Compassionate Hands and Faithfilled Fingers

Super Heroes

DC and Marvel Superheroes are probably what most of us think of when we think of superheroes. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Cat Woman,

There is a lot of discussion that has taken place over the years about, which superhero is the best, or the strongest most powerful. Thor vs. Superman, Batman vs Superman.

When I was a child, I remember watching tv shows and cartoons, and thinking how wonderful it would be to be a superhero, or to meet one of the superheroes.

Often, my friends and I would pretend we were different superheroes or tv characters, and sometimes we would argue about who was going to be one or the other. Well, needless to say, I never became one, and I never met one of the TV superheroes. But I have met THE undisputed, most powerful, Superhero of the world and many of you have met Him too.

In fact, today we are here to worship and adore THE SUPERHERO. We are here to draw our attention toward the self existent unchanging, all powerful God of all!

Luke 6:12–26 ESV

12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. 17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. 20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. 24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Christ is building His kingdom, and here in Luke is in the process of laying the foundation for that kingdom. He is revealing Himself to the world. The people that are gathered are both Jews and Gentiles. They are from various cities and regions. These groups can be broken down into three groups, or layers.

Apostles- Called out, sent ones, ambassadors, preachers

Disciples- followers, believers (at some level), students of the Word (in the flesh)

Crowds- on lookers, bystanders, inquisitive observers

Among these three groups there are . . .

Diseased

Normal physiological functions are unable or hindered from functioning as they are intended to function, affecting some or all of the systems within an organism.

Troubled with unclean spirits

Pestered, nagged, harassed, annoyed, hindered by a spirit that is unholy, unrighteous, unable to approach that which is holy, righteous and good.

The effect of these unclean spirits may have been the very diseases that were exhibited in the bodies, minds and souls of the crowds that came to hear and be healed.

Example: envy/ jealousy/discontentment/covetousness makes the bones rot.

I once had a someone testify of this happening in their life. They had envy and bitterness in their hearts, but as soon as they gave their bitterness and envy over to God, and let go of the anger and discontentment that was ruling their life, their bodies recovered from crippling joint pain and went on with a healthy and active life.

Proverbs 14:30 ESV

30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.

The Scriptures teach and we are able to recognize that we are beings, created by God and hearts, minds and spirits and those parts are combined together into one being.

We are able to trace spiritual battles with physiological effects, such as depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, sleep depravity, elevated heart rate, stamina or lack thereof. Adrenaline is a hormone that affects things like heart rate, blood pressure, blood distribution, which translates into energy and power to the muscles, increased sensory awareness etc . . . etc. . .

I am not suggesting that if you have high blood pressure, you must be sinfully anxious or fearful, or angry, but I am suggesting that it might be something to consider as the source.

I am also not suggesting that you stop any medications that are assisting you with such problems, nor should anyone ever do that. But the fact is, our sinful attitudes and disobedient thoughts and the idols of our hearts, can cause us to suffer from health problems directly or indirectly. Sin has consequences.

The important message is that Jesus cared for the crowds of people and he worked miracles in their bodies and in their spirits.

Healed and Cured

Healed= Restoration of normal physiological function as the organism or system is intended to function. Made well, redeemed from illness or infirmity.

The word for healed in this passage is the same word that Paul spoke of in 1 Cor 12, as he listed the gifts, that members of the body of Christ/church are endowed with by the Spirit of God.

Cured is another word that is used in our English translations to describe what is happening to the crowds of people coming to Jesus. The idea here is one that is delivered from something or someone, or one that is being served or cared for, with the result being freedom from the trouble or oppression taking place in one’s life.

1 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

Jesus demonstrated over and over again in the New Testament (testimony) that he not only had the compassion and desire to bring healing and restoration to the weak, sick and powerless, but He possessed the ability to do so effectively and extensively.

Healed and Cured by Christ’s Power

Luke 6:19 ESV

19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

Compassionate Hands and Faith-filled Fingers

Luke 8:46 ESV

46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.”

Christ’s power conquered disease and sickness and His power destroyed or cast away the unclean spirits that troubled these people. Christ’s work in this passage, once again confirmed His power over Satan and his demons and His absolute authority in the spiritual realm.

So often, power is abused, distorted for evil, oppressive, domineering, self serving and self exalting. That is not the case with Jesus. Well, it is self-exalting and rightfully so. But Jesus’ power and compassion combined to free people of their afflictions and diseases. This we are told, took place by the power pouring out from Him. The power exuded from His very being.

This healing and restoration was possible due to God’s creative, sustaining, and self-existent nature.

The Lord Jesus Christ, had the power within Him to cure all disease, illness, infirmity, and He also had the power within Himself to drive away or destroy any and all unclean spirits. The power “went out from Him”.

He exuded power, which served to authenticate to those he healed and others observing, that He truly was not only a tremendous teacher of the Word of God, but that He love God and loved his neighbors.

Compassionate Hands

His power coupled with compassion spoke loudly, which as we are able to look back upon with hindsight, see that it also proves that He truly was and is the Son of God.

Even as His power is working to restore and heal the people of the crowd, He is about to launch into additional teaching, that not both reinforces and clarifies the heart of the Law of Moses.

His compassion and power at work, also authenticated His authority to teach and preach the sovereign will of God.

But there is additional good news. Jesus doesn’t stop there, He does something incredible.

He equips His disciples with power as well.

First, to the twelve apostles.

Luke 9:1 ESV

1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,

Then to 72 (additional 60 people)

Luke 10:19 ESV

19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

And he offers them the promise of the power of the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Further into the book of Acts we read of the apostles healing power, and their ability to perform miracles, which draws people attention and causes outsiders to question the source of their power.

Peter, gives an answer to their questions in Acts 4

Acts 4:7–12 ESV

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

I want to point out, Peter is making it very clear. The purpose of the miracles they are performing is to confirm the GOSPEL. verse 11&12 says,

Acts 4:11–12 ESV

11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Compassionate Hands and Faith-filled Fingers

Christ exhibited compassionate hands, and the people around Him exhibited their faith-filled fingers as they reached out to touch Jesus. This happened more than once.

Then the apostles continued this ministry of compassion and power, following Christ’s example and proclaiming the message of the Gospel as they go.

Paul confirms that such abilities are gifts of the Holy Spirit in Romans and 1 Corinthians and those gifts are given to the church, to build up the body of Christ.

St. Luke, Vol. I Vers. 17, 19

The Church should create for itself a large sphere of practical service, because there are many who cannot understand the metaphysics of Christianity who may be touched by its philanthropy. Jesus Christ’s plan was to take hold of human nature as it chose to present itself to his attention; hence we find him not only speaking essential truths to Nicodemus, but attending to the bodily necessities of those who had no understanding whatever of the spiritual kingdom which He came to establish.

“Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” President Theodore Rosevelt

We are to follow Christ’s example. WE need to have compassionate hands, but we also need to proclaim the truths of the Word of God.

“Our personal compassion and empathy is important, but that quickly runs dry. And there is no lasting healing in human empathy. . . genuine healing comes from God by means of his word” The Care of Souls-Cultivating a Pastor’s Heart by Senkbeil

Compassionate Hands and Faith-filled Fingers

May we seek to emulate Christ’s example of love and compassion, knowing that we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. The Spirit of God, which has the power to perform miracles. May He empower us and use us as we compassionately care for others, proclaiming His Gospel as we do so.