" HEALING IN THE GOSPEL "

HEALING IN THE GOSPEL

The mission of the twelve whom Jesus sent forth to preach the kingdom of heaven was to include, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8).

The seventy that Jesus sent forth into the harvest field, He told, whatsoever city you enter into, "...heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you" (Luke 10:9).


JESUS HEALED THE SICK

The following are a few examples of Jesus' ministry of healing the sick: Jesus heals the leper: "And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed" (Matthew 8:3).

A centurion's servant healed: "And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour" (Matt. 8:13).

Peter's mother-in-law healed: "And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw this wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them" (Matt 8:14-15)

Jesus heals a paralyzed man: "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thine house" (Matthew 9:6).

Woman with an issue of blood healed: "But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour" (Matthew 9:22).

Two blind men received their sight: "Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straightly charged them saying, See that no man know it" (Matthew 9:29-30).

When John the Baptist was in prison, he sent two of his disciples to Jesus, to inquire of Jesus if he be the Christ or not. Jesus told them to tell John about the things they saw and heard: "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them" (Matthew 11:5).


THE DISCIPLES' MISSION

The mission of the twelve was to "...preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:7-8).

The same is given to the seventy. "And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you" (Luke 10:8-9).

The believers are to have signs following them. The last words of Jesus before He ascended on high, according to Mark 16:18, are a perpetual promise of the healing power: "They (believers) shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover". The final instructions given to believers through James 5:14 directs them when sick to "call for the elders of the church," who are to anoint them and pray over them, and to this great promise is added: "The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up."

After the ascension, the apostles were carrying out Christ's commission. "Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them" (Acts 5:15).