Subject: Lose the Box When It Comes to Healing
by Rick Welborne
Mark 8:22-26 (NLT)
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him.
23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”
24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”
25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.
26 Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him.
23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”
24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”
25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.
26 Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”
Matthew 9:20-22 (KJV)
20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
John 5:2-9 (NKJV)
2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"
7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."
8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."
9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"
7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."
8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."
9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
--Healing is one of the most interesting studies that you can find in the NT…it has brought comfort to many, questions to others, and even, confusion to many believers.
--Just when we think we have the formula for healing, we see another portion of Scripture that goes a total different direction.
--Recently talking about healing with a group of folks someone made the comment that you always have to speak to the infirmity and command it to go…I said that happened but not always.
--Even in our text Jesus did not speak to the infirmity, He just asked “Do you want to be made well?” and at the Gate Beautiful in Acts 3…Silver and gold I do not have but such as I have…I give.
--Sometimes it seems the faith comes from the person seeking the healing (woman with the issue) and others times it seems as though the faith came from Jesus or others who prayed. Acts 3 Such as I have…
--The point of all this is to say that there is no magic formula that we can use and know that it will work every time we pray. Even the great healing evangelist of the early 1900s saw some healed but not all.
--I even struggle in my own mind preparing this message to figure out the plan…I thought number one has to be that they come to Jesus…but then, Jesus came to the man at the pool.
--We do not even know if the man who was blind in Mark 8 wanted to come to Jesus but people brought him and begged Jesus to heal Him.
--If that messes with your theology a bit, think about this, the man was not totally healed the first time Jesus spit in his eyes and laid hands on him, did I mention this was Jesus who by His stripes we are healed…Mind blown!
--If faith is the issue…is there anyone who would not have more faith than Jesus…He is faith personified but He prayed twice…did He have to or did He do it for us? Right before the story of the persistent widow:
Luke 18:1 (NIV)
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
--Today let’s dive into these portions of scripture and see what we can find…We will look at a man without vision, a woman with an issue, and another man with an excuse.
1. A man without vision.
--He was blind and his friends knew it…they cared enough to get him some help…they brought him to Jesus.
Helen Keller: She was asked the question: “What would be worse than being blind?” She answered, “Having eyesight but no vision.”
--The friends or family of this man had the vision to believe that if they could get their blind friend to Jesus they would witness a miracle.
--Godly vision or faith is the power to see beyond our limitations…our friend is blind; we can’t heal him because we are limited…beyond our limited ability is Jesus.
--So vision is the ability to see, the faith to believe, the courage to do, and the hope to endure.
--My mind raced quickly to the four men who had a paralytic friend…someone had to see what would happen if they could get him to Jesus, their faith kicked in, they had the courage to go thru the roof, and they endured.
If you can’t see it, you do not have vision,
Some people see it, but don’t believe it. They do not have vision.
Some people see it, believe it, but don’t do it. They do not have vision.
Some people see it, believe it, start to do it but quit. They do not have vision.
Vision is the ability to see, the faith to believe, the courage to do, and the hope to endure.
--The blind man is all in now…He has agreed to go to Jesus and now Jesus is leading…this has to be key.
--When you come to Jesus you have to turn loose of control, get rid of your box, and hold on to Jesus’ hand no matter where he leads. Whether you come to Jesus or Jesus comes to you…He is the key to your healing.
--Jesus spit in His eyes and laid hands on him…the healing started…he could see people but only see them as trees walking…He prayed again…this is such encouragement for us to not give up!
--Some people say just ask once and after that just thank the Lord for your healing…if He instructs you to do that, do it, but if you do not get your healing, keep asking. Jesus said:
Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
2. A woman with an issue.
--Obviously this woman had an issue, an issue with her blood. She was diligent to seek help from her condition from doctors and had spent all she had and was no better.
--We could definitely have fun with saying this woman had an issue and I know most of you men are thinking all women have issues and you are right…their issues are usually men!
--This woman had something other than an issue with her blood and it is something that I feel is necessary for us to receive from God our healing or whatever it is we need. She had passion.
Matthew 9:21 (NIV)
21 She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."
21 She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."
Carl Barth – Passion is fear that said its prayers.
--Was she afraid…I am sure of it…In the eyes of the law she was unclean and by that same law everyone she touched was made unclean…she was taking a big chance by coming forward.
--Did she have a battle…absolutely…she has been sick for twelve years…she is weak and she is hurting but she tells herself I have to get through this crowd…many believe hundreds if not thousands were around Jesus.
--Don’t we have to fight the same battle sometimes to get our healing…what will people think if I go forward (maybe think I am in sin – unclean) or maybe the crowd will keep us from touching Jesus…really…good luck!
--You see, vision (the ability to see beyond our limitation) will produce passion…passion is being empowered by what we see or hear.
--This woman heard Jesus was coming and that gave her great hope but she did not stop there…she saw Jesus passing by…when she saw Jesus passion rose up inside her…If I can touch the hem of His garment…
Webster’s Dictionary – Passion is the intense, compelling emotion evidenced in decisive courageous action.
--Her passion, her faith compelled her to stop being stuck with the status quo but to rise up with courageous action…fight thru the weakness, fight the crowd, and get close enough to touch Jesus.
Sir Walter Moberly – You, Christians, if one tenth of what you believe is true you ought to be ten times more excited than you are. But evidently it is not true. I take one look at your face and I rest my case.
Oliver Wendell Holmes – I may have entered the ministry if certain clergy I knew had not looked like and acted like undertakers.
--What an indictment of no passion but not this woman…she said I don’t care how I feel, I don’t care what the crowd thinks, I am going to touch Jesus no matter what.
--Her issue confronted by faith and passion turned out to be a miracle.
Luke 8:45-48 (NKJV)
45 And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?' "
46 But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."
47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
48 And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
45 And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?' "
46 But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."
47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
48 And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
3. A man with an excuse.
John 5:7 (NKJV)
7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."
7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."
--Many of the translations that I read omitted from verses 3-4 the reference to the angel and the stirring of the water…the main thing is that there was a great number of sick people gathered there every day hoping!
--The truth is misery loves company…I have this disease…oh, that is nothing, I have this disease…I had two surgeries last year…well, I had three. Oh, how they love to rehearse over and over their plight.
--The truth is…you want to get out of debt hang with people who manage their finances well, you want a better marriage hang with people who love and honor each other…What are you saying, Pastor Rick.
--If you want to be made whole and well, hang out with Jesus, hang out with Holy Spirit, hang out with people of faith and people of the Word…faith comes by hearing…hearing the Word.
--Don’t look or point but are their people that you get around after maybe having a good day…you spend just a few minutes with them and every bit of life is drained out of you…gloom, despair, and agony on me!
--If you are going to receive your healing…seek out people who will help you seek out the face of Jesus and when you find His face hear Him say… "Do you want to be made well?"
--No argument, no excuses…Do you want to be made well? Do you really want to be made well? Do you?
John 5:8-9 (NKJV)
8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."
9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked…
8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."
9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked…
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