Healing Service

Mark 9 verse 14 – 32

Jesus, with Peter, James and John was returning from the mountain where he’s had been transfigured before them. They found the disciples arguing with the Jewish authorities in front of a huge crowd.

When the crowd saw Jesus they lost interest in the disciples and rushed to meet him. Jesus asked what the argument was about and a man in the crowd stepped forward and explained that he had brought his son, who was troubled by an evil spirit, to the disciples to be healed, but they were not able to heal him. The boy’s symptoms were very distressing and had been that way since he was a child.

Jesus responded to the situation in anger and frustration,

19:  “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

This was not “gentle Jesus meek and mild”! As the boy was brought before Jesus the evil spirit threw the boy into a convulsion. The boy’s father asked Jesus if he could do anything to help the boy. Again Jesus’ response was terse and brief,

23:  “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Somewhat taken aback the boy’s father declared,

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Jesus noticed that a crowd was gathering around him so he rebuked the evil spirit.

. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

The evil spirit shrieked and left the boy who was lying prostrate on the ground, Jesus took his hand and lifted him onto his feet.

When the disciples were alone with Jesus in the house they asked him why they had not been able to heal the boy on this occasion. Jesus answered that,

“This kind can come out only by prayer.”

As we have gathered together today to pray for healing let’s see what lessons we can learn from this scripture.

  1. The disciples, without Jesus, were not able to heal the boy.

They had obviously tried to drive out the evil spirit that incapacitated the boy and been unsuccessful. The crowd, led by the Jewish leaders, were arguing with the disciples, I suspect they were ridiculing them for their failure. In Luke 18 we find that Jesus told the disciples the parable of the persistent widow to demonstrate that we should always be persistent in our prayers, particularly when it comes to healing. When the disciples asked Jesus why they had failed to heal the boy he said, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

We should always remember that without Jesus we are helpless. Christian healing is about Jesus working through the Holy Spirit to bring healing and wholeness to his people.

2. Jesus, by his attitude and words, was obviously upset that the disciples had failed to drive out the evil spirit.

Jesus expects us to continue his ministry in the world wherever we are. At the Last Supper he said.

John 14 :12 “ I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.13:  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14:  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it”.

God has made provision through his Holy Spirit, to give the church various gifts through each one of us to build us up and work for him. If we leave our gifts unopened under the Christmas Tree who is missing out? We are! Our community is! Our society is!

It is the responsibility of the church to be healers in our society. To take on the ministry of Jesus to declare the good news of the kingdom of God, to relieve suffering, to heal the sick,

and have compassion on the poor and needy.

We know that our prayers are not always answered in the way we would expect or desire but we learned a couple of weeks ago that sometimes God choses to heal in stages and in ways that we do not understand. The last thing we want is to upset Jesus by wavering in our faith in him to heal!

3.Help us overcome our unbelief!

The boy’s father said to Jesus, But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

Jesus’ response, 23:  “‘If you can’? Everything is possible for him who believes.” confirmed that:

  • Everything is possible – Jesus was superbly competent to heal the man’s son.
  • If only we believe – the father had to have faith in Jesus.

We should echo the man’s response to Jesus: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

As we come into God’s presence to pray for healing for all those who are suffering at this present time let us renew our faith in the healing power of Jesus Christ through his Holy Spirit.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Fill us again with your Holy Spirit with gifts of faith, wisdom, knowledge and healing that we may know the healing presence of Jesus Christ among us in power.

We ask this in the name of our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.


Category: Sermons , The Bridge

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