Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily devotional. This week, we continue in our series, Luke - Exploring who Jesus is. This week, our devotionals are based on Luke 4:31-44. Today’s devotional is entitled, Jesus’ power over sickness.
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’Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.’ (Luke 4:38-41)
Lesson: Jesus has the power to heal any sickness and he continues His healing ministry through the church.
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Luke continues to reveal the glory and mercy of Jesus as he recounts his healing ministry.
The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law
Luke, firstly, tells us of His healing of Peter’s mother-in-law in a private setting. It’s interesting and important to note that Peter, unlike Jesus and others, was married and that it’s okay for church leaders to marry (See also 1 Corinthians 9:5). We are told that she ‘was suffering from a high fever’. This is indicative of Luke (the doctor's) interest and expertise, but the detail is principally given in order to show that Jesus can heal severe illness - Jesus has power to heal any sickness!
Her response is surprising, interesting and speaks volumes. We are told that after her healing, ‘She got up at once and began to wait on them.’ Here, Luke is seeking to reveal the nature of a true response an experience of Jesus’ power - that of humbly servicing Jesus and others (See Luke 7:36-50, 8:1-3, Acts 16:33-34).
The healing of many
Next, we are told of Jesus healing, ‘all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people.’ Whether is an individual woman with a high fever or crowds with multiple afflictions, Jesus has the compassion and power to heal any sickness.
Laying on of hands - Here we are set an example of the laying on of hands when we pray for the sick. Jesus doesn’t always do this, and we don’t have to, but it’s a helpful practice when praying for someone in regard to anything (always ask permission and check they are comfortable with this first).
Response
Jesus has the power to heal any sickness and he continues His healing ministry through the church.
The gift of healing is a challenging subject and we come to this with different levels of experience and understanding. Healing is clearly a gift that the Spirit gives and is something that all Christians operate in with different levels of gifting.
Faith for healing has three levels:
I believe that God can heal the sick.
I am called to pray for those who are sick and He may heal.
I will pray and I know He will heal.
Unlike Jesus, none of us sees everyone healed that we pray. However, I believe that we are all called to pray for the sick according to the faith that we have and as we do so we will grow in experience and faith.
Let's do as Jesus encourages us to - Pray perseveringly and never give up (See 18:1-8)!
So let’s do as we see the people doing in our account today: let’s bring our mother-in-law and anyone we know who is suffering to Jesus.
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
1. NOTICES
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. ICEBREAKER
What has God been speaking to you about from His Word this week and how has this helped you / affected your life?
3. STUDY AND PRAY TOGETHER
Please read Luke 4:31-44 (Pay particular attention to 4:43)
On Sunday we looked at Luke 4:31-44 and we made the point:
The good news of the Kingdom means that we can receive the King, enter and experience His Kingdom right now.
Firstly, we saw that to enter the Kingdom we need to receive Jesus as our King/Lord.
Secondly, we briefly looked at 6 ways that we experience the Kingdom now:
i. Experience the acceptance of citizenship.
ii. Experience God’s presence and empowering by the Spirit.
iii. Experience victory over the devil and demons.
iii. Experience the healing of the Kingdom
iv. Experience the holiness of the Kingdom
V. Experience the ways of the Kingdom as we are ‘salt and light’ in the places that God has put us.
We know that when Jesus comes again, we will experience these things - the Kingdom - in fullness but right now we are to experience them in measure.
Discussion Questions
Did God speak to you about anything specifically from the message on Sunday?
What aspect of the Kingdom would you like to see more of and why?
How can we experience more of the aspects of God’s Kingdom in our lives and church?
SIV - How would you put ‘the message of the Kingdom’ into words that your non-believing friends would understand?
SIV - Lets pray for one another that we would Serve, Invest and Invite more powerfully where God has put us.
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