“He has done all things well” #2385

And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak” (Mark 7:37, NKJV).

In every sense of the word, Jesus was good and did all things well. People were amazed as they heard Him teach and saw His miraculous works. He was no ordinary prophet; No ordinary man of God. Having returned from the Gentile regions of Tyre and Sidon to the Hellenist cities east of the Sea of Galilee, people approached Jesus, begging Him to heal a deaf man whose speech was also impeded (Mark 7:31-32). Jesus healed the man, and although He commanded them not to speak of it, they spread the word of His great goodness (Mark 7:33-36). Three things impress us about Jesus doing all things well. (1) See the beauty in all Jesus did. The word they used (“well”) of what Jesus did denotes something beautiful. Every work of Jesus was stunning and impressive, bearing the marks of God’s powerful presence. Would that the beauty of Jesus be seen in all we do. (2) See the value of all Jesus did. We do not measure His work in silver and gold, but in the blessings He gave. He lived what He taught, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). The most valuable gift of all was giving Himself for the world’s sins John 10:18). (3) See the virtue of all Jesus did. His motives were always honest, pure, and holy. Jesus was genuine. His virtuous heart and life are our models as disciples (Luke 6:40). Indeed. Jesus has done all things well.

The Faith to be Thankful for Mercy #2250

12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.” (Luke 17:12–16, NKJV)

The Lord heard and answered the lepers’ pleas for mercy. One of them not only knew he needed mercy, but he also knew how blessed he was when Jesus healed him (vs. 15-16). We all need God’s mercy. Indeed, we all live under the merciful forbearance of God (Acts 17:30; 2 Pet. 3:8-9). Are we thankful for God’s mercy? The Samaritan was a thankful man. See his humility as he falls on his face at Jesus’s feet, thanking Him for being healed. Are we like the other nine? Once fed and filled by God’s loving mercy, do we turn away with no thought of gratitude and humble thanks? God knows when we are not thankful to Him (Lk. 16:17-18). The Samaritan had faith. Jesus told him, “Your faith has made you well” (Lk. 17:19). Faith not only compels us to seek mercy; it induces us to fall at Jesus’s feet with humble thanks for His mercy that saves us (Titus 3:4-5). God is rich in mercy and saves us by His grace through our faith in Christ (Eph. 2:4-9). Like the healed Samaritan, let us humbly and thankfully glorify God for His mercy.

Listen to Jesus for the Truth #2231

33 Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, 34 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. (Luke 4:33–35, NKJV)

Why did Jesus rebuke and silence demons when casting them out? After all, this one and others declared the truth that Jesus is “the Holy One of God,” the Messiah (Lk. 4:34, 41). The answer is one of contrasting the sources of truth and the authority of Christ. As Jesus was teaching in the Galilean synagogues, He showed Himself to be the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy (Lk. 4:16-21, 31-32, 42-44). The Messiah, not demons, would “preach the gospel” and “set at liberty those who are oppressed” by sin (Lk. 4:18, 35, 41). Christ gave miraculous evidence of His authority to save souls from sin’s power when He miraculously freed people from demonic possession, (Lk. 4:32, 35-36). Jesus applied His authority as the source of truth when He silenced demons from declaring Him to be the Christ, the Son of God. Christ, not demons, would proclaim “the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk. 4:19). Therefore, we must listen to Christ as the final authority for salvation and service to Him (Matt. 28:18-20; Heb. 1:2).

“Sin No More” #2096

12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” (John 5:12–14, NKJV)

This remarkable miracle of healing the lame man at the pool called Bethesda is a marvelous illustration of God’s merciful healing of our souls from sin (Jno. 5:1-9). What followed also illustrates our obligation once God saves us from our past sins. Just as Jesus told the man to “sin no more,” Christians cannot “continue in sin that grace may abound” (Jno. 5:14; Rom. 6:1-2). Just as the lame man’s healing should prompt him to live differently, our salvation from sin compels us to cease practicing sin. We have “died to sin,” being freed from the clutches of its slavery by the blood of Christ (Rom. 6:3-11). Saved in Christ, we are “servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17-18). Jesus warned the man that returning to sin would bring a worse outcome upon him. That is also true of Christians who sin (read 2 Pet. 2:20-22). The teaching that Christians cannot sin and be lost is false. Jesus healed the man, yet a far worse thing would occur if he practiced sin (Matt. 5:29-30). Even so, Christ has saved us. But if we turn back to sin, we will be lost. That outcome will be on us, not on Jesus (2 Cor. 5:10).

Recognizing Jesus #1785

54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. 56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.” (Mark 6:54–56, NKJV)

Do you recognize Jesus? I do not mean the imaginary images painted and sculptured centuries after He walked the earth. Nor do we mean the fictionalized thoughts of our own hearts. Do you recognize the real Jesus (the Jesus of the Bible), who He is, what He has done, and what He can do for you? Do you recognize His character? His gospel? His heart of mercy? His power to save you from your sin? His truth that sets you free from sin’s bondage? Do you recognize Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16)? These people ran to Jesus with their loved ones because they knew of His power to heal. We ought to run to Jesus for our souls to be healed of sin. They tried to touch the hem of his garment, for when they did, they were made whole. We can’t touch His garment, but we can contact His saving blood that redeems us from sin. That happens when we have the faith to be baptized into His death. When we do, we die to sin and have new life in Christ (Rom. 6:3-4; Acts 22:16). Run to Jesus. Believe and obey His gospel for salvation. He is merciful. He will save.

The Lord is Ready and Able #1739

41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. (Luke 8:41–44, NKJV)

Do you ever hesitate to seek and to supplicate the Lord by telling yourself He must be too busy to attend to your present trouble? Or, do you conclude that since others are worse off than you, you will not trouble the Lord with your trial? (He already knows what it is.) Or maybe you think your spiritual condition is so severe that He would never save you. This account from the life of Jesus reassures us that God is able to save to uttermost those who call on Him in faith. Christ’s power went out from Him, healing this troubled, suffering woman (Lk. 8:46). Jesus told her, “your faith has made you well” (Lk. 8:48). The faith of Jairus compelled his plea for his daughter’s health. Jesus told him, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well” (Lk. 8:50-55). And, she was. Today, Christ’s power to save sinners goes out from Him through His gospel (Rom. 1:16; Mk. 16:15). All who will call on Him in faith are saved (Acts 2:21, 37-41; 22:16). He is ready and able to save and to bless you. Come to Him without delay (Matt. 11:28-30).

Large Faith #1726

9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” 10 And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick. (Luke 7:9–10, NKJV)

We have been discussing the healing of the centurion’s servant by Jesus. Upon seeing and hearing the soldier’s explanation of sending others to Jesus with his plea (Lk. 7:2-8), Jesus praised the man’s faith, and healed the servant without ever meeting the centurion or his servant. Jesus described the centurion’s faith at “great.” The word carries the idea of quantity, and means “so vast as this.” In other words, his faith was “large” in comparison to the faith Jesus witnessed in Israel. His faith was formed by hearing about Jesus (Lk. 7:3). But, he did more than just believe Jesus could heal his servant. He first sent Jewish elders to Jesus with his plea, and then friends to tell Jesus there was no need to come to his house. He was sure Jesus could just say the word, and heal his servant. Faith that brings God’s blessings is far more than mental acceptance. In our case, faith must compel us to obey Jesus (Jas. 2:14-26). Otherwise, we will not be saved (Matt. 7:21). By the way, it is important to see that as far as we know, the servant was not the person with the faith. Yet, he was healed. Living with large faith becomes a blessing to others.

Such Great Faith #1724

6 Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. (Luke 7:6–7, NKJV)

The Roman centurion had heard about Jesus and the great miracles He worked. Having already sent Jewish elders to Jesus who begged Him to come and heal the man’s servant, he then sent friends to Jesus with an astounding message. He understood authority, and he believed Jesus had such authority over disease that He could just say the word, and his servant would be healed (Lk. 7:8). Jesus marveled at the man’s faith, and commended it to the crowd that followed Him, saying, “I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” (Lk. 7:9) The servant was healed that very hour. Like the centurion, may we fully trust the power of Christ’s word. God’s word will accomplish God’s will in our lives when we trust and obey (1 Thess. 2:13).