CREDENTIALS OF THE KING - part 2

                Matthew 9

REJECTED BY THE GADARENES
THE LORD RETURNED TO "HIS OWN TOWN!"
CAPERNAUM WAS A COASTAL PORT
WHERE OFTEN JESUS WOULD RESORT.

WHILE TEACHING IN A CROWDED HOME
A PARALYTIC BORNE BY FOUR
WAS BROUGHT TO JESUS TO BE HEALED
WITHOUT THEIR HELP HIS FATE WAS SEALED.

THEY TORE THE ROOF TO LET HIM DOWN
SO WHEN CHRIST SAW THEIR EARNEST FAITH
HE SPOKE THE WORD AND HEALING CAME
FORGIVEN HE ROSE IN YAHWEH'S NAME.

A GRIEVING FATHER THEN APPEARED
AND ASKED THE LORD IF HE WOULD COME
AND TOUCH HIS DAUGHTER'S LIFELESS BROW
SO SHE COULD LIVE AGAIN RIGHT NOW.

ALONG THE PATHWAY TO HIS HOME
A WOMAN WHO FOR TWELVE LONG YEARS
HAD HEMORRHAGED WITH NO DOCTOR'S CURE
WAS THEN AND THERE TOUCHED AND MADE PURE.

WHEN JAIRUS FINALLY GOT HIM HOME
HIS TWELVE YEAR OLD LAY GAUNT AND COLD
AT HIS COMMAND SHE BREATHED NEW AIR
AND ALL REJOICED AND PRAISED GOD THERE.

TWO BLIND MEN LATER CRIED ALOUD
"PLEASE, SON OF DAVID, TOUCH OUR EYES!"
THE MASTER'S TOUCH MADE THEM TO SEE
SO FROM THEIR BLINDNESS THEY WERE FREE.

THEN IN THE VALLEY OF DESPAIR
A DEAF AND DUMB DEMONIAC
WAS HEALED WHEN JESUS CAST IT OUT
AS HE PRAISED GOD WITH ONE LOUD SHOUT.

THE KING HAD SHOWN HIS RIGHT TO RULE
THROUGH SIGNS AND WONDERS ON DISPLAY
BUT ONLY MATTHEW AND A FEW
WOULD FOLLOW CHRIST WITH LIFE ANEW.

THE SHADOW OF A CROSS SOON FORMED
WITH JOHN THE BAPTIST PUT IN JAIL
AND PHARISEES NOW MAKING CLAIM
CHRIST'S SIGNS WERE DONE IN SATAN'S NAME.

A DISPENSATION NEW AND FRESH
AS SEEN IN HIM THE WORD MADE FLESH
FULFILLS THE PROMISE HE FORETOLD
NEW WINE REPLACING WHAT IS OLD.

THE WHITE NEW ROBES THE GOSPEL BRINGS
THAT BIDS US FLY AND GIVES US WINGS
IS GRACE APART FROM WORKS OF LAW
AS GOD'S FREE GIFT TO ONE AND ALL.
--.B. Pent