Matthew 14:34-36
And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Tweets, Social media posts, and videos go viral for several different reasons, both good and bad. Some are offensive and some are awe inspiring. Here we see in Matthew that Jesus was recognized by the people at Gennesaret. Their reaction tells us in which way Jesus went viral in ancient times. They may have heard about the two miracles preceding these versus. He fed the 5,000 with 5 loaves and two fish. Then he went for a walk. On water. If it had existed then, these stories would have broken the internet. As it was, people still heard about it far away and recognized him. They also recognized his power to help them and took full advantage of it.
Today, we have all the technology we need to make others recognize Jesus but what will really spread the word is telling people what he has done. When we tell others that Jesus died on a cross for us, that he rose again, that he continues to work today, people will recognize him when he comes to them and they will bring their need of mercy to him. It is time for all the people of this region to recognize Jesus and come to him.
Dear Lord, thank you that the fame of your name is spread far and wide. Help us to tell others what Jesus has done in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.