A0408_A Commission to Heal
Date: 2nd November 2008 (Sunday PM) Ref: A0408
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: A Commission to Heal
Text: & Mark 16:15-18
Illust: Been in Hospital for 5 days, spent almost a day of that in Accident & Emergency; every bed full; going to move me to a ward – no idea when. Finally came & said that the Canberra Hospital was in a bed block – Full up & I was being located in National Capital Private. – Struck me that there are a lot of sick people.
I. A Foundation of Healing
A. Jesus Healed
i. Reading through the Gospels & the book of Acts; Struck by how much is taken up by demonstration of supernatural / miraculous healing of the sick
ii. Jesus demonstrated His power to heal as a clear indication of who He was, His deity, His power over sickness, sin & the devil. He cleansed the Leper, made the blind to see and raised the dead.
iii. There are specific miracles recorded that demonstrate Jesus’ power over different ailments but also amazingly over & again the Bible records that he held mass healing crusades where everyone was healed.
Matthew 4:24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. (NKJV)
Matthew 12:15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. (NKJV)
Luke 6:19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. (NKJV)
B. Early Apostles
i. The book of Acts similarly is a record of the Gospel going forth accompanied by the supernatural demonstrated in the healing of the sick
Acts 28:8-9 8 And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. 9 So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. (NKJV)
Acts 8:5-7 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. (NKJV)
ii. Here is a clear description of the evangelistic crusade by Philip, he preached Christ & the multitudes paid attention because of the supernatural miracles of healing that accompanied his preaching.
Acts 5:16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. (NKJV)
iii. Not a once off, this was an extension of Jesus ministry, the early church was continuing the task they had been given
II. The Task
A. A Commission
i. Truth that we have to grasp is that healing is a central component of the presentation of the Gospel. – Jesus Himself said whenever He sent His disciples out to preach the Kingdom
Mark 3:14-15 14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: (NKJV)
Matthew 10:7-8 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (NKJV)
Luke 9:2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (NKJV)
ii. Indeed the Great Commission to go into all the world to preach the Gospel, does not just mention preaching, Jesus actually makes it clear that certain signs, supernatural action will be seen by those who preach His Gospel. ~ & Mark 16:15-18
iii. One of those signs very clearly is to be the healing of the sick.
B. An Expectation
i. The disciples certainly took Jesus seriously. – They believed that people should be healed when they preached the word. They expected it, they prayed to see it.
Acts 4:29-30 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” (NKJV)
ii. This was the prayer of the early church, and God answered their prayer, all through the book of Acts, healing accompanies the preaching of the Gospel – Powerful supernatural healing.
Acts 19:11-12 11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. (NKJV)
III. Is it Your Expectation
A. By Faith
i. The question this evening that you need to ask is, is this my expectation. Do you expect the miraculous, to see the healing power of God?
ii. Might seem a bit strange a sermon like this from someone who has a sickness requiring hospitalisation; and I can tell you I prayed for healing, I commanded healing, I repented of every sin, I could think of, yet I could not say I was supernaturally healed. – Nothing more than what I would expect from the working of the antibiotic. – Why can I preach on supernatural healing?
iii. It’s not my or your experience that matters, what matters is what God says. God’s word is truth & God says we should pray for, believe for and see supernatural healing.
B. Contending for Healing
i. You need to contend for the supernatural, the power of God to be at work in your life to minister healing.
ii. You need to believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today & forever & God is Jehovah Rapha. God who heals you & claim the healing that He offers for your life & others.
iii. Encourage you to pray & believe God