The Life of Jesus 2 - The Works of Jesus
Summary
TLDRIn this detailed and insightful study, the speaker explores the vast works of Jesus, highlighting the impossibility of fully comprehending His deeds. Key points include Jesus' numerous healings, exorcisms, miracles over nature, and prophetic ministry. The speaker references various Bible passages to illustrate Jesus' compassion, power, and unique methods of healing. The discussion also covers the significant impact of Jesus' ministry on individuals and His confrontations with religious leaders. The study concludes by emphasizing Jesus' role as the Messiah and His ultimate sacrifice, setting the stage for further exploration of His final days on Earth.
Takeaways
- 📚 The Gospel records are just a small slice of what Jesus did during his earthly ministry.
- 📖 John 21:25 highlights that Jesus performed many works that were not recorded.
- 🙏 Jesus' healing ministry included various diseases and demon-possessed individuals.
- 👁️🗨️ Jesus healed blind people, paralyzed individuals, and even raised the dead.
- 💪 The methods of Jesus' healings varied: laying hands, speaking words, commanding actions, and using unusual methods like spit.
- 🤲 Jesus' healings often required personal touch and compassionate interaction, demonstrating his care for both physical and emotional needs.
- 🙌 Jesus' healing work was often a response to the faith of those who brought others to him.
- 🌊 Jesus' authority over nature was shown through miracles like calming storms and multiplying food.
- 👹 Jesus delivered people from demonic possession, showcasing his power over the spiritual realm.
- 🔍 Jesus' prophetic ministry included exposing religious corruption and predicting future events, affirming his messianic credentials.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the second part of the study mentioned in the transcript?
-The main focus is to consider the works of Jesus, particularly His healing miracles, and to understand that the Gospel records provide only a portion of His works during His earthly ministry.
How many specific occasions of healings are recorded in the four Gospels according to the speaker's count?
-The speaker mentions a total of 26 specific occasions of healings in the four Gospels.
What are some of the different 'medical specialties' that Jesus is said to have practiced according to the Gospel accounts?
-Jesus is described as practicing various 'medical specialties' such as general practitioner, ophthalmology (giving sight to the blind), orthopedics (healing the paralyzed or maimed), and even 'plastic surgery' (healing Malchus's ear).
What is the primary reason Jesus healed someone as mentioned in the transcript?
-The primary reason Jesus healed someone, as mentioned in the transcript, was on the basis of the faith of a sympathetic person who brought the afflicted to Jesus.
How did Jesus demonstrate His divine authority through healing?
-Jesus demonstrated His divine authority through healing by using various methods such as laying on of hands, speaking a word, commanding the afflicted to do something, and even using unusual methods like spitting and making clay to heal the blind.
What was unique about Jesus' healing ministry compared to other healers of His day?
-Unlike other healers of His day, Jesus did not charge for His healing miracles, and He was able to heal people when no one else could, demonstrating His power was not based on human techniques or formulas but on the authority and power of God.
How did Jesus' healing work fulfill messianic prophecies?
-Jesus' healing work fulfilled messianic prophecies as mentioned in Isaiah 35:5-6, where it is foretold that the Messiah will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf, among other things, which Jesus did during His ministry.
What was the general attitude of the broader culture towards Jesus' acts of healing?
-The broader culture, particularly in the ancient world, might have viewed Jesus' acts of healing as a waste of His supposed messianic power, expecting Him to use His power for more grandiose purposes like political freedom.
How did Jesus confront religious corruption during His ministry?
-Jesus confronted religious corruption by exposing the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, driving out the money changers from the temple, and rebuking cities that did not repent, demonstrating His prophetic ministry.
What is the significance of the miracles Jesus performed over nature?
-The miracles Jesus performed over nature, such as feeding the 5000 and calming the storm, demonstrated His authority over the natural world and further established His credentials as the Messiah.
How did Jesus' prophetic ministry involve predicting future events?
-While the transcript does not provide specific examples of Jesus predicting future events, it mentions that as part of His prophetic ministry, Jesus did predict future events, which is a characteristic of a prophet in the biblical context.
Outlines
📖 Jesus' Incomprehensible Works
The speaker discusses the vastness and impact of Jesus' works, referencing John 21:25. He emphasizes that the gospel records only a fraction of what Jesus did during His ministry. Jesus' healing work is highlighted through various New Testament passages, showing His compassionate and personal approach to each individual. The speaker reflects on the repeated scenes of healing, the exhaustion Jesus might have felt, and the power that flowed from Him during these acts.
🩺 Jesus: The Divine Specialist
This section categorizes Jesus' healing miracles into different 'medical specialties,' mentioning specific numbers for general healings, cures for blindness, orthopedic miracles, and more. The speaker notes the faith of those who brought people to Jesus as a significant reason for healing. He also points out Jesus' compassion-driven miracles and instances where healing was performed to instruct or rebuke religious leaders.
✋ Methods of Jesus' Healing
The speaker outlines the various methods Jesus used to heal people, including laying on of hands, speaking words of healing, and commanding actions. He describes specific instances like healing a leper by touching him and the man at the Pool of Bethesda. The speaker also recounts unusual methods such as spitting to heal blindness, emphasizing Jesus' diverse approaches and the deeper, compassionate reasons behind His actions.
⚡ Commands and Unusual Methods
This paragraph explores Jesus commanding the impossible, like telling a man with a withered hand to stretch it out. It highlights unusual healing methods involving spit, and the personal attention Jesus gave to each person. The speaker notes the unpredictability of Jesus' methods and their demonstration of divine power, moving beyond tricks or formulas to show genuine concern and miraculous authority.
🌟 Messianic Credentials
The speaker links Jesus' healing work to His messianic credentials, referencing Isaiah 35:5-6. He discusses how Jesus' compassionate acts fulfilled messianic prophecies and contrasted with cultural expectations of a militant Messiah. Instead, Jesus used His power for individual compassion, demonstrating His divine nature and the love of God, challenging the notion that His miracles were a waste of messianic power.
🚫 Jesus vs. Religious Corruption
The speaker addresses Jesus' confrontations with religious corruption, noting His prophetic ministry. Jesus rebuked religious leaders, exposed hypocrisy, and predicted future events. Instances include driving out money changers from the temple and rebuking cities that rejected Him. The speaker highlights the tension between Jesus and the religious authorities, who envied His authority and influence.
👹 Conquering Demonic Forces
This section details Jesus' exorcisms, listing seven specific instances where He cast out demons. Examples include the man in the synagogue at Capernaum and the demon-possessed man among the tombs. The speaker also mentions general references to Jesus delivering many from demonic possession, emphasizing Jesus' unparalleled authority over evil spirits.
🌊 Miracles Over Nature
The speaker shifts to Jesus' miracles over nature, such as feeding the 5,000 and calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee. These acts demonstrated His divine authority. He also discusses how these miracles, while showcasing Jesus' power, were performed with compassion to meet human needs, like turning water into wine to save a wedding couple from social embarrassment.
🧩 Jesus' Prophetic Ministry
The final section explores Jesus' prophetic ministry, focusing on His exposure of religious corruption. The speaker highlights Jesus' rebukes of religious leaders, such as His confrontations in the temple and His scathing critique of the Pharisees in Matthew 23. Jesus' fearless denunciation of hypocrisy and corruption underscores His role as a prophet, emphasizing His commitment to truth and justice.
🙏 Final Reflections and Prayer
The speaker concludes with reflections on Jesus' authoritative teaching and divine nature. He emphasizes Jesus' role as both a powerful Savior and a servant who longs to fill believers' lives. A prayer of thanks is offered, acknowledging Jesus' unique combination of greatness, spirit-filled life, and divine identity. The speaker looks forward to discussing Jesus' final days and His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension in the next session.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Healing Ministry
💡Compassion
💡Faith
💡Messianic Credentials
💡Demon Possession
💡Authority
💡Miracles Over Nature
💡Prophetic Ministry
💡Compassionate Touch
💡Messianic Expectations
Highlights
The works of Jesus are so numerous that they cannot be fully recorded, as noted in John 21:25.
The Gospel records provide only a slice of what Jesus did during His earthly ministry.
Mark 1:32-34 and Matthew 15:29-31 describe Jesus' healing ministry, including the healing of various diseases and casting out demons.
Jesus' healing work was often repeated many times in His ministry, not just on isolated occasions.
Jesus' healing ministry was deeply personal, often involving individual attention and care.
Jesus' healing power included various medical specialties, such as internal medicine, ophthalmology, orthopedics, ENT, and even raising the dead.
The primary reason for Jesus' healings was the faith of those who brought the afflicted to Him.
Some healings were based purely on Jesus' compassion, with no other stated reason.
Jesus' methods of healing included laying on of hands, speaking a word, commanding actions, and using unusual methods like spitting and making clay.
Jesus' healings were not based on tricks or techniques but were a demonstration of the power of God.
Jesus fulfilled the messianic prophecies, such as those in Isaiah 35:5-6, through His healing work.
The healings of Jesus were different from the healers of His day, who often used elaborate and ineffective methods.
Jesus delivered people from demons, with seven specific instances recorded in the Gospels.
Jesus also performed miracles over nature, such as feeding the 5000, calming storms, and turning water into wine.
A significant portion of the Gospels is devoted to the last week of Jesus' life, emphasizing His crucifixion and resurrection.
Transcripts
[Music]
in our second part of our study here we
want to consider the works of Jesus and
let me tell you something in the next
hour we are going to do something that
is actually an impossible task it's
impossible to try to comprehend what
Jesus did look at John chapter 21 verse
25 the Apostle John himself says and
there are also many other things which
Jesus did which if they were written one
by one I suppose that even the world
itself could not contain the books that
would be written amen isn't that
remarkable John's telling us there's no
way you could record everything that
Jesus did so this reminds us that what
we have in the gospel record is just a
slice of what Jesus did in the days of
his earthly ministry and in his entire
existence as God the Son so it is a
wonderful thing to think about this that
what we have in the gospel record is
wonderful but it is by no means complete
the best we can do is understand the
works of Jesus during his three years of
public ministry as it's recorded in the
Gospel accounts now there are a few
passages in the New Testament I'm gonna
quote see just a couple of them but
there's a few more than this that give
us the healing work of Jesus in a
general sense I'm beginning with the
healing ministry of Jesus mark chapter 1
starting at verse 32 says this at
evening when the Sun had set they
brought to him all who were sick and
those who were demon-possessed and the
whole city was gathered together at the
door then he healed many who were sick
with various diseases and cast out many
demons and he did not allow the demons
to speak because they knew him now look
at Matthew chapter 15 starting at verse
29
Jesus departed from there skirted the
Sea of Galilee and went up on the
mountain and sat down there then great
multitudes came to him having them with
them the lame the blind mute maimed and
many others and they laid them down at
Jesus's feet and He healed them
so the multitude marveled when they saw
the mute speaking the maimed made whole
the lame walking and the blind seeing
and they glorified the God of Israel
when I read amazing descriptions like
that of Jesus serving a huge crowd of
people there's two things that I think
the first thing I think is these must be
scenes that were repeated many times in
the Ministry of Jesus can't you imagine
that can't you imagine this this these
scenes typically were not just these two
occasions but many times in the ministry
of Jesus there were crowds of people
bringing to him sick and demon afflicted
people and they brought him them to
Jesus so that he would heal them the
second thing I think about this is how
exhausting for Jesus that must have been
I mean really how unbelievably
exhausting and I think of that on two
terms number one knowing Jesus do you
think he healed them like an assembly
line no doubt he took time and care and
concern even if it was just a few
moments
Jesus invested himself into each
individual it's not like you said okay
everybody wants a healing come out and
put your hand and I'll high-five
everybody walking down you know it
wasn't like that it was it was full of
care and love and that and so that that
it that's exhausting but the second
thing is do you remember what happened
when the woman with an issue of blood
touched the hem of Jesus garment how did
Jesus know that somebody just got healed
because it said power I think one
Chancellor says virtue something went
out of Jesus when that happened and you
know what can you imagine how exhausted
he was at at expense after expense after
expense of the power and the love and
the goodness of God flowing forth from
him but what an amazing scene there so
keep that in mind as we talk about the
specific occasions of healing miracles
in the Gospels to my count and look let
me say I'm gonna give you some numbers
here in a few moments the numbers can be
counted in different ways so if somebody
says well no David it wasn't this number
it was one more or if it was two less
listen I don't want to talk about it
just you can count these different ways
take these numbers as approximate as you
survey the Gospels you find there are a
total of 26 specific occasions of
healings in the four Gospels as I said
the count may differ depending on how
someone categorizes things but there is
an approximate distribution of the
displays of Jesus's healing power I like
to think of these as different medical
specialties that Jesus practiced you
know he wasn't just a general
practitioner he's actually a specialist
in many ORS so there are eleven
occasions where he functioned as a
general practitioner giving an internal
medicine cure these are just somebody
was ill and He healed them somebody was
afflicted and He healed them then there
are five occasions of blind people being
given sight now one of those five
occasions was somebody who was also mute
they were blind you pursue some people
suffered from more than one affliction
there were three occasions of orthopedic
care where somebody was paralyzed or
maimed and jesus healed them there was
the occasion of raising somebody from
the dead and I have no idea what medical
specialty that yes three occasions there
was the occasion of Jesus functioning
like the ear
nose and throat specialists healing the
deaf and mute person and I'd even say on
one occasion he served as a plastic
surgeon when he healed
Malka tsa's ear in the garden gasps M&E
so we see Jesus in many different ways
it wasn't just one kind of thing
he wasn't just someone who did this by
tricks or techniques know what Jesus had
was a display of the power of God matter
of fact when you take a look at the
approximate distribution of the stated
or the implied reasons for healing we
see first of all you find it the number
one reason or a ground that's given for
Jesus healing somebody is on the basis
of the faith of a sympathetic person
isn't that remarkable think about that
the number one reason more than any
other single category was that jesus
healed somebody because a mother brought
her daughter and said Jesus would you
please heal my daughter a father brought
his afflicted son to Jesus and jesus
healed the person that a Roman centurion
said Jesus would you please heal my
servant that for friends lowered their
friend down before Jesus so that he
could heal him more than any other
specific thing jesus healed people
because of the faith of those who
brought somebody to Jesus and I don't
know about you but does this not give us
a strong encouragement to bring people
to Jesus now there are other occasions
where there is no other stated basis for
Jesus's healing
other than his own compassion I'll give
you an example of this when jesus healed
the man at the Pool of Bethesda when
jesus healed that man
there's no reason given it for
whatsoever it was just the compassion of
Jesus at work we have five such
occasions and again somebody may come up
with a slightly different count but but
again that these are the numbers I came
up with
there were four occasions where jesus
healed somebody to rebuke the religious
leaders or to make a point to them do
you remember the man with the withered
hand that was one of my orthopedic cures
where Jesus came and a man with a
withered hand come and the religious
officials were staring Jesus down to see
if he would actually heal him on the
Sabbath and Jesus said you better
believe I'm gonna heal him on the
Sabbath boom and He healed him again I'm
not saying that's the only reason but
the most prominent reason in the text
why jesus healed that particular person
was again to rebuke or to instruct the
religious leaders on three occasions
Jesus did it on the basis of the faith
of the afflicted person he said your
faith has made you whole there's other
times where it just says he did it to
demonstrate the great works of God there
were twice times when he healed people
to rebuke demonic spirits and one to
demonstrate divine authority to forgive
sins now how did Jesus heal people we
see something of the method we see
something of what he did how did he do
it well again this is an approximate
distribution regarding how or by what
method jesus healed and I want to stress
there were times when he did more than
one thing so again this is just my rough
count number one jesus healed people by
the laying on of hands or by touching
them here's an example Matthew chapter
eight verses two and three says and
behold a leper came and worshiped him
saying lord if you are willing you can
make me clean
then jesus put out his hand and touched
him saying I am willing be cleansed
immediately his leprosy was cleansed Wow
how did Jesus heal that leper let me ask
you this question did Jesus
to touch the man to heal him no she's
could have spoken a word Jesus could
have thought a thought and the man would
be healed why did he reach out a hand to
touch him because that leper had not
received a compassionate touch from
another human being and who knows how
long it was forbidden to touch a leper
so it's not as if Jesus was only
concerned in the man's physical
affliction and can we say thank the Lord
that he is concerned with that lepers
physical affection and with ours does
not Jesus want us to bring our needs to
him
when we are injured when we are sick
when we have some kind of disease within
us Jesus cares but he doesn't only care
about the physical healing he wanted to
heal something deep within that man's
soul so in is healing and can't you just
picture that scene in your mind here's a
leper and can I say we don't know at
what stage this man's leprosy was but in
its advanced stage as leprosy is
disgusting
here's this man worshiping at the feet
of Jesus and he says Jesus if you're
willing if you want to I don't know if
you want to but if you want to you can
make me whole and she said I am willing
and he touched the man with compassion
and he's healed twelve similar occasions
where jesus healed with a touch or the
laying on of hands here's another
example Jesus sometimes healed in
speaking a word to a person or over a
person I found eight different occasions
of that so here's an example of this
it's one that I just mentioned to you
before the man at the Pool of Bethesda
he says this John chapter five verses 6
through 9 we read when Jesus saw him
lying there and knew that he had already
been in that condition a long time he
said to him do you want to be made well
the sick man answered him sir I have no
man to put me into the pool when the
water is stirred up but while I am
coming another steps down before me
jesus said to him rise take up your bed
and walk and immediately the man was
made
well took up his bed and walked and that
day was the Sabbath
of course that's leads for the
controversy and that day was the Sabbath
but what a glorious Sabbath day was that
not Jesus had the authority to simply
speak a word and somebody was healed
that's all he had to do which shows us
how instructive it is when he did
something different than that I mean if
it was just that simple then why not
only do that but no no Jesus loved to
show his healing power in a variety of
ways sometimes it would be just to speak
a word to a person or over a person now
there were other times when jesus healed
a person by commanding them to do
something I want you to know something
in the occasion that we just read at the
Pool of Bethesda the order of events
seems to be that the man was healed then
he got up Jesus um you're healed get up
and that's what he did
this occasion that we read of here in
Matthew chapter 12 is a little bit
different it says Matthew 12:10 and
behold there was a man who had a
withered hand and they asked him saying
is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath that
they might accuse him don't you think I
want to talk about that then he said to
them what man is there among you who has
one sheep and it falls into a pit on the
Sabbath will not lay hold of it and lift
it out of how much more value is this
man than a sheep therefore is lawful to
do good on the Sabbath then he said to
the man stretch out your hand I just
want you to know something Jesus
commanded the man to do something that
was impossible if he had a paralyzed or
withered hand he could not stretch out
his hand but Jesus said do it and the
man was commanded to do something as he
made whatever effort he could do the
Jesus told him to do in that process it
says and he stretched it out and it was
restored as whole as the other
then the Pharisees went out and plotted
against him how they might destroy him
now again notice at the Pool of Bethesda
Jesus didn't give the guy any
instruction he just said you're healed
be on your way and the man did that now
there were also some unusual methods
that Jesus used for healing do you like
these ones mark chapter 7 when Jesus put
we talked about this on a Sunday not too
long ago I still can't get over this one
it says that he put his fingers in the
man's ears
spitting touching the man's tongue and
then saying be opened you know the part
that grosses me out is touching the
tongue really Jesus says you have to do
that but again Jesus wasn't worried
about it it stick finger in the ear
spitting hand on the mouth and then
saying be opened and the man was healed
no unusual yes can we possibly figure
out all the reasons why Jesus used such
an unusual I don't think so maybe there
were some things connecting to the man's
situation or culture or something but
certainly I'd say this that man felt
that he was a subject of attention by
Jesus no doubt and Jesus was investing
time and interest into this man and he
was healed then there's another one and
this one is very memorable as well mark
chapter 8 spitting on a blind man's eyes
then putting his hands on the man's eyes
why do these all involve spit is what I
want to do I have read that the ancients
considered that there was something
medicinal and spit I don't know if
that's true or just the thing that some
people say after the fact but this one
Jesus says did you read that there in
mark chapter eight he actually spit on
the blind man's eyes then he put his
hands on the blind man's eyes but he was
healed and then John chapter 9 this is
another famous one he made clay out of
spit and dirt yeah I was a pretty dirty
kid little boy you know running around
the neighborhood I don't ever remember
doing this this would be and then he he
made it I was spitting dirt and then he
rubbed it in the blind man's eyes now
the funniest thing about this is he then
told the man go to the pool of Siloam
and wash it out and the man had to walk
some distance to the pool of Siloam
what's funny about that is first of all
making him walk the distance to do it
but the second thing was I find it
fascinating do you really have to tell
the guy wash that out of your eyes but
he did in specific ways now it could
very well be that this was some sort of
thing that Jesus was doing with that man
instructing we get back to the personal
care and concern in the training of
Jesus there are things that Jesus may do
in our life that seem incomprehensible
to other people or even incomprehensible
to us how many times have you said in
your Christian life Jesus why are you
doing it like that but can we just say
jesus knows jesus knows even if there
are times when his methods are unusual
Jesus used so many different methods and
so many unusual methods to demonstrate
what I think that this was so important
one reason why Jesus didn't have a
formula but I didn't have a ABC plan but
rather Jesus wanted to demonstrate
beyond any doubt that his healing work
was not due to techniques it wasn't due
to tricks it wasn't due to formulas but
jesus healed in the authority and the
power of God
he healed as the Messiah of Israel and
that's what everybody noticed there
wasn't just a system now this was the
predicted work of the Messiah take a
look with me at Isaiah 35 verses five
and six speaking of the ministry of the
messiah to come it says this the prophet
Isaiah speaking 500 years before the
time of the Messiah he says then the
eyes of the blind shall be opened
and the ears of the Deaf shall be
unstopped the lame shall leap like a
deer and the tongue of the dumb sing for
water shall burst forth in the
wilderness and streams in the desert is
that a beautiful couple of verses they
are from Isaiah 35 the healing work of
Jesus was an expression was a
fulfillment of his messianic credentials
it was one way that he could come and
say to Israel I your Messiah am here
among you look back to the Old Testament
Scriptures now at the same time this
declaration of Jesus being the Messiah
through healing people was a messianic
declaration different than what the
people of Israel expected you see as
Jesus showed the compassion of God in
these personal one-on-one ways with the
people those in the broader culture
probably thought what a waste now look
we live as the beneficiaries of 2,000
years of Christian influence in the
Western world I'm not trying to say that
we live in a Christian world this isn't
Christendom the world we live in
believe me it's plenty worldly but there
is undeniably a benefit that comes to us
through 2,000 years of Christian
influence that has been passed on and
one of the ways is that in general
believe me there's many many painful
exceptions but in general we value human
life in the ancient world life was cheap
people died all the time it was hard to
get worked up over everybody's pain and
misery and death because they were so
much of it around you
I imagine a Jewish person of Jesus's
time looking in this you mean the
Messiah's among us
you mean the Messiah has all the power
that the Messiah should have what's he
using it for oh you know he healed a
blind guy yesterday it was amazing like
what that guy's been blind all his life
he's not gonna be you know that much
different now who cares Jesus should use
all that messianic power to call down
fire upon Roman legions and set us free
in the midst of our oppression that's
what they would have thought Jesus
should have done with his messianic
power but says if Jesus said listen I
come as the Messiah full of power full
of glory but I come with the love and
the compassion of God I am every bit the
Messiah that the Bible promised but I'm
not the Messiah you expected you think
it's a waste for me to use the power I
have is the Messiah by showing the
compassion and the love of God to
individual people with their individual
needs you think that's a waste but I'm
here to tell you that it is the glory of
what I do as the Messiah I can't get
away from that scene dozens scores a
hundred people afflicted waiting to be
seen by Jesus and he does not treat them
as an assembly line he looks at each one
in the eye he prays for them he loves on
them and he heals them with the power of
God it was not a waste what Jesus did
was he showed the power of God in the
context of humble service unto the least
of these now there's another thing
that's very interesting about the
healing power of Jesus is it was
different than the healers of his day
make no mistake about it Jewish culture
and Roman culture at that time had
people who at least said that they could
heal there were healers of that time
- one rider named Craig Blomberg one
characteristic shared among all the
miracles of Jesus in all the gospel of
counts is that he delivered all his
benefits freely and he never requested
or accepted any form of payment for the
healing miracles this was not like some
of the high priests of the time who
charged people who were healed
no the healers of his day were different
jesus said as we advised to his apostles
freely you have received freely give but
jesus also helped when nobody else could
you know that situation let me read it
to you Luke chapter 8 starting at verse
43 says this now a woman having a flow
of blood for twelve years who had spent
all her livelihood on physicians and
could not be healed by any came from
behind and touched the board of His
garment and immediately her flow of
blood stopped now according to the
traditions of that time that woman was
unclean and nobody should be touching
her so she ventured forth and touched
the hem of Jesus garment but did you see
what it said there in verse 43 that that
woman had spent all her livelihood on
physicians and she could not be healed
by any she went to doctors to get better
and the doctors couldn't help her I
plays praise the Lord that doctors are
much better in our day and age but there
are people who have experiences in our
own day you spend everything on the
physicians and they can't help you now
ancient rabbis had many different
formulas to help a woman who was
afflicted like this I'm quoting this
from Adam Clarke the old Methodist
commentator he says this quote rabbi
Joachim says take gum of Alexandria of
alum and of corkers hortensis the weight
of a zeusie each I don't know what a
zeusie is and
than be bruised together and given and
whined to the woman that has an issue of
blood but if this fail take the persian
onions nine logs boil them and wine and
give them to her to drink and say arise
from thy flux but if this should fail
set her in a place where two ways meet
and let her hold a cup of wine in her
hand and let someone come behind her and
affright her and say arise from my flux
but if this should do no good dot dot
dot do you see that's how the healers of
jesus's day from how different Jesus was
you know Jesus was he's to be healed a
rise of your bed and walk
none of this hocus-pocus strange stuff
he just did it and he did it with the
power of God so a remarkable thing to
see the healing ministry of Jesus and
Friends I'll be very straightforward
there are things about God's healing
work today that we don't understand we
don't understand why it is sometimes
that there are godly people you know who
have had thousands of people praying for
them and they are still afflicted and
sometimes perish and then we don't
figure out everything but I'll tell you
this we do know that jesus heals to this
present day and whenever we see him do
it and whenever we believe on him to do
it and see God's healing work in action
we rejoice to see Jesus at work now
here's a second category of Jesus work
not only was a healer but we also have
these occasions where Jesus delivered
people from demons and I would say that
as I go through the Gospels I see seven
specific people healed from demonic
spirits in the Gospel of Mark chapter
one you have the man at the synagogue at
Capernaum Jesus said be quiet and come
out of him and the man was delivered
from the demon the second one is in
Matthew chapter 8 starting at verse 28
the demon-possessed man on the east side
of the Sea of Galilee this is the
classic man of the tombs the gadarenes
ah yet actually as Matthew tells us it
was two men mark only mentions one of
them and Luke only mentions one of them
no doubt one of them was more severely
afflicted than the other but there were
two men they're haunting the tombs of
the gadarenes they were a demonically
possessed and Jesus delivered them
that's when Jesus did this remarkable
thing of actually casting the demons
into a herd of swine and the swine ran
off and into the sea and they perished
and of course then they asked Jesus to
leave town because he was bad for
business
doing all that I'm not gonna make the
deviled ham joke here number four excuse
me number three jesus healed a man who
was possessed by a demon that made him
mute unable to speak you know what I
think fascinating about this it's
Matthew chapter 9 verse 33 says that
after Jesus healed this man the
multitudes marveled saying it was never
seen like this in Israel now why would
they be so astounded by it I think it
was because of how they conceived of the
methods by which demons would come out
of a person in their thinking you could
not cast a demon out of a person unless
you knew the name of the demon knowing
someone's name gave you some kind of
handle over them some kind of control so
the most important thing you had to do
was learn the name of the demon now they
thought that the most clever and
difficult demons were those who made a
person mute because if the demon made a
person mute then it never had to tell
you its name that was their thinking and
so when Jesus comes along and sees a
demon that made somebody mute which is
supposedly again I'm not saying it's
this way in fact but it was this way in
their thinking well this is the toughest
team of all casts I took this is nothing
get out of him and cast the demon out
and the man was delivered Jesus didn't
need to use their techniques he had the
power of God
in Matthew chapter 15 is the fifth
occasion there's the healing of the
demon afflicted daughter of the
Canaanite woman entire then in matthew
chapter 17 is the sixth occasion there's
the healing of the demon afflicted boy
when the disciples were unable to help
the boy this is the occasion where it
was said this kind does not go out
except by prayer and fasting and then
the seventh one is in Luke chapter eight
at some specifically unknown time in his
ministry Jesus set Mary Magdalene free
from seven demons we're not told when or
how that happened just that it had
happened yet
we have those seven occasions but then
we have two other occasions where there
was general reference to Jesus
delivering many people from demonic
possession we've already read a couple
of these I'll just read this first one
mark chapter 1 verse 32 again at evening
when the son had said they brought to
him all who were sick and those who were
demon-possessed and the whole city was
gathered together at the door and He
healed many who were sick with various
diseases and cast out many demons and he
did not allow the demons to speak
because they knew him again
we see that Jesus has this authority we
have the seven specific ones that are
cast out but then we have this other
occasion where it just happened in
general the list we have is not complete
so when I think of the works of Jesus I
think of his healing miracles I think of
his conquest over the demonic realm but
then I think also of his miracles over
nature aren't those were markable I mean
when Jesus fed the 5000 what was that
that wasn't a healing it wasn't dealing
with the demonic it was just showing I
have authority over nature I can
multiply a few loaves and fish in sin to
enough food to feed 5000 when Jesus
calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee
Matthew chapter 8 what was that all
about
he's just a way of declaring I am God
who has the authority to calm the storm
look there are so
many of the works that Jesus does that
he invites us to do as well but then
there's other times where it just seems
that Jesus does things that are so
remarkable such as calming the storm
that it would be a absolutely singular
thing if any man or woman could do that
under the power of God
I remember hearing about somebody they
were on a Israel trip and the boat was
chugging across the Sea of Galilee if
you've ever taken Israel trip you go out
and see a Galilee in the boat don't you
and they're chugging across the Sea of
Galilee and wouldn't you know it one of
these sudden storms comes upon the Sea
of Galilee that comes up because of its
elevation and because of the
geographical features around sudden
storms often come upon the CGL in man
the waves were churning the wind was
blowing and look this was a safe boat
they weren't in danger going down but it
was scary out there and there was a
college student with him and he thought
well man I'm gonna try this out do what
Jesus did so the boats chugging the
engine is laboring against the storm the
the man goes up to the front of the boat
like Leonardo DiCaprio and to Titanic
and he holds his hands up and he says
peace be still and the guy who told me
to say at that exact moment the engines
on the boat failed and went out so
something happened maybe should have
turn himself around or something when he
said it now
when Jesus did it it happened again
Jesus changing water into wine what's
that it's this remarkable miraculous
thing over the powers of nature and I
guess you could also include into this
the raising of people from the dead
these were remarkable signs and wonders
to demonstrate the sovereign power of
Jesus all the while in a context of
compassionate ministry to human need but
why did Jesus calm the storm on the Sea
of Galilee
said not to calm his frightened
disciples that's why he did it why did
Jesus make water into wine and wedding
to save the bridal couple what could
have been lifelong embarrassment at a
unbelievable social faux pas can we find
this amazing combination of the power of
God exercised in the meeting of
compassionate human need now let me
consider a fourth in really final
section of Jesus ministry and this is a
quick survey as we understand we have
his healing work we as this
confrontation the demonic we have as
miracles over nature but then we also
have his prophetic ministry Jesus
exercised a prophetic ministry by his
exposure of corruption this is an
interesting facet of Jesus's work is it
not because this man so filled with the
compassion of God it's oozing out of his
pores nevertheless he looked for
opportunities to expose religious
corruption and to confront it a
remarkable thing for example in mark
chapter 11 verse 15 so they came to
Jerusalem then Jesus went to the temple
and began to drive out those who bought
and sold in the temple and overturned
the tables of the moneychangers and the
seats of those who sold doves what an
amazing scene that would have been I
mean I don't know what it looked like
for wild man Jesus to go through the
temple and to do all that but it must
have looked amazing and what was Jesus
to you said this is religious corruption
you are corrupting the courts of the
temple you should not be doing this
business here it's corruption get out
and Jesus overturned the tables and
drove them out isn't it in another
gospel I forget which one it is whether
it's a Matthew or Luke where it says
that he made a cord a whip out of cords
and use that to drive him out man that's
calculated is it not
Jesus was busy about that work or
another
manifestation of Jesus prophetic
ministry is in Matthew chapter 11 verse
20 where it says then he began to rebuke
the cities in which most of his mighty
works had been done because they did not
repent again it's a remarkable thing
this tension between Jesus and the
religious leaders here he's at Capernaum
and the surrounding cities and he says
you guys would not receive me I'm gonna
rebuke you and judgment is going to come
upon those cities by the way we know
from history judgment did come upon
those cities most notably in a great
earthquake that happened later on in the
first century and then we see as I said
just a moment ago
throughout this Gospels the strange
thing this confrontation between Jesus
and the religious leaders it's one thing
for him to go and turn tables in the
temple it's another thing for him to
rebuke the cities that would not receive
him but here he speaks to the religious
leaders Luke chapter 11 verse 53 and as
he said these things to them the scribes
and the Pharisees began to assail him
vehemently and cross-examine him about
many things
how ironic the religious leaders who
should have welcomed Jesus as Messiah
and by the way some of them did but they
largely rejected Jesus and not only that
they actively opposed him a remarkable
thing so much so that remember what it
says in Matthew chapter 27 verse 18 it
says for he knew Pilate it's speaking
there Pilate knew that they had handed
him Jesus over because of envy that
gives us a reason why the religious
leaders hated Jesus so much they were
envious of envious of his love and vyas
of his power envious of his authority
envious of his brilliance and teaching
whatever it was
they couldn't say Jesus we're gonna let
you be Jesus and we're not gonna try to
compete with you now
I want to look at one last area where
Jesus exercised a prophetic ministry and
it's an amazing section Matthew chapter
23 I can't think of a better place where
Jesus sought to expose religious
corruption ready for this now I've told
you many times is you read the Bible it
should be like a movie running in your
head imagine Jesus speaking this in
Jerusalem to the gathered crowd there
and he's speaking in the hearing of the
religious leaders but he's also speaking
to the public to the people ready that's
what he says then Jesus spoke to the
multitudes Matthew chapter 23 verse 1
and to his disciples saying the scribes
and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat
therefore whatever they tell you to
observe that observe and do but do not
do according to their works for they say
and do not do for they bind heavy
burdens hard to bear and lay them on
men's shoulders but they themselves will
not move them with one of their fingers
whoa can I tell you it gets even more
heated skip down to verse 13 at Matthew
chapter 23 but woe to you scribes and
Pharisees hypocrites for you shut up the
Kingdom of Heaven against men for you
neither go in yourselves nor do you
allow those who are entering to go in
whoa do you see what Jesus is saying you
scribes and Pharisees religious leaders
you're going to hell and you're dragging
as many people with you as you can
heavy words verse 15 Matthew chapter 23
woe to you scribes and Pharisees
hypocrites for you travel land and sea
to win one proselyte and when he is one
you make him twice as much a son of hell
as yourselves whoa then here's the final
one that out read to you
read the whole chapter verse 23 woe to
you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for
you paid tithe of mint and anise and
cummin and you've neglected the
weightier matters of the law justice and
mercy and faith these you ought to have
done without leaving the others undone
blind guides who strain out a gnat and
swallow a camel
Jesus breaking the moment there with a
little bit of humor in that illustration
you picture somebody concern about
what's in their cup they're gonna drink
a cup and you know oh god forbid that a
gnat fell in my cup I can't drink it and
especially from a Jewish perspective and
say I can't drink it because it hasn't
been properly bled it's not kosher I got
to get that gnat out of there and you
carefully strain out the gnat and at the
same time you swallow a camel which of
course you can't do but you get what
he's saying he's making an absurd
illustration Jesus was fearless in his
confrontation of this religious
hypocrisy and his prophetic ministry now
of course Jesus also predicted future
events as prophets do but notice these
main ways that we can express what Jesus
did in his earthly ministry he healed
like no one's ever healed he delivered
people from demonic spirits like no one
has ever done before he in addition to
that he was a a someone who expressed
these miracles over nature and then
finally this prophetic ministry surely
Jesus through all these things
established his credentials as the
Messiah of Israel now where do we go
tomorrow a huge proportion of the gospel
records collectively you can say that
it's one-third of the gospel records are
given to the last eight days of Jesus's
earthly life that's what we're gonna
take a look at tomorrow the last week
and going into Jesus
crucifixion and then his resurrection
and ascension those will be our two
things from abhorrent you see is that
there was no reason to reject Jesus as
Messiah by what he taught and by what he
did he presented himself as Israel's
Messiah yet in the overarching plan of
God he had to go to the cross he had to
pay the price that we're gonna talk
about tomorrow this man who taught like
nobody ever taught and did what nobody
ever did before we'll pick it up with it
tomorrow
I'm gonna pray we got a few minutes for
any final questions and then we can be
dismissed for this evening Father in
Heaven thank you for such a marvelous
Savior thank you for a savior who taught
with authority and wisdom and grace and
power like nobody's ever taught before
and thank you Lord that Jesus of
Nazareth was not just a great man
though he was a great man was not only a
spirit-filled man though he was a
spirit-filled man was not only a man who
understood how to move in the power of
God though he was that that Lord greater
than all that he was in his God thank
you thank you for a powerful savior that
not only we serve but who longs to serve
us and to fill our lives we receive it
now Lord in Jesus name Amen
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