperate need of healing. What things would you add to the others list? Maybe it’s a healing that God has done in your life or in the life of someone you know. What has God rescued you from? Make a list and thank God extravagantly for his kindness and grace.

- Phil