The Work and Person of the Holy Spirit. Pt. 13 The gift of healing
Good Morning to all of you.
We are having some marvellous sunny weather without the intense heat and humidity. The breezes are refreshing and the overnight temperatures are dipping into the 50s. We see many trees that are changing color with gold and burnt orange leaves appearing against the bright blue sky.
The apostolic ministry continued to grow throughout the book of Acts. The text below notes that sick people were carried out into the streets on their beds so if perhaps Peter walked by, his shadow might pass over them. There was a multitude of people from around Jerusalem added to this first group of people. The text tells us they were all healed.
Acts 5:15-16 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. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
Phillip was also enabled by the Holy Spirit to heal people. He was a powerful preacher and prophet in the early church. Many people with palsy and lameness were healed and there was great joy.
Acts 8:6-8 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city.
The gospel was preached and there was great joy
Now we come to the record of the first healing done by the apostle Paul.
The First Healing by Paul
This healing is very similar to the first healing done by Peter in Acts 3. The difference is that Peter was at Jerusalem ministering to the Jews while Paul was in a Roman province ministering to Jews first and then Gentiles.
We see there is a man who was born crippled and had never walked. This man heard Paul speak. Acts 14:7 says that when Paul and Barnabas arrived in this colony and "there they preached the gospel." This crippled man heard the gospel of Jesus Christ preached by Paul and Barnabas.
Connection between healing and faith
Remember the correlation that we previously pointed out between faith and being healed? The text tells us that Paul noticed this man and focused his gaze upon him. Paul perceived that he had faith to be healed. How did Paul know this? The Spirit of God was at work and He showed this to Paul.
Paul commanded this man to stand up on his feet. He leaped up and walked just like the man Peter healed. However, they were preaching the gospel in a pagan land and those who saw the miracle began proclaiming that their pagan gods came to them.
Paul and Barnabas had to work quickly to help the people understand that they were men just like the Lycaonians were and that the pagans must turn from dead idols to the Living God of Heaven.
Acts 14:8-12 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
The light of the Gospel penetrated pagan lands
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
More healings by Paul
This text from the last chapter of Acts tells us what happened after the shipwreck. Paul, the soldiers and all the other people (276 total) ended up on the Isle of Melita. Paul was bitten by a snake while gathering firewood. The natives watched and saw that the apostle suffered no ill effects from the bite. That in itself is a healing that reminds us of the Lord's closing words in Mark 16 "They shall take up serpents.."
After that incident they lodged with the governor of the island, a man named Publius whose father was ill. Paul healed him. Word got out and others on the island who were sick came and were healed by Paul.
Act 28:3-10 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
The following text is a summary statement of the healing ministry of the apostle Paul. It is similar to the one given for Peter's ministry where clothing of sick people were brought to Paul and apparently when he touched them the people were healed. The text does not say but based upon the clear patterns from Paul's life there can be no doubt that he preached the gospel everywhere that he went.
We are having some marvellous sunny weather without the intense heat and humidity. The breezes are refreshing and the overnight temperatures are dipping into the 50s. We see many trees that are changing color with gold and burnt orange leaves appearing against the bright blue sky.
The apostolic ministry continued to grow throughout the book of Acts. The text below notes that sick people were carried out into the streets on their beds so if perhaps Peter walked by, his shadow might pass over them. There was a multitude of people from around Jerusalem added to this first group of people. The text tells us they were all healed.
Acts 5:15-16 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. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
Phillip was also enabled by the Holy Spirit to heal people. He was a powerful preacher and prophet in the early church. Many people with palsy and lameness were healed and there was great joy.
Acts 8:6-8 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city.
The gospel was preached and there was great joy
Now we come to the record of the first healing done by the apostle Paul.
The First Healing by Paul
This healing is very similar to the first healing done by Peter in Acts 3. The difference is that Peter was at Jerusalem ministering to the Jews while Paul was in a Roman province ministering to Jews first and then Gentiles.
We see there is a man who was born crippled and had never walked. This man heard Paul speak. Acts 14:7 says that when Paul and Barnabas arrived in this colony and "there they preached the gospel." This crippled man heard the gospel of Jesus Christ preached by Paul and Barnabas.
Connection between healing and faith
Remember the correlation that we previously pointed out between faith and being healed? The text tells us that Paul noticed this man and focused his gaze upon him. Paul perceived that he had faith to be healed. How did Paul know this? The Spirit of God was at work and He showed this to Paul.
Paul commanded this man to stand up on his feet. He leaped up and walked just like the man Peter healed. However, they were preaching the gospel in a pagan land and those who saw the miracle began proclaiming that their pagan gods came to them.
Paul and Barnabas had to work quickly to help the people understand that they were men just like the Lycaonians were and that the pagans must turn from dead idols to the Living God of Heaven.
Acts 14:8-12 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
The light of the Gospel penetrated pagan lands
Jews from Antioch and Iconium came and stirred up the pagans so much so that they stoned Paul and left him for dead. While Paul's companions stood around his body, the apostle revived and they
returned to the town.
Second healing by Paul
returned to the town.
Second healing by Paul
The next healing miracle of Paul is in Acts 20. Paul and his companions arrived in Troas and Paul preached a very long sermon. An unfortunate young man named Eutychus was on the third level listening to Paul preach and he fell asleep. When he fell asleep, Eutychus fell down 3 floors and died.
The end result of this miracle of Paul is that the Christians were comforted.
The end result of this miracle of Paul is that the Christians were comforted.
Acts 20:7-12 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to
break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and
continued his speech until midnight.
And there were many
lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
More healings by Paul
This text from the last chapter of Acts tells us what happened after the shipwreck. Paul, the soldiers and all the other people (276 total) ended up on the Isle of Melita. Paul was bitten by a snake while gathering firewood. The natives watched and saw that the apostle suffered no ill effects from the bite. That in itself is a healing that reminds us of the Lord's closing words in Mark 16 "They shall take up serpents.."
After that incident they lodged with the governor of the island, a man named Publius whose father was ill. Paul healed him. Word got out and others on the island who were sick came and were healed by Paul.
Act 28:3-10 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
The following text is a summary statement of the healing ministry of the apostle Paul. It is similar to the one given for Peter's ministry where clothing of sick people were brought to Paul and apparently when he touched them the people were healed. The text does not say but based upon the clear patterns from Paul's life there can be no doubt that he preached the gospel everywhere that he went.
Acts 19:11-12 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Points to Ponder....
- The miracles of healing continued as the gospel spread through the faithful work of the apostles.
- The Lord Jesus Christ said these signs would follow the apostles.
- A wide variety of illness and diseases were healed including raising the dead back to life.
- All of these marvelous healings were signs to prove that the apostles were God's spokesmen.
We will follow this gift through the letters to the churches to see what was going on after the formation of the church. Based upon what I have studied so far, it appears that all of the sign gifts began a period of diminishing as the apostles continued teaching, preaching and seeking to cement doctrinal truth into each church.
Bob
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