Jesus encountered every aspect of humanity. The religious and non religious, the powerful and the powerless, the popular and the outcast, the rich and the poor, the prideful and the humble. Each one unique, yet with the same need of a saviour.
For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Also connect with us in discipleship, watch our videos, follow us on facebook or send us an email
Jesus encountered every aspect of humanity. The religious and non religious, the powerful and the powerless, the popular and the outcast, the rich and the poor, the prideful and the humble. Each one unique, yet with the same need of a saviour.
For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Also connect with us in discipleship, watch our videos, follow us on facebook or send us an email
00:00 Intro music and voice over.
Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!
00:20 Speaker
When Jesus waked the earth as a man He preached, taught and demonstrated the kingdom of God on earth. He came to bring complete wholeness into the brokenness of humanity.
Jesus opened the eyes of the blind, bringing full healing - spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically.
Proclaiming the truth about God, self and others, Jesus came to set humanity free. Free from the destructive, oppressive forces of condemnation, self, death and evil.
The eternal rule and reign of Jesus as king of God’s kingdom is evident in who He is. For He is the eternal word who became human. The Son of God, who became the Son of Man. Still fully divine in character, knowledge and experience. Yet He came with a human will and form for us.
Jesus encountered every aspect of humanity. The religious and non religious, the powerful and the powerless, the popular and the outcast, the rich and the poor, the prideful and the humble. Each one unique, yet with the same need of a saviour.
As the saviour of the world, in every word Jesus speaks, there is a purpose and plan. Understanding the fullness of the truth in what Jesus is saying brings light and life into the hearts and minds of all who are willing.
Throughout the 4 gospels, that is the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, they showcase some of the various encounters that Jesus had. To understand Jesus’ intended meaning, it is critical to discover, who is Jesus speaking to and who is He speaking about.
So let us go to those encounters that are recorded where Jesus said, ‘Your faith has made you well.’ Beginning with the blind man, whose name is Bartimaeus, which means ‘son of the unclean.’
Mark 10:46-52 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
Here Jesus leaves Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude are with them. At that time physical blindness was considered to be a punishment. A person who was blind was an outcast from the community. For they were considered unclean.
So for Jesus, the Jewish king to even stop and acknowledge the existence of Bartimaeus was unthinkable to those around Him. Yet visible to the multitude and His disciples, Jesus stops. He acknowledges Bartimaeus and gives him His full attention. Not only did Jesus honour Bartimaeus with His attention and time, but He has a conversation with him.
This conversation is a beautiful exchange between God and man, the king and servant, the clean and unclean. It reveals so much about the love of God for humanity. Jesus crosses the cultural divide and enters not only humanity’s world but the world of Bartimaues.
In honour and respect Jesus includes Bartimaues. God invites all who are willing to come and be included into His community, His kingdom. Humanity excludes Bartimaues and tries to silence him. Yet the king of God’s kingdom asks, What do you want Me to do for you?
Jesus being the eternal voice knows all things, including the desires of ones heart. Including the desire of Bartimaues. So Jesus had no need to ask Batimaues this question. But for the sake of Bartimaues and all who are willing to listen, Jesus gives Bartimaues a voice, a place and the attention of the community. All because of Jesus, Bartimaues now has the opportunity to express his desire for Jesus to make him well.
The word that has been translated as heal is from the Greek ‘to save.’ That is rescue from destruction, deliver from judgement, keep safe, heal. The first time that Greek word is used in the New Testament is in Matthew 1:21. In that instance it has been translated as ‘save’ and is directly linked to Jesus being the saviour of the world.
Matthew 1:21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Sin being everything said, thought or done by humanity against God and each other. Every offence of the individual and collectively. Including the original sin of giving power to our selfish desires, evil and death to rule in God’s once perfect world.
Back to Bartimaeus.
Jesus listens and responds with what Bartimaeus (and the all who would listen), needed to hear. With honour and respect Jesus affirms Bartimaeus not only personally and intimately but in the public space. Jesus in this context states, Go your way; your faith has made you well.
Jesus not only affirms Bartimaeus but declares he is made well - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Not only is Bartimaeus’ physical sight restored but full sight to see the truth.
The false belief that Bartimaeus is unclean and doesn’t deserve healing is exposed as a lie. Bartimaues’ emotions of being rejected by his community are healed. But ultimately Bartimaues was able to choose to believe and receive Jesus’ right to rule and reign. Jesus acknowledges that in His statement, your faith…
Faith in this context is not believing in what will happen and therefore if it is believed it will be. It is not some form of magic or power of the mind to control and manipulate circumstances or others.
What Jesus is revealing in this beautiful exchange is the true meaning of faith and the heart of God to bring salvation to all people.
Faith is the conviction and acceptance of the truth. Making the choice of accepting God’s free gift of salvation in Jesus and His right to rule and reign. For Jesus is the truth, the Son of God, saviour and king.
Jesus not only accepts, acknowledges and honours Bartimaues, but He opens his eyes and those who are with Him. Jesus renews their minds and reveals what faith really is.
All those who saw with their own eyes had a choice. The choice to receive God’s fee gift of salvation in Jesus’ right to rule and reign or reject Jesus and their only pathway to salvation.
Another instance when Jesus made the same statement your faith has made you well is in response to a similar circumstance.
Luke 17:11-19 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
Again Jesus encounters the outcast. Those who the community considers unclean. 10 lepers encountered Jesus and all 10 were healed or cleansed of their physical ailment.
The Jews of Jesus’ day considered the people of Samaria as enemies. Yet Jesus, a Jew, not only honours the Samaritan but affirms him. Again Jesus crosses the cultural divide set up by the powerful and the prideful to oppress the powerless.
Jesus again reveals the condition of the heart is what matters for eternity. Not what people group or religion we are born into, not what economic status or wealth we have in this world, or even the level of health we have in this life, Jesus is the saviour of all.
The Samaritan is the only one who returned and gave glory to God. Not only does Jesus honour and affirm the Samaritan but laments the rejection of God from His own people.
Jesus said to the Samaritan, ‘Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.’
Again the Greek word that has been translated as well, means ‘to save.’ That is to rescue from destruction, deliver from judgement, keep safe, heal. Jesus is the saviour and healer of all people.
Another instance that is recorded in the New Testament where Jesus responds with those same affirming words, ‘Your faith has made you well…’ is to another person whom the community considered unclean. In amongst the multitudes and His disciples, again Jesus stops. He turns and honours the one. Bringing equality and complete healing - physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
The situation is this. A well respected religious man of the community comes and falls at Jesus’ feet. Begging Him to come to his house and heal his dying daughter. Jesus agreed and was travelling to this man’s house when it happened.
Mark 5:25-34 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
When this woman who had suffered so much heard about Jesus she came to Him. She was so desperate for deliverance that being unclean did not stop her.
The unclean touched the clean. The lowly of humanity touched the divine.
Jesus knowing the woman had received her physical healing could of continued on. For He was in fact on the way to an important man’s house and his dying daughter.
Yet Jesus stopped to personally affirm and honour this woman.
Just like with Bartimaeus, Jesus gives this woman a voice and place within His community. Not only a voice, but she is raised up to testify and teach the multitudes, including Jesus’ disciples what Jesus had done.
In Jesus honouring and affirming this woman, He renews the mind of not only the woman but the whole community including His disciples. This beautiful exchange is so tender yet powerful, intimate yet public, personal yet for all humanity.
Jesus identifies with the woman and calls her daughter. Her identity is in Jesus as she has received Him. In the context of identity Jesus states, your faith has made you well.
Remembering that faith is the conviction and acceptance of the truth. Making the choice of accepting God’s free gift of salvation in Jesus and His right to rule and reign. The woman’s actual faith is linked with Jesus declaring peace over her mind and body, so she can continue in the reality of her healing. Jesus declares over her, Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.
When Jesus speaks it is so. For He is the truth, the Son of God, the saviour of the world, the healer of all people and king of all kings.
19:40 Outro music and voice over.
For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!