October 12, 2008

 Jesus Heals & True Discipleship

 Mark 1:40 & 2:12 & Matthew 7:21-29 

 Mark 1

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean," he said.

  41 Moved with compassion,* Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!"42 Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.43 Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning:44 "Don't tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy.* This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed."

  45 But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn't publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.

Mark 2

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home.2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God's word to them,3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat.4 They couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus.5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven."

  6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves,7 "What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"

  8 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts?9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk'?10 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man* has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said,11 "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"

  12 And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers.They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, "We've never seen anything like this before!"

 

Matthew 7

True Disciples

21 "Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.22 On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.'23 But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'



Building on a Solid Foundation

24 "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock.26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."

  28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,29 for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

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Thoughts....

There is a lot of content here.  I am giving you examples of a couple of the different healings that Jesus performed.  And I am giving you the definition of a true disciple.  Let's look at both. 

That which strikes me most is the statement where Jesus is moved with compassion and says, "I want to".  "Be healed!", after the man says, "If you want to, you can make me well again".  I've reversed the order of these statements to impress Jesus' compassion.  He wants to....heal you.

Then he wanted the man to go to the Priest....not a Doctor like Luke...to have authoritative proof that he had been healed....spiritually....which...enacted...a...physical healing.  AND to give an offering.....let me say that again....and to give an offering.  And THEN the process of doing so will be like him 'telling it on the mountain', so to speak.  Jesus wanted everyone to have proof.  Big stuff.  Why did he want to have proof?  So all would know that Jesus IS the Savior, the Lord, the new born King come.  And he didn't want the man to tell everyone FIRST because he wanted the authoritative proof to not be tainted by word of mouth.  

In Chapter 2 when Jesus healed a paralyzed man, he forgave his sins.  Forgave his sins to heal him???!!!  Yup.  Sin paralyzes us by keeping us away from the perfect love and will of God and creates illness, as we let Satan in to taunt, tempt, steal, kill and destroy.  "But I haven't killed anyone!", you say?   Yes you have.  Everytime you sin, you renail Jesus to the cross.  He was nailed to that cross for forgiveness of your sins.  The correlation is strong, as Jesus talks about blasphemy.  He shows that some of our illnesses are as a result of sin.   He again shows his authority on earth as the LORD.

In Matthew Chapter 7 we learn what he expects of us as disciples and who can enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  A person who listens to his teaching and follows it is wise and is his disciple.  And the ones that actually do the will of the Father will enter heaven.

Will you say to Jesus, "I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed."?  Will you build your home on the rock of a solid foundation called Jesus?  Will you accept him fully into your heart, listening to his voice and doing the will of the Father? 

Jesus said in Matthew 8:13, "What you have believed has happened."  What is your belief system?  Are you dreaming or building foundations for your dreams?  What are your hopes, your needs, your fears, your wants, your desires, what is your knowing?  You've heard the phrase, 'It is not what you know, but who you know.'  Well, when it comes to the bottom line...when the end is near, when all hope is lost, when things are not going well, when all is going well, when life is sweet with the riches of life and love, it IS who you know.  Know him today.   Ask him to come into your life.  Renew your relationship with Jesus, if you have walked away.  Say 'please', and say 'come'.  And then say with a resounding voice and with fullness of heart, 'thank you!'.  "He'll love you still....all the way." 

This is a miraculous healing:

1.  Description of an ailment, sin.  Offering it up to the Lord in prayer.

2.  Performance of a cure.  Seeing/feeling the healing manifested within.

3.  Demonstration of the cure, either by healed person or reaction of onlookers.  Will others know you have been healed physically or spiritually?   How will you present yourself/act, and who will you say did this for you...for love?  

4.  Offering.  Giving a gift, and yourself as a gift to God...listen, follow, and obey. 

Ready?          Set?!          GO!!!        ALLELUIA!!!!          AMEN!!!!    

I am so glad to call you Brother, Sister, Friend in Christ.  "The Kingdom of God is near you now."

Blessings.....

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LET US PRAY

Dear Heavenly Father, God, Lord and Savior, Jesus, Comforter, Truth Teacher, Redeemer, Holy Spirit.  Thank you for doing all you have done to allow me to have my sins forgiven and to offer me eternal life.  I am so grateful.  Forgive me of my sins, please.  Thank you.  Teach me to know who you are, that you are and how wonderful you are.  Teach me your ways, take me away from the worlds ways of life.  Give me a new way of living and a new way of loving....you and others around me...oh, and myself.  Help me to be a better listener, so that I may hear all you have to tell me, so that I will know when you call me and what it is you are calling me to do in my daily life, every day, every moment of every day.  And then help me TO DO all that you and I need to have done.  And though I want to ask you to grant me more time...it is in asking for more time that I procrastinate yet further in life and in love.  So don't give me more time, just help me to schedule better.  And take time for rest...your rest...so that I may know your peace that passes all understanding.  And thank you, Lord.  For all this and more.  Especially for carrying me when my burden feels too heavy.  But I know you can heal me and lift me to heaven and get through all of life, if I JUST keep my eyes fixed on you.  Oh....if I can just keep my eyes fixed on you.  Help me, Lord...please help me.   And thank you again.   I love you!   Me          

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