Teaching, Preaching and Healing

Introduction

Now that he has gathered his first disciples, he gains more simply by doing the work he was sent to do. His ministry at this point surrounds the region of Galilee, i.e., the Northwestern portion of Israel. And we want to note what his ministry consisted of and the response of those who either heard him or heard of him.

• First of all, Jesus' ministry consisted of teaching, preaching and healing. (23)
• These three activities were his chief occupations in public ministry. Think of what Jesus did:
• He was teaching in their synagogues. What was a synagogue service like? We have some insight in two New Testament passages: Luke 4:16-21, where Jesus began to teach about his own ministry. We also have Acts 13:15ff, where Paul used the invitation to speak as an opportunity to preach the gospel based upon the history of Israel. In the service, a reading from the Law and the Prophets, which followed prayers, would be followed by a distinguished Rabbi, either resident or visiting, being invited to teach concerning a point of the Law or the Prophets. He would read a text and explain and apply it. This is what Jesus evidently did. And the traditions of the synagogue required that the teacher be attractive in his appearance and presentation, as well as intelligent and godly. Interestingly enough, such a teacher did not have to be ordained. And his message was to be tactful and not too personal. That Jesus taught often in the synagogues of the land, tells us that he was a welcome teacher and respected. No wonder he was referred to as "Rabbi."
• The text tells us that he also was actively preaching the Gospel/good news of the Kingdom. You are of course aware that the word, gospel, means good news. And the substance of the gospel is given in verse 22, to wit that the Kingdom of Heaven was near. It is referred to elsewhere as the gospel of peace (Rom 10:15), the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 9:13), and its message was simply that the Kingdom of Heaven had come. To the Jews this would be good news, as it would mean that the Lord was announcing the reign of Messiah (Isa 9:6,7) and peace between Himself and Israel (Isa 52:7). God had come to rule and thus to show his love and concern for his people. And that is the essence of the gospel.
• We want to be careful not to distinguish too closely between teaching and preaching, though, because he did both at the same time, cf. the next three chapters. Teaching would emphasize a systematic presentation of the truth. Preaching or proclamation would emphasize declaration of the truth, as opposed to giving a systematic presentation of it. In his teaching he gave the details of what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.
• Finally, and this is what usually catches our attention most in this passage, he healed the sick. The text says, he healed (literally) all chronic diseases and all occasional sicknesses among the people. The word, all, would place him in different category from other healers that were also going about the land. Perhaps the word would best be translated as the NIV does, every, because not all in the nation were healed. These other healers did not heal every case. They had their successes and their failures, but Jesus healed every disease he came into contact with, with no failures. The question needs to be asked, though, why? What did healing have to do with the gospel and salvation? The answer lies in the curse placed upon man after the fall, in Genesis 2:17; 3:19. Sickness and death, physical as well as spiritual, were the punishment for Adam eating of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In healing the sick, Jesus was demonstrating in a tangible way the power of God for salvation. His identity an authority as the Son of God was established, for he is the embodiment of Malachi's prophecy that The sun of righteousness shall arise, with healing in his wings. (Mal 4:2). The physical healing Jesus gave was an outward symbol of the heart and soul healing he had come to bring with the forgiveness of sins. It was also a sign of the kingdom. God's rule had come and one evidence of it was the healing given to men. Witness his words to the paralytic and others, when they came for healing, Your sins are forgiven.
• Notice how these three ministries are tied together. What ties them together is the Kingdom of Heaven. The public teaching of Jesus focused upon the grace of God in coming to rule over his people and show his love and concern for them as their King. The healings were a tangible, easy to understand demonstration of the truth and power of the Kingdom. Jesus did not simply heal for the sake of making people feel better or improve their quality of life. Rather, those who were healed had an obligation to worship and serve the Lord, even to repent-cf. John 5:1-14. That is why, when Jesus preached he proclaimed the message that he did, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. This is an important point, one that is missed by some in the healing movement in Pentecostal Church circles. We are mistaken if we separate healing from the gospel's message and focus on it or any other miraculous part of the gospel instead of on the Kingdom of God.
• We see here the power, mercy and holistic redemption of Jesus.
• We see his power. There is nothing beyond his authority. He commands even the incurable illness, and it is done, the afflicted one must be healed. What power then his word of command must have for even the most depraved soul. He heals the soul by the spiritual healing power of his gospel just as surely as he heals the body by his divine power. There are none beyond the reach of the King of the Kingdom of heaven, none beyond the salvation of Jesus.
• We see his mercy. By his healing, no less than by his preaching, he wanted to show the people he ministered to that he meant well by them. With cords of loving kindness does the Saviour woo and attract sinners to himself. Jesus does not first of all proclaim wrath to sinners, but divine mercy and love. And he would show that same mercy to you as you sit her this day, if only you will come to him.
• Finally, there is his holistic redemption. In healing bodily and mental illnesses, Jesus showed that he came to deal not only with sin but its deadly effects. Every ill in the world is traceable to the fall of Adam and the guilt he passed on to all his children, all of us. Some have believed that Jesus is only concerned with the spiritual aspect of our lives, but it is not so. He saves the soul and brings forgiveness of sins, yes, but then he also is concerned to see healing in our relationships with others around us. As the psalmist puts it, he heals all our diseases and forgives all our iniquities. Is your life broken because of sin? He can heal that brokenness and there is nothing you are or have done that he cannot make right. That is not to say you will have no more sorrow or pain or deadly illness, or that there will be no more consequences for any sins you have hurt others with, but he will heal you and your life to the degree needed in order to make you a useful and productive member of his body. Bring your sin to Jesus for pardon and bring your pain to him for healing.
• In his teaching, preaching and healing, Jesus was showing the largeness of his heart and the great scope of his Kingdom. There is no need you and I can have that will not be met by the power of his teaching, preaching, and healing, no harm done by sin that cannot be undone by the power of the kingdom as it is ministered to us by Christ.
• In the second place we note the response to his ministry (24-25).
• It was a two fold response: The text says the report of him went out as far as Syria northeast of Jesus location and not a short distance away. There were two responses.
• The first we will call the physical benefits response. Not surprisingly, people came in droves to be healed. And they brought those afflicted with a variety of illnesses-- various kinds of chronic diseases and pains, the demon possessed, the insane the NIV and NKJV refer to seizures and epilepsy, but the word means, affected by the moon, and seems best translated as insane), and paralyzed. And the text says he healed them all. We see another effect of his ministry of healing, it gathered the crowds to hear his preaching. The healing got their attention and that prepared them to give the second response to his ministry.
• The second response to his ministry was the discipleship response. While some only followed Jesus to be healed and see miracles, there were others who went beyond seeking physical healing and now sought spiritual healing. And you see how many different parts of the country they came from, north and south, east and west. There were both Jews and Gentiles. And the text says they followed him. The word we translate as followed has the sense to it that these people became willing and obedient disciples who followed their teacher as those who learn from him and serve him. And this was not an unusual thing. John the Baptist had the same kind of following. But Jesus's following, we will learn as we go on, became large. By the way, this shows us that the original 12 were part of a larger group that Jesus set apart to be with him wherever he went. The others did not go around the country, for the most part, though many probably did in addition to the twelve.
• No one who comes into contact with Jesus ever remains unchanged. The sick were healed and those who went further with him became his disciples. Yet we will learn that others were hardened against him, among the chief of them being the Pharisees, Sadducees, the priests and, of course, Judas. None of them remained neutral, and no one could. How could anyone read or hear of his teaching and preaching and be neutral? How could you hear or experience his healing, and not care about him, one way or another. We read of the paralyzed man healed in John 5, that he went to the Jews who had rebuked him for carrying his bed that it was Jesus who told him to violate the Sabbath. What base ingratitude! But you see, he responded to Jesus, and none can remain unresponsive.
• You must determine this day what you will do with Jesus.
• You who claim to be believers. What will you do with the Jesus you profess to believe in and love. Will you obey him? Will you go where he sends you? Will you make his Word your rule for faith and life? Will you study his Word and pray each day to him for guidance as you serve him? Or will you, resenting his claim upon you as Judas did and because he does not do what you expect or want him to do, will you turn away and betray him? A Christian is by definition suppose to be a disciple, one who follows after, loves and serves Jesus as his or her teacher and Lord, and does so on his terms. Measure yourself by this standard and see if you are indeed a Christian.
• As for you who are not believers. This day the gospel shows you a kind and merciful, as well as powerful Saviour. What will you do with him? Will you take your sin and all the harm it has done to him and find in him a complete salvation? He will welcome you if you do that. Or will you turn away and say you do not need him? The choice is yours.

Conclusion

Rev. Arthur J. Fox, Pastor
10 Spruce Street
Middletown, PA 17057
(717) 944-5835