What was the Purpose for Jesus' Healing Ministry?
(This article was published in French at TPSG).
Two years ago, as I stood by helplessly as my father was dying of lung cancer, I began to think about the miracles of Jesus.
I was studying the Gospel according to Mark, and I read that Jesus so easily healed the sick and could even raise the dead. I must admit that I thought to myself: Wow! These people were really lucky to live in Jesus' time and to be healed by Him! Too bad we don't have that same privilege today...
But through studying the subject, I learned that his miracles and healings were not primarily intended to heal all the sick in Israel. In fact, Jesus' miracles, in general, and his healings, in particular, had at least six goals:
It is on this sixth point that I would like to pause for a moment. Yes, we would all like to be spared from sickness and suffering. But humanity's greatest sickness is the sickness of sin, and the greatest suffering a human being can experience is that of eternal punishment if he does not put his trust in the Saviour.
When we are overwhelmed by our suffering and failing bodies because of the effects of the fall, let us encourage one another to fix our gaze on what awaits us in eternity with the Lord.
Let us therefore comfort each other with the promise that when our Lord reigns on His eternal throne, there will be no more sickness, tears or death. Our present afflictions are momentary and light relative to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us (1 Cor. 4:17-18). Maranatha, come Lord Jesus!
Two years ago, as I stood by helplessly as my father was dying of lung cancer, I began to think about the miracles of Jesus.
I was studying the Gospel according to Mark, and I read that Jesus so easily healed the sick and could even raise the dead. I must admit that I thought to myself: Wow! These people were really lucky to live in Jesus' time and to be healed by Him! Too bad we don't have that same privilege today...
But through studying the subject, I learned that his miracles and healings were not primarily intended to heal all the sick in Israel. In fact, Jesus' miracles, in general, and his healings, in particular, had at least six goals:
- To show Jesus' love and mercy for those who were suffering (Mk. 6:34);
- To cause people to glorify God for His supernatural power and authority (Mk 2:12);
- To convince people of Jesus' divinity (Mk 2:1-12);
- To prove that He was the promised Messiah (Lk 4:18);
- To lead people to place their faith in Jesus (Mk 9:14-28);
- To give people a foretaste of what the new earth and the new heavens will be like (Rev 21:4).
It is on this sixth point that I would like to pause for a moment. Yes, we would all like to be spared from sickness and suffering. But humanity's greatest sickness is the sickness of sin, and the greatest suffering a human being can experience is that of eternal punishment if he does not put his trust in the Saviour.
When we are overwhelmed by our suffering and failing bodies because of the effects of the fall, let us encourage one another to fix our gaze on what awaits us in eternity with the Lord.
Let us therefore comfort each other with the promise that when our Lord reigns on His eternal throne, there will be no more sickness, tears or death. Our present afflictions are momentary and light relative to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us (1 Cor. 4:17-18). Maranatha, come Lord Jesus!
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