CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE GOD KIND #2 – JESUS THE HEALER
OPENING JOKE: FUNNY INSURANCE CLAIMS:
The statements below are taken from actual insurance accident claims forms. They are real, true (you can’t make up this kind of stuff).
• The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intention.
• Coming home I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don’t have.
• I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment.
• As I approached an intersection a sign suddenly appeared in a place where no stop sign had ever appeared before. I was unable to stop in time to avoid the accident.
• I had been driving for forty years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident
OPENING TEXT: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8).
INTRODUCTION: Does God still heal today? That is a question many people are asking. What is the answer? Our goal is to convince you through laying a strong Biblical foundation that healing is God’s will today.
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17).
JESUS THE HEALER:
I. THE NATURE OF JESUS:
1. His Name is The Lord Who Heals You:
“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” (Ex. 25:26). “For I am the Lord, I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6).
• You can learn a lot about a person from their name.
• i.e. Barnabas = son of encouragement; Christopher = Christ-bearer
• Jehovah-Rophe = The Lord Who Heals You. That’s His name!
2. Jesus is Compassionate:
“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching…preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them.” (Matthew 9:35-36).
“And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:14).
• Through His words and actions, Jesus demonstrated that He is compassionate.
3. Jesus is Willing to Heal the Sick:
“And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed…Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." And Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him.” (Matthew 8:2-7).
• We know God CAN heal, and HAS healed in the past, but we question His willingness to heal TODAY.
4. Jesus Came to Take Away our Sins and Sicknesses:
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities (sins); The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5).
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.” (Psalm 103:2-3).
• Not only did Jesus die so that our sins could be forgiven, but He also paid the price so that our sicknesses could be healed.
5. Jesus Came to Destroy the Works of the Devil:
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38).
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8).
• Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, including sickness
II. A BIBLE STORY THAT ILLUSTRATE THIS TRUTH:
“1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda (house of mercy), having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" (well = whole, restored to health). 7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." (whiner!) 8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.” (John 5:1-9).
III. ACTION STEPS FOR MONDAY: How to Pray for Healing
1. Ask in the Name of Jesus:
“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13).
“Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk…And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know.” (Acts 3:6,16).
• There’s power in the name of Jesus
• Every knee must bow, including every sickness!
2. Believe that You Will Receive
“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24).
Example from the Life of Jesus:
“When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." And their eyes were opened.” (Matthew 9:27-30).
• This is why its important to read our Bibles and study the life of Jesus! Our faith will grow and be built up as we hear the Word! (Romans 10:17).
3. Continue Asking Until You Receive – Pray Until Something Happens:
“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up.” (Luke 18:1, NLT).
“Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!…So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.” (Mark 10:46-52).
- Someone said once that God doesn’t answer prayer—He answers desperate prayer!
CLOSING CHALLENGE:
The Great Commission:
“And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues…they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18).
• God wants all believers to go out and heal the sick!
CLOSING: Altar Call for Healing
NEXT WEEK: Part Three in our series on the Foursquare Gospel: Jesus the Baptiser in the Holy Spirit.
(How to receive the power we need to be witnesses and to heal the sick!)
Chris Jordan is the lead pastor of Beausejour Community Church in Beausejour, Manitoba, Canada.
For more sermon outlines, and online audio sermons, go to www.beausejourchurch.ca.
