Jesus the Divine Healer

This Lent our church is doing a series called The Signs of John, in which we look at the major miracles portrayed in the Gospel of John. Building on the foundation John provides that these were recorded so that we would know that Jesus is the Christ we look to see what each of these incidents can tell us about God. Last night we covered a topic I think is very pertinent in this day and age of resurging gnosticism. The sermon's focus was on the healing of the official's child and how Jesus revealed himself to be the divine healer.

As the divine healer Jesus demonstrates that he is not only concerned with our spiritual health but also with our physical bodies, not so much as in guaranteeing good health here and now rather in that he is concerned about all of us not just a part of us. Why? Because, God as our creator loves his creation and wishes to see us completely restored to how he created us. These acts of healing serve to disprove the gnostic assertion that the flesh is bad and that Jesus came to set us free from our flesh, because if Jesus wished to set us free from our flesh why would he heal it.

In addition, the sermon pointed out that Jesus is not only capable of healing nearly always fatal diseases such as the official's son's disease, but he can heal the always fatal wound in our relationship to God caused by our sin.

To paraphrase the John Newton, I am a great causer of hurt but Jesus is an even greater healer.