It's all about Jesus: Healing Miracles (Pt. 1)

(Pt.1)

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching 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.

Of the nearly 40 recorded miracles Jesus performed in the gospels; two-thirds of them were healing in nature. Why did Jesus do so many healing miracles? Sickness has a way of draining us physically, emotionally, and spiritually; because of this healing is uniquely personal.

Each time Jesus performed a miracle he demonstrated that he had the power to address those things affecting a person from the outside; whenever Jesus would heal he demonstrated that he was also able to address those things afflicting them on the inside as well. Each healing, like other miracles, demonstrated Jesus’ divine nature, was designed to bring people to the saving message of redemption, and bolster the believer’s faith.

However, healing also communicates a distinct message of its own:

-Healing communicates the compassion of Christ towards those who are hurting:

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”-Matthew 14:14.

-Healing communicates a covenant benefit of a child of God:

“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.”-Psalm 103:1-3.

-Healing confirms and fulfills prophecies concerning Jesus Christ:

“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet he considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”-Isaiah 53:4-5.

-Healing communicates and proves His mission by demonstrating Christ’s ability to forgive sins:

“Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins…”He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”-Mark 2:9-11.

-Healing communicates Jesus’ power over the devil:

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”-Acts 10:38.

-Healing, above all else, communicates the Glory of God:

“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. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking and the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.”-Matthew 15:30-31.

Healing is still significant today because it is very much a part of the Kingdom message!

 Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church