Jesus our Healer, The Gospel Truth, 22 March 2015
22 03 15 Filed in: Sermons | The Gospel Truth
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Healer. He created us and is able to recreate us.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “healer?”
I usually think about the miraculous physical healings Jesus performed. Here are a few mentioned by Matthew:
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. (Matthew 4:23-24)
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (Matthew 9:35)
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. (Matthew 12:15)
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14)
Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. (Matthew 15:30)
Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. (Matthew 19:2)
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. (Matthew 21:14)
These are just the general mentions of healing from Matthew. They don’t include any of the specific encounters Jesus had with the sick, blind, lame…or even dead!
Jesus healed. That’s clear to everyone…except those who disbelieve miracles and the Bible!
But our topic today is Jesus our Healer. Does God still heal today? Does He only do it on TV with wild preachers and people falling down? Why don’t we go to U-M and St. Joe’s hospitals and close them down through prayers of healing?
In The Beginning
In the beginning…God created…and it was good. Sure, it wasn’t good for man to be alone, but God remedied that and therefore Adam and Eve lived in a pain-free, disease-free paradise called Eden.
And then all hell broke loose, quite literally.
The serpent got Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit and God said to Eve,
“…I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)
God said to Adam
…“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:17)
Pain entered the world that horrific day. It was the consequence of sin. It came under the influence of our enemy, satan, who comes
…only to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10a)
As a result, we live in a broken world, a world with broken bodies, broken relationships, broken finances, broken souls, broken governments, broken homes, broken…toilets! You get the idea!
It will not always be like this. Someday…
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I can’t wait! Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus!
But what do we do in the meantime? How do we deal with pain and brokenness?
1. First, God does still heal today. I will attempt to prove it shortly! It does not require a televangelist or sending money to help buy a private jet for a faith healer. God heals, but sometimes chooses to say wait or no when we ask.
On the one extreme there are those who do not believe in healing or miracles. There are Christians who believe healing was only for biblical times; we have the Bible so we don’t need the power of God. I’m overstating, somewhat, but the essence is they believe the Holy Spirit is on vacation. There’s plenty of recent and historic evidence to suggest healing is real today. I believe there are many doctors who once believed only medicine could heal, only to experience miracles first-hand with no explanation.
On the other extreme there are those who believe God always heals and any sickness is the result of the person’s personal sin…or lack of faith. This is a common message today in the “name it and claim it” movement that essentially says if you’re not healthy and rich it’s because you need more faith. It’s your fault! This is nothing new.
His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:2-3)
The entire book of Job is about a righteous man who experienced horrific pain.
Jesus, the most righteous Person in history, endured the most horrific suffering.
Pain and sickness is the result of sin, but not necessarily the sin of the sick. For example, hospitals are filled with the innocent victims of drunk drivers. It has been alleged that some allergies are caused by man-made chemicals and pollution.
Jesus was a healer and He continues to heal today.
Even during His years on earth Jesus gave others the authority to heal.
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. (Matthew 10:1)
Perhaps the most radical statement on healing is found in the fourteenth chapter of John.
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
He was going to the Father and would send the Holy Spirit.
2. The power to heal comes from Jesus
We do not believe in faith healing. It’s not from our faith, but from Jesus. Faith is a precious gift from God, but we are not healed by our faith. We are healed by God. Jesus healed in a variety of ways. Sometimes He spoke, sometimes He touched, sometimes He simply announced healing for a person not even in His presence. He still heals in a variety of ways today. In some instances faithless people are healed through the prayers of others praying for them. Healing can occur through the laying on of hands and the anointing of oil. Sometimes it comes through medicine, doctors, and other health care tools.
It should be noted that healing is not always a physical change. Our sinful world has left many of us broken spiritually, emotionally, financially, and relationally. We are blessed to have godly biblical counselors available to help people heal from a variety of pains and struggles, trials that can be every bit as wounding as a car accident or cancer.
3. The purpose of divine healing is to glorify Jesus.
Jesus’ miracles authenticated the message and the Messenger. He also healed to show His compassion. Furthermore, Jesus healed to show salvation now. The Kingdom of God is here now…but we haven’t experienced it all yet. It’s like a down payment on what is to come, the now and the not yet. We have something, but not yet everything that will be ours when Christ returns.
My Story: Rachel Schneemann
When this subject came up, I immediately knew who I wanted to speak on this subject, our daughter Rachel.
What comes to mind when you think of Jesus our Healer?
Has God healed you? How? Have you participated in the healing process?
Why doesn’t God instantly heal every person who asks for healing?
Is sickness the result of sin? Unbelief?
Has God only healed you physically?
What would you say to someone who wants to be healed?
So What?
Do you want to be healed? Why?
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)
If you want to be healed,
1. Ask
Jesus’ half brother James wrote,
You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)
He added
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)
2. Confess.
Some brokenness is the result of sin. Bitterness, for example, has been shown to have physical consequences. The passage from James continues…
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
3. Persevere. Sometimes God says, “Yes.” Sometimes He says, “Wait.”
As a dad, I don’t instantly give my kids everything they desire. Sometimes I do, but sometimes I say no or later.
Rachel’s story has involved years of prayers.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:11)
In discussing prayer, Jesus said
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10)
4. Trust. Daddy knows best. He can be trusted. His timing is never late but rarely early!
Why Doesn’t God Heal Everyone?
Great question! It’s in my top ten questions for God!
Paul had a thorn in the flesh. We don’t know what it was, perhaps an issue with his eyesight. Three times God said no to his request to have it removed. (2 Corinthians 12:6-10)
The purpose of healing is always about the glory of Christ.
Whether in giving or witholding, it’s about His glory.
Often it’s about His timing. The sisters of Lazarus thought Jesus was 4 days late to the scene, yet the delay facilitated a resurrection that brought greater glory to God than a conventional healing (John 11).
We live in the now and the not yet. There are beautiful moments when heaven touches earth, when God reveals His presence and power in amazing ways, giving us a taste of and a deeper longing for heaven.
Jesus promised us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
He is with us…always. I don’t pretend to understand why He says “no” or “later,” but I know God is good, He is faithful, and nothing is impossible with our God.
“Healer” (reprise)
Prayer
For Further Reading
Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering by Timothy Keller
Pain, The Gift Nobody Wants by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey
Where Is God When It Hurts? By Philip Yancey
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Healer. He created us and is able to recreate us.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “healer?”
I usually think about the miraculous physical healings Jesus performed. Here are a few mentioned by Matthew:
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. (Matthew 4:23-24)
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (Matthew 9:35)
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. (Matthew 12:15)
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14)
Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. (Matthew 15:30)
Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. (Matthew 19:2)
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. (Matthew 21:14)
These are just the general mentions of healing from Matthew. They don’t include any of the specific encounters Jesus had with the sick, blind, lame…or even dead!
Jesus healed. That’s clear to everyone…except those who disbelieve miracles and the Bible!
But our topic today is Jesus our Healer. Does God still heal today? Does He only do it on TV with wild preachers and people falling down? Why don’t we go to U-M and St. Joe’s hospitals and close them down through prayers of healing?
In The Beginning
In the beginning…God created…and it was good. Sure, it wasn’t good for man to be alone, but God remedied that and therefore Adam and Eve lived in a pain-free, disease-free paradise called Eden.
And then all hell broke loose, quite literally.
The serpent got Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit and God said to Eve,
“…I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)
God said to Adam
…“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:17)
Pain entered the world that horrific day. It was the consequence of sin. It came under the influence of our enemy, satan, who comes
…only to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10a)
As a result, we live in a broken world, a world with broken bodies, broken relationships, broken finances, broken souls, broken governments, broken homes, broken…toilets! You get the idea!
It will not always be like this. Someday…
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I can’t wait! Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus!
But what do we do in the meantime? How do we deal with pain and brokenness?
1. First, God does still heal today. I will attempt to prove it shortly! It does not require a televangelist or sending money to help buy a private jet for a faith healer. God heals, but sometimes chooses to say wait or no when we ask.
On the one extreme there are those who do not believe in healing or miracles. There are Christians who believe healing was only for biblical times; we have the Bible so we don’t need the power of God. I’m overstating, somewhat, but the essence is they believe the Holy Spirit is on vacation. There’s plenty of recent and historic evidence to suggest healing is real today. I believe there are many doctors who once believed only medicine could heal, only to experience miracles first-hand with no explanation.
On the other extreme there are those who believe God always heals and any sickness is the result of the person’s personal sin…or lack of faith. This is a common message today in the “name it and claim it” movement that essentially says if you’re not healthy and rich it’s because you need more faith. It’s your fault! This is nothing new.
His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:2-3)
The entire book of Job is about a righteous man who experienced horrific pain.
Jesus, the most righteous Person in history, endured the most horrific suffering.
Pain and sickness is the result of sin, but not necessarily the sin of the sick. For example, hospitals are filled with the innocent victims of drunk drivers. It has been alleged that some allergies are caused by man-made chemicals and pollution.
Jesus was a healer and He continues to heal today.
Even during His years on earth Jesus gave others the authority to heal.
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. (Matthew 10:1)
Perhaps the most radical statement on healing is found in the fourteenth chapter of John.
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
He was going to the Father and would send the Holy Spirit.
2. The power to heal comes from Jesus
We do not believe in faith healing. It’s not from our faith, but from Jesus. Faith is a precious gift from God, but we are not healed by our faith. We are healed by God. Jesus healed in a variety of ways. Sometimes He spoke, sometimes He touched, sometimes He simply announced healing for a person not even in His presence. He still heals in a variety of ways today. In some instances faithless people are healed through the prayers of others praying for them. Healing can occur through the laying on of hands and the anointing of oil. Sometimes it comes through medicine, doctors, and other health care tools.
It should be noted that healing is not always a physical change. Our sinful world has left many of us broken spiritually, emotionally, financially, and relationally. We are blessed to have godly biblical counselors available to help people heal from a variety of pains and struggles, trials that can be every bit as wounding as a car accident or cancer.
3. The purpose of divine healing is to glorify Jesus.
Jesus’ miracles authenticated the message and the Messenger. He also healed to show His compassion. Furthermore, Jesus healed to show salvation now. The Kingdom of God is here now…but we haven’t experienced it all yet. It’s like a down payment on what is to come, the now and the not yet. We have something, but not yet everything that will be ours when Christ returns.
My Story: Rachel Schneemann
When this subject came up, I immediately knew who I wanted to speak on this subject, our daughter Rachel.
What comes to mind when you think of Jesus our Healer?
Has God healed you? How? Have you participated in the healing process?
Why doesn’t God instantly heal every person who asks for healing?
Is sickness the result of sin? Unbelief?
Has God only healed you physically?
What would you say to someone who wants to be healed?
So What?
Do you want to be healed? Why?
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)
If you want to be healed,
1. Ask
Jesus’ half brother James wrote,
You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)
He added
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)
2. Confess.
Some brokenness is the result of sin. Bitterness, for example, has been shown to have physical consequences. The passage from James continues…
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
3. Persevere. Sometimes God says, “Yes.” Sometimes He says, “Wait.”
As a dad, I don’t instantly give my kids everything they desire. Sometimes I do, but sometimes I say no or later.
Rachel’s story has involved years of prayers.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:11)
In discussing prayer, Jesus said
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10)
4. Trust. Daddy knows best. He can be trusted. His timing is never late but rarely early!
Why Doesn’t God Heal Everyone?
Great question! It’s in my top ten questions for God!
Paul had a thorn in the flesh. We don’t know what it was, perhaps an issue with his eyesight. Three times God said no to his request to have it removed. (2 Corinthians 12:6-10)
The purpose of healing is always about the glory of Christ.
Whether in giving or witholding, it’s about His glory.
Often it’s about His timing. The sisters of Lazarus thought Jesus was 4 days late to the scene, yet the delay facilitated a resurrection that brought greater glory to God than a conventional healing (John 11).
We live in the now and the not yet. There are beautiful moments when heaven touches earth, when God reveals His presence and power in amazing ways, giving us a taste of and a deeper longing for heaven.
Jesus promised us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
He is with us…always. I don’t pretend to understand why He says “no” or “later,” but I know God is good, He is faithful, and nothing is impossible with our God.
“Healer” (reprise)
Prayer
For Further Reading
Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering by Timothy Keller
Pain, The Gift Nobody Wants by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey
Where Is God When It Hurts? By Philip Yancey
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.