Jesus the Healer
5 Days in the Life of
Christ
Lesson Five
So What?
Gtcotr/ss032920
Today
we will conclude our latest Bible series, Jesus the Healer, 5 Days in the Life
of Christ, with Lesson 5 entitled, “So What?”
There
are only two things necessary to pass any test in life. In order to pass any
and every test life affords a person must:
1.
Know the right answer.
2.
Apply that answer to the test.
The
longer a person lives the more they realize that they don’t really know all
that much. They may be opinionated, have preferences, suspicions, desires and
theories but … they don’t really know that much, and they certainly aren’t in
control. About the time they have it all figured out, something or someone
changes and upsets their plans.
Life
has a way of dealing us surprises. However, what seems like a surprise to us,
is often a plan to God. God sees the end from the beginning, and He is always
in control. God has a plan and He will succeed. Each day we remain on this
earth is but one more opportunity to participate in the plan of God.
In every situation, there is always something we can do to please
God.
Our challenge is two-fold:
1.
Find the right answer …
2.
Apply that answer to life.
Of
course, those who know Jesus are certain the Bible is true, and we believe it
contains the answer to every question in life. Thankfully when we haven’t yet
found the right answer from God’s Word and are still searching, we have some
default answers that serve to keep us on track. Some of the defaults that will
always hold us on course and give God the time and opportunity He needs to show
the answers we need are:
·
God
so loved the world that He gave His only Son for us.
·
He
will never leave us or forsake us.
·
God
is sovereign and His will is good.
·
I
will know the answer when God is ready to show me the answer.
The Bible tells only one story, it is the story of Redemption. Every single verse
and each passage of scripture only adds to that one story. No scripture is of
private interpretation. Each verse in the Bible is valid only when interpreted
correctly and in light of the one-story God is telling. God never leaves His
children on a down note or in a hole.
Jesus
knew and depended on the fact that God would not leave His soul in hell,
neither would He allow His flesh to see corruption. Jesus had a promise from
His Father God, and He depended on it. God will not allow any of His children
to suffer an eternity in hell and neither is it His divine will that we suffer
the hell of this life.
Added
to our defaults should be sound Biblical faith in the fact that even though God
may work in and on and through us when we go through trials, tribulations,
testing and trouble, it is not His will that we have these difficulties in
life.
There
is an Old Covenant or Testament or Will, and a New Will and Testament. We are
Born-Again and live our lives on earth as Believers under the New Covenant. In
the New Testament, we never see Jesus putting sickness or disease on people to
teach them a lesson or to bring them closer to God. What
we see in the New Testament is a healing Jesus.
From
this we should be able to have confidence that:
1.
Healing and Health is the will of God for His Children.
Anything we see as a reality in eternity should become a part of our
hope in this life as well.
2.
Repentance cleans our lives and positions us to receive from God.
This
is not the same as saying, “if you’re sick, you’re in sin” … that’s just not
the truth. However, if you’re sick, you certainly need to be right with God. We can’t live in sin and expect God to bless us.
3.
We have power over spirits of infirmity.
When
the devil tries to torment us, we can confidently rebuke him in the name of
Jesus, and he has to go. No amount of medicine or therapy can deliver a person
from demonic possession, oppression or control. We can’t imagine the devil is
dead or dormant. We are told to Resist and Rebuke the
devil Steadfast in Faith.
4.
Your faith will make you whole.
Many
times throughout the Gospels people came to “Hear and
be Healed” of their plagues. One touch from Jesus will change
everything. Trusting God is vital to victory. This is the victory that
overcomes the world, even our faith. What we Hear -
What we Say – and - What we Do, will decide our future.
Today’s
lesson:
5.
“So What?”
Let’s
imagine that everything I have concluded from my 40 years of attentive study
and pastoral experience is true. Let’s imagine that it is the will of God to
heal; repentance truly does make us right with God; that we have power of
demons and spirits of infirmity; that our faith will move mountains in our
lives … so what?
Let
me tell you something. If everything I have concluded about God and His will
and the power He has given His children under this New Covenant in the earth is
true … we need to do something with it! We need to tell people about it! We
need to start acting on it!
Well,
wouldn’t you just know that this is exactly what Jesus said after His
resurrection just before He ascended into heaven to act as our personal
attorney and advocate before His Heavenly Father!!!
Let’s
read about that last day Jesus spent on earth … and the instructions He gave
His followers.
Mark 16
15 And He said to them, “Go
into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 “He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 “And these signs will
follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak
with new tongues;
18 “they will take up
serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them;
they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 ¶ So then, after the Lord
had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right
hand of God.
20 And they went out and
preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word
through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Everything
written in these verses is verified over and over again throughout the
scriptures and confirmed in the New Covenant by the words, the actions and the
blood of Christ.
·
These
instructions are in concert with the one-story God is telling … the story of
redemption.
·
These
parting words are in line with the solid defaults of sustained Biblical truth.
·
Hear
the Word of the Lord!
Go
into all the world and preach this Good News to every person.
This
Good News has the power to save everyone who will believe.
These signs will follow those who believe:
·
They will cast out demons in the name of Jesus.
·
They will speak with languages unknown and unlearned.
·
They will have power over serpents and scorpions.
·
Nothing shall by any means hurt them.
·
They will lay hands on the sick and they will be healed.
So
What? So, Jesus gave them and those who would later believe on Him instructions
and then:
·
He went to heaven
·
He sat down …
·
They went forward!
Not
the other way around. They didn’t sit and expect Him to go throughout the
world. He sat down and expects us to go into all the world.
His
job it to confirm this Good News with signs, wonders and miracles.
He
did His part … Now let’s do ours … and remember, the Bible says:
Signs follow Believers … Believers don’t follow Signs!
Go
and tell and speak in ways you never did before and take authority over every
spirit of infirmity and be confident nothing shall by any means harm you and
pray for the sick by faith in the name of Jesus … this is the undeniable will
of Almighty God for every Born-Again Believer in Jesus Christ!
