Tag Archives: faith

Jesus Heals the Sick, Raises the Dead, and Calls You Into His Arms

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In the last video post, we finished the five-part series on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

After Jesus finished His sermon, He journeyed back to the town of Capernaum. A Roman Centurion (an officer in charge of one hundred men) approached Jesus upon His arrival. The centurion pleaded with Jesus to heal his servant, who was presently lying sick at the centurion’s home.

Jesus tells the centurion that He’ll accompany him to his home to heal the servant. But the centurion replies: “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” Matt. 8:8 NKJV

The centurion’s faith in Jesus was so strong that he believed that Jesus only needed to speak a word for the healing, right where He was. He was convinced that Jesus possessed the power of God with such strength, that His physical presence wasn’t necessary.

Jesus acknowledges the centurion’s faith:

“Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

And I say to you that many will come from the east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the sons of the kingdom will be cast into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 8:10 – 12. NKJV

What Jesus is saying is that many of the Gentiles (from the east and west) with faith in Jesus (like the centurion), would be given access to God’s eternity, and He is showing us that even the patriarchal saints will be there to interact with.

However, He is also declaring a stern warning for the Jews (the sons of the kingdom) – telling them that those who do not have faith in Him will be turned away.

Jesus then says to the centurion: “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And His servant was healed that same hour. Matt. 8:13 NKJV

Thus, Christ’s divine healing was dependent upon the centurion’s faith. Indeed, any movement of God on His children’s behalf, requires their faith.

Jesus travels to a nearby town (accompanied by His apostles and a large crowd); and as He enters the city gates, He sees a funeral procession for an only son of a widowed woman. He reacts:

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Then he came and touched the coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. Luke 7:13 – 15. NKJV

Jesus brushed aside the Pharisaic version of Jewish law that forbade one from touching coffins – choosing instead to restore life where there was none.

The news of this healing spread like wildfire…

The disciples of John the Baptist came from the prison where John remained behind bars, obviously depressed, and he began to wonder if Jesus was really the Messiah after all. And they told Jesus of John’s concerns. Jesus responded:

“Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard; that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.

And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Luke 7:22, 23. NKJV

Jesus is telling John’s disciples to tell John that He is the Christ, and to hold fast onto his faith…

When the disciples leave, Jesus turns to the crowd to speak of John the Baptist:

“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? …A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare a way for you.’

I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom is greater than he.” Luke 7:24 & 26 -28. ESV

What Jesus is conveying is that they have never met a stronger man of God – chosen to prepare them for Christ’s coming. Jesus then reveals that even greater are those who answer His call to enter into the kingdom of God.

And then He convicts those who have both rejected the call of John the Baptist, and the entreaty of His own:

For John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, He has a demon. The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say Behold, a Man Who is a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and notorious sinners.

Yet wisdom is vindicated (shown true and divine) by all her children [by their life, character, and deeds]. Luke 7:33 – 35. AMP

In other words, the religious Jews labeled John as a crazy man, and they branded Jesus as being a sinner. But Jesus says that the proof of who they are and what they say will be in the fruit of the saints that they are preparing for heaven.

Jesus continues by convicting those who lived in the cities that He had already visited, because they did not believe in Him – even after He performed His miraculous works:

“But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” Matt. 11:24 NKJV

As you might recall, the treatment of the unrepentant city of Sodom was mighty harsh.

We are beginning to see Jesus displaying a little righteous anger – but it is born out of His love for God’s creations, and of His compassionate pain that He must endure over those who don’t choose to become children of God. Jesus suffers because the result of their choosing to reject Him, will be God’s rejection of them for all of eternity.

Once again, Jesus tries to get the people to understand His true nature and to realize the gravity that surrounds His coming:

“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Matt. 11:27 NKJV

We have seen thus far that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, and that He can heal the sick and raise the dead. Now, Jesus is letting everyone know that all authority, (especially with respect to God’s plan for salvation) is given over to Christ. Furthermore, we now see that we cannot even connect with God without the grace of Jesus.

Jesus’ intent here is not to declare His divine status as the Son of God to impress anyone. He is only revealing it to them so that they can understand the magnitude of the authority with which He speaks.

In fact, He immediately changes His tone and humbles Himself, as He then most gently invites all people to come in His arms:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavenly laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matt. 11:28 – 30. NKJV

Jesus knows that we carry the troubles of the world, and the pain of our past mistakes, upon our backs.

He loves us so much. He willingly asks us to unload our heaviness, and lay all of our worries at His feet. All it takes is faith on our part. And then, we can walk buoyantly within the light of God…

Goodnight and God bless.