Have you ever wondered why we do not see miraculous healings more often today? In this week’s lesson, “Free to Rest,” we will discover the answer to this and many other questions about healing.
Our two primary studies will be: the New Testament story of the healing of the paralytic and the Old Testament story of Elijah. Although these stories took place in vastly different times and places and under different circumstances, they complement each other. They give us a more complete picture of divine healing than if either story were studied alone.
In the healing of the paralytic, Jesus creates a controversy by declaring that the man’s sins are forgiven before healing his physical disease. This is an intentional act by Christ. This man’s sickness of soul was greater than the affliction of his body. He was suffering under a load of guilt and shame because of his past sinful lifestyle. If Christ had healed only his body, the healing would have been incomplete.
Elijah, on the other hand, was a committed servant of God. He had faithfully witnessed for his Lord during a time of Israel’s deep apostasy. After slaying the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he was exhausted, and under the threats from Jezebel to take his life, he became discouraged. God met him where he was and ministered to his needs. We will study more about the lasting spiritual lessons in these two stories in this week’s lesson.
Part II: Commentary
The story of the healing of the paralytic in Mark 2:1–12 answers some of our deepest questions about miraculous healing and teaches us valuable insights regarding our growth in Christ. One of the first things we notice is that the paralytic does not come to Christ on his own. His friends bring him to Jesus. Four men carried him on a stretcher. Evidently, they had heard of the healing power of Christ and believed that He could heal their friend. These friends were persistent. When they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd, Mark’s Gospel says, “they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you’ ” (Mark 2:4, 5, NKJV). There are deep spiritual lessons in these few words. This man’s friends were concerned about him. They were so determined that they lifted him up to the roof, broke a hole through it, and lowered him into the presence of Jesus.
The New Testament contains approximately 30 separate instances of Jesus’ healing miracles. In two thirds of these stories, somebody brings somebody else to Jesus. Often physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual healing takes place in the life of another individual because someone cares enough to minister to that person’s needs in Jesus’ name. Did you notice the words “When Jesus saw their faith” in Mark 2:5? This is fascinating. Faith is something you see. It is not something that is intangible. It is always revealed in action. In this instance, Jesus honored the faith of this man’s friends. Of course, the man himself must have had a measure of faith by expressing his willingness to have his friends bring him. We can be Jesus’ agents of healing as we lead others to Jesus.
Jesus Is Never Too Busy.
The other significant thing about this story is that Jesus had time for this man. He did not consider his presence an interruption. There is never a time that Jesus is too busy to meet our needs. As He looked at this poor sufferer, Jesus immediately recognized the deeper issues. As a result, He did not begin by healing the man physically. He knew that the suffering man’s deeper need was spiritual healing. In this instance, the man had brought disease upon himself by his sinful lifestyle. He was filled with guilt that was destroying his immune system and ruining his health. This reality is true of scores of people whose bodies suffer under a load of guilt.
Ellen G. White makes this insightful comment: “The paralytic found in Christ healing for both the soul and the body. The spiritual healing was followed by physical restoration. This lesson should not be overlooked. There are today thousands suffering from physical disease, who, like the paralytic, are longing for the message, ‘Thy sins are forgiven.’ The burden of sin, with its unrest and unsatisfied desires, is the foundation of their maladies. They can find no relief until they come to the Healer of the soul. The peace which He alone can give would impart vigor to the mind and health to the body.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 270.
Healing From the Inside Out
Jesus knew that unless He dealt with the underlying cause of disease instead of healing only the paralytic’s body, the man would soon be sick again. “Grief, anxiety, discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 241. Biblically, healing always includes the whole person and involves restoration into the image of God. Sin destroys. It impacts the entire person in every dimension of life. Jesus healed this man from the inside out. The inner healing prepared the way for the outer healing. This man had brought sickness upon himself, and if Christ had merely healed his body, he would have more than likely gone back to a life of sin. Evidently, he must have felt the conviction of sin and the desire to come to Christ for some time. The Holy Spirit had been drawing him to the Savior. Now in the presence of Christ, he rose from his bed of illness to new life.
The Root Cause of Sickness
We live in a broken world. Therefore, sickness and disease are common. The root cause of all sickness is sin. This does not mean that everyone who gets sick has brought it on by sinning. It simply means that the underlying cause of sickness and disease in the light of the great controversy between good and evil is Lucifer’s rebellion in heaven and the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. To state it another way, Jesus is a health Restorer, and Satan is a health destroyer.
The issue of sickness is complex. A good deal of sickness is caused by our personal lifestyle choices. This is precisely why God has given the Seventh-day Adventist Church the health message. These divinely inspired health principles help us reduce the risk of disease, but they do not eliminate the possibility of disease. The cause of sickness is varied. Our genetics and environment play a role in determining our health outcomes. At times, the choices of others seriously impact our own health. Accidents are often things we cannot control, but we can control our own choices. The more positive choices we make, the more likely it will be that we will be in health and live the abundant life Christ offers. Understanding the cause of disease also allows us to cooperate with Christ in the healing process.
Jesus’ Medical Ministry to Elijah
Consider the case of Elijah. Here is a man of sterling character with implicit faith in the power of God. Throughout the three and a half years of famine, he trusted God for sustenance. Never once did God let him down. Elijah was guided by God to water at the Brook Cherith, fed by ravens, and sustained by a humble widow at Zarephath. His faith was strong. By faith he challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. It was there that he experienced the miracle-working power of God. He proposed a test to demonstrate the might of the true God. Baal’s prophets bellowed, shouted, and cried out to their pagan gods, but absolutely nothing happened. Elijah poured water over the altar, earnestly sought God, and fire came down from heaven and consumed the altar. Soon after the three and a half years of drought, the rains fell. At God’s command, Elijah participated in the slaying of the prophets of Baal. What a man of faith, courage, and steadfastness! You would think nothing could shake his faith. But something did.
When Ahab told Jezebel about the events of the day, she threatened Elijah’s life (1 Kings 19:1, 2). Courageous Elijah, who had stood on Mount Carmel before the prophets of Baal, rapidly fled at the threat of a wicked queen. Tired, worn out, and exhausted, he wished he could die. He found repose, lying discouraged beneath a broom tree. A broom tree is more like a large bush that was prevalent in the deserts in the Middle East and offered shade to weary travelers. There, discouraged and alone, Elijah slept until an angel woke him up, prepared a meal for him, gave him some water to drink, and encouraged him to sleep again. This happened twice, and in the strength of that food, drink, and rest, Elijah traveled for 40 days.
There are some vital lessons here. Even God’s people become discouraged at times. Elijah was soon to be translated without seeing death, yet he, too, had his difficult moments. Notice how God dealt with Elijah’s disappointment. He did not preach a sermon to him. He did not urge him to have more faith or pray more. Our caring Lord provided Elijah with a good healthful meal, refreshing water, and a good night’s rest. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our friends who are discouraged is to be there to encourage them and provide for their needs.
Part III: Life Application
It is extremely important that we do not become judgmental when people are sick. Although sickness may be the result of poor lifestyle choices, it is not always so. Even if disease and illness are the result of an individual’s personal choices, Jesus’ example reveals how to treat suffering people. It made no difference to Jesus that the paralytic had lived a life of sin. The Savior was called to minister to all people, and so are we. Friends bring friends to Jesus. As we pray in faith for those who are sick, Jesus will work miracles. Sometimes there will be miracles of instant healing; at other times the healing will be gradual; and, at times, those for whom we pray will die and rest in Jesus until the glorious resurrection at the second coming of Jesus. Christ’s Word gives us the assurance that we can rest in His love because, by His grace, healing is certain. The only question is the timing. Will it be instant, gradual, or at the resurrection?
There are times, as in the case of Elijah, that the best thing we can do for someone suffering from discouragement or depression is to be there to meet his or her needs. This loving concern can make all the difference. In your private prayers this week, ask God to impress you to lift up, in intercession, someone whom you know is suffering with a specific illness. If possible, visit that person and see if he or she has any definite needs you can meet. You will be greatly blessed as you minister as Jesus did, and so will the person you help.
Notes
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Have you ever wondered why we do not see miraculous healings more often today? In this week’s lesson, “Free to Rest,” we will discover the answer to this and many other questions about healing.
Our two primary studies will be: the New Testament story of the healing of the paralytic and the Old Testament story of Elijah. Although these stories took place in vastly different times and places and under different circumstances, they complement each other. They give us a more complete picture of divine healing than if either story were studied alone.
In the healing of the paralytic, Jesus creates a controversy by declaring that the man’s sins are forgiven before healing his physical disease. This is an intentional act by Christ. This man’s sickness of soul was greater than the affliction of his body. He was suffering under a load of guilt and shame because of his past sinful lifestyle. If Christ had healed only his body, the healing would have been incomplete.
Elijah, on the other hand, was a committed servant of God. He had faithfully witnessed for his Lord during a time of Israel’s deep apostasy. After slaying the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he was exhausted, and under the threats from Jezebel to take his life, he became discouraged. God met him where he was and ministered to his needs. We will study more about the lasting spiritual lessons in these two stories in this week’s lesson.
Part II: Commentary
The story of the healing of the paralytic in Mark 2:1–12 answers some of our deepest questions about miraculous healing and teaches us valuable insights regarding our growth in Christ. One of the first things we notice is that the paralytic does not come to Christ on his own. His friends bring him to Jesus. Four men carried him on a stretcher. Evidently, they had heard of the healing power of Christ and believed that He could heal their friend. These friends were persistent. When they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd, Mark’s Gospel says, “they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you’ ” (Mark 2:4, 5, NKJV). There are deep spiritual lessons in these few words. This man’s friends were concerned about him. They were so determined that they lifted him up to the roof, broke a hole through it, and lowered him into the presence of Jesus.
The New Testament contains approximately 30 separate instances of Jesus’ healing miracles. In two thirds of these stories, somebody brings somebody else to Jesus. Often physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual healing takes place in the life of another individual because someone cares enough to minister to that person’s needs in Jesus’ name. Did you notice the words “When Jesus saw their faith” in Mark 2:5? This is fascinating. Faith is something you see. It is not something that is intangible. It is always revealed in action. In this instance, Jesus honored the faith of this man’s friends. Of course, the man himself must have had a measure of faith by expressing his willingness to have his friends bring him. We can be Jesus’ agents of healing as we lead others to Jesus.
Jesus Is Never Too Busy.
The other significant thing about this story is that Jesus had time for this man. He did not consider his presence an interruption. There is never a time that Jesus is too busy to meet our needs. As He looked at this poor sufferer, Jesus immediately recognized the deeper issues. As a result, He did not begin by healing the man physically. He knew that the suffering man’s deeper need was spiritual healing. In this instance, the man had brought disease upon himself by his sinful lifestyle. He was filled with guilt that was destroying his immune system and ruining his health. This reality is true of scores of people whose bodies suffer under a load of guilt.
Ellen G. White makes this insightful comment: “The paralytic found in Christ healing for both the soul and the body. The spiritual healing was followed by physical restoration. This lesson should not be overlooked. There are today thousands suffering from physical disease, who, like the paralytic, are longing for the message, ‘Thy sins are forgiven.’ The burden of sin, with its unrest and unsatisfied desires, is the foundation of their maladies. They can find no relief until they come to the Healer of the soul. The peace which He alone can give would impart vigor to the mind and health to the body.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 270.
Healing From the Inside Out
Jesus knew that unless He dealt with the underlying cause of disease instead of healing only the paralytic’s body, the man would soon be sick again. “Grief, anxiety, discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 241. Biblically, healing always includes the whole person and involves restoration into the image of God. Sin destroys. It impacts the entire person in every dimension of life. Jesus healed this man from the inside out. The inner healing prepared the way for the outer healing. This man had brought sickness upon himself, and if Christ had merely healed his body, he would have more than likely gone back to a life of sin. Evidently, he must have felt the conviction of sin and the desire to come to Christ for some time. The Holy Spirit had been drawing him to the Savior. Now in the presence of Christ, he rose from his bed of illness to new life.
The Root Cause of Sickness
We live in a broken world. Therefore, sickness and disease are common. The root cause of all sickness is sin. This does not mean that everyone who gets sick has brought it on by sinning. It simply means that the underlying cause of sickness and disease in the light of the great controversy between good and evil is Lucifer’s rebellion in heaven and the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. To state it another way, Jesus is a health Restorer, and Satan is a health destroyer.
The issue of sickness is complex. A good deal of sickness is caused by our personal lifestyle choices. This is precisely why God has given the Seventh-day Adventist Church the health message. These divinely inspired health principles help us reduce the risk of disease, but they do not eliminate the possibility of disease. The cause of sickness is varied. Our genetics and environment play a role in determining our health outcomes. At times, the choices of others seriously impact our own health. Accidents are often things we cannot control, but we can control our own choices. The more positive choices we make, the more likely it will be that we will be in health and live the abundant life Christ offers. Understanding the cause of disease also allows us to cooperate with Christ in the healing process.
Jesus’ Medical Ministry to Elijah
Consider the case of Elijah. Here is a man of sterling character with implicit faith in the power of God. Throughout the three and a half years of famine, he trusted God for sustenance. Never once did God let him down. Elijah was guided by God to water at the Brook Cherith, fed by ravens, and sustained by a humble widow at Zarephath. His faith was strong. By faith he challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. It was there that he experienced the miracle-working power of God. He proposed a test to demonstrate the might of the true God. Baal’s prophets bellowed, shouted, and cried out to their pagan gods, but absolutely nothing happened. Elijah poured water over the altar, earnestly sought God, and fire came down from heaven and consumed the altar. Soon after the three and a half years of drought, the rains fell. At God’s command, Elijah participated in the slaying of the prophets of Baal. What a man of faith, courage, and steadfastness! You would think nothing could shake his faith. But something did.
When Ahab told Jezebel about the events of the day, she threatened Elijah’s life (1 Kings 19:1, 2). Courageous Elijah, who had stood on Mount Carmel before the prophets of Baal, rapidly fled at the threat of a wicked queen. Tired, worn out, and exhausted, he wished he could die. He found repose, lying discouraged beneath a broom tree. A broom tree is more like a large bush that was prevalent in the deserts in the Middle East and offered shade to weary travelers. There, discouraged and alone, Elijah slept until an angel woke him up, prepared a meal for him, gave him some water to drink, and encouraged him to sleep again. This happened twice, and in the strength of that food, drink, and rest, Elijah traveled for 40 days.
There are some vital lessons here. Even God’s people become discouraged at times. Elijah was soon to be translated without seeing death, yet he, too, had his difficult moments. Notice how God dealt with Elijah’s disappointment. He did not preach a sermon to him. He did not urge him to have more faith or pray more. Our caring Lord provided Elijah with a good healthful meal, refreshing water, and a good night’s rest. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our friends who are discouraged is to be there to encourage them and provide for their needs.
Part III: Life Application
It is extremely important that we do not become judgmental when people are sick. Although sickness may be the result of poor lifestyle choices, it is not always so. Even if disease and illness are the result of an individual’s personal choices, Jesus’ example reveals how to treat suffering people. It made no difference to Jesus that the paralytic had lived a life of sin. The Savior was called to minister to all people, and so are we. Friends bring friends to Jesus. As we pray in faith for those who are sick, Jesus will work miracles. Sometimes there will be miracles of instant healing; at other times the healing will be gradual; and, at times, those for whom we pray will die and rest in Jesus until the glorious resurrection at the second coming of Jesus. Christ’s Word gives us the assurance that we can rest in His love because, by His grace, healing is certain. The only question is the timing. Will it be instant, gradual, or at the resurrection?
There are times, as in the case of Elijah, that the best thing we can do for someone suffering from discouragement or depression is to be there to meet his or her needs. This loving concern can make all the difference. In your private prayers this week, ask God to impress you to lift up, in intercession, someone whom you know is suffering with a specific illness. If possible, visit that person and see if he or she has any definite needs you can meet. You will be greatly blessed as you minister as Jesus did, and so will the person you help.
Notes