Christ our Healer
Notes
Transcript
Where do sicknesses come from?
Where do sicknesses come from?
One of my passions is to preach about the holiness of God like the last time when I preached on Psalm 5. Another of my passions is history, learning from history is always humbling to me, it makes me recognize how little I know about a time period. More recently I have been sort of fascinated by the Medieval period. A common myth from this time period is that people during the Medieval period were filthy and had terrible teeth, that is actually not accurate.
Actually, during the Medieval time people were more concerned about their breath than we are today. A common technique they use to brush their teeth, one that is used even today in some places is Africa is using sticks and salt. The reason they were so concerned about their teeth and breath is was that they believe that diseases were spread through by breath.
We today may think that it might be foolish to think that the cause of disease is breath, because we know from much research and medical advances that the cause of disease is a germ: a virus or a bacteria. Yet, we still can’t stop their spread.
Perhaps this is because we often are satisfied with a partial investigation of origin. We shouldn’t be satisfied just knowing that diseases are caused by germs. The question we should still be asking is what is the origin of germs.
The world tell us that they “JUST” exist, like the earth and everything in creation “JUST” came to be without a purpose or reason, without an intelligent creator.
But we believe that God created the world and humanity, because Scripture tell us. Therefore, we also need to go to scriptures to understand the origin of disease and ultimately death.
In Genesis we learn and believe that God created the heavens and the earth, and when God was done creating, by the power of his word, he looked at His creation and said: “It was good”
Then in Gen 3 we see the origin of death and consequently diseases: germs. Germs are a result of sin and a means to death.
Adam’s and Eve’s sin not only affected them, but affected their posterity and also the ground, it is in Gen 3:18 that thorns and thistles are mentioned. It seems to me that after sin was introduced in God’s creation as a consequence God allowed cells to mutate and to start causing harm, where once there was only good bacteria and good virus now after the fall we see the beginnings of harmful and bad bacteria and virus.
From Gen 3 we see that the consequence of the sin Adam and Eve committed was death. However, Adam and Eve didn’t die right away, they did spiritually because they were removed from God’s presence, but also in Gen 3:19 we see that Adam and Eve were going to have a physical death, because it says “for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Physically the origin of death and disease is not our breath, or not washing our hands or not brushing our teeth or not exercising. Doing these things help minimize sickness, however they are not going to prevent us from ever getting sick and nothing that we do can keep us from ever dying.
So when we look at the origin of germs we come to the end of the road, because there is nothing we can do is able to provide a definitive solution.
All of this is because one choice, one act of rebellion against God. But God. God knew and while He allowed the consequences of sin to remain including sickness, germs etc. He had a plan, that was orchestrated before the foundation of the world.
What is the solution?
What is the solution?
Often when we think or talk about God’s plan we think of God’s redemptive plan regarding to the salvation of our souls. We are familiar with this because we experienced and we live it by seeing people who were dead, who didn’t love God, being transformed and brought to spiritual life where now they love God and are willingly submitting themselves and their lives to Christ.
We all understand that Christ’s work at the cross provided to us eternal salvation for our souls. We who were dead in our trespasses and sins are now alive through Christ our Lord because of Christ’s substitutionary atonement. That means He paid the price for our sin, He took our unrighteousness and gave us His righteousness.
However God’s redemptive plan is not limited to our souls. God’s redemption include the redemption of our bodies and of creation as well, it is so because there will be a new heaven and new earth, a new resurrected body. This part of God’s plan we are less familiar because still yet to come fully.
Let’s look at some of the unfolding of this redemptive plan in Scripture, beginning in Isaiah 53:4-5
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
v6 makes it clear that Christ’s suffering were because of our iniquity, that is why He suffered and bled on the cross.
These three verses make it clear that Christ was going to come to suffer in our place, it is broadly accepted that Christ’s suffering brought us the spiritual life for dead souls.
Thankfully, especially as we approach Easter and Pr Rick messages we are often reminded of the depth of Christ’s suffering and atonement for us. But today I’d like to travel the “road less taken” and focus on the physical redemption of God’s plan.
Christ not only provided for us eternal life, and in the future a new body that won’t be able to sin anymore. But when we look at these verses in Isaiah 53 we also see a provision for our troubles now in this life, as we await for our Lord to return. v.4 points to Christ’s sufferings on the cross this means him taking our sickness and infirmities. “he borne our griefs and carried our sorrows”, these two words griefs and sorrows from the original language could also be translated as illnesses and diseases, so we could also translate v4 as : He took our illnesses and carried our diseases
You might think that is not a proper translation or that it might be a improper interpretation of this verse, however this same verse is quoted by Matthew and this is exactly the interpretation and is translated as illnesses and diseases.
If you want you can turn with me to Matthew 8:16-17
16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.
17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
Here Matthew makes it even clearer that this passage in Isaiah 53 not only refers to the spiritual great benefit of Christ’s suffering, but Scripture interprets itself saying that it is because of Christ’s suffering that Jesus can heal any disease or sicknesses.
We know, and believe, that physical healing took place often throughout Scripture, and it surprises us not that God’s Son - Jesus continued in this and charged the apostles too also heal in His Name.
But perhaps you never though of it in terms of His redemptive plan. Perhaps this is due in large part to the fact that we are still waiting - like the Jews of the OT were waiting for the Savior - for this to be fully revealed. Yet we find that we live in a here, but not yet state.
So an application for us today is to question ourselves and reflect on what we might be missing? The Jews missed Emmanuel (God with us), they couldn’t fathom to the idea of God Himself coming on flesh as a humble servant, they understood well that the Messiah was going to be 100% God, but be 100% man at the same time was an outrageous thing to think about, so when they saw Jesus they only saw his humaneness, so when they saw Christ on the cross suffering, they despised Him. No wonder that Christ crucified was an offense to them (Gal 5:11) and a stumbling block (1 Cor 1:23).
We cannot forget that they were spiritually blinded, we are not spiritually blinded, if we are in Christ we are alive and the Holy Spirit dwell in us, therefore we cannot miss the full restoration of all creation and the receiving of resurrected bodies when Christ return. The question is what we might be missing now as we await for what yet is to come?
I think we might tend to error on the side on thinking of God’s redemptive plan being only for our souls, and not seeing Christ’s humaneness. We might see how He took our illnesses in the cross, but we might dismiss the fact that He humble himself to be fully man, that throughout his life on earth he subjected himself to likely suffer from germs. We might consider that the redemption of our physical bodies and of the whole creation of being not so important, and we might miss that now as we await God gives us glimpses of what is to come by providing us with healing.
Healing is one of the benefits that Christ’s provides to his people as we await for eternal life and the perfect and final solution, perfect body that is completely separated from sin and not able to sin anymore.
The power and the authority that Jesus has to heal is the same authority and power that He has to save. All to often we believe more the later more than the 1st. Let me say it again: The power and the authority that Jesus has to heal is the same authority and power that He has to save
If we miss this when we come to this passage in James 5, we might just say; yeah I know that verse and we go through it like yeah yada yada yada, and miss the great benefit that we have in Christ in this here, not yet time period we live in.
You can turn your Bibles with me to James 5,
What should we do?
What should we do?
James 5 Praying, Anointing, Faith
14 Is anyone among you sick? 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.
The book of James is very practical and even though is short it has several commands. From the beginning of this letter James is calling Christ’s followers to live out our faith, to be doers of the word. Then in the end of the letter James makes it clear in what we should do if someone is sick simply put, we are to call for the elders of the church and have them do two things: pray and anoint with oil.
The clearest and most literal way to interpret this verse is that in the same way we should praise God in good times, when we are sick we should pray and ask the Lord to heal. V14 and in its context is saying that whatever the situation good times or bad times what we need to do is to run to Jesus to praise Him and ask for His help, because He deserves all glory and He is able to help us in every circumstance, including the times when we are sick.
Actually the wording in v14 of James seems to indicate that the praying and anointing by elders should especially be done in more serious cases, when someone is in bed and can’t get up. Please know if you want to have the elders to pray and anoint you today or any Sunday for that matter after the service. Just talk to me or Pr Rick or any of the elder and we will be happy to pray over you and anoint you.
You might wonder why the elders should pray and anoint, or what is the significant of it? what do these things symbolize? Throughout Scripture we see the anointing with oil often referring to two things, a symbol that points to the presence of the Holy Spirit and a symbol of setting someone apart for God’s work. So when in the church the elders anoint someone, is not saying that the oil itself is the means of healing, it is a symbolizing separating someone for God’s work of healing and a symbol of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Another thing that the elders should do according to James is to pray, because the power is not in the elders or anyone else, we have to ask, not demand or tell God what to do, but simply ask the one who can heal.
James here is NOT saying that the power to heal is in the process, or the elders or the oil itself. As we already saw Isaiah 53 and Matt 8, it makes it clear that the one who heals is Christ himself, healing doesn’t depend on the oil or our prayer. Remember the power and authority that Jesus has to heal is the same authority and power that He has to save.
Besides referring to praying and anointing the context of James 5:14 we see as well the importance of faith, since v15 says “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick...”
Therefore, besides praying and anointing it indicates the need for faith. In Heb 11 we can see that faith pleases God.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Observing our toddler I notice how easily he accepts that God created the whole world and with the same simplicity he accepts that God is the one that heals our buubos.
As we grow up and learn from experience we often lack the simplicity of a child-like faith, that wholly and fully trust in God. We begin to logic and the other view points begin to cloud our simple trust and faith that what our parents tell us is truth. We loose the simplicity of being inquisitive of the true origin of things we become content knowing only partial origins, like being content knowing that we get sick because of germs.
When the disciples were asking who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven this is what Jesus told them.
3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
The key is humbling ourselves before the Lord and recognizing our weaknesses, our limitations and our dependency on God. You don’t need to teach a child to ask their parents for food when they are hungry, when they are hungry they will run for one of the parents and say I’m hungry, and if they are hungry for something sweet they will know they have to run to their grandparents. A child when is afraid will run as fast as they can to their parents. The humbleness of a child is that they recognize and know they need their parents. If we want to be humble like a child we need to recognize our need for God in every circumstance, that’s what James is saying that in every circumstance we need to run to God. So when we are sick we need to run to Him in faith trusting in who He is.
We need to remember that faith itself doesn’t heal, it doesn’t depend on how much faith one has, it is in whom you put your faith, because ultimately only Jesus has the power and the authority to heal. We are simply called to believe He can ask Him to heal and wait for Him to enact His will for our lives.
I once was told that I wasn’t healed because I did not have enough faith, it was my fault due to my little or lack of faith. You might have heard the same. Not only this is completely false it hurts others who are already hurting. The root problem in this is that it is arguing that the power for healing is faith itself. That is false, the power and authority of healing rest solely in God. He is the one who heals, it is not the method nor the faith itself. Faith is important but it is WHO we have our faith in that matters, not the size otherwise a mustard seed wouldn’t move a mountain.
O Lord, why not?
O Lord, why not?
So if the reason for God not healing is not on the amount of faith why does God not heal ?
In the midst of suffering we often cannot understand, we might question God’s character or His justice for allowing suffering in our lives like Job did.
When God answered Job, God said:
2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Basically, God was saying to Job, you have no idea why I allowed suffering in your life, you are thinking that it is for evil, while in reality it is for your own good.
We need to remember that God is God, He doesn’t owe us an explanation, and even if He did we in our limited understanding probably wouldn’t understand. (laugh chuckle)
We need to remember what God said about himself in Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Believing this is what allowed Paul to remind us that God works ALL things work for our good. Our job is to hold on to Him and this truth. As difficult yet simple that is. God never said it was easy, but it is worth trusting Him.
We could stop here for a reason as to why God may say no to healing us. But He has graciously given us others to help our human perspective and to grow us spiritually.
We see in Heb 12:3-11 that God as our Heavenly Father will discipline us because He loves us, and we are trained by it and the result is us becoming more like Jesus. God may allow suffering or lack of healing for this reason… a reason of love just as with our actions with our children. That is the context of Heb 12 that discipline from the Lord is not a negative thing, even though in the moment is not pleasant, but it is out of love and has an outcome that is worth the momentary suffering.
In 2 Cor 1:8-9 We learn about the suffering of Paul, he was despairing of life itself. Then Paul gives a reason for why he went through this: “But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” See how much they had to learn to rely on God, basically almost to the point of death.
Then in 2 Cor 12:8-9 Paul says the following
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Here we see first Paul asking the Lord for healing, we don’t know exactly what the thorn in his flesh was, but it is likely it was some sort of disease. As if Isaiah and Matthew and James were not sufficient we see here Paul without any withhold asking the Lord for healing. Here God said no to Paul not because he didn’t have any faith, rather so his faith would grow!! grow by leaning to depend on God’s grace and power.
There are a multitude of reasons for God to say no, we didn’t list it all (besides growing in our dependency and likeness to Christ, God often uses suffering so that we can comfort others that go through the same suffering. But when we ask for healing, even knowing that “no” may be His answer we see from all, including Paul, that we don’t not ask, Paul asked 3 times!!!. Maybe God might allow suffering so that we grow and mature in our walk, God treasures our relationship with Him over our temporary physical well-being. Allow the time and the asking to bring you closer to Him, perhaps even call us Home to be with Him.
PAUSE
How do I know?
How do I know?
All of us have experienced different ways that God has revealed Himself as healer in our lives, we have grown in how we trust and lean on the Lord in times of all kinds of adversities and all sort of sicknesses. Maybe you have been through some situation like Paul where the Lord said no, but you have grown in your dependency on God’s grace and strength. But I want to share with you two experiences that He has granted me in trusting in Christ as my healer. One is what we might consider as a small things and the other may seem more miraculous. Either shows Christ as healer.
So confession I’m clumsy and I often have a bruise to prove this trait to be true. So a few weeks ago I realized I had somehow hit my foot, and often my first step is to fix it myself, usually if I take some pain medicine in about two days it is gone, or if I just put some cream on it takes about 3 to 4 days to heal. But on this particular day as I was considering my pain was reaching for the Alieve, the Holy Spirit cause me to pause. In that moment I recognized that I was trying to fix something that ultimately I can’t fix. I didn’t take anything but just simply ask Jesus to heal my foot and asked for forgiveness for my lack of trust in Him. I’m almost ashamed to admit that it was near 24 hours later that I realized with a jolt that my foot had not caused me pain from the moment I woke up in the morning. All praise to Him
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t take any medicine or go to doctors. I’m not against it, for me I realized that at that moment my trust and hope was on medicine. I didn’t look first to the one who holds in His hands every cell of my body, when I did look and trust He chose to heal me.
Again God elected to heal me about 10 years ago when I had a serious motorcycle accident. I was an experienced motorcyclist, very cautious and a rule follower when it came to driving. Even to this day, my wife tells me I drive like an old man. But on this day it only took one small distraction and I was hit by a bus, bounced several times between the bus and the motorcycle and the road. Next thing I know I am laying down on the road and I couldn’t feel anything, I couldn’t feel my legs or my arms and I had no pain at all, I couldn’t talk and I couldn’t tell if my eyes were open or not, I could hear the people that came to look at the accident. Yet I was surrounded by bystanders who looked like they were in shock having watch the accident. They assumed I was dead, they were talking of the tragedy as I was such a young healthy man.
Then I was in Jesus’ presence and I was never so happy and complete, it is hard to describe it, often I don’t like to share this memory because when I remember, it makes me sad because I am here and not completely with Him. I ask the Lord if my time had come, sadly His response was not what I want it to be. I found myself pleading with the Lord because I didn’t want to leave and I was so afraid to go back. I was afraid of the pain, I knew I must gotten hurt badly. I don’t remember if I asked the Lord to heal me, I remember telling the Lord that I couldn’t face it without him. The next memory I have was of being taken in the ambulance and saying Jesus... Jesus.... Jesus… all the way to the hospital.
My helmet was fractured and to this day I have a depression on my head on the same spot where the helmet fractured. After being in the hospital I couldn’t walk because of the pain on my hip bone. My bike was still recognizable even though it was distorted.
I remember being in the Emergency room and the doctors asked me something, which I said I was fine, they ignored what I said and talked to each other saying in state of shock, which I want to say I’m not in shock I am fine, even though I had no idea what that was.
I know with absolute certainty that if it was not for Jesus I would not just had a broken collar bone. Rather I should have been paralyzed or “at best” had a broken hip. Not to mention a multitude of other broken bones and crushed internal organs including my brain.
But after staying in the hospital for only 10 hours I was released with a broken collar bone and some minor bruising. But above all I had a noticeable peace of the presence of Jesus. So much so that the nurses and doctors were asking how I could be happy and in such high spirits following such an accident and having no family around that I could contact.
It is this final truth that I want you to remember. God elected to heal me because He wanted those nurses and doctors to know of His peace. That is the lasting gift. That is His purpose. He wants us when we are sick and in trouble to seek His face. Not just the gift of healing that He gives us, but the Giver Himself. Having His presence is more important than anything else.
I need Jesus to be my Healer… I need Jesus to be my Savior, who has my soul in His hands… I need Jesus to be my sanctifier and coming King… But above all I want you to know Jesus as your Savior.. to know this peace should you be in His presence. I want you to live knowing and living for Jesus.
Pray