The Meal That Heals

The Meal That Heals

Inspired by Perry Stone’s book of the same title

Aug. 30, 2009 FBC, Chester Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

I Understanding the communion meal

A Over 3,500 years ago, the Hebrew people were being held in bondage by the Egyptian pharaoh who refused to let them go (crippled economy).

1 To set the captives free, God released 10 plagues on Egypt with the last one being the death angel. ...and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well.Ex 11:5 (NASB) Took the firstborn from men to beasts.

a To protect the Hebrews from the death angel, God required each Hebrew family to...

aa Kill a lamb and place the lamb’s blood over their doorposts.

bb ’Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.6 ’You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.7 ’Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.8 ’They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Ex 12:5-8 (NASB) Left post, right post, & top (Tav, +)

b We know this as Passover (Jews celebrate it annually on the 14th of Nisan).

aa Hebrew word is “Pesach”, which alludes to “skipping over, to leap or to dance.”

bb The word describes what God required the death angel to do when he came to a house where the blood was applied (protected/saved).

c This whole story is full of types & shadows of Jesus, the cross, & you.

aa Pharaoh (enemy king holding you in bondage); Egypt (corrupt system)

bb Blood of the Lamb that saves, protects, & sets you free

cc Keeps death away from you!

2 The miracles associated with the Passover are two-fold: protected & healed.

a By applying the blood, the death angel skipped over them.

b Also...the applied blood of the Lamb allowed the Hebrews to experience supernatural healing as described in Psalms 105:37: He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes. Psalms 105:37 (NKJV)

aa Over 1 million people cross through the Red Sea during the Exodus, & none are sick, weak, diseased.

bb We don’t see any Hebrews die until they start disobeying God!

B In Exodus 15:26, God introduces Himself as Jehovah Raphah (healer). And He said, "If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer." Ex 15:26 (NASB)

1 God is giving more than a new name; He’s giving a covenant.

a He knows that Egyptian diseases/plagues/illnesses could infect the Hebrew people, & they needed protection & would need healing.

b “Raphah” alludes to “stitching something that has been torn”, to completely repair. Figuratively, it means to cure someone.

c God says, “If you listen for Me, look for Me, live for Me...I will keep disease from you, heal you, you will be healthy.

2 We know within weeks the Hebrews began to sin, worshiped the golden calf, broke their promises & sinned against God.

a God sent plagues & fiery serpents to them. They got sick & died.

b God’s covenant with them was a “healing covenant”.

C Jesus’ ministry reveals that He is in the business of healing.

1 When I say “saved”, most of us think of eternal life through Christ, but in the New Testament, the meaning was much broader (“sozo” 57x’s, all but 5x’s translated as “saved”).

a “To save, deliver, protect, & heal”

b It’s a complete work of making a person whole (physically, spiritually, emotionally).

2 In Matt. 9:21-22, we read the story of the woman with an issue of blood who touched the tassel of Jesus’ prayer shawl (tazizit), & she was immediately made “whole” by her faith in Jesus as healer. For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. Matt 9:21-22 (KJV)

a The word translated “whole” is translated “saved” 52 other times in the New Testament (sozo).