THE GOD OF WONDERS - Part 2

This sermon will concentrate on the wonders of his healing. 

God is able to heal physically, spiritually and emotionally. And He said in Ex 15:26b, "For I am the LORD that healeth thee."  The Son, Jesus healed the blind, the deaf, the sick, the injured and those with infirmities. The healing performed by Jesus was brought about by the power of the LORD present in him. And Jesus confirmed in Jn 5:19 and Jn 10.30, "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. I and the Father are one."  Whatever healing performed by the Son was performed by the Father. And miraculous healing is still on till date by the Father and by the Son.

Let us consider a few of the healings as recorded in the Bible.

• Healing the centurion's Servant at Capernaum
• Healing the mother of Peter's Wife.
• Healing the deaf and mute man of Decapolis.
• Healing a crippled woman.
• Healing the paralytic at Bethesda.
• Healing a man born blind.

Healing the centurion's servant. Matt 8:5-13.

The Centurion requested that Jesus heals his servant who was paralyzed and lying at home. Jesus volunteered to follow him home to heal the servant but the Centurion objected and only asked Jesus to send word to his servant. Jesus ascribed this to the Centurion as great faith and he asked the Centurion to go. "Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that moment. Jesus backed up the Centurion's faith with word to effect the healing.

Healing the mother of Peter 's wife. Matt 8:14-16.

The wonder about this healing is that Jesus only touched the hand of the mother of Peter's wife who laid in bed with a fever and the fever left immediately. She got up and began to wait on Jesus. Because of this event when evening came many that were demon -possessed were brought to him and he drove out the spirits with the Word and healed all the sick.

Healing a deaf and mute Man. Mk 7:31-37.

Some people brought a man who was deaf and could hardly talk to Jesus and begged him to place his hand on the man when he was in the region of Decapolis. Jesus took him aside, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man's ears, he spat and touched the man's tongue, looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh and said to the ‘deaf and mute man," Ephphatha!" (which means" Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak plainly. What a wonder!

 

Healing a crippled woman. Lk 13:10-17.

As Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, he saw a woman who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. Jesus called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Jesus put his hands on her and immediately she straightened up and praised God. She was wonderfully healed by the word "you are set free from your infirmity." and by touch.

 

Healing the paralytic at Bethesda. Jn 5:1-9.

At the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem was the paralytic man of thirty eight years of infirmity among others who were impotent, blind and withered. He had no body to help him into the  water for healing as it was customary for an angel to come and stir the water seasonally and whoso ever first  stepped into the water after, no matter the disease received healing. This man had nobody to help him into the water and when Jesus saw him lie, he had compassion on him and said to him, "Wilt thou be made whole?" And the man answered, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me." And Jesus said unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked.

Brethren, infirmity of thirty-eight years was healed within the short period he had an encounter with Jesus. What a wonder! Jesus word came out with healing power. In this case he did not even touch the man.

 

Healing a man born blind. Jn 9:1-12.

Jesus saw a man born blind and his disciples queried whether the man sinned or his parents did, that made him to be born blind. But Jesus answered, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." Neither had sinned. Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes and told him, "Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam”. He went, washed and came home seeing. And that was how he was healed. Miraculous healing in the "spit " of Jesus.

He also healed the blind man at Bethsaida. Mk8:22-26. The blind man was brought to Jesus by some people and he was begged to touch him. Apparently, these people would have known and heard about the wonders of healing by his touch. Jesus gave consent and spat on the man's eyes and laid his hands on him. Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" The man looked up and said he saw people like trees walking around." Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes and his eyes were opened, and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Again, he healed blind Bartimaeus who was so desperate to see. Blind  Bartimaeus   frantically called on Jesus as he passed by him,  and despite being discouraged by the disciples he shouted the more and Jesus was attracted to him and asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And Bartimaeus said,"Rabbi, I want to see." And Jesus said, "Go,your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Mk10:46-52.

The wonders of his healing cannot be exhausted. What made these healing wonderful were so evident in the sense that none of the healed was admitted anywhere for examination, no payment was made, no medication and the healings were instantaneous, total and whole. All that were involved were sometimes by touch, or a few words spoken by Jesus, such as: ‘you have been made whole’, or ‘your faith had made you whole’. Or sometimes questions such as; ‘what do you want?, what can I do for you? Sometimes he employed materials such as spit, and mud mixed together or directing them to go and wash in a particular river.  What a God of wonders.

Brethren, it is still possible to experience these wonders in any area of your life. All the healed mentioned above had an encounter with Jesus. Where do you need healing? Physical, spiritual or both? Brethren, these wonders are meant for you and you can access them if you so wish.

 

• You need to have an encounter with Jesus.-Mk 5:21-43, Lk 8:48.
• Have intimacy with Jesus by spending quality time in his presence. Acts4:13-14.
• Have a knowledge of the word by reading and studying. 2 Tim2:15.
• Believing and acting on the word. Mk 16:17-18
• Have faith in Christ and act it out. Mk 10:51-52.
• Be obedient to the instruction given. Jn 9:7.
• Earnestly desire to be healed and seek it. Mk 5:28, Matt 7:7b. As you seek, you will find in Jesus name. Amen.

 

What is the purpose of God's wonders to humanity?

Wonders have specific purpose in the advancement of the kingdom of God on earth. They are expressions of the goodness of God and his unfailing love to humanity. To show compassion and to meet human needs and alleviate our sufferings. These wonders bring spiritual and physical healings to our lives. They show that God is with his people and these also enable people, especially believers to be completely dependent on God for all their needs. They are proofs of His wonderful power and these wonders also substantiate that Jesus is the son of God. The good news about Jesus was spread all over through the healings and other wonders performed. The good news is still being spread all over the world. The wonders reveal the character of God.

 

Brethren, God is a God of wonders and he is still in the business of doing wonders. There are wonders of his love, salvation, restoration, reconciliation etc. Since He will continue to perform wonders, His wonders are therefore inexhaustible.

 

Prayers. O my Father, in any area of my life that needs your touch and your word for wonders, grant me the grace to receive in Jesus mighty name. Amen.