Sabbath: Discipling the Sick
Read for This Week’s Study: Isa. 53:4, Matt. 8:17, Mark 2:1-12, Phil. 4:4-9, 1 John 3:20-22, John 11:37-44.
Memory Text: Large crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. (Matthew 15:30-31, NIV)
During His ministry, Jesus devoted more time to healing the sick than to preaching. His miracles testified to the truth of His words, that He came not to destroy, but to save. Wherever He went, the tidings of His mercy preceded Him. Where He had passed, the objects of His compassion were rejoicing in health and making trial of their new-found powers. Crowds were collecting around them to hear from their lips the works that the Lord had wrought. His voice was the first sound that many had ever heard, His name the first word they had ever spoken, His face the first they had ever looked upon. Why should they not love Jesus and sound His praise? As He passed through the towns and cities He was like a vital current, diffusing life and joy.”-Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, pp. 19, 20.
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Hi all,
The sick either phsyically or mentally are desperate for help when in trouble. And can make many promises.
Therefore when discipling the sick, we need to empower them with a healthy lifestyle and a method on how to grow in their relationship with Christ.
Healing first comes as an act of faith. And is at a latter stage seen as evidence in the life of the sick now healed.
The good way to heal the sick is to heal their mind-set and bring it according to the decrees of the scriptures. After all its a personal choice to receive Christ Jesus.
Jesus touched people where they needed Him most. He attended to their most pressing needs thereby winning their confidence and gratitude. He left us an example to follow in our everyday activities eg if someone is hungry let's feed them first before we evangelize them in other words let's be as practical as possible and put our faith in action !!
The very same Jesus is here right now!!
He is here to heal the sick!
He is here to set the captives free!
The blind saw in His name!
The deaf heard through His power!
The dumb spoke with His command!
The palsy ones stood erect for His glory!
The seizures ceased at His will!!!
The dead came back to life at His order!
Malachi 3:6(Paraphrased)He is Yaweh and He changes not.
Hebrews 13:8(Paraphrased) Sweet Jesus is the same yesterday,
the same this very day and for eternity.
A ministry that is ever ready for reach is the
" ministry of healing"
Every where we maybe are sick people
and dying souls who need the Lord.
The harvest is plenty but the willing laborers are few.
The true ministry has been painted black by
the devil while we just watch comfortably!
Oh Holy Spirit,come and reign in us,fill us with
Thy power and let us do ad God the Son did
while here on earth .He promised that we can do more
in His Name.....but we do less!
Revive us Lord and quicken us for the work so vast before us.
Forgive us for having less Faith but more doubting and hesitating.
Set us free from fear and being unstable!!!
"As He passed through the towns and cities He was like a vital current, diffusing life and joy.” This last sentence in the quote from Ellen White reminds me so much of Ezekiel's vision of the water flowing from the temple such that "This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes (Ezek. 47:8-9 NKJ). Jesus made it clear that in Scripture water is often symbolical of the Holy Spirit of which He had an overflowing amount (Jn 4:10-11; Jn 7:38).
Amen and Amen Cluthe. I thank God to be a tributory of that river which I shall divert these promise to others not actually connected to the main stream. His cup is full and running over. Thankyou God.
Were there always conditions the sick had to meet before Jesus could heal them?
I would suggest that the only condition the sick had to meet was to be loved by God, a condition they met before they were even born (Psalms 139:15-16).
Jesus healing ministry was for free. In our modern times, how can we reach out to poor people when they could not be treated for free. If we try to do it for free, it is not all the time because of our limited source of financial capacities to serve and give health care for free. Faith healers now a days are popular because they attract people by means of free healing in the name of Jesus. How can we use the name of Jesus in attracting people for free healing. Is the faith of these faith healers are more stronger than ours that they could show miracles in healing for free in the name of Jesus?
Jesus met people needs both physical, mental and spiritual to gain their confidence, what are u doing in your own little corner to gain people confidence on who and what you believe?
Our health institutions which I believe to be doing spiritual works of mercy but I was speechless when a non adventist friend related to me her story regarding her father who is undergoing dialysis in one of adventist hospital,she said that this hospital demands the highest dialysis fee and they firmly not giving discounts though I beg them to give any lower adjustment. I don't really expected this because I knew this is a church-based institution she added. In times like this,I am caught off guard.
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Adventist healing Books are more expensive than my school fees!!! Jesus did it for free
Henry, similar to Jesus "doing it for free" would be for Adventists to buy the books (which cost money to produce and print) and give them away for free. Some of us do that, but it is better to share the healing message in person.
The information regarding healthful living is freely available to most Adventists. Some of it is taught in conjunction with doctrines to new converts. It is our job to share this healing message with the world around us in any way they will accept. But we shouldn't stop with sharing the message of bodily healing. It is an integral part of the message of holistic healing - that is, healing the whole person.
I think that comparatively few people would read books these days compared to the number who observe the lifestyle we live. And a joyful Christian healthy lifestyle lived as free book to others is one of the most effective ways of getting the message broadcast. (and envied and desired!)
I lament the lack of reading in our society but recognize that there are other ways of communication.
"Why should they not love Jesus and sound His praise?" This line struck a chord with me. Who wouldn't love a person who genuinely loves them and heals their pain. I had a small infection in my toe once. One of my church members, who is a nurse, lives a couple of streets from my house. So I called her up to ask what I should do. Instead of just telling me what to do, she came to my house right away to have a look at it. I was pleasantly surprised. All of a sudden she looked something like an elder sister instead of just a likeable church member.
If we truly care about people, we'll help them. Jesus is our biggest role model. When we lovingly help people, some of them love us for it and come to see that it is Jesus who has given us the loving heart. So they will in turn learn to love Jesus who can love them more than we ever can.
In discipling the sick, I think we have to consider the experience of Job. When he was visited by his best friends, he was in normal pain during the one week of their silence but his pain started to become worse when they began to speak.
Discipling the sick requires knowledge.