Healing from the Master - Jesus the Christ

Matthew 8:2–3 NRSV

and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Matthew 8:5–13 NRSV

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress.” And he said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and the slave does it.” When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, “Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.” And the servant was healed in that hour.

Matthew 9:20–22 NRSV

Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

Intro

We are in the second week of our sermon series The Power of Healing. Last week we learned about the Author of Healing....who is a Divine Healer, the Great Physician and the Balm in Gilead.

This week we will look at just a few of the miracles of healing by Jesus Christ. One of the most amazing parts of Jesus’ ministry was His ability to heal the sick, restoring the sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and speech to the mute. He casted out demons and even restored life to those that had died. But not only did Jesus perform these miraculous healings, the healings were almost instantaneous. There was no time needed to heal..there was no need for physical therapy.....or time to recover from the ailment....no need to get some rest in order to heal......because the healing was immediate.

His miracles were usually instant (twenty-three times). The only time it took two healings was in Mark 8:22–26 with the two saliva healings of the blind man. However, that appears to have been intentional on Jesus’ part; [1]

As a matter of fact, the healing was complete and strength was restored ....nothing was lacking. But not only did the healing of Jesus make that person whole again, it is wonderful how Jesus went about His miraculous healing. In other words, the mode of healing Jesus used was usually done by touch or by His spoken word.

Jesus usually healed through a simple word of healing (twelve times) and sometimes with touch as well (word and touch seven times). He used saliva for healing twice (Mark 8:23; John 9:6). On one occasion, a woman reached out to touch Jesus (Mark 5:28–30). It appears his main mode of healing was a statement of healing and the laying on of his hands.[1]

I believe our text today gives us examples of His power words of healing......and how His touch or the touching of Jesus is able to heal and make us whole.

Let us look at one of Jesus’ methods of healing through touch.....through out the gospels, we see Jesus’ healing hands touching and restoring....helping and healing those that are in need......

Look at the text in Matthew 8:2-3

and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

A Touch that Heals

We see that the leper was in need of having his whole body cured from this dreadful and debilitating disease of leprosy. Leprosy was a wasting disease that destroys flesh and is contagious on contact.

It was a very contagious disease and to touch someone with leprosy would make you unclean. It was so contagious that even the clothing the leper wore was considered to be contagious. Leprosy by the Mosaic law was regarded as an impurity. If someone contracted leprosy they had to be removed from society and be an outcast because they were now considered unclean and impure. Leprosy was associated with death and people looked at as if they were the walking dead. Lepers had to let people know if they were coming and had to shout Unclean to anyone that was nearby......

In other words.....leprosy was highly infectious ..... but look at the Master Healer........Jesus.....

Jesus’ healing power healed and cured the leper of this disease ....with a simple touch......

Some scholars debate whether Jesus broke the Mosaic law by touching a leper, but we know Jesus came to fulfill the Law.....and His miraculous touch healed the leper...... Truth be told, Jesus could have spoke a Word of healing to the leper, but instead He was compassionate and accepting of one who was considered unclean to the world.....

So Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him.....and I can imagine the leper had almost forgotten what the touch of a hand felt like.

For the leper....there was no human contact. No embrace from a wife, child, or friend.

Having leprosy is almost similar to the season we are in now with the Coronavirus.

We are to physically distance ourselves and not come into close contact with anyone we don’t live with. Unlike leprosy, we don’t know who may have the virus....so in order to keep safe....and clear from getting infected, we are to wear our mask and physically distance ourselves.

Jesus touched the leper.......and Immediately his leprosy disappeared.

My brothers and sisters.....I don’t now about you, but oh how sweet it is to be touched by Jesus.....to feel the healing touch of Jesus...... and even though we may not be able to feel the physical healing touch of Jesus....I believe that Jesus is still touching the sick......still restoring with his touch....and healing the mind, body and soul of people today......

Oh to be touched by Jesus.....and to be healed by His hand......

This is only but one of the many miraculous healings that Jesus did by touching. Not only did He heal by His touch.......Jesus spoke it and it was done. Jesus spoke healing into bodies that were miles away.......and spoke healing to those that were near Him. But all He had to do was say it......and it was done.

Look at our text today where we see Jesus heals by a word.....

Matthew 8:5-13.....

“Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and the slave does it.” When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, “Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.” And the servant was healed in that hour.

A Word that Heals

Through His Divine voice of healing.... Jesus heals the Centurion’s servant by saying.....“Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.” And the servant was healed in that hour.

I believe this healing teaches us that Jesus is able to heal by saying that the servant was healed, but also speaks to our faith.

It seems that faith is required for healing, whether from the ill person, or those bringing them to Jesus. There are several occasion when Jesus says your faith has healed you, and that person was healed.

However, there are also many miracle events in which there is no mention of faith[1]

With that said, faith on occasion led Jesus to act.

However Jesus often spoke and rebuked demons and healed people that were possessed.

Matthew 17:14-16, 18

tells us of Jesus curing a Boy with a Demon...

The New Revised Standard Version Jesus Cures a Boy with a Demon

14 When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, 15 and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water.

And after Jesus rebuked the demon....His disciples came to Him to ask why they couldn’t ....

Jesus said......

The New Revised Standard Version Jesus Cures a Boy with a Demon

20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

It is God who is the healer, not humans. Our role as believers is to trust him no matter what.

When someone is sick, believers should do as Jesus and Paul did, and pray earnestly for what they want and desire.

They should pray knowing that he can heal if he chooses to, and that “all things are possible” with God (Matt 19:26)[1]

Yes my brothers and sisters......Jesus can speak healing into our bodies..... He can speak life into our souls......we can receive Healing from the Master.

Jesus healed so many during the days He walked this earth and there were even those who knew just how powerful His healing was. They knew if they could just touch Jesus......they would be healed.

Healed by a touch His Garment

Look at Matthew 9:20-22

Matthew 9:18–22 NRSV

While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

In the middle of going to see a little girl that died, that Jesus would bring back to life.....we see the story of the woman with the issue of blood that touch the hem of his garment and was made whole again......

The Gospel of Mark records this story in more detail than we see in our text today....

Mark 5:25–34 NRSV

Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

This woman heard about Jesus, meaning she would have heard about the compassion of Jesus and the great miracles that he performed. The reports that she heard built faith within her. She decided to reach out to Him. She was unclean and as per the law, she could not touch anybody but to approach Jesus, she had to pass a great multitude. She did that as secretly as possible.

Notice how great her faith was.

She said within herself, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

It happened just as she believed. The moment she touched the hem of his garment, she realized that her flow of blood had stopped.

She received her miracle that she was waiting for 12 long years.

Multitudes were touching Jesus on all sides.

This multitude would have included people with various needs and sicknesses.

But none of them received their miracle.

Power did not do go out of Jesus when they touched Him.

What made the difference?

Not the touch but the faith associated with the touch.

Only those who cling on to Him in faith receive their miracles.

My Brothers and Sisters......Jesus is a miraculous healer...... He is the Master that can heal all of our diseases....... He can deliver us from the sting of death.........

The bible tells us.......

Collins Thesaurus of the Bible A2 Jesus Healing

Jesus healed all who were ill (Matt. 4:23–4; Matt. 8:16; Matt. 12:15; Matt. 14:14; Matt. 14:36; Matt. 15:30; Matt. 21:14; Luke 4:40; Luke 5:17; Luke 9:11); Jesus healed every kind of disease and sickness (Matt. 9:35); Jesus healed the crowds (Matt. 19:2); Jesus healed many (Mark 3:10); all who touched his cloak were healed (Mark 6:56); those troubled with unclean spirits were cured (Luke 6:18); Jesus healed all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38); crowds came to be healed (Luke 5:15); Jesus healed a few sick people (Mark 6:5); he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak (Mark 7:37); I will come and heal him (Matt. 8:7); I cast out demons and cure today and tomorrow (Luke 13:32); Jesus Christ heals you (Acts 9:34); by his wounds you were healed (Isa. 53:5; 1 Pet. 2:24); they brought to him demoniacs, epileptics and paralytics and he healed them (Matt. 4:24); say the word and my servant will be healed (Matt. 8:8); if I only touch his garment, I will be healed (Matt. 9:21); he healed many who were sick (Mark 1:34); they came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases (Luke 6:17); power came forth from him and healed them all (Luke 6:19); he cured many of diseases and evil spirits (Luke 7:21); the man who healed me said, ‘Take up your pallet and walk’ (John 5:11); they saw the signs he did on those who were ill (John 6:2); physician, heal yourself! (Luke 4:23); come and be healed on working days (Luke 13:14); is it lawful to heal on the sabbath? (Matt. 12:10; Luke 14:3); they watched him to see whether he would heal on the sabbath (Mark 3:2; Luke 6:7); the official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath (Luke 13:14); why be angry because I made a made a whole man well on the sabbath? (John 7:23); it was a sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes (John 9:14).

Healing from the Master......