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A Physician for the Sick

Wayne Galloway
01/31/21 - Sunday Morning Worship

Matt. 9:2-8, 12-13; Lk. 5:18-26, 31-32

 

 

A Physician for the Sick

Mk. 2:15-17

 

Introduction:

 

1.  Isaiah described Judah and Jerusalem as a sinful nation.  He said, “The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint.  From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is nothing sound in it, only bruises, welts, and raw wounds, not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with oil” (1:5b-6).

2.  Whether considered as disease or injury sin demands a Healer!  Without a Healer sin ends in death.  Jesus is that Healer who brings life to the dead and the dying.  Our God has sent Him to deliver us from our desperate condition.

3.  That there is a definite association between sin and sickness is evident.  What is it?  And how is Jesus our Physician?

 

Discussion:

 

I.  In Mark 2:1-12 authority to forgive sins is evidenced by the healing of sickness.

 

     A.  This man is paralyzed, carried by four men.  He is let down through the roof.  First

          Jesus forgives him of his sins. 

          1.  Forgiveness of sins is not something that can be visually confirmed.

          2.  Jesus asks, “Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and

               walk’?” (Matt. 9:5).

          3.  He makes the point that He has authority to forgive sins by then saying to the

               paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.”

    B.  This is done in the context of the crowd assembled, the dramatic entrance through the

          roof of the man, the faith of the paralytic and the men who let him down through the

          roof.  But it is also done in the context of the scribes and Pharisees reasoning that

         Jesus was blaspheming because only God can forgive sins.

         1.  Apparently they had not expressed their reasoning verbally (Lk. 5:22).

         2.  Jesus makes a claim of deity and thus authority on earth to forgive sins by healing

              the paralytic.

    C.  The crowd’s response?  “They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying

         God; and were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.’”

    D.  The message is that deity has come to earth to overcome the effects of sin, both their

         physical effects and their relational effect.

          1.  Jesus’ description of Himself as “the Son of Man” identifies Him with the authority

                given in Dan. 7:14.

          2.  His dominion (authority) is powerful to overcoming the effects of sin.

          3.  This is a remarkable account with incredible implications.

 

II.  It was prophesied that the coming of the Messiah would be characterized by healing (Isa. 35:5; 53:5; 61:1ff; Matt. 11:2-6).

 

       A.  In a graphic description of what the future held for God’s people Isaiah describes it as

            the desert blossoming (Isa. 35:1ff).

            1.  The desert seems to have no life, but with the glory of the Lord and the majesty of

                 God it comes to life profusely.

            2.  God comes with vengeance upon the destroyer and saves His people.

            3.  “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be

                 unstopped.  Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will

                 shout for joy.  For waters will break forth in the wilderness and streams in the

                 Arabah” (5-6).

       B.  Isa. 53:4 says, “Surely our griefs (sicknesses) He Himself bore, and our sorrows

            (pains) He carried.”

       C.  Isa. 61:1ff is quoted in Lk 4:18-19 by Jesus in His hometown. 

       D.  And when John the Baptist questions, “Are you the Expected One, or shall we look for

            someone else?”  Jesus quotes both Isa. 35:5 and 61:1ff as evidence that He is the

            Expected One.  Healing the sick is part of the work of the Messiah.

 

III.  Part of the Messiah’s work of offsetting the creation’s slavery to corruption is overcoming sickness (Rom. 8:18-25).

 

     A.  The whole of creation is affected by sin (Gen. 3:14-19).

     B.  It will be set free “into the glory of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21).

     C.  Even our bodies will be redeemed (Rom. 8:23; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Cor. 15:35-57).

     D.  But it does not end with victory over physical sickness; it involves more.  It involves

          victory over spiritual sickness (Matt. 9:11-13).

          1.  Because of their lack of self-discipline Paul spoke to the Christians at Corinth

               saying, “Many among you are weak and sick” (1 Cor. 11:30).

          2.  Heb. 12:12 speaks to those being disciplined, “Strengthen the hands that are weak

               and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb

               which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed”

     E.  Jesus is the great Healer, but these passages speak of both individual and corporate

          responsibility to bring healing to ourselves and others.

          1.  In bringing healing to ourselves we must evaluate ourselves by the word of God and

               then do what is healthy.

          2.  In bringing healing to others we bring them to the discipline of the Lord.

          3.  In this way we follow the Healer in bringing health and life to the sick. 

 

Conclusion:

 

1.  “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners,” Jesus said.

2.  If you recognize that you are sin-sick and have not come to the Great Physician a decision faces you.

3.  And if you have made the decision and have gone back into the sick world then return to the Great Physician where there is healing, forgiveness, redemption and life.