Hope for Healing
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Key Verse: “He said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Selected Scripture: |
THIS LESSON CENTERS around two of the many wonderful miracles that our Lord Jesus performed during his earthly ministry. In the first miracle, he healed the woman who had been hemorrhaging for many years. She had touched his garment, and was immediately cured. The second manifestation of his mighty power was exercised in the raising to life again the daughter of Jairus, who had died.
Jesus’ blessed ministry of healing the sick, casting out devils, raising the dead to life, and many other remarkable things, was conducted mostly from the city of Capernaum, which was in Galilee.
Luke records the great anticipation that was being manifested among the people when our Lord Jesus approached Capernaum. “It came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him” (Luke 8:40), because of the mighty works that he had performed there. He was engaged in the work that his Heavenly Father had sent him to accomplish. He explained, “I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”—John 5:36
The woman who had suffered with the issue of blood for twelve years, without receiving help from her physicians, sought to make her way through the throng of people, and to touch Jesus’ clothing. She had faith to believe that he had the power to heal her infirmities if she could just touch the hem of his garment. “Jesus said, Who touched me?” (Luke 8:45) Peter, and the others who were with Jesus, could hardly believe that he knew that someone in the crowd had touched him. “Jesus, said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.” (vs. 46) “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. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”—vss. 47,48
The second miracle of this lesson was performed when Jesus raised to life again the daughter of Jairus. She was only twelve years old, and was sick unto death. When Jesus was informed of her death, he said, “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” (vs. 50) He then instructed that no one should accompany him into the house where she lay dead, except Peter, James, and John, as well as the girl’s parents. “He put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.”—vss. 54,55
These mighty works were not meant to inaugurate Jesus’ kingdom at his First Advent, but were done to establish his identity as the Savior of the world. He left his spiritual abode as the Logos of God, and had come to earth for that purpose. His earthly ministry, which included these two wonderful miracles, illustrated a grander power that would be exercised on behalf of the whole groaning creation during the future times of restitution. Under control of our Lord, and his faithful bride, all mankind will have opportunity to receive not only physical healing, but mental and moral healing as well.