Lesson No. 46 

Lesson No. 46 Life and Activities of Jesus Christ

Brief summary: The Christ, the Son of God, manifested Himself in this world in a very simple and natural way, but providing clear and powerful evidence of His divine origin. Born of a virgin woman, conceived by the work and grace of the Holy Spirit, according to the words of God's angel to Mary, considered in the previous topic, according to Luke chapter 1: verses 26 to 35.51 In accordance with the concept of Father and Son issued in lesson number 21 in relation to The Christ, the Son of God. At the age of thirty, as tradition maintains, He began His ministry, making Himself known among the Jews as the Son of God, the Messiah, and Redeemer of humanity. Performing great miracles, healing the sick and the afflicted, resurrecting the dead, instructing in all justice, and preaching the good news of salvation. These activities identified Him as the Sent of God.

Divine healing: Among the activities of our Lord Jesus Christ during His ministerial life, His works of divine healing stand out admirably.

This is one of the great benefits that our Lord Jesus Christ offers to humanity, whose effects have had a positive impact not only during the time of early Christianity but also in our era, for all who believe in His promises.

This is why, before concluding this chapter, I deemed it appropriate to refer to this important activity of the Divine Master, which has remained as a permanent sign for His Church.

This activity of our Lord Jesus Christ had been predicted by the prophet Isaiah around eight hundred years before His birth. Let us consider what the following passage says:

Isaiah chapter 53: verses 4 and 5: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”.51

Jesus Christ fully realized what was related to this prophecy during the period of His ministerial life. Regarding this, let us consider what the following biblical passages say:

Matthew chapter 8: verses 14 to 17: “And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. 16When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses”.51

Luke chapter 13: verses 11 to 13: “And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. 13And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God”.51

Lucas narrates a remarkable event related to a miracle of resurrection: And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. 43And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. 49While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. 50But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. 51And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. 52And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. 53And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 54And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. 55And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. 56And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done. (Luke chapter 8: verses 41 to 56).51

The apostle John recounts the miracle of divine healing performed by Christ on a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years: Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. (John chapter 5: verses 2 to 9).51

Jesus Christ performed many miracles of divine healing, which I do not intend to fully list in this treatise; however, I want to highlight that He did not limit this important activity to Himself, but rather empowered His disciples to carry out this marvelous work with full authority. Let us see what the following biblical passage tells us:

Matthew chapter 10: verses 1, 5, 7, and 8: “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. 5These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:  7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give”.51

After the Lord's ascension, the disciples continued this work. An example of this is found in the miracle performed by the apostles Peter and John on a paralyzed man: Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. (Acts chapter 3: verses 1 to 10).51

James, in his Universal Epistle, makes a recommendation to the Church regarding divine healing, according to the following Scripture passage:

James chapter 5: verses 14 and 15: “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.51

This authority was extended by the Lord to all believers in Him. In this regard, let us consider the following biblical passage:

Mark chapter 16: verses 17 and 18: “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”.51

Recommendations: Before concluding this topic, I want to make some recommendations to those interested in receiving divine healing:

Believe: One of the fundamental aspects that play a role in the possible realization of any miraculous event is the faith of the person related to it, that is, to believe that God truly has the power to do the work and that He wants to accomplish it. The Lord Jesus Christ emphasized this very important aspect for the believer several times. In this regard, let us consider what the following passage says:

Mark chapter 9: verses 21 to 27: “And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 25When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. 27But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose”.51

The expression to believe, in this case, also implies a persistent attitude: if you truly believe that God can do the work, even if you do not receive healing the first time, keep asking, continue insisting to God with that faith that He demands, and in the end, you will obtain victory. Remember the theme of prayer, where the Lord suggests a persevering attitude.

Another characteristic implicit in this term is total surrender into God's hands. If you say in your heart: I will ask for prayers for divine healing to see if I heal, and if not, then I will resort to other means; be assured that God will not heal you. However, if, on the contrary, you decide to unconditionally surrender yourself into His hands for life or death, then God does the work. Note that the people who turned to Christ to be healed were, for the most part, forsaken by doctors or cases beyond their competence. Therefore, it was easier for them to surrender unconditionally into God's hands. Likewise, it is necessary for us to also put ourselves in His hands so that He can do the work.

Integrity of the believer: The believer or servant of God empowered by His Holy Spirit for this activity needs to be sufficiently upright and faithful to have God's backing when performing the work of divine healing. In some cases, it requires maintaining a constant attitude of fasting and prayer for the work to be accomplished. If we read the context of the passage cited earlier, we will find that before Jesus Christ reached the place where the demon-possessed man was, his disciples had already tried to cast the demon out and had not been able to. Let's look at the relevant passage:

Mark chapter 9: verses 28 and 29: “And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting”.51

Humble yourself before God: Humility is one of the human attitudes that most easily moves God to show mercy. Every person should feel unworthy of God's gifts and, in such an attitude, implore divine favor out of mercy to receive what they need. For the Word of God says, according to First Peter chapter 5: verse 5,51 that He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble; and in Psalm 51: verse 17, it says that a broken and contrite heart, God will not despise. A wonderful reflection of this is in the story of the Syrophoenician woman: Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. (Matthew chapter 15: verses 21 to 28).51

Depart from sin: If we recall the biblical passage read, according to James chapter 5: verses 14 and 15,51 we will realize that if the sick person is in sins, they are forgiven. Therefore, it is also necessary to remain free from all sinful contamination so that God's blessing is permanent in the person's life. In this regard, let us consider what the next passage tells us:

John chapter 5: verses 13 and 14: “And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 14Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto  thee”.51

To listen to a beautiful hymn related to the topic, simply tap this link.