The last few weeks, I've been pushing the idea that God will still do signs, and wonders, and healings through us, as Jesus works in us, through the power of the Holy Spirit. I think God is far more willing to do great things in the world through us than we realize. I think the weakness, and powerlessness, we see in the church, reflects poorly on us-- and not on God. We are the problem. We are the weak link. It's not God. I think Jesus' promise in John 14:12, that "greater signs than these, you will do," is a promise not just for the twelve, but for you.
But I'm guessing some of you think everything I've been saying about this is wrong, or misleading, or misguided.
And I'm also guessing, if that's true, that this is due (at least in part) to how you answer two related questions:
(1) How was Jesus able to do the signs he did?
(2) How were the disciples/apostles able to do the signs they did?
What I'd like to do this morning, is try to answer these two questions. And I think, in doing so, we will find something very helpful, and useful.
(1) How was Jesus able to do the signs he did?
My guess, is that lots of Christians would say that Jesus was able to heal people because he is God. And his healing people, is proof that he is God. I hear this on a pretty regular basis.
But as far as I know, the NT itself doesn't talk that way.
So let's do this. Let's ask the NT writers how Jesus was able to do the things he did. And let's let them answer the question, without injecting our own theology into it. First, we will work in Luke. And then John.
Luke 4:1:
"And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil.
Luke 4:14-21:
(14) "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee,
and a report went out through all the surrounding country about him,
(15) and he was teaching in their synagogues, being glorified by all,
(16) and he came to Nazareth, where he was having been raised,
and he entered in accordance with his custom/habit on the day of the Sabbath to the synagogue,
and he rose to read,
(17) and it was given to him-- the scroll of the prophet Isaiah,
and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,
"The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me,
who for this reason has anointed me:
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He sent me to proclaim to the captives, liberation/forgiveness
and to the blind, recovery of sight.
To send out the shattered, in liberation/forgiveness
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord,"
(20) and rolling up the scroll, giving it back to the attendant, he sat,
and all the eyes in the synagogue were staring/gazing intently at him.
(21) Now, he began to say to them that
"Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Everything Jesus did and said/proclaimed, he said and did under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. God gave Jesus his Spirit, anointing him, so that he could proclaim good news to the poor, free captives, give sight to the blind, and so on. Jesus did nothing on his own power, but only as God's Spirit worked through him.
So, again. How was Jesus able to give sight to the blind?
Because "the Spirit of the Lord is upon him."
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The Gospel of John talks about all of this a little differently-- although he still makes sure we know that the Spirit "abides" on Jesus (John 1:31).
If we ask John how Jesus was able to do the things he did, we get two answers:
(1) Jesus can do the things he does, because his Father has taught him.
(2) Jesus can do the things he does, because he lives in perfect obedience to his Father, and so the Father always says "yes" to Jesus.
(1) Jesus can do the things he does, because his Father has taught him.
(John 5:19) Then, Jesus answered,
and he was saying to them,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the son isn't able to do from himself anything,
except only what he sees the Father doing."
For whatever That One does-- these things-- also the son likewise does.
(20) For the Father loves the son,
and everything, He shows him
that he is doing,
and greater than these works, he will show him,
in order that you shall be amazed.
(21) For just as the Father raises the dead,
thus also the Son, whoever he wishes, he makes alive.
(22) For the Father doesn't judge anyone,
but every judgment he has given to the son,
in order that all shall honor the son,
just as they honor the Father.
The one not honoring the son, doesn't honor the Father-- the One Who Sent him.
(2) Jesus can do the things he does, because he lives in perfect obedience to his Father, and so the Father always says "yes" to Jesus.
John 5:30:
By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
John 8:29: "And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
John 9:31: We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
John 11:21-22: 21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
John 11:41-42: 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
John 15:10: If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
So how was Jesus able to do healings, and signs, and wonders?
(1) Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, anointed with the Spirit. The Spirit "abided" on him.
(2) Jesus was open to his Father's teaching. His Father showed him how to do all these things, like a master carpenter would teach his son everything he knows.
(3) Jesus lived in perfect obedience to his Father. God always listens to people who obey Him, and do his will. He always abides with people who are faithful to him (John 8:29). And Jesus is a model of what this looks like.
With this, we come to my second question of the day:
(2) How were the disciples able to do the signs, and healings, and wonders that they did?
Let's start in Acts 3. And then we'll go to John 15.
(Acts 3:1)
Now, Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer-- the ninth,
(2) and a certain man, lame from his mother's womb being, was being carried,
who was placed every day at the gate of the temple-- the one called Beautiful--,
so that he could ask for mercies/alms from the ones going into the temple,
who, seeing Peter and John about to enter into the temple, was asking mercies/alms to receive.
(4) Now, Peter, looking intently at him, with John, said,
"Look at us."
(5) Now, he fixed his attention on them,
expecting something from them to receive.
(6) Now, Peter said,
"Silver and gold aren't present/available to me."
Now, what I have, this to you I give:
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!",
(7) and grasping his hands, he raised him up.
Now, immediately his feet and ankles were made strong,
and leaping up, he stood and was walking around,
and he entered with them into the temple,
walking and leaping and praising God,
(9) and all the people saw him walking and praising God.
(10) Now, they were recognizing him,
that this one was the one for mercies/alms sitting at the Beautiful Gate of the temple,
and they were being filled with surprise and shock at the thing having happened to him.
(11) Now, while he was holding fast to Peter and John, all the people ran to them in the portico-- the one being called Solomon's, amazed.
(12) Now, Peter, seeing, answered the people,
"Men and Israelites, why are you surprised/amazed at this, or at us?
Why are you staring, as if by our own power or godliness we have made him to walk?
(13) The God of Abram, and Isaac, and Jacob, The God of our fathers, glorified his servant/child Jesus,
whom you, on the one hand, handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate,
after/although that one had judged/decided to release him.
On the other hand, you, the holy and righteous one, you denied,
and you asked for a man-- a murderer-- to be graciously given to you.
Now, the originator of life, you killed,
whom God raised up from the dead,
whom we, witnesses, we are,
(16) and through faith in his name, this one-- whom you see and you know-- His name made strong,
and faith-- the one through him -- has given him perfect health-- this before you all."
How were the disciples/apostles able to do the things they did? Peter is very clear on this. This healing didn't happen by his own power, or godliness. Peter was not a super Christian, or in any way different from us. What Peter has, that he can give to other people, is the name of Jesus. There is power in this name.
Peter has faith "in" the name of Jesus-- he has faith that God will act, through the name of Jesus, to honor his son Jesus.
And Peter also talks about how there is faith "through" Jesus. I've never seen this, or thought about it before. But my guess is that this means Jesus gives Peter faith. And, if Jesus does this, he must do it through his Holy Spirit. So part of what it means, that the Holy Spirit comes in power on people (Acts 1:8), is that the Spirit gives people a higher level of faith. And this higher level of faith-- in the name of Jesus-- is what gave the man perfect health.
John 15:4-11:
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
What's necessary to "bear much fruit"? Jesus tells his disciples, three things: (1) "Abide in/with Jesus." (2) "Keep his commands." (3) "Ask."
Separately from all of this, there is another way to look at all of this. And that's through the lens of "authority."
Let's turn to Matt 10:1:
(1) And calling his twelve disciples, he gave to them authority over unclean spirits,
so that (a) they could cast them out
and (b) heal every disease and every sickness."
Both (A) and (B) here build off the authority Jesus gives. [The two infinitives here, "to cast out" and "to heal" are both based off the "so that"]. Jesus enabled his disciples to cast out demons, who are viewed as responsible for "every" sickness and "every" disease.
Now, let's flip down to Matt. 10:7-8:
"Now, going, proclaim, saying that "The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near. The weak/sick, heal. The dead, raise. Lepers, cleanse. Demons, cast out. Freely you received; free give."
Now, let's read Matt. 28:18-20:
Jesus said,
"It was given to me, all authority in heaven and on earth.
And so then, going, make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to keep all that I commanded to you,
and LOOK! I, with you, I am all the days until the end of the age."
Do you hear the echoes between Matthew 10 and the Great Commission? Originally, in Matthew 10, Jesus sent out the twelve, giving them authority over demons to heal the sick and cast out demons.
But Jesus did so, without actually going with them. And he did so, restricting the reach of their ministry only to the Jews.
After Jesus rose from the dead, the Great Commission changed Matthew 10 in three ways. First, Jesus now has more authority than he did before. God has now given Jesus all authority on heaven and on earth. Second, Jesus' disciples are now supposed to spread the good news about Jesus throughout the whole world, and not just Judea. Third, Jesus is now going to stay with them, in some sense, everywhere they go. He's not sending them out, and temporarily leaving them. He will abide with them, everywhere, for all time.
So what do you do with the Great Commission? You understand, instinctively, that these verses were meant for you. You can hear that Jesus' words reach until the end of this age-- Jesus promises that he will be with you-- with his disciples-- forever, and not just until the apostle John dies. And you are happy to take these verses, and apply them as your own commissioning. You know you are supposed to make disciples of all nations.
It's the authority part of it, that you're maybe less sure of. Or maybe haven't ever thought about.
Jesus commands his disciples to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to "keep" (obey) everything he commanded.
And one of the things Jesus very clearly commanded in Matthew 10, was for his disciples to use Jesus' authority to free people from demonic powers-- to heal the sick, and cast out demons.
So if Peter, and James, and John, did their job, they would take newer disciples under their wings, and teach those disciples how authority works. Jesus gave Peter authority over all sickness and demons, right? So one day, when someone was sick, Peter would bring a new Christian with him, tell him how Jesus' authority works, and then show him how it works. He would lay hands on the sick person, and that person would be healed. Then, the next time, Peter would go with the new disciple, and maybe this time he'd let the newbie cast out the demon, or lay hands on the sick. Peter would teach the new disciple to keep Jesus' words, in the same way that Jesus taught him.
[And if we look at the gospel of Matthew as a whole, we should understand that Matthew is writing, in part, in order to be faithful to the Great Commission. Matthew's book is part of how he teaches disciples to keep everything Jesus commanded.]
What I don't think you're allowed to do, is pick and choose which of Jesus' commands you are going to "keep." You can't pick out the Sermon on the Mount, or his instructions about church discipline (Matt. 18), or divorce, or giving, or anything else, and leave out the parts that make you uncomfortable. You are expected to "keep" everything Jesus said. That's what marks you as Jesus' disciple.
Maybe some of you aren't convinced. You're not sure that Jesus has given you authority over unclean spirits to heal the sick. I understand this is a big jump. This is a lot. Let's try this one more way. Ephesians 1:18-23:
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
After the Father raised Jesus from the dead, He seated Jesus at his right hand, and gave him authority over every other rule and authority, power and dominion. Jesus sits above them all. And God did this, and gave him this, for the church. Jesus now has all authority in heaven and on earth.
Now, let's turn to Ephesians 2:6: 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
We are seated with Jesus in the heavenlies. We share the power and authority that Jesus has over every other rule and authority and power and dominion.
So when I lay hands on a sick person, and command healing in Jesus' name, I do so understanding the authority that I have in Christ, over that sickness. I'm seated in the heavenlies, in Christ, with Christ. That arthritis, is not. That cancer, is not.
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John G. Lake said that if he could teach Christians just one thing, it would be their dominion in Christ over sickness and disease.
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So if we back up, and put all of this together, how is it, that people are able to do healings, and signs, and wonders-- the "greater works than these" (John 14:12)?
(1) You have to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1; 4:30).
(2) You have to be living obediently toward God, doing his will, so that God answers you (John 15:7). Total consecration (Gal. 2:18-20).
(3) The Father has to show you how to do these things. (And maybe part of how we learn, is through the Bible, and through reading the stories of how God showed other people like John G. Lake, and through disciples who do these things).
(4) You have to understand the power that is found in the name of Jesus (Acts 2), and understand that Jesus' name has been given to us, to use it for God's kingdom. Jesus' name is something we "own," and keep in our wallets.
(5) You have to receive faith for these things through Jesus (Acts 2).
(6) You have to understand and claim the authority that you have in and through Jesus (Ephesians).
Let me add just one more thing. Let's turn to Acts 4:29-31. This is the church's response, after Peter and John were imprisoned for healing the lame man, and then released from prison.
(29) And, now, Lord, look at their threats,
and give your slaves, with all boldness/confidence, to speak your word,
while, your hand, you stretch out
for healing and signs and wonders to happen through the name of your holy servant Jesus,"
and after/while they prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit,
and they were speaking the word of God with boldness.
The only other thing you need, is to pray that God would give you boldness. Lots of Christians assume, when they read the stories of power in the NT, that those stories are not for us. They look at the lack of power in their lives, and base their theology off their experience.
You can't know what God is willing to do through you, until you start taking risks, and being brave. And if you pray for courage, God will give you that as well. "Ask" (John 15:7).
