Jesus Our Divine Healer-3

내 영혼아 여호와를 송축하라 내 속에 있는 것들아 다 그 성호를 송축하라 ² 내 영혼아 여호와를 송축하며 그 모든 은택을 잊지 말찌어다 ³ 저가 네 모든 죄악을 사하시며 네 모든 병을 고치시며 ⁴ 네 생명을 파멸에서 구속하시고 인자와 긍휼로 관을 씌우시며 ⁵ 좋은 것으로 네 소원을 만족케 하사 네 청춘으로 독수리 같이 새롭게 하시는도다….⁸ 여호와는 자비로우시며 은혜로우시며 노하기를 더디 하시며 인자하심이 풍부하시도다. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! ² Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, ³ who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, ⁴ who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, ⁵ who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. ⁶ The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. ⁷ He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. ⁸ The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Ps. 103:1-5, 8)

예수께서 산에서 내려 오시니 허다한 무리가 좇으니라 ² 한 문둥병자가 나아와 절하고 가로되 주여 원하시면 저를 깨끗케 하실 수 있나이다 하거늘 ³ 예수께서 손을 내밀어 저에게 대시며 가라사대 내가 원하노니 깨끗함을 받으라 하신대 즉시 그의 문둥병이 깨끗하여진지라 ⁴ 예수께서 이르시되 삼가 아무에게도 이르지 말고 다만 가서 제사장에게 네 몸을 보이고 모세의 명한 예물을 드려 저희에게 증거하라 하시니라. When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. ² And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." ³ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴ And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them." (Matt. 8:1-4)

FCF: We tend not to believe Jesus as a Healer.

주제: 예수님은 우리의 치유자 하나님이시기에 치유를 위해서 예수님을 의지해야 합니다.

Theme: Because Jesus is our divine Healer, we should rely on Jesus for healing. 

Introduction: Everyone wishes a healthy life. But only a few live a long life without any disease. Many fight diseases, small or big, throughout their lives. By the way, people choose whatever they believe to be good for health and healing. A missionary refused to take any medicine for his diabetes. He did a special diet for natural healing. Without depending on medicine, he tried to experience a healing by faith. However, he had a problem of extreme weakness due to lack of proper diet, not even able to walk properly. Notwithstanding, he was convinced that he would be recovered through natural diet. Apparently, he depended on the effectiveness of his natural diet rather than that of a medicine. Because he followed a special diet strictly, he pointed out his pastor friend, who ignored the necessity of a proper diet for diabetes, was wrong with his faith.

His pastor friend did neither a diet good for diabetes nor exercise. Declaring loudly by faith that God would heal him, he fed himself with his favorite food to his heart’s contentment. He thought it would be better to eat happily whatever he desired rather than to get stressed out about a special diet. But the problem was that the foods he had taken raised his blood sugar and caused him diabetic complications. Despite all this, he was convinced that he would be healed by faith, while rejecting a diet treatment. Even though he took diabetic pills, he couldn’t prevent diabetic complications. He became obese, which he bragged about as God’s grace. After all, he was about to get one of his legs amputated due to poor blood circulation. The missionary denounced his pastor friend’s faith was reckless and misguided.

The missionary believed that he would be healed of diabetes if he refused to take diabetic pills and relied on a special natural diet. His pastor friend trusted the effectiveness of his medicine and rejected a diet proper for diabetics. Both of them preached the gospel and taught the word of God. What did they really trust for healing? Obviously, both of them chose whatever they trusted. The former chose a natural diet, rejected a medicine, and trusted God. The latter relied on the effectiveness of his medicine, rejected a diet treatment, and trusted God. Both of them weren’t completely healed. The former takes insulin now and gets his health restored. He still serves in the ministry. I haven’t heard anything about the latter.

What can we learn from these two examples concerning health? First, we should take medicine necessary for treatment and health. Second, we should take both diet and exercise for health and healing. Third, we must not let our faith deny medicine, diet, and exercise for health and healing. Fourth, we must always rely on Jesus our divine Healer. After all, relying on the Lord for health and healing refers to take necessary medical treatment, diet, and exercise by faith according to correct knowledge for health and healing, and living in a right relation to the Lord.

As we read a large number of healing miracles in the gospels, we learn we should trust Jesus as our divine Healer. Whether in health or in sickness, we should always rely on Jesus Christ for health and healing because we belong to Him in life and death. So far, we have been studying the healing story of a leper in Matt. 8:1-4. The story calls on us to trust Jesus for health and healing because Jesus deserves our trust and devotion. Jesus is compassionate, willing, and powerful enough to bring us healing according to His perfect will. In addition, Jesus shows His loving concern to His people. This is my final point today. So, we are to rely on Jesus’ loving care.  

I.               예수님의 긍휼을 의지하라.

Rely on Jesus’ compassion.

II.             예수님의 흔쾌히 하시는 마음을 의지하라.

Rely on Jesus’ willingness.

III.           Rely on Jesus’ healing power.

예수님의 치유 능력을 의지하라.

IV.           예수님의 사랑의 관심사를 의지하라.

Rely on Jesus’ loving concern.

After He made the leper clean, Jesus said to him, 삼가 아무에게도 이르지 말고 다만 가서 제사장에게 네 몸을 보이고 모세의 명한 예물을 드려 저희에게 증거하라 하시니라. “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them” (v. 4). Jesus the divine Healer was concerned not only about the leper’s healing, but also his life after the healing. The man had to live a new life after having suffered the disgusting sickness for a number of years. Jesus commanded him to go through a due process required in the law of God. We see here Jesus’ loving concern for the man because He didn’t want him to go back to his old sinful lifestyle. Jesus wanted him to live a new, clean communal life among God’s people. In order for him to do so, he was required to keep the requirements to receive the verdict “You are clean” from the priest. Again, we see here Jesus was concerned that the man’s life should be clean, healthy, and exemplary according to the principles of God’s law. In short, Jesus wanted him to live a good life in relation to God and neighbor. This is the reason why Jesus says so in v. 4.    

However, the man cleansed of the leprosy didn’t keep the first part of His saying. He went out and spread the news of the healing miracles to others (Mk. 1:45). He did what he desired to do first, which was to tell others about what Jesus did for him. As a result, Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas. But, people were still coming to Him from everywhere. All this might have worked for Jesus’ evangelism because it made Him known to a great crowd. Then, why did Jesus sternly charge him not to tell it to others? The fact He sternly warned him shows He was serious about it. We wonder why? Most probably, the reason is that Jesus didn’t want people to misunderstand His messianic identity and work. He didn’t want to gain unwanted popularity among people as a miracle worker, which would be hindrance to His public messianic ministry. Though He healed many, He didn’t call people’s attention to healing miracles themselves. People might follow miracles for their curiosities and interests rather than the Messiah for salvation. His primary mission was found in His crucifixion and resurrection, which formed the basis of His redemption. So, He wanted to keep His messianic secrecy from the crowds during the early days of His public ministry. He came to establish the Kingdom of God by leading people to repentance and faith, not to set Israel free from Rome.

However, the crowds had been awaiting the advent of the political messiah who would set them free from the tyrannical reign of Rome and establish Jerusalem as the capital city of the whole world. They expected their Messiah to resolve their problems of food and security. When He fed tens of thousands with the five loaves of bread and two fish, they attempted to install Him as their political Messiah who would continue to feed their hungry stomachs. But Jesus hid himself and moved on to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom of God. Jesus didn’t come to establish not a political kingdom, but a spiritual kingdom reigned by God through the Holy Spirit. With this in mind, Jesus warned the man not to spread the news of his healing. But the man couldn’t understand the intent of His warning. He simply proclaimed Jesus as a Divine Healer. And people sought Him for healing in droves. So, Jesus had to find a place where He would hide Himself.  Still, the crowds continued to flock together toward Him. In his early part of the public ministry, Jesus had to make sure His messianic ministry shouldn’t be misunderstood as a miracle-performer, so that He could call the attention of people to His true messianic identity and work.

Indeed, there would come God’s timing that He should reveal His messianic mission to people. He gradually revealed His coming death and resurrection to His disciples, who didn’t understand it at first but clearly understood it through the Word and the Spirit after Jesus’ death and resurrection. What mattered was His timing. So, He sometimes warned some not to talk about what He did for them, not to be misunderstood as to His messianic person and work. But overall, He wanted people to spread the good news of the kingdom of God, that is, what He did for them in love. For example, He ordered the man healed of Legion of unclean spirit to go back home and share the good news of what He did for him with his relatives. In fact, the man desired to follow Jesus immediately after the healing miracle. But Jesus said to him this way: 집으로 돌아가 주께서 네게 어떻게 큰 일을 행하사 너를 불쌍히 여기신 것을 네 친속에게 고하라. "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mk. 5:19). While obeying the Lord, he went away and proclaimed in Decapolis what Jesus had done for him. Both the man cleansed of leprosy and the man healed of demon-possession proclaimed what Jesus had done for them. Jesus allowed the latter man to proclaim the good news of Jesus whereas He didn’t allow the former man. Of course, what both did was a right thing. The man set from demon-possession didn’t have to do anything according to the law of God except to proclaim the good news of Jesus. But the man cleansed of leprosy had to do something first before he went out to proclaim what Jesus did for him.  

            First and foremost, the cured leper had to show himself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them. Jesus here follows the injunctions detailed in the Old Testament law of leprosy (Lev 14:1–32). The Jewish religious leaders accused Jesus as a law-breaker. However, Jesus perfectly kept the law of God. Indeed, Jesus was the only One who perfectly kept all the requirements of the law and so earned a perfect righteousness for His people. He came to fulfill the law, not to abolish it. Here is what He said: 내가 율법이나 선지자나 폐하러 온 줄로 생각지 말라 폐하러 온 것이 아니요 완전케 하려 함이로라. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matt. 5:17). Jesus’ command here testifies to the fact that He honored the law of God. So, He ordered the man to do first what’s required in the law before he testified to what He had done for him.

            However, Mark records the first thing the man did was to spread the news about Jesus’ healing. He wanted to tell others he was cleansed by Jesus. The majority of the healed by Jesus went out to tell others about what Jesus did for them. So, it was quite natural for him to proclaim the good deed of Jesus to others, so that people with illnesses might come to Him for healing. But we are not sure whether or not he wanted to go and show himself first to the priest and offer the gift to God. It wouldn’t be easy to follow a long procedure of being readmitted to the Jewish community. See what he was required to do and feel how it would be like to him. I will be reading a part of the passage to you: 여호와께서 모세에게 일러 가라사대 ² 문둥 환자의 정결케 되는 날의 규례는 이러하니 곧 그 사람을 제사장에게로 데려갈 것이요 ³ 제사장은 진에서 나가서 진찰할찌니 그 환자에게 있던 문둥병 환처가 나았으면 ⁴ 제사장은 그를 위하여 명하여 정한 산 새 두 마리와 백향목과 홍색실과 우슬초를 가져오게 하고 ⁵ 제사장은 또 명하여 그 새 하나는 흐르는 물 위 질그릇 안에서 잡게 하고 ⁶ 다른 새는 산대로 취하여 백향목과 홍색실과 우슬초와 함께 가져다가 흐르는 물위에서 잡은 새 피를 찍어 ⁷ 문둥병에서 정결함을 받을 자에게 일곱 번 뿌려 정하다 하고 그 산 새는 들에 놓을찌며 ⁸ 정결함을 받는 자는 그 옷을 빨고 모든 털을 밀고 물로 몸을 씻을 것이라 그리하면 정하리니 그 후에 진에 들어 올 것이나 자기 장막 밖에 칠일을 거할 것이요 ⁹ 칠일만에 그 모든 털을 밀되 머리털과 수염과 눈썹을 다 밀고 그 옷을 빨고 몸을 물에 씻을 것이라 그리하면 정하리라 ¹⁰ 제 팔 일에 그는 흠 없는 어린 수양 둘과 일년 된 흠 없는 어린 암 양 하나와 또 고운 가루 에바 십분 삼에 기름 섞은 소제물과 기름 한 록 을 취할 것이요 ¹¹ 정결케 하는 제사장은 정결함을 받을 자와 그 물건들을 회막문 여호와 앞에 두고 ¹² 어린 수양 하나를 취하여 기름 한 록과 아울러 속건제로 드리되 여호와 앞에 흔들어 요제를 삼고 ¹³ 그 어린 수양은 거룩한 장소 곧 속죄제와 번제 희생 잡는 곳에서 잡을 것이며 속건 제물은 속죄 제물과 일례로 제사장에게 돌릴찌니 이는 지극히 거룩한 것이니라 ¹⁴ 제사장은 그 속건제 희생의 피를 취하여 정결함을 받을 자의 우편 귓부리와 우편 손 엄지가락과 우편 발 엄지가락에 바를 것이요 ¹⁵ 제사장은 또 그 한 록 의 기름을 취하여 자기 좌편 손바닥에 따르고 ¹⁶ 우편 손가락으로 좌편 손의 기름을 찍어 그 손가락으로 그것을 여호와 앞에 일곱 번 뿌릴 것이요 ¹⁷ 손에 남은 기름은 제사장이 정결함을 받는 자의 우편 귓부리와 우편 손 엄지가락과 우편 발 엄지가락 곧 속건제 희생의 피 위에 바를 것이며 ¹⁸ 오히려 그 손에 남은 기름은 제사장이 그 정결함을 받는 자의 머리에 바르고 여호와 앞에서 제사장은 그를 위하여 속죄하고 ¹⁹ 또 제사장은 속죄제를 드려 그 부정함을 인하여 정결함을 받으려는 자를 위하여 속죄하고 그 후에 번제 희생을 잡을 것이요 ²⁰ 제사장은 그 번제와 소제를 단에 드려 그를 위하여 속죄할 것이라 그리하면 그가 정결하리라. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ² "This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, ³ and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person, ⁴ the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two live clean birds and cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop. ⁵ And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water. ⁶ He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. ⁷ And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird go into the open field. ⁸ And he who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water, and he shall be clean. And after that he may come into the camp, but live outside his tent seven days. ⁹ And on the seventh day he shall shave off all his hair from his head, his beard, and his eyebrows. He shall shave off all his hair, and then he shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he shall be clean. ¹⁰ "And on the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish, and a grain offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, and one log of oil. ¹¹ And the priest who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed and these things before the LORD, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ¹² And the priest shall take one of the male lambs and offer it for a guilt offering, along with the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. ¹³ And he shall kill the lamb in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the place of the sanctuary. For the guilt offering, like the sin offering, belongs to the priest; it is most holy. ¹⁴ The priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. ¹⁵ Then the priest shall take some of the log of oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand ¹⁶ and dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and sprinkle some oil with his finger seven times before the LORD. ¹⁷ And some of the oil that remains in his hand the priest shall put on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering. ¹⁸ And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed. Then the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD. ¹⁹ The priest shall offer the sin offering, to make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness. And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering. ²⁰ And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean (Lev. 14:1-20).

            What do you think of this long process of being declared clean before the readmission to the Jewish community? Do you think the man cleansed of leprosy knew the detailed instructions or wanted to follow them for himself? Well, it was not easy for him to keep them against his immediate desires, which was to spread the news of his cleansing by the hand of Jesus and to enjoy a fellowship with his families and friends or to do what he really desired to do. But, Jesus first ordered him to keep them. He really wanted him to act first according to God’s law. He knew the man should be obedient to God, which is what matters most. The man was not free to do what he desired first. But he was freed to do what God wanted him to do first. Jesus’ second command reveals His loving concern for the man who experienced His healing. His command was in line with the law of God. He didn’t ask him to do anything against the law of God. The man might not want to go through all this, because he was clean and now thought he would be fine everywhere he would go. But the people who knew his leprosy would cast doubt on whether he was really cleansed or not. So, Jesus was concerned about his public life among his own people, by ordering him to do according to God’s Word. If he disregarded the law of God, he would disregard God. But if he honored it, he would honor God. The priest would examine him and lead him back to the faith community publicly by declaring him to be clean. Jesus saw it was necessary for him to do so that he would be publicly recognized as a clean person according to the law of God.

Also, all the offerings he would have to offer reveal the redemptive ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. In God’s timing, Jesus would complete the purpose of God’s redemption for His people on the cross. Jesus may have desired him to come to true faith in Jesus the Redeemer who would die and rise again for His people. Again, this reveals Jesus’ concern for the man’s spiritual and communal health. He wanted him to live according to the guidelines of God’s word. His offerings would show he was not only cleansed but also consecrated to God. He was expected to live a godly and righteous life in relation to God and neighbor. Jesus truly cared about his post-healing life. He didn’t want anything evil to happen to him. The phrase “a proof to them” refers to a witness to Jesus among people. D. A. Carson, a New Testament scholar, says in his commentary on Matthew, 율법에 순종하므로 치유 받은 나병 환자는 율법을 통하여 예수께서 치유하기를 원하시는 것만으로도 치유가 일어나는 권세자임을 확증하는 계기를 마련해 준 것입니다. 모세가 명한 예물의 최고 기능은 속건제가 아니라 예수 그리스도에 대하여 증거하는 것입니다. “In conforming to the law, the cured leper becomes the occasion for the law to confirm Jesus’ authority as the healer who needs but to will the deed for it to be done. Thus, the supreme function of the “gift” Moses commanded is not as a guilt offering (Lev 14:10–18) but as a witness to men concerning Jesus. In this context “to them” is relatively incidental: it might refer to the priests or the people, but in either case it points to Jesus Christ.” Jesus wanted him to be a testimony of His healing love and power to others. He wanted him to show forth Jesus’ divine glory to others. After the healing, his entire life should be a living testimony of Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His life should be no longer a mockery and shame before others.

The cured man’s offerings would be his determination to live a holy and righteous life according to God’s Word. Jesus healed an invalid for thirty-six years near Bethesda (Jn. 5). Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be healed?” But he answered, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me" (Jn. 5:7). He didn’t know who Jesus was. He didn’t have any faith in Him. But Jesus said, “Get up. Take up your bed and walk.” He was immediately healed. Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. Because of this, there arose a controversy among religious Jews. People asked man who healed him. But the man did not even know who healed him. Afterward, Jesus met him in the temple and said, 보라 네가 나았으니 더 심한 것이 생기지 않게 다시는 죄를 범치 말라. "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you" (Jn. 5:14). In this man’s case, his sickness was related to his sinful lifestyle. So, Jesus ordered him to sin no more, so that he could remain healthy. People who experience a divine healing should live according to the word of God. We see here something similar in Jesus’ command for the man healed of leprosy. We do not know whether his leprosy was caused by sin or something else. But what matters is that he, including all the people healed by Jesus, had to live according to the principles of God’s word, so that they remained close to God and healthy in spirit and body.

However, we have a tendency to forget God after having experienced divine help. The Israelites forgot God after they experienced abundance in the Promised Land. People, who suffered serious illnesses, tend to live in disorderly fashion by going back to their old unhealthy lifestyles. They return to drinking, smoking, or unhealthy diet. They desire to satisfy their sinful desires. Jesus, knowing such a human tendency, warns us to live in communion with God by keeping God’s Word. His prescription for the man cleansed of leprosy was to live in accordance with God’s Word. Doctors give us  health guidelines when we get discharged out of hospital, what to do and what not to do, what to eat and what not to eat, for maintenance of health. Such guidelines sound cumbersome, but they are profitable for us. However, if we have recovered from illnesses and returned to our unsound habits, we would experience recurrences of our illnesses. Forgetting God’s grace certainly leads us to repeat our former failures. I have seen such a tendency within myself. When I feel good in my stomach, I feel like trying something unhealthy, believing I am healthy enough to eat it. Again, we must remember God’s healing grace in that we acknowledge His continuing presence in our lives by walking according to His Word. Forgetting what we are called to do after healing may lead to something worse.    

There was a man who suffered an incurable disease. He heard he could be healed if he prayed to God. So, he found a local church and began to attend it. He went to predawn prayer meeting every day. The pastor of the church asked how he came to the church. He explained why he came to church, that is, he wanted divine healing for his incurable disease. So, the pastor and all the church people began to pray for his healing. God answered their prayers and healed him. He was made whole. Then, he quit coming to church. So, the pastor visited him and asked why he quit coming to church. He said, “I don’t need to come to church because I have been healed. I came to church for healing. I have got what I wanted. So, there is no reason to attend the church.” He achieved his goal. Then, he didn’t see why he had to come to church. Didn’t he realize God is real? Didn’t he experience God’s healing power? Did he only use God for healing? Was he not concerned about God and His kingdom? When I heard of his story, I wondered, “what kind of a man is he? What kind of faith did he have?” Honestly speaking, I don’t know anything about such a man. But he was certainly wrong for quitting his faith life after he was healed. This is an odd story.

If we are healed of incurable diseases and become aware of God’s healing power, then we will be naturally willing to make known what God has done for us. We will desire to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, His saving and healing grace to the entire world. We will want to say to others, “Come and see the Man who took compassion on us and performed a miracle of healing for us by grace.” I am certainly one of those who can witness to Jesus Christ. I have heard of a lot of wonderful healing stories. I have heard of a lot of pastors healed of incurable diseases who dedicated their lives to the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I met with a pastor who shared his story how he became a Christian minister. While serving in the military in Korea, he had a serious heart problem and so got hospitalized. His wife was studying in America. She didn’t want him to be a Christian minister. But, he was dying out of an incurable heart condition. He called his wife and asked for her prayer. He wanted to serve in the Christian ministry as a pastor. But his wife didn’t agree on that. Knowing her husband was in serious trouble, she fasted three days in prayer. God answered that she should allow him to take a pastoral path according to His will. So, she called him and said, “Yes, you can go ahead and do the work of God as a Christian pastor.” After this event, he was miraculously cured of his heart disease. The doctor checked on his heart and found it was in a good condition, unable to explain what happened to him. But the man explained it was a divine healing, witnessing to him about Jesus Christ. Certainly, God’s healing should lead us to witness to Jesus Christ and walk according to God’s word.

Conclusion: The healing miracle of a leper in Matt. 8:1-4 reveals Jesus as our divine Healer. Indeed, Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. He is still compassionate, willing, powerful, and lovingly concerning to those who suffer illnesses, shame, isolation, or despair. Diseases are the outcomes of the original fall. Leprosy powerfully illustrates the depravity, deformity, and ugliness of sin. It makes people most pitiable, helpless, hopeless, and shameful. The man healed of leprosy represents fallen humanity who needs Jesus’ divine touch for healing. Indeed, Jesus has compassion on sinners who suffer sin and its leprous consequences. He is willing to heal them. He is powerful enough to cleanse it by simply willing it and saying it. Jesus, bearing our sin and its curses on the cross, died on our behalf and rose again for our justification. Jesus Christ is God’s solution to our sin. He offered Himself as an atoning sacrifice once and for all. He cleanses us from all sins by His precious blood. He is our divine Healer who cures His people from weaknesses and sicknesses originated from the fall of Adam, both spiritual and physical. Though we may still suffer here and now, we anticipate the day of the future consummation in which we will be perfectly healthy in the kingdom of God. In sum, we must trust Jesus Christ as our divine Healer whose death and resurrection will bring us glorious consummation at His second coming. We are called to witness to Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. We are called to live as a living testimony of Jesus’ loving care and concern demonstrated on His redemption on the cross. Like a doctor truly concerning about his or her patients, Jesus truly cares for us, asking us to cast all our cares upon Him. As the ones cleansed of sin, we are to live in harmony with God’s word and enjoy a good and healthy life in Christ. We must remember this so that we will bring glory and honor to God by sharing the good news of Jesus and living according to the gospel of Jesus. Let me leave you with the following scripture: ²⁴ 친히 나무에 달려 그 몸으로 우리 죄를 담당하셨으니 이는 우리로 죄에 대하여 죽고 의에 대하여 살게 하려 하심이라 저가 채찍에 맞음으로 너희는 나음을 얻었나니 ²⁵ 너희가 전에는 양과 같이 길을 잃었더니 이제는 너희 영혼의 목자와 감독 되신 이에게 돌아왔느니라. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Pet. 2:24-25).

Benediction: ²⁴ 여호와는 네게 복을 주시고 너를 지키시기를 원하며 ²⁵ 여호와는 그 얼굴로 네게 비취사 은혜 베푸시기를 원하며 ²⁶ 여호와는 그 얼굴을 네게로 향하여 드사 평강 주시기를 원하노라. ²⁴ The LORD bless you and keep you; ²⁵ the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; ²⁶ the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace (Num. 6:24-26).