CHRIST THE HEALER

When you encounter Jesus in the Gospels, often He is healing the sick, going to heal the sick, or coming from healing the sick.

“As you read the four Gospels, it is abundantly clear that healing was a central part of Jesus earthly ministry.” – Randy Clark

Matthew 4:23 – “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.”

Matthew 4:24 – “Then His fame went throughout 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.”

Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Why Did Jesus Heal the Sick?

1. To Show Us the Father’s Heart

John 5:19 – “Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.’”

John 14:9b – “He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’”

Hebrews 1:3a – “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power.”

2. To Destroy the Works of the Enemy

1 John 3:8b – “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

3. To Confirm the Gospel

Mark 16:20 – “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.”

4. To Demonstrate the Kingdom of God

Matthew 10:7-8 – “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”

5. To Declare Himself as the Messiah

Luke 7:22-23 – “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

6. To Manifest the Compassion and Mercy of Heaven

Mark 1:40 – “Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, ‘If you are willing, You can make me clean.’”

Mark 1:41 – “Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’”

7. To Foreshadow the Cross

Matthew 8:16 – “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’”

How Did Jesus Heal the Sick?

1. Through the Laying on of His Hands

Mark 1:41 – “Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’”

2. Through the Spoken Word

John 4:50 – “Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your son lives.’ So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.”

Luke 7:7 – “Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

John 5:8-9 – “Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk.’ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.”

3. Through Unusual Acts of Faith

John 9:6-7 – “When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay. And He said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.”

4. Through the Removal of Oppressive Spirits

Luke 13:10-11 – “Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.”

Luke 13:12-13 – “But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, ‘Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.’ And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”

5. Through Obedient Faith

Luke 17:12-13 – “Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy upon us!’”

Luke 17:14 – “So when He saw them, He said to them, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.”

6. Through His Death on the Cross

Isaiah 53:5 – “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

7. Through His People

Luke 9:1-2 – “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”