The Spirit of Jesus

---

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

The Spirit of Jesus Rich Nathan February 25-26, 2012 Lent/Easter: 40 Days to Drawing Near to the Holy Spirit Series John 14.15-18

INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON In 5 minutes or less, briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Explain.

GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion. • • •

What stood out to you in this sermon? Please share briefly. If you’ve had an encounter with the Holy Spirit, please share briefly. What has caused you to resist asking for more of the Spirit in your life, please share briefly?

SCRIPTURE STUDY Disclaimer: As we enter the Lenten season Vineyard Columbus’ sermon series will focus on the Holy Spirit. VC Small Groups staff wants to share parts of a small group resource produced by pastors at Vineyard Columbus called Living an Empowered Life. This study, and some that follow, are copyrighted and only to be used in a Vineyard Columbus small group. Please limit your printing and distribution. The Bible studies are formatted differently from our typical Small Group Discussion Guides. We will return to the former format when not using these copyrighted small group resources.

1

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

LIVING AN EMPOWERED LIFE 3 HEALING IS THE WILL OF GOD Matthew 8:2—4 By Marlene Nathan

“When we want to understand God’s will, we should not try to deduce it from the circumstances of a fallen world. Neither should we form an abstract concept of God’s will from a nonbiblical notion of divine sovereignty. Rather, we should look at Jesus, who is the explicit declaration of God’s will. “We say that our knowledge of God is derived from Scripture generally and revealed in Jesus Christ specifically. We believe that God was in Christ that the will of God was done through Christ. If this is true, why then are so many of our theological assertions about sickness and healing inconsistent with this perspective? As we passively accept sickness as God’s will or embrace it as his blessing, we contradict what we say we believe about the character of God revealed in Christ. Either we fail logically to connect what we say about sickness and healing to what we believe about God, or we do not really believe about God what we claim.” Ken Blue

Copyright 2004 Revised version Vineyard Church of Columbus All rights reserved.

2

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

AIM OF STUDY •

To answer the question, “Is it God’s will to heal the sick?”

KEY VERSE “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” Matthew 4:23 PREPARATION Read over the notes on “how to teach the Bible in small group” and “some practical suggestions for leading a small group discussion” in Vineyard Church of Columbus’ Small Group Leadership Training Manual. Before you read over the Scripture, pray that God would give you direction for leading your group and teach you something relevant. Then read through the passage and the Bible study below. You will need to go over the questions and choose which ones you want to emphasize and which you could eliminate if your time is limited. Note that the application questions are marked with an asterisk (*). Rather than leaving these to the end of the study, ask one or two as you work through the passage so people are being confronted by Scripture’s truths and applying them to their own lives. If you find you are falling behind schedule and need to move ahead, you could summarize some of the passage and then go to the final questions. These studies contain more background material and information on the passages than any group will cover in a meeting. The authors are providing this for the leaders’ benefit—to help reduce your study and preparation time; to help resource you for possible questions group members may raise; and to clarify some gray areas of doctrine that may be in your mind as you prepare. Obviously we cannot exhaust any one subject in a document like this, so you may want to do further reading and discuss doctrine with your pastor. We highly recommend The New Bible Dictionary or The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia as excellent resources for study. OPENERS What are your honest feelings and beliefs about God’s will to heal the sick? How have you arrived at your convictions: by what you’ve been taught as a Christian, by your experiences, or by what the Bible says? Discuss briefly and move on since we want the Bible to shape our thoughts, feelings and practices regarding healing. One of the most important questions we must answer concerning healing is whether or not it is God’s will to heal the sick. If healing is something God 3

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

wants us to do and experience, then we ought to pray for the sick whenever we can. But if healing is not God’s will, then praying for the sick is both futile and wrong. It’s futile, because praying won’t change what God decrees, and it’s wrong because Jesus instructs us to pray according to the will of God. The primary way Christians determine the will of God is by the Scriptures. In the Bible, God reveals what He wants done on the earth. But some Christians add to the Bible a radical view of God’s sovereignty. The Bible clearly teaches that God is sovereign and in control of His creation. Some, however, take this doctrine to an extreme, adding that everything that happens in this world is also the will of God. They reason that nothing can happen that is outside of or contrary to what God wants, because God is in control. He is sovereign. Therefore, they conclude that whatever happens is the will of God. Someone holding to this position might answer the question, “Is it God’s will to heal?” by looking at all the hospitals filled with sick people. They may conclude that God does not wish to heal the sick, because if He did, there wouldn’t be so much sickness in the world. (It is interesting to note that at one time, Christians applied this same kind of reasoning to evangelism. They believed that if God wanted people saved, He would do it with or without the help of missionaries and evangelists. Most Christians today reject this reasoning and see both the need for and the value in missionary work and evangelism. Unfortunately, many are still applying this kind of thinking to healing.) Taking such a radical position concerning God’s sovereignty and His will sounds reasonable, but it is actually inconsistent with the Bible. For example, the Bible clearly teaches that it is God’s will for all humans to be saved (Matt. 18:14; 2 Pet. 3:9; I Tim. 2:4). At the same time, there are many people in the world who are not saved. It would contradict Scripture, though, for us to conclude that this is God’s will. There are other factors involved besides the will of God that affect whether or not a person is saved. So, just because there are sick people in the world, we should not and cannot assume that this is God’s will. John Wimber reminded us that we live between the first and second comings of Christ. At His first coming, Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God (Matt. 4:17; 12:28), but it is not yet present in its fullest expression1 (Matt. 25:31—33, 46). Wimber wrote, “His sovereignty, lordship and kingdom are what bring healing. Our part is to pray ‘Thy kingdom come” and trust him for whatever healing comes from his gracious hand. And if in this age it does not come, then we still have assurance from the atonement that it will come in the age to come.”2 Some things are a mystery to us (Deut. 9:9), but Christians view God as willing to intervene in human events as we engage Him through faith-filled prayer (Gen. 18:16—33; John 14:12—14). There are no clear-cut verses in the Bible that declare it is God’s will for all men to be healed and made well. To answer the question, “Is it God’s will to heal the sick?” we have to look instead at the 1 2

John Wimber and Kevin Springer, Power Evangelism, (New York: Harper & Row, 1986), pp. 4—11. John Wimber and Kevin Springer, Power Healing, (New York: HarperCollins, 1987), p. 157.

4

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

ministry of Jesus, the visible image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15). According to Jesus, He did only what the Father wanted Him to do (John 5:19; 8:29; 10:37—38; 12:44—45; 14:9—11). Therefore, we can determine what God wants regarding healing by what Jesus did. In the gospel accounts, Jesus healed a lot! In fact, He healed every person who came to Him for healing. He even healed some who never asked for healing but were brought to Him for help by others. As we seek to understand the will of God regarding healing, let’s look at one of the many healing stories that are found in the gospels and use Jesus as our model for what God really wants. Pray that the Holy Spirit would lead you and your group into truth as you study God’s Word together.

INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY This account of the healing of a leper is found in all three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) with slight variations between them. The three gospel writers place this incident sometime during the first few months of Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee. Matthew specifies that it occurred right after the completion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount; however his gospel does not always follow chronological order. This story is like so many other healing stories in the gospels: the person healed remains anonymous while the account is simple and straightforward.

STUDY THE PASSAGE: Matthew 8:2—4 [Mark 1:40—45 and Luke 5:12—14 are parallel passages] 1.

Let’s read aloud Matthew 8:2—4. What was wrong with the man in this story and what did he want? What did the man’s question reveal he understood about Jesus? In the Greek, the word translated “leprosy” could mean the specific disease that we call Hansen’s disease, or any number of other infectious diseases of the skin. Skin ailments were probably common then in Israel, since Jesus mentions them in Matthew 10, when He sent out the twelve with authority to heal. The laws related to these diseases are in Leviticus 13 and 14. Not only was there the suffering from the disease itself, but there were social and religious ramifications as well. In Leviticus 13:45—46 we read, “The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp.” There was tremendous social isolation and shame associated with leprosy. There was also the stigma that leprosy might be a curse sent from God (Num. 12:10—12, Miriam afflicted with leprosy by God as judgment for her sin; Job 18:13). In the Old Testament, healing from leprosy was rare and considered extremely difficult (2 Kings 5:7). Possibly this man and 5

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

others believed God has deliberately cursed him with leprosy because of some sin he had committed. Surprisingly, the man seemed to believe that Jesus could heal him. It wasn’t that his disease was too difficult to heal or that Jesus lacked the power and ability. The real question for him was whether or not Jesus wanted to. It is clear that he wanted to be healed because he came out of the crowd and went right up to Jesus. Lepers were supposed to keep their distance from people, which the ten lepers in Luke 17:12—13 did. But this fellow came up close enough for Jesus to be able to reach out and touch him. He knew what he wanted; he just didn’t know what Jesus had in mind. He believed in Jesus’ power to heal, but was not sure about Jesus’ desire to heal. Nowhere else in all the gospels did anyone ever ask Jesus if He was willing to heal! *Is this how you would ask Jesus to heal you if you were sick? This man’s dilemma is very similar to ones today when Christians pray for healing. Believers often pray, “Lord, if it’s your will, please heal Joe’s back problem.” Most likely this comes from an attempt to imitate Jesus’ prayer in the Garden in Gethsemane, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). However, it also reveals that we doubt God’s willingness to heal. Many Christians assert that God can do anything, and that nothing is too difficult for Him, including the healing of a particular illness. It’s His intentions that they are unsure of. How does God feel about the sickness? Does He care? Does He want to teach a lesson through the sickness? Will He teach and then alleviate it? What is God’s will? 2.

How did Jesus heal the man? What was significant about what Jesus did? Jesus healed this man differently than He did the ten lepers in Luke 17. In that instance, He simply spoke to them (Luke 17:14). But with this man, Jesus first reached out and touched him. The law forbade such an action since lepers were unclean and anyone touching them would become unclean as well. Jesus disregarded the regulations and touched the man first, to demonstrate His willingness to heal. He also told the man that He was willing, so that by word and deed, the man would be convinced of Jesus’ desire to heal. He then spoke a command that resulted in the man’s healing from the leprosy. A touch from Jesus made the man clean, rather than the leper making Jesus unclean! Nothing Jesus touches can remain defiled. Note that Jesus did not rebuke or correct the man for asking Him if He was willing to heal. Jesus seemed only too happy to prove that He was willing. In contrast, Jesus corrected the father of the demonized boy in Mark 9:14—27 for questioning His ability to heal: “‘But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’” After first rebuking the disciples for their unbelief, he then said to the father, “ ‘If you can?’ ‘Everything is possible for him who believes’” (Mark 9:22—23). For Jesus, to question or doubt God’s ability and power was ridiculous! “‘…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to 6

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you’” (Matt. 17:20—21). Jesus forcefully confronted unbelief wherever He found it. However, He seemed to deal more gently with doubt in His willingness to heal (Matt. 12:20). 3.

What did Jesus instruct the man to do after he is healed? Why do you think Jesus said this? Jesus told the man to go show himself to the priest so that he may be declared “clean,” in accordance with the law in Leviticus 14. Because this disease had social ramifications, the healing needed to be confirmed in a social situation. For the man to be completely healed, he had to be recognized as “clean” by the priests so that he could re-enter society and resume living as a healed person. Many healers today discourage the use of medicine and medical professionals. Yet we see that Jesus instructed this man to follow the conventional route of his day and go to the priests to be declared healed by them. It wasn’t that Jesus’ word was inadequate. Confirmation from others can help solidify the miracle for the person who was healed. It’s also clear that Jesus’ motivation was not to further publicize Himself, since He told the man to tell no one else about what had happened.

4.

Mark adds the phrase that Jesus was “filled with compassion” (Mark 1:41). How is this information helpful in discovering God’s will about healing the sick? The compassion of Jesus is explicitly mentioned in several healing accounts in the Gospels and perhaps assumed in most (Matt. 30:34; 14:14; Luke 7:13). Compassion and mercy are key to understanding God’s will or desire to heal. We know it is possible for a person to be able but unwilling to help in a situation because of stinginess, indifference, or just plain selfishness. The attitude of the heart is key to the will. The God of the universe is able to do anything He wants. But He has a choice. It is God’s attitude—how he feels towards the sick— that determines His willingness to heal. When we look at Jesus, we find a person who was always willing to heal the sick. This should tell us volumes about God’s will concerning healing.

APPLICATION *Share one thing you learned from this study that is new to your thinking or beliefs. *How ready are you to pray for the sick? Why might you hesitate? *What’s one thing you could do this week to move closer to God’s heart to heal?

7

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

WRAPPING IT UP In his book, Power Healing, John Wimber relates the process he went through concerning his understanding of healing. At one point, John was convinced through Scripture and the Holy Spirit that praying for the sick was something God wanted him to do. Yet he had seen little, if any, actual healing. Frustrated and discouraged, he continued to obey what he believed to be God’s will regarding healing. One morning, he received a phone call from a new member of his church. The man on the phone wanted John to come to his home to pray for his sick wife so that he [the husband] could leave to start a new job. If he had to stay home to care for his kids, he would lose his job and the family would suffer financially. After a night of praying for the sick with no success, John was reluctant to go. He was even mad a God for getting him into this predicament and raising the man’s hopes for healing. Yet, he agreed to come and pray for the man’s wife. John relates that at the home, he was taken into the bedroom where the wife was lying in bed. She looked terrible and was extremely sick with a fever. John “mumbled a faithless prayer” and then turned to the husband to explain to him why people sometimes don’t get healed. Behind his back, the woman had gotten up, was making the bed, and inviting John to stay for breakfast. Astonished, John asked, “What happened to you?” “I’m well,” she replied. “You healed me.” On his drive home, John was reflecting on this healing when he saw a vision. “Suddenly in my mind’s eyes there appeared to be a cloud bank superimposed across the sky. But I had never seen a cloudbank like this one, so I pulled my car over to the side of the road to take a closer look. Then I realized it was not a cloudbank, it was a honeycomb with honey dripping out onto people below. The people were in a variety of postures. Some were reverent; they were weeping and holding their hands out to catch the honey and taste it, even inviting others to take some of their honey. Others acted irritated, wiping the honey off themselves, complaining about the mess. I was awestruck. Not knowing what to think, I prayed, “Lord, what is it?” He said, “It’s my mercy, John. For some people it’s a blessing, but for others it’s a hindrance. There’s plenty for everyone. Don’t ever beg for healing again. The problem isn’t on my end, John. It’s down there.” John goes on to describe his reaction to this vision. “That was a moving and profound experience; certainly it revolutionized my life more than any other experience I had since becoming a Christian. I have never looked at healing the same way since that day. What made this experience so powerful was that it confirmed my newfound conviction, rooted in Scripture, that God’s abundant grace included divine healing, if only we could believe him for it.”3 Many of us can identify with John Wimber and the leper who wanted to know if God desired to heal or not. By looking at Jesus’ words and deeds, we can see the Father’s will expressed for yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

3

John Wimber and Kevin Springer, Power Healing, (New York: HarperCollins, 1987), pp. 51—55.

8

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

9