Healing in His Name

Background Scripture: Acts 3
Lesson Scripture: Acts 3:1–16

Introduction

All around us people are hurting, suffering from many kinds of physical sicknesses and emotional hurts. We are a broken humanity in need of healing, fragile beings in need of restoration, sin-sick souls in need of a Savior.

In the advanced age in which we live, medical science seeks to diagnose and heal man’s hurts, promising results far beyond what our ancestors could imagine. Despite these efforts, depression, anxiety, and suicide are more prevalent than ever. Science is helpful, but it does not answer the deeper need of the soul. Only Jesus, the Divine Healer, “healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds” (Ps. 147:3).

Key Verse

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases (Ps. 103:3).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

The people of North America live in a time of abundance and opportunity. We are unable to say, like Peter and John, that we have nothing to give but our faith. However, imagine the outcome if Peter and John had simply given the man the silver and gold he asked for. The lame man would have been able to feed himself another day, but he would have remained where he had been since birth—still lame, still a beggar. Instead, Peter performed the first miracle of healing in the early church, and its effects were amazing. Hearts were pricked, consciences were condemned, and, ultimately, five thousand souls were added to the church. Silver and gold are transient in nature and can never buy peace, mend a broken heart, or save a sin-sick soul.

The healing of the lame man laid the groundwork for the powerful sermon that followed. We clearly see a plan, a reason for this miracle. This healing provided physical evidence for an invisible Christ, the Healer of nations, and pointed the audience to the Power from heaven. Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, sought no attention and claimed no credit, but rather acted as a mediator between heaven and earth.

Peter’s sermon was not directed to the itching of the ear. It was a pointed and clear message of repentance. He reminded the Jewish crowd of their responsibility in the death of Jesus. To some, his words were piercing and inflammatory; to others they held the sound of eternal life. He lifted the risen Savior up as the One who could make them whole. Peter recognized this healing to be much more than physical completeness; it was a sign to the poor, broken crowd that Jesus could completely heal them. He could save their guilty souls and cause the sun to shine again on their darkened lives. He used the words “perfect soundness” to describe the former cripple, and one can imagine the shocked gaze of the onlookers as they watched him jumping and dancing with joy.

Practical Truths for Today

Job said, “Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). The emotional debris from broken homes, distressed marriages, and ruined relationships litter the lives of many people. Troubled teens and beleaguered parents struggle to understand the forces that threaten peace in their homes. Divisions and rifts can become unfortunate realities in our congregations.

Jesus came to heal and to save. The promises are recorded in the Word that He holds the answer to every problem we face. Jesus is waiting with the invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Our part is to hold up our sinful, broken hearts to His outstretched hands and accept His remedy.

We will all sometime in life, likely repeatedly, need healing and restoration. Losing a loved one often brings sorrow and grief that it seems no earthly friend can alleviate. Sometimes in our human relationships we are misused and hurt by someone we love. In the ensuing reactions, Satan takes advantage of the situation and tries to infect us with offense. Spiritual maladies such as these are usually progressive; without help, we eventually begin to break down and become bitter. The sooner we recognize our spiritual ailment and seek treatment, the better, even as we do to maintain physical well-being.

God created us with a deep, instinctive desire for life. When we are physically ill, we seek relief and healing, and, in some cases of severe illness, people go to the ends of the earth to find medical help. However, in the end, it is God who gives and takes away life. He seeks to guide the hands of surgeons as well as influence the decisions they make. God holds the ultimate say. With this trust in God, we can find inner peace amid the troubling circumstances we experience.

Why does God heal some people and not others? This is an earthly question without a ready, logical answer. However, in the light of eternity, the health of the soul must be the priority. With this consideration, perhaps we receive some insight into the “whys” we often ask. Jesus often used physical healing to draw people to Himself and build their faith in Him as the Messiah. At times God still chooses to heal and touch people’s hearts by these miracles. But we must also consider how many lives and hearts are touched by death. For example, a tragic accident or a youth taken by cancer may touch more lives than a miraculous healing. God has a divine purpose in every move He makes.

Illustration

Some people have searched for years to find answers, relief, or treatment for complex medical problems. In one case, a sister finally received the help she had been seeking. Someone then asked her, “Don’t you just wish you’d found out sooner? Years ago, even?” Her response was thought provoking. No, she did not wish that. Her journey to healing had been full of lessons, and she gained much insight as God led her through the wilderness of pain and suffering.

Whether our brokenness is physical or emotional, those seeking restoration are on a journey. For some, the healing is instantaneous and complete, for others it is a process. For those still in the process, take heart. Even in the valley, even though in pain and suffering, God can and will give peace and rest to the weary soul.

Questions

1. Why do we pray for healing rather than to be released from this life to be with God?
2. To what ends should we go to preserve and prolong life?
3. Do some people have the power or gift of healing today?
4. What are the criteria for healing prayers? Are some people more worthy than others—for example, a young mother with children versus an older person?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).