JESUS HEALED

Dr. Richard J. Henderson January 11, 2004

click for printable version

Luke 7: 18-23
Matthew 25: 31-46
Psalm 103

Introduction

Once when Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho a blind beggar cried out from the roadside. He had heard that the one passing by was Jesus of Nazareth and he shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many of the people with Jesus ordered him to be quiet, but he shouted all the louder, "Have mercy on me!" Jesus stopped and called to the man. He jumped to his feet and immediately ran to Jesus. Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"

The man said, "My teacher, let me see again."

Then Jesus had mercy on him and said, "Go, your faith has made you well." Immediately the man was able to see. He celebrated and joined Jesus' followers on the way.

Over and over again, all thru the gospels, Jesus responds to people with compassion. He heals them.

I

We all know that Jesus taught and preached in his ministry; Jesus also healed people. He didn't spend all of his time teaching - making disciples - he also responded in compassion to people in need, he healed them. The New Testament tells a great deal about the Jesus' teachings - for example, the Sermon on the Mount, and the preaching to the five thousand. The New Testament also tells in detail about the healings of Jesus.

Remember the blind man who was healed when Jesus applied mud to his eyes? Or the ten lepers who were healed and only one came back to thank Jesus? Do you recall the woman who was bleeding and knew if she just touched Jesus robe she'd be healed. She did and she was.

There is the account of the centurion who came asking Jesus to heal his slave. Jesus said he would and as he traveled to the man's house the slave was made whole. He was able to heal from a distance.

Jesus didn't just talk about faith and bring people to faith; he relieved suffering, fed the hungry, and reached out to the ostracized. Healing wasn't an add-on to Jesus' ministry; it was the heart of what he was doing.

II

It's not just that Jesus healed, he also said we should. The scripture we just read is a powerful statement of how important our involvement with struggling people is. This passage is talking about the Judgment Day where Jesus sits down before all the nations. He says to some of the people, "Because you have cared for the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, and imprisoned, enter into the kingdom prepared for you."

To the others he says, "You didn't care for those who were suffering - the hungry, naked, strangers etc - so depart into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Why would Christ's only concern be whether people had helped other people in need? Jesus says it is because "When you have done it to the least of these my children, you have done it to me. When you failed to do it for those considered least, you failed to do it for me." To welcome the stranger is to welcome Christ; to feed the hungry is to feed Christ.

III

Notice that Jesus didn't say, "If you have some spare time here are some nice things you might do for others." Doing these acts is not optional; it is a matter of eternal life and death.

Also, Jesus doesn't add at the end of this powerful statement, "But, of course, if you are 'born-again' and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ you are exempt from these commands." Just the opposite; because you have a relationship with Jesus you are out there doing these things. This passage is very clear - people who follow Jesus feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned.

Someone once commented, "These mission trips and helping the needy are fine, but you need to teach the seven steps to salvation." When you read these words of Jesus it sounds like there's only one step to salvation! The only criterion Jesus uses here is whether or not you have cared for people in need, as he did. Mission trips and soup kitchens and clothing drives and food programs and visiting sick people aren't nice things we do instead of the real issues of faith, they are the real issues of faith. How else can we understand these words of Jesus from the Bible?

IV

Did you notice that when the people in this account were recognized for how they served people in need they asked, "When did we feed the poor, or give water to the thirsty, or visit the sick?" They are surprised! Obviously they aren't self-consciously doing these things, but caring for people has become part of their lives. They don't say, "Now I am going to go visit a stranger," but when they see the stranger, they respond warmly.

They aren't helping people in order to rack up credits somewhere; it is the essence of their discipleship.

Jesus never taught the seven steps to salvation. The Bible doesn't list seven steps we must take to find salvation. Some people put together various teachings of Jesus and made, "Seven Steps to Salvation." But Jesus very clearly taught us the importance of getting our hands dirty helping people who are hurting. Jesus not only taught us about helping and healing, he showed us with his life.

Conclusion

Jesus said, "When you care for one of the least of these my children, you care for me." How we react to those who have a hard time getting by in life - those who are thought of as the least important people - is how we react to Christ himself.

Jesus aligns himself with the lowest of the low. In their faces we see the face of Christ. Mother Teresa went through the streets of Calcutta picking up the people who were dying there. She took them to her center where she offered them a bed, warm food, and dignity as they died. She often said she knew that in ministering to these people she was ministering to Jesus. "In their eyes I can see the eyes of Jesus." She understood the importance of what she was doing.

Once a journalist who had come to report about her mission, looked at her huddled over the body of a dying, destitute man. He said, "You couldn't pay me to do that kind of work!" Hearing him, Mother Teresa turned and looked up. She said "Me neither."

Amen.

©Richard J. Henderson 2004