A Word about the Master of Disease

 

Today I want to share a word about the Master of Disease as I comment on verses from John 9. Let’s begin by reading John 9:1-7: 

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

We all get sick, and in many ways, it is amazing that we aren’t ill more often.  For example:

Little Johnny sat playing in the garden. When his mother came out to collect him, she saw that he was slowly eating a worm. She turned pale.  "No, Johnny! Stop! That's horrible! You can't eat worms!" 

Trying to convince him further she noted, "Now the mother worm is looking all over for her nice baby worm." 

"No, she isn't," said Johnny. "How do you know she's not?" said the mother. "Because I ate her first!" answered Little Johnny. 

Of course, after we do get sick, we rely on doctors and nurses and other medical professionals to help us get well.  On the other hand, these good folks are only people, too.  Here are some actual sentences found in patients' hospital charts:

• Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
• On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.
• The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.
• Healthy appearing decrepit 69 year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful.
• The patient refused autopsy.
• She is numb from her toes down. 
• The skin was moist and dry.
• Occasional, constant infrequent headaches.
• Patient was alert and unresponsive.
• Skin: somewhat pale but present.
• Patient was seen in consultation by Dr. Blank, who felt we should sit on the abdomen, and I agree.
• Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.

We do fall ill, and we do know that while doctors treat us, there is only one true source of healing.  That source is the Great Physician, the Master of Disease, who we will see today in John 9.

THE WILL TO HEAL:

Many have questioned why illness happens. They ask question like, “If God is good why does pain exist?” Or “When you get sick is God getting even with you?” And “Why does God allow diseases like cancer exist?” Even “Why doesn’t God heal?” This is a serious issue, and it has existed from the beginning.

Some would answer these questions in ways that are not true to Scripture, such as, “God doesn’t care or, or God is evil.” Other, like those who hold to a theology of Deism. believe God is simply not engaged with the world.

We must remember that Jesus did not come to be a doctor. He came to save us from our sins by redeeming a lost and dying world and to defeat death and hell. All though His ministry the Gospel was His focus. In fact, the Scriptures reveal that Jesus would eventually leave a place where the people only wanted Him to do physical miracles, because He had more important work to perform.

Jesus, however, is God and He loves us, and He wants to bless us. He wants to give us abundant life and give us all good things. Therefore, He was willing to heal, and He did so regularly. He never withheld healing when it was sought.

Let’s continue by reading verses 8-12:

The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

THE ABILITY TO HEAL:

Having the willingness to heal is not the same as having the ability to heal. Many people think that God can’t act. They say He is too weak to prevent death and disease. This means that God is good, but hapless which would be comparing God to Barney Fife! Jesus is no Barney Fife!  

From other passages in the Bible, we know that He resisted temptation and brushed off Satan’s best shot. He stilled the wind and waves, and He delivered the demoniac from his demons. He did many other things that we haven’t considered yet, as John 21:25 tells us, 

And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

Of course, Jesus could heal! He healed this man, and He healed the woman with the issue of blood. He healed the Centurion’s servant, and He healed the ear of the High Priest’s servant in Gethsemane. When you have done it, why do you have to prove you can do it?  This is like the teacher asked why she hasn’t taken a particular standardized test for educators.  Her reply was, “I’m a certified teacher. I have been teaching for over a decade. Why do I need to take a test to prove what I show I can do every day school is in session?”

The fact the Jesus could heal should not surprise us, but neither is the fact that His acts were misunderstood. We can see that in verses 13-17 and 28-34:

They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet . . .

Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.  Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.  If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.  They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF HEALING:

Some of us have gained the wrong idea about disease, thinking that disease or disaster is the direct result of sin. I once knew a man who thought God was punishing him for his sin when child became ill. Yes, harmful health habits can lead to disease, but this does not explain all cases, like the young girl I knew who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

While we usually cannot trace individual diseases or other such tragedies to personal actions or sins, disease did come into the world by the way of human sin. The world was crested to be perfect, without disease or death. After Adam and Eve sinned, the world was changed and after sin came into the world, so did death and disease. If a building’s foundation is damaged, it will eventually fall and likewise is the effect of human sin on our lives and health.

The subject of divine healing has also generated significant misunderstanding as well. Some think it doesn’t happen ever while some think that it should always happen. There was a lot of misunderstanding going on in this event as well so, as we close, let’s see how Jesus viewed healing from verses 35-41,

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

THE DEPTH OF HEALING:

Jesus more important concerns than physical disease. He was more concerned with eternal health than physical. He was more concerned with spiritual health than physical health. He also was more concerned with the global root cause of disease than the symptoms experienced by individuals.

Though He proved to be willing and capable of physical healing, Jesus came to give us eternal health. The key to this eternal health offered by Jesus is to know and trust the Great Physician. If we believe in the Son of God, He will open our spiritual eyes. He will help us to escape the judgment and we will be well spiritually well forever!

CONCLUSION:

Jesus is the Master of Disease. He can and does heal your body, but more importantly He can and will heal your soul. Turn to Him and you will be made well, well for eternity

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt