Message

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JESUS HEALS MANY

Luke 4:31-44

Key Verse: 4:43 “But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”

  The early messianic ministry of Jesus is summarized by two main tasks: healing and teaching. Jesus spent most of his hours healing the sick and teaching the word. By healing the sick Jesus shows that he is the compassionate Messiah. By teaching the word Jesus proves that he is the Son of God. In today’s passage, we learn who Jesus is and why he was sent to this world. Jesus himself answers this.

First, Jesus’ teaching with authority (31-37). Look at verse 31. “Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people.” Capernaum is located at the north side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus performed many miracles in this town. He healed a paralytic (Mk 2:1-12). He raised the synagogue ruler Jairus’ daughter to life (Mk 5:41). Jesus also healed the centurion’s servant.(Lk 7:1-10) Today Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law.

On the Sabbath day, as was his custom, Jesus entered a synagogue and began to teach the people. Wherever Jesus went, he taught the people. Why did Jesus teach people wherever he went? Why did he make teaching the word his most important task? It was because the word of God is able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Ti 3:15). It was because the word of God gives life while flesh counts for nothing (Jn 6:63). It was because the word of God stands forever while all things on earth spoil or perish. (1 Pe 1:24,25) That’s why Jesus made every effort to teach the word wherever he went. That is why our young disciples and missionaries are eager to teach the word. What a blessing and privilege for us to hear God’s word every Sunday! Praise Jesus!

 What was the people’s response to Jesus’ teaching? Look at verse 32. “They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.” People were amazed at Jesus’ teaching because his message had authority. Here authority is not the authority that a police officer has to stop cars and give out tickets. Jesus’ authority is the power of God which moves sinners’ hearts. It is the power of the Holy Spirit which leads us to repentance and to open our eyes to see the kingdom of God. People say that Jesus’ teaching has authority because he himself is God. It’s true. However, his teaching has authority because he taught God’s word with the Messiah’s compassion.  Jesus taught the people until they could experience the presence of God. Jesus taught them until they could taste the living water welling up to eternal life. Jesus taught them the word of God so that they could see the kingdom of God in their hearts.

I met some people who said that UBF Bible study is deep and powerful. Our Bible teaching has authority. It has authority not because we have Ph D degrees from prestigious seminary schools, but because we believe the Bible is God’s word and teach people with God’s compassion. God pours his spirit and power on those who humbly kneel down and pray and teach his word with God’s compassion. When we teach the word heart to heart, the Holy Spirit works. Amen.

Where there is the work of the Holy Spirit, there is also the work of Satan. While Jesus was teaching the word, something disturbing happened in the synagogue. Look at verses 33,34. “In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!” We don’t think that people brought this demon possessed man to the synagogue. Rather this man was just responding to Jesus’ holy teaching. This man was possessed by not one but many demons. The demons recognized Jesus as the Holy One of God, the Son of the Most High God. The demons were afraid of Jesus because they thought that Jesus would come to destroy them. Satan’s response disturbed Jesus’ teaching and stirred the crowd in a commotion.

What did Jesus do at this moment? Jesus said sternly, “Be quiet!” “Come out of him!” (35) Jesus rebuked the demons. Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. (35) Before Jesus, the demons were like paper tigers. They obeyed Jesus’ command and came out of the man right away without injuring him. Here we learn that Jesus has authority to drive out demons. Jesus controls the spiritual world. Man is both body and spirit. These days people treat evilness as a mental disorder or as a distorted character. So they send people who have evil spirits to mental clinic or psychiatrists. Pills or other medical treatments may help them a little bit, but not completely. Jesus heals them all. Jesus has power to drive out demons and cleanse them from evil spirits.

What was the people’s response to this? Look at verses 36,37. “All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!” And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.” According to Mark’s gospel, people said, “What is this? A new teaching-and with authority!” Jesus’ message was new to them because it was the message of repentance and of the kingdom of God. People expected some fantastic messages which satisfy their itching ears. But, Jesus’ message was the message to call for repentance and to believe the good news of the kingdom of God. People always like something new; new house, new car, new phone, new laptop, new TV, new people, new relationship, and new Sunday message. But Ecclesiastes 1:9 says that there is nothing new under the sun. As Bible teachers and messengers, our agony is to prepare new and heart-moving messages from old, old stories of the Bible. How can we?  By providing new information and new illustrations we may do this a little bit. However, we have to believe the Bible as the word of God and teach them as is. The word of God itself has the power and authority to teach, rebuke, correct and train sinners to be righteous before God. (2 Ti 3:16) Above all, the word of God is able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Of course, we have to prepare God’s word with God’s compassion and with much prayer. Amen.

Second, Jesus heals many.(38-41) After healing a demon-possessed man, Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon Peter. (38) Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. We don’t know exactly why she had high fever. Someone said that she had been sick since her son-in-law Simon suddenly quit his job as a fisherman in order to follow Jesus to catch men. At any rate, to Simon her mother-in-law’s sickness became sorrow and agony. Jesus knew Simon’s agony well. So Jesus bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. (38,39)

  Jesus did not send Simon to Walgreens to buy Tylenol or Motrin. He did not even touch her. He just rebuked the fever and it left her. Not only does Jesus control the spiritual world, but also he controls the physical world. Not only did he drive out demons, but also he drove out diseases. Jesus’ word has power to control the world of both spirit and body. Jesus also controls nature by rebuking the wind and storms (Lk 8:24) It shows that Jesus is God the Almighty. He is the Son of God. He is the compassionate Shepherd. The author Luke is a physician. In modern terms, he is a medical doctor. It is not easy for a medical doctor to accept Jesus’ supernatural power of healing of a demon-possessed man and of Simon’s mother-in-law. From a medical doctor’s viewpoint, people should be sent to mental clinic or hospitals. But they were healed by Jesus not with any medical treatments, but with his words. To Luke, it was the gospel, new teaching, new history, and new hope for new life.

Look at verse 40. “When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.” People waited until the sun set in order to keep the Sabbath day. As soon as the sun set, they brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness. Soon, Jesus was crowded by many kinds of sick people. Jesus’ disciples might have said to the crowd, “People. It is too late! The door is closed. Please come back tomorrow.” But Jesus accepted them all and healed them one by one by laying his hands on them. How could he do so? Jesus healed them all with God’s compassion. Jesus is the good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep.(Jn 10:11)

People came only for physical healing. But Jesus helped them with more than physical healing. Jesus helped them to have faith in him so that they might have eternal life in the kingdom of God. Physical healing is limited. It does not guarantee our eternal life. Our body will get sick, old and perish as years pass by. People need eternal life. People need healing from sin to inherit eternal life.

Fanny Crosby lost her eyes when she was five. But, Jesus did not open her physical eyes. Instead Jesus opened her spiritual eyes to see Jesus the Crucified. Fanny learned that true healing comes from Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. In her hymn “Near the Cross” she sang, “Jesus, keep me near the cross. There a precious fountain, Free to all, a healing stream, Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain. In the cross, in the cross Be my glory ever, Till my rapture soul shall find Rest beyond the river.”

 What would Jesus do if he came to this generation? Definitely, he should teach the word and heal the sick. There are so many sick people in this world. In St. Louis there are more than 100 hospitals and medical clinics which treat patients. We are all sick in one way or another, some physically and others spiritually and still others both. I mean that we all need healing from sickness. Some need healing from chronic diseases. Others need healing from past failure. Still others need healing from broken relationship and so on. They are healed somewhat by their lovely spouse, by their precious children, and by worldly achievement. However, true healing comes from Jesus Christ who died for our sins on the cross. Jesus Christ is the true shepherd who understands our sorrow and heals our pain. The prophet Isaiah said about Jesus, “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,…he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isa 53:4,5)  Amen.

What happened during Jesus’ healing ministry? Look at verse 41. “Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.” Our one to one Bible study is a spiritual healing ministry. We have to carry out our healing ministry until all demons come out from our bible students. When the demons come out, the students can be healed. One Bible teacher heard all kinds of complaining from his student until the student had nothing to complain about. Soon, the student became a very thankful and joyful Bible teacher like his Bible teacher. Let us pray and teach the word until all demons come out from the people.

Third, that is why I was sent.(42-44). Look at verse 42. “At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.” Jesus worked hard the previous day. The next day he went out to a solitary place. Luke does not say why Jesus went to a solitary place. But Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Jesus went to a solitary place to pray. In the midst of his busy healing and teaching ministry, Jesus did not ignore his prayer life. Rather, the more busy he was, the more he prayed. Through his personal morning prayer Jesus renewed the power of God. Through his prayer Jesus renewed his love relationship with God.

  Look at verses 43,44. “But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.” People thought that Jesus came only to heal the sick. So he was crowded by many. However, Jesus clearly said about the purpose of his coming to this world. “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God…,because that is why I was sent.” Jesus came to heal the sick. By healing the sick, Jesus showed them the presence of God. By opening the blind’s eyes, Jesus opened their spiritual eyes also to see God in Jesus. By raising the paralytic, Jesus gave them hope for new life in the kingdom of God with new body. Jesus’ healing itself was the gospel to the sick. Jesus’ teaching itself became the kingdom of God to the poor.

Jesus saved each of us and called us to become his disciples. We are sent here to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. We are not sent here to make money or to achieve the American dream. We are sent here to preach the good news of the kingdom of God through one to one Bible studies. May God heal our sin-sickness and use us to preach the good news of God’s kingdom in each campus.

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• JESUS HEALS MANY-revised.doc

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