If you said ‘Jesus,’ you would be correct. Last time we saw Him speak to the Samaritan woman by the well, He revealed both Himself and of the new intimate connection available to God through Him (see The Gift of Living Water).
Now, one year after Jesus’ baptism, He and His 5 apostles return to the region of Galilee, where He begins to preach:
…Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Mk. 1:14, 15. NLT
Christ has now brought John the Baptist’s preaching to fruition, declaring that salvation was available here and now.
(Speaking of John, that poor guy had just been thrown into prison by the governor of Galilee, Herod Antipas. Why? Because John had publicly rebuked him for having his sister-in-law divorce his brother, so that Herod could have her.)
Jesus was fully empowered with the Holy Spirit and was astonishing people with His teachings in the synagogues.
He returned to the city of Cana, (where He had turned water into wine, demonstrating His first miracle). There, Jesus met a nobleman who pleaded with Him to go to his home to heal his dying son (Jn. 4:46, 47). Christ first responds with a generalized chiding of the Jews:
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” Jn. 4:48 CSB
(Jesus was remembering that unlike the Jews, the Samaritans took Him at His word alone that He was the Messiah). Nevertheless, our compassionate Savior responds to the nobleman:
“Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home. Jn. 4:50 NLT
Before he even got home, his servant ran to him, declaring his son recovered at the exact time Jesus had spoken. And so, he and his entire household came to believe in Jesus (Jn. 4:51-53.)
Sometimes, God will use adversity to bring people to Christ.
Jesus then returned to His hometown, Nazareth, entered a synagogue, and began preaching – drawing from a Scripture from the prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me (the Messiah), because He has anointed Me to preach the Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy), to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD [the day when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly].” Lk. 4:18, 19. AMP
This, in a nutshell, is everything about Jesus and why He was sent to us. The ‘favorable year of the LORD,’ alludes to the ‘year of the Jubilee’, which was a specified year when all debtors and slaves were set free in Israel.
Christ is saying that He came to free us from spiritual darkness and the consequences of living in that state. Jesus is revealing that He is a Spiritual conqueror. (The Jews were expecting a Messiah of a military nature that would free them from Roman rule).
All eyes are on Jesus when He delivers the clincher:
“The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” Lk. 4:21 NLT
Jesus is telling the Nazarenes that He is their guy, their Messiah! How do they respond? They scoff! Murmuring to themselves that He is only Joseph’s boy. They are blinded by their familiarity with Him, watching Him grow up in their town. They demand a miracle for proof. He answers:
“Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” Lk. 4:24 CSB
Isaiah prophesied this event like this:
“Listen to me, you stubborn people who are so far from doing right. For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant future, but right now! I am ready to save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel.” Is. 46:12, 13. NLT
The Son of God admonishes the people, reminding them that the mighty prophets Elijah and Elisha channeled God’s love miracles upon the Gentiles, because the Jews at that time had closed their hearts to God. Thus, He was alluding that the Nazarenes were spiritually dead in their hearts as well.
Angered, the people tried to throw Him off a cliff, but He miraculously eluded them.
The big point to see, is that Jesus worked no miracles in Nazareth because the people had no faith…
Jesus and His apostles sailed to the city of Capernaum by way of the Sea of Galilee, where He began to preach to a crowd on the shore. The crowd grew so large in number that He climbed into the apostle Peter’s boat to make more room for them as He continued to preach.
When He finished, He told Peter to row away from the shore and cast out his fishing net.
Peter protests, saying that he and the other apostles tried to catch them the entire previous evening, with no luck. But hey, it’s Jesus. Peter finally casts his net.
The net comes back so full of fish that another boat had to come out to help gather all of them. Miracle after miracle.
Christ tells His apostles to quit their day jobs and become full-time apostles:
“Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon. “From now on you will be catching people.” Lk. 5:10 CSB
Jesus entered the synagogue in Capernaum, on the Sabbath, and preached – amazing the hearers with His clarity and authority. His teachings were in stark contrast to the monotonous recitations of the scribes.
A man stood up, animated by none other than the devil himself, who had possessed him to do his bidding. He cries out:
…there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out [terribly from the depths of his throat], saying “What business do You have with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” Mk. 1:23, 34. AMP
Notice that the spirit says ‘us.’ There are many, yet they all tremble before the Son of God. Jesus immediately cast the spirit out of the man. That’s Divine authority. And He’s on your side!
Christ left the synagogue and went to Peter’s house, where He healed Peter’s sick mother-in-law. Word gets around and in the same evening, the entire town brought their sick and demon possessed:
No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed everyone. Lk. 4:40 NLT
After all that work, we get to see how Jesus recharges Himself:
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying. Mk. 1:35 CSB
Crowds surrounded Jesus wherever He went. One time He was approached by a leper, who kneeled before Him and said:
“If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Mk. 1:40-41. NLT
Jesus reached out and touched the so-called ‘untouchables’ to willingly heal them. (There is no one, regardless of what they’ve done, or what state that they are in, who cannot come to the Son of God for redemption).
Christ tells this man to go to the priests for authenticate his healing before he tells anyone else (Mk.1:44). But hey, he’s only human. He blabbed about his miracle to all who would listen.
So, what just happened here? First, I think that Jesus’ ability to heal is firmly established by now. We also see that the Son of Man has a great love for humankind and a deep compassion for their suffering.
Demanding the cured man keep his miracle healing to himself was a way that Jesus was trying to keep His ministry effective – reaching as many people as He could without having to deal with unmanageable large crowds.
He sent the man to the priest for the ritual cleansing demanded by Mosaic law. Yet, He also transcended the law by touching an individual whom the same law prohibited doing so. There is no one to unclean for Jesus.
Jesus returns to Peter’s house to preach, and it was filled with listeners – including scribes (those responsible for keeping and copying the Old Testament), and Pharisees. Outside, there was a group of men who desperately wanted to have Christ heal their paralyzed friend (Lk. 5:17 – 19).
So, they took it upon themselves to remove part of the roof of the house and lowered their friend down on a bed in front of Jesus:
Seeing their faith he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Lk. 5:20 CSB
Jesus’ statement brought forth huge ire in the scribes and the Pharisees, thinking to themselves that He was committing blasphemy by making such a claim that He could forgive sins. However, Jesus is reading their very thoughts, and He rips into them, (for one of what will be many confrontations):
“Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk?’ So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” Lk. 5:22 – 24. NLT
And he did!
Jesus has the power to forgive sin. Notice that He ‘cleansed’ the paralytic of his sins before He healed him. Consider too, that it was the faith of his friends that provided the environment for Christ’s healing power to manifest….
The Son of God left the house and was walking by a tax collector’s house, named Levi (who would take on the apostolic name of Matthew); and He calls Him into discipleship:
“Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].” Mt. 9:9 AMP
Another act of love from our Savior. Tax collectors were the scum of the earth in Jewish society.
Matthew hosts a dinner for Jesus, His apostles, some other sinners including – scribes and Pharisees, who complained to the apostles about Jesus eating with sinners. Jesus overhears their remarks and lets them have it again:
“Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Mt. 9:12, 13. NLT
Well, we’ve been blessed with a lot of revelation about our Savior. We see that the Son of God is without prejudice as He fervently pursues the salvation of all people. He heals the sick, casts out demons, and cures paralytics. Even fish obey Him!
His Gospel (of which we are only scratching the surface) is amazing and life changing. And He wipes out our sins with His forgiveness.
Jesus loves you so much. Just look at the extent to which He is proving to you that He is the Real Deal. He’s helping you to build your faith!
Now you know who heals and speaks for God…
Goodnight and God bless.