Jesus The Healer Series

A relational/organic worldview allows for God’s involvement in creation – it actually expects it. God is not breaking the laws of nature, moving the balls on the pool table to suit his desires, he is ruling his Kingdom as he sees fit. So for Jesus and his disciples, even for the religious leaders of the day, Jesus’ miracles are not shocking – they are awe inspiring but not worldview shaking events.

The exciting thing for me is that in our post-modern age, there is a greater acceptance of an organic universe rather than a mechanistic one. Post moderns are not near as opposed to the idea of Jesus healing.

The problem with a more relational/organic view of the universe is that it is not quite as predictable as a mechanistic one. This is why some men love their cars more than their wives – you can predict a car! So we cannot always predict when God will heal, and when he will not. – Jennifer & Richard.

Jesus usually connects healing with faith – in Capernaum he did not heal as many as he normally would because of their unbelief.

He often told people whom he healed, “Your faith has made you well.”

In Mark 9:24, a man has brought his sick son to Jesus and he says to Jesus, “Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

There are so-called faith healers today that will tell people who do not get healed that their lack of healing is because of their lack of faith. It’s adding insult to injury!

Jesus heals the man’s son. It tells me that the faith that is required is enough faith to ask for healing.

I think that Jesus tells the people “your faith has made you well for completely different reasons that to create a theology of faith and healing.

In Jesus day, sickness was often seen as a result of sin in the sick person’s life. Not only was the person sick, but also the people around them would say that they were a faithless person – it was proven by the illness.

Jesus turns it on its end – he says it’s not your faithlessness that made you sick; it is your faithfulness that has made you well! He removes their sickness and their shame.

Does Jesus heal today?

Yes

2 reasons –

1) Jesus sent his followers out to heal – not just the 12, but the 70

It is obvious that it is his desire that the community that forms around him would be a healing community

Even outside of the community, Jesus name is powerful:

"Master," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."

"Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."

- Luke 9:49-50

2) Stories of my healing & prayer – Arlene’s infection

My own experience – my back

How to pray for others.

Be normal! Jesus had a definite lack of hype.

Ask – Jesus asked people what they wanted – he didn’t just assume.

Ask to pray, to touch

Pray with your eyes and ears open – with humility

Ask in Jesus’ name

Ask if anything is happening – keep praying

Give thanks