Tag: healer

Encountering Jesus the Healer and Deliverer

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

“That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.” (Mark 1:32-34)

Jesus is the healer and deliverer. He knows the depth of our sickness and oppression. He understands the cause and the symptoms in ways we do not understand and can discern the difference. He is able to draw near in the mess with full awareness of human frailty, sin, and brokenness, yet without apprehension or distaste. At the same time He is not overcome by our frailty, sin, and brokenness, and neither does He sense the need to accommodate to it. He is motivated instead by a perfect love that impels Him to reach out toward us.

Jesus does not love us in spite of our sickness and oppression but in the midst of it. He can see us clearly as we are, while also seeing us clearly for what we could be without diminishment of love. With all that, and even with our human tendency to draw back when our vulnerabilities are revealed, Jesus draws near with the touch of healing and deliverance.

Let us be like those who are sick and demon-possessed in Mark 1. Let us also flock to Jesus, knowing He is the One who can handle all the weakness, sin, and affliction we can bring to Him.

Walking on Water

Matt Erickson1 Comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, Pastor Femi Ibitoye continued our preaching series, “Who Do You Say I Am?”, by looking at the eye-popping story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14:22-36.

This message is part of the sixth part of our longer series on Matthew, which includes “Family Tree,” “Power in Preparation,” “Becoming Real,” “The Messiah’s Mission,” and “Stories of the Kingdom.”

You can find the message video and outline below. You can also view the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:33)

We cannot know God unless he reveals himself to us.

WHO IS JESUS IN THIS PASSAGE?

  • Jesus is the Son of Man.  (Matthew 14:23) He is a human being like us.  He depended completely on God.  Because he is human, he understand and sympathizes with our weakness.  He is the New Moses,  the great high priest. (Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 4:15)
  • Jesus is Lord.  (Matthew 14:25) Jesus is Lord over the seas and waves. He walks on water.  He is Lord over nature.  (Psalm 24:1; Psalm 29:2-3, Philippians 2:9-11). 
  • Jesus is the great “I AM” (Matthew 14:27). Jesus’ self-revelation shows the source of his power.  Jesus is not a ghost, He is alive. (Job 9:8, Psalm 89:9, Revelation 1:17b-18)
  • Jesus is our Creator.  (Matthew 14:28-29). Jesus is so powerful that he can make ordinary men walk on water (Colossians 1:15-17).  He sustains us by his mighty hand. Defies gravity, science, logic and common sense.
  • Jesus is our Savior.  (Matthew 14:30). Jesus saves Peter from sinking.  He saves us too from sin and death.  Jesus’ name means, “Yahweh saves”.  
  • Jesus is the Son of God.  (Matthew 14:33).  Jesus is God.  Only God is to be worshipped. Jesus is worthy of our worship and praise.  (Psalm 96:9, Revelation 5:13-14)
  • Jesus is our Healer. (Matthew 14:34-36). All healing is because of Jesus.  Medical healing, physical healing, emotional healing, relational healing, spiritual healing are all because of Jesus.  (Psalm 30:2, Isaiah 53:5, Jeremiah 17:4)

Making it real

  • Worship Jesus
  • Have faith in Jesus
  • Prayer of Thanksgiving to Jesus

Dig Deeper:

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Draw, paint, or ink this story of Jesus walking on water as a way of reflecting on what is happening and what you are learning about who Jesus.
  • Say a prayer of Thanksgiving today and throughout this week focusing on one or more of the titles of Jesus found in today’s text.  Praise him for “who He is.”

Miracle Worker

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This weekend at Eastbrook Church, I preached a message entitled “Miracle Worker” from Mark 4:35-5:43. This was a continuation of our series, “The Real Jesus,” through the first half of the Gospel of Mark. My main question was this: if Jesus is a miracle worker with power of the natural world, spiritual world, physical healing, and death, then how will we respond to Him?

You can listen to the message at the Eastbrook web-site here.

The outline for the message is included below:Read More »