HEALTH, HEALING, AND MIRACLES – PART THIRTEEN
Sunday – June 3, 2018, Sivan 20, 5778
Again, welcome back to this weekly study, review of the health, healing and miracles in the ministry of Jesus. Our day to day lives, our ministries, are to be a mirror image. Jesus said that the things He did we are to do also, and even greater things.
John 14:12 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Is this Bible or not, is this Jesus talking to us or not? Let us determine in our hearts that we are going to do whatever is necessary to build our faith to the point that the works of Jesus are mirrored in our own lives. Today I am going to pick up with the healing of the paralyzed man.
Matthew 9:1-8 (KJV)
1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
7 And he arose, and departed to his house.
8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
Now, Jesus is at His own home, His ministry headquarters located in Capernaum. It appears that Matthew is a big picture kind of fella for you all know this account. This man had four friends and they tore the roof off part of Jesus’ house to get the man to Jesus for healing. We don’t know exactly what was wrong with this man except that he is bedbound, unable to walk. Our Bible text tells us that as this man enters Jesus’ presence, He saw their faith. Their actions alone are a very distinct demonstration of a very determined and dogged faith. How many of us would rip the roof up? In this account there is no distinguishing between the faith of the man with the palsy and his four friends. They all had faith that was great. Jesus made a point of forgiving the mans sins right off the bat and of course the religious people went into a spasm. No different today. These religious people called what Jesus did, forgiving the mans’ sins, blasphemy. Jesus called that evil. There are those who say that speaking in tongues is of the devil, that is evil as well. In this account Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of man not the Son of God. If Jesus could forgive sin in His earthly ministry as a man then so can we. Think about the following verse in James.
James 5:14-15 (KJV)
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
The ultimate healer, the ultimate forgiver, is God but it starts with a man, either individually in personal confession before God, or in forgiving another person for a wrong, or in the setting of offense against God alone. When we ask God for forgiveness we must at the same time forgive ourselves. Sin brought the curse; unconfessed and unforgiven sin will prevent supernatural healing. A return to sin will allow the illness to return. Okay, let’s move forward and see some of those other details I have mentioned but not in the Matthew text.
Mark 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
Notice in the first verse that Jesus is entered into “the house” not a house. This is His house and ministry headquarters. You think you have trouble with people just dropping by, think about what is going on here at Jesus’ house. Also, notice, when people showed up at Jesus’ house He preached the Word unto them. How, much Word is being discussed at my house and your house when we have company. Do we get tired of the Word quickly and go off into the thoughts, words, and ways of the world? Let’s see what St. Luke as to say.
Luke 5:17-19 (KJV)
17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
Luke adds even more detail which makes sense to me for Luke was a physician and physicians by nature and necessity are more detail oriented. Luke was a disciple, and Apostle appointed by Christ Jesus. All the offices of the Church (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher) are primarily appointed by God and secondarily recognized by the Church. In Luke’s account we see that the Pharisees and doctors of the law were present (no doubt to find fault and Jesus doesn’t make them wait long) and the Power of God was present to heal them all but there was not an ounce of faith in the whole bunch. The only fellas with faith that day were the ones the Church folk were keeping out. The man let down through the roof was marvelously healed, his sins were forgiven, what a day, what a new beginning.
Luke 5:22-25 (KJV)
22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
Let us determine to be one of these five men in faith.
Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
3 John 1:2 (HCSB)
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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