THE SICK NEED A DOCTOR NOT THE HEALTHY

PROCLAMATION

“When … the Pharisees saw Him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked His disciples: ‘Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?’  On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”  Mark 2:16-17 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter. (1 Peter 5:13)  After He was baptized Jesus called His disciples saying, “Come, follow Me.” (Mark 1:16-20)  They went to Capernaum and Jesus began to teach.  While He was teaching in the synagogue, Jesus healed a man who was possessed with an impure spirit. (Mark 1:21-28)  They left the synagogue they went to the home of Simon and Andrew.  When they got there, they found Simon’s mother-in-law in bed with a fever and Jesus healed her.  The people brought many sick and demon-possessed individuals to Simon’s house and Jesus healed all of them. (Mark 1:29-34)  Then He travelled throughout Galilee, preaching, healing the sick, and driving out demons. (Mark 1:39)  A few days later Jesus returned to Capernaum and a large crowd gathered outside the home where He was staying.  Four men brought a paralyzed man to Jesus, but they could not get to Him because of the crowd.  So, they lowered the man down on a mat through a hole in the roof of the house and Jesus healed him. (Mark 2:1-12)  Jesus went out of the house and walked beside the lake.  As He walked, He saw Levi the tax collector and said to him, “Follow Me.”  Levi left the tax collector’s booth and followed Him.  They went to Levi’s house for dinner with many tax collectors.  The Pharisees saw this and questioned His behavior. (Mark 2:13-17)

APPLICATION
Jesus, The Christ, left heaven and came to earth to save us because we were all lost sinners.  There are some today who, like the Pharisees, think that they are righteous but are also lost sinners.  The Bible says that we all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and that none of us are righteous. (Romans 3:10)  We all need Christ to save our sin sick soul.  When believers witness to other believers that is fellowship as we encourage one another.  However, our “job” is to witness to the lost, to point them to Christ, to save lost souls.  We all know someone in our circle of family and friends who is lost needs to hear about Christ.  It is not our place to make them believe, we are only to tell them, to plant the seed, and to act in such a way that they can see Christ in us. (Matthew 5:16)  The Holy Spirit of God will add to the church as He sees fit to do so. (Acts 2:47)

CHRIST JESUS HEALED THE SICK AND RAISED THE DEAD

Proclamation:

“And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.  She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak … immediately her bleeding stopped … He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”  Mark 5:25-34 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Mark.  This is the gospel as he received it from the apostle Peter.  In this chapter Mark recounts the healing of the man possessed with many demons, (Mark 5:1-20) the healing of the woman with an issue of blood for twelve years, and the raising of the dead twelve year old daughter of Jairus, one of the synagogue leaders. (Mark 5:22-24 and 35-43)

Application:

Modern medicine is great.  Today, doctors can treat and cure a number of different diseases and conditions.  However, there are still a large number of diseases and disorders that they cannot cure or even diagnose.  Jesus, The Christ, has the power to cure any and everything. (Mark 3:10)  He is omnipotent and all power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18)  Just because He can does not mean that He will.  All too often the problem is our lack of faith in Him. (Mark 5:34)  It is also possible that the illnesses that we suffer are our punishment for our sins. (2 Corinthians 12:7)  We may also suffer because of the sins of our parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. (Exodus 34:7, Numbers 14:18, and Deuteronomy 5:9)  He can bestow His grace on whomever He chooses.  So, believe in Him, ask to be healed, and have faith that it will happen.

WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR FAITH IN THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“… A centurion’s servant … was sick and about to die … The centurion sent some elders … asking Him to come and heal his servant … ‘Lord … I do not deserve to have You come under my roof … But say the word, and my servant will be healed’ … When Jesus heard this … He said, ‘I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.’”  Luke 7:1-10 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Luke, the physician and frequent travelling companion of the Apostle Paul.  Luke begins this chapter by presenting the great faith of a humble centurion whose valued servant was very sick.  He asked some Jewish elders to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant, then sent some of his friends to ask Jesus not to come to his house but to speak the word and heal his servant. (Luke 7:1-10)  After this Luke recounts how Jesus spoke and raised up the widow’s dead son who was being carried to his grave. (Luke 7:11-17)  Luke then presents the discussion which occurred between Jesus and some of the disciples of John, the baptizer. (Luke 7:18-35)  The chapter ends with the discussion that Jesus had with the Pharisee about the sinful woman who anointed His feet while He was having dinner at the Pharisee’s house. (Luke 7:36-50)   

Application:

Most believers only have a little faith in The Lord God. (Matthew 6:30, 8:26, and 16:8)  Our faith is smaller than a grain of mustard seed. (Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6)  We say that we have faith in Him but our actions and our behavior say otherwise.  This centurion had such great faith that it even impressed Jesus. (Luke 7:9)  He was humble.  He wanted Jesus to help him by healing his servant but he did not feel that he was worthy enough to approach Jesus himself so he asked others to go to Jesus for him. (Luke 7:3-7)  He believed that Jesus could speak the word and heal his servant.  The Word of God is powerful.  He spoke and created something out of nothing. (Genesis 1:3-14)  He spoke and controlled the wind and the sea. (Mark 4:39)  On three separate occasions Jesus spoke and raised the dead. (Luke 7:14, Luke 8:52, and John 11:43)  We ought to increase our faith in Him and exercise our faith more often.

THE SIN-SICK PEOPLE OF THE WORLD NEED THE WORD OF GOD

Proclamation:

“Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’”  Luke 5:31-32 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Luke, the physician and frequent travelling companion of the Apostle Paul.  In this chapter he begins by presenting the events around the calling of the first disciples of Jesus, The Christ.  After He had finished teaching the people while sitting in Simon Peter’s boat at the edge of the lake, He told him to push out into the deep water and cast his nets.  Although he was reluctant, Simon Peter did as he was instructed and caught such a large load of fish that his nets broke and he had to get help from his partners. (Luke 5:1-7)  Seeing this, he worshiped Jesus, who told him that He would make him fishers of men. (Luke 5:8-11)  After this Jesus healed a man with leprosy (Luke 5:12-14) and a paralyzed man (Luke 5:17-25) before He saw Levi, the tax collector, and told him, “Follow me.” (Luke 5:27-28)  It was at a banquet at Levi’s house that the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to question Jesus about the company that He was keeping.  Jesus defended Himself and His disciples and told them that the sick people need a doctor, not the healthy. (Luke 5:29-39)

Application:

Jesus, The Christ, spent time with outcasts and sinners because they were the people who needed to be saved.  He changed them, they did not change Him.  If we are going to spend time with the unsaved people of this world, then we need to be strong enough in The Lord and The Word of God that we can help them out and not get pulled down into their sins.  If our purpose is not to take The Word of God to them, then we do not need to be where they are.  However, if the sinners are in our homes or our place of employment, then we need to stay “prayed up” and walk and talk in such a way that they can see The Christ in us.  Remember, only those who recognize that they have a problem will seek assistance.

JESUS THE CHRIST READ AND TAUGHT FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

Proclamation:

“He went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue, as was His custom.  He stood up to read, and 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 …’ Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down … He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’”  Luke 4:16-21 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Luke, the physician and frequent travelling companion of the Apostle Paul.  Luke begins this chapter with the temptation of Jesus, The Christ, by the devil. (Luke 4:1-12)  After being tempted He returned to Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, before going to Nazareth. (Luke 4:14-15)  There Jesus read from The Old Testament Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1-2) and then told them that Isaiah’s prophesy would be fulfilled in front of them that day.  They wanted Him to repeat the miracles which He had performed in Capernaum, and when He would not do so they became furious with Him, turned on Him and wanted to kill Him. (Luke 4:23-29)  Jesus left there and went back to Capernaum, taught in their synagogues, cast out demons, and healed all of people that were brought to Him. (Luke 4:31-41)

Application:

There are many believers who feel that because today we under grace and not the law that The Old Testament is not relevant.  Jesus, The Christ, read from The Old Testament and taught from it.  He also said that He did not come to destroy the law or what the prophets had taught but to fulfill it. (Matthew 5:17)  We no longer have to perform the various sacrifices mentioned in The Old Testament because Jesus was the ultimate sacrificial lamb who paid it all once and for all of us.  However, there is much to be learned from The Old Testament and the prophesies contained therein.  The whole Bible is the inspired Word of God and it would be good for us to read it, study it, (2 Timothy 2:15) and apply it to our lives. (James 1:22)