Following Jesus and doing What Jesus did. Part 1

We all want to follow Jesus and do what he did, but when we read the gospels it can be hard to believe that it is possible.

Over the last few years there has been a change in the air, people’s expectation of what God can do through them has enabled them to get out on to the streets to do what Jesus did – that is heal the sick and increasingly, particularly in third world countries, raise the dead.

It shouldn’t take us by surprise.

Jesus command to his disciples to Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! (Matt 10:8), was a natural continuation of both the disciples doing what their Master did and a progression of God’s work in our World.

Healing threaded through the Bible

Healing and restoration is an important thread throughout the Bible narrative where physical healing and spiritual restoration are intertwined. The prophets tell the story of God’s judgment towards the sin of Israel and His desire to heal and restore.

“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the LORD. “And I will heal them.”  —Isaiah 57:17-19

So Abraham prayed unto  God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they conceived children. —Genesis 20:17

He (God) made a statute and an ordinance. There (in Marah) He proved (regulated/tested) them and said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands, keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought (allowed) on the Egyptians, for I am (Jehovah-Rapha) the Lord, Who heals you.”  —Exodus 15:25-26

And you shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you. There will be no miscarriages nor barrenness throughout your land, and you will live out the full quota of the days of your life.  —Exodus 23:25-26

So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself 7 times, as the prophet (Elisha) had told him to, and his flesh became as healthy as a little child’s, and he was healed. (It took 7 attempts before the healing was manifested.)  —2 Kings 5:14

Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “The good Lord pardon every one that prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary, and the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people.”  —2 Chronicles 30:19-20

Healing is part of the promised Messiah’s Ministry

The picture that builds of a personal God who wants to bless His people becomes even clearer with the descriptions of the promised Messiah.

Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains (of punishment), yet we (ignorantly) considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God (as if with leprosy) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.  —Isaiah 53 Amplified version

Jesus’ ministry was one of physical and spiritual healing. Jesus claimed his ministry to be the fulfillment of the prophetic words of Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

In Luke 4:16-19 it is recorded

He (Jesus) went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.

Isaiah 53 points to the ultimate healing ministry of Jesus in bearing the punishment for our sin and obtaining for us forgiveness, wholeness and healing, but it was apparent in Jesus life that His heart was full of compassion, healing all who came to Him. —(Matt8:6;9:35)

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.  —Matthew 4:23-24.

Jesus commanded his disciples to follow his example when he sent them out to minister to the people.

He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. ……Go… As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.  —Matthew 10

Then He sent out seventy-two others

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.,…… Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’……..The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”  —Luke 10

When Jesus was about to return to Heaven having been raised from the dead , and appearing many times to his disciples and others, he gave his disciples some final instructions…

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. “  —Matthew 28:19-20

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”  —Mark 28:15-18

In Acts, the apostles and others continue to heal people in Jesus’ name (Acts 4,5,8,9,28).  And the ministry of Healing has continued to this present day , but that is another story….to be continued in part 2

There’s no doubt today that spiritual and physical healing are still on God’s agenda.

So what is going on?

Google Healing on the Streets (HOTS),the first 11 pages are crammed full of Churches across Britain sharing their stories of Healing on the Streets.

God’s heart is still for those who are wounded, bound and broken-hearted. We are to be His representatives in the world, to show His love, and as people experience His blessing on their life a new possibility opens in their thinking, that there is a God who cares about them.

This isn’t something just for older Christians, church leaders but for youth, children – anyone who is a follower of Jesus, a disciple , and reaches out with compassion can do what Jesus did.