Healing the Broken - Part 4 - Wounded Healer

Isaiah 9:6 NLT

6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Wonderful COUNSELOR!!!

As we have been talking about the Healing God has for our INNER MAN — have you ever asked yourself why JESUS is the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR???

We are entering the Christmas season, and what a better time to examine this thought —

The world and Christians spend a lot of money on Counselors!!! A lot of time with therapists and guides, and there is nothing wrong with seeking professional help to aide us in discovery — but when it all comes right down to it - THERE IS A COUNSELOR, ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS ALL THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH and may be going through!

His name is JESUS - the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR - Wonderful - because He was wounded, tempted, abused and experienced all the pain and hurt we could ever go through.

A few years back there was a popular Christian story about a woman who as a young adult was injured in a swimming accident that left her a quadriplegic. — Joni Erickson Tada

There was a point before Joni had found Christ that she begged for a friend to give her drugs to commit suicide - she was so helpless she could not even do that on her own.

That friend explained to her about how Christ felt her pain… Joni for three years had painful sensations that went through her body (phantom pains) that could not be calmed - she was paralyzed… but her friend explained to her how Christ on the cross was racked with pain, unable to move, his back raw (like hers could get) from his beatings - and unable to do anything about it… He understood what she was going through --

That was a turning point for Joni...

Jesus, is familiar with our emotional, physical and even the depth of our spiritual pain as He carried our infirmities and sin to the grave for us! He is our WOUNDED HEALER!

All this for a specific purpose - to when He says He is GOD WITH US --- EMMANUEL --- it is not just in WORD or the fact He knows what we are going through, but because HE IS IN IT WITH US - He knows just HOW WE FEEL!

Matthew 1:23 NLT

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”

1. Understanding Infirmity

Jesus came all the way from heaven to earth to understand our weaknesses - or infirmities.

He laid down His glory, His deity, His Sovereignty to become like us His creation.

John 1:1–6 NLT

1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. 6 God sent a man, John the Baptist,

John 1:1 NLT

1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1–5 NLT

1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

John 1.-

John 1:14 NLT

14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

The power of the Christmas story — but even more so the POWER OF THE WOUNDED HEALER

Infirmity in the OT came from the expression used to describe a blemish on an animal brought for sacrifice.

Not only animals, but Priests with families and genealogies with known blemishes (spots on their records) were disqualified from serving.

A blemish was simply a mark or a reproach. A defect or deformity in man or animal.

How often does our sin, our abuse, our shame leave us isolated because of the sense of blemish!!!

Only a perfect animal could be brought as a sacrifice to the Lord.

The New Testament word for infirmtiy comes from the negative version of the greek word “sthenos” which means strength. If you add ‘a” before it - it is the opposite - asthenos — weakness (lack of strength)

The word is seldom used solely as a referral to physical weakness and more as moral, mental, and emotional weakness.

The condition so many experience in our world today because of sin committed against them and by them - a sense of infirmity or blemish.

In the Old Testament - every priest was a man and effected by the same curse of sin as every other man — but then came Christ!

One who was tempted and tried and experienced all the same pain and suffering, YET OVERCAME!

This allows HIM to FEEL our infirmity though He did not weaken to infirmity!

Hebrews 4:15 NLT

15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

Hebrews 2:18 NLT

18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

Jesus was confronted with all the same difficulties we can experience — yet overcame so He can ASSIST US in overcoming as well!

Hebrews 5:7–8 NLT

7 While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.

Because of these sufferings - Jesus truly is God with us, the God who has felt as we have felt and walks with us through our pain onward to victory.

We don’t have to be ashamed or come to God timidly with fear, but we can come boldly as He understands us.

Hebrews 4:16 NLT

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Ephesians 3:12 NLT

12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

2. Identifying with Infirmity

So how did Jesus identify with our weakness — what were some of the things He experienced.

The verses in Hebrews says He experienced ALL the same testings we do!!!

Here are just a few from the time leading to His death...

A. The Garden

Matthew 26:37–40 NLT

37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour?

Matthew 26.37-

Grief

Depression

Loneliness

Longing to die

This is the anguish he felt inside Himself as He struggled in the garden, knowing the pain and suffering that He was about to bear.

Psalm 22:14–16 NLT

14 My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. 15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. 16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet.

A sense of abandonment and lonleliness

Psalm 69:1–3 NLT

1 Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. 2 Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me. 3 I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me.

Psalm 69:20 NLT

20 Their insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. If only one person would show some pity; if only one would turn and comfort me.

B. The Trial

Christ experienced being falsely accused, lied about, and victimized because of it… EVER BEEN THERE?

Matthew 26:67 NLT

67 Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him,

matt 26.

Luke 22.

Luke 22:63–64 NLT

63 The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?”

The charges against Christ were not real.

There is a deep pain when we fall victims to another lies and suffer because of it…

Jesus has been there!

There is also the feeling of physical abuse - the degradation of being slapped around and beaten… Jesus understands.

C. The Cross

Matthew 27:40 NLT

40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

Being mocked, made fun of, - no fun

How many of us have been jeered at, called names, criticized by loved ones, or peers, school mates, etc.

There is also a sense of rejection here - He came to save mankind and instead He is being rejected.

At the cross, his disciples abandoned him.

Rejection, abandonment — all reach into the greatest depths of despair.

Ask a person who has been divorced, experienced the death of a spouse or child, etc.

Also, think of what it was like when Christ descended into hell carrying the sin of the world. While on the cross He felt His heavenly father turn his head from him.

Matthew 27:46 NLT

46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

The worst sense of abandonment one can experience in their emotions!

OUR WONDERFUL COUNSELOR --- OUR WOUNDED HEALER — EXPERIENCED THE PAIN WE FEEL so He can be GOD WITH US!!! EMMANUEL!

3. Helping Infirmity

2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

WHY?

Jesus became like creation to help us overcome as well. Tempted and suffered as we do - to show us the way out and over.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

There is no pain in your life, that He cannot help you through --- Our Wounded Healer came to HELP US! TO HEAL US!!! TO TAKE US THROUGH THE PAIN TO THE OTHER SIDE.

This Christmas Season, realize that the gift of peace and healing is yours for the taking, receiving if you allow Him to be your WONDERFUL COUNSELOR!

CONCLUSION

Jesus wants to be your Healer if you will let Him. He gets it!

Hebrews 4:16 NLT

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.