Greatest Physician Ever
Greatest Physician Ever
By Dennis Huebshman
Luke 7:18-23; “The disciples of John reported all these things to him. (19) And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord saying, ‘Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?’. (20) And when the men had come to Jesus, they said, ‘John the Baptist (Jesus’ cousin) has sent us to you saying, Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another’? (21) In that hour, He healed many people of diseases and plagues, and evil spirits, and on many who were blind, bestowed sight. (22) And He answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight; the lame walk; lepers are cleansed; and the deaf hear; the poor have good news preached to them. (23) And blessed is the one who is not offended by Me’.” (emphasis mine)
Prior to John’s disciples approaching the Lord, He had already performed numerous healings. A sick centurion’s servant (2-10); a widow’s dead son raised back to life (12-17) are just two of the examples given in Luke 7.
Jesus not only made house calls, but He used His healing powers on plain people in the streets. Never did He ask any “payment” for His services, other than for the people to believe in Him. Sometimes, He even healed long-distance as with the centurion’s servant.
John 4:46-53; “So He came again to Cana in Galilee, where He had made the water into wine. And at Capernaum, there was an official whose son was ill. (47) When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to Him and asked Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. (48) So Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe’. (49) The official said to Him, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies’. (50) Jesus said to him, ‘Go, your son will live’. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and went on his way. (51) As he was going down, his servants met him and told him his son was recovering. (52) So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they told him it was the previous day at the 7th. hour, that the fever had left him. (53) The father knew that was the hour when Jesus told him his son would live. And he himself believed, and all his household.”
John 10:30-31; 37-38; “(Jesus said) I and the Father are One. (31) The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. (37) If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me; (38) but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”
Even His own disciples had their doubts. John 14:8-11; “Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. (9) Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. how can you say, show us the Father? (10) Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does His work. (11) Believe Me, I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or else believe on account of the works themselves.”
Philip wasn’t the only one to think this way. Every one of them had some doubts, until He appeared to them after the resurrection. The only one completely lost was Judas, who obviously was never a true believer. Except for John, who dies from old age, the rest of the apostles were martyred, and some in very gruesome ways.
Paul said it best in Philippians 1:21; “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” He knew that no matter what persecutions he would face here, once he took his last breath on earth, he would be in the presence of the Great Physician. This is what all true believers can look forward to.
Michael Card wrote and performed a wonderful song in 1985 called “The Gentle Healer”. Please consider each verse, and especially the last one which comes from John 14:6.
(1) The Gentle Healer came into our town today; He touched the blind eyes, and the darkness left to stay. More than the blindness, He took their sins away; The Gentle Healer came into our town today.
(2) The Gentle Healer came into our town today. He spoke one word, that was all He had to say. The one who died just rose up straight away. The Gentle Healer came into our town today.
(3) Oh He seems like just an ordinary man; with dirty feet and rough but gentle hands. The words He says are hard to understand. And yet, He seems like just an ordinary man.
(4) The Gentle Healer, He left our town today. I just looked around and found He’d gone away. Some folks from town had followed Him, they say; that the Gentle Healer is the Truth, the Life, the Way.
One reason the words Jesus spoke were “hard to understand” from verse 3, is people always think there has to be something more to being saved. The religious leaders wouldn’t accept Him as He didn’t fit their belief as to what the Messiah would be like. Instead of riding in on a donkey, they believed He would come on a horse-drawn chariot in radiant splendor and glory; and conquer all their foes, and give each one of them important positions in His kingdom for their being “so faithful”.
Just a major problem with all that; Jesus came because God loves us so much (John 3:16-18; Romans 5:8), that it was necessary for Him to provide the perfect sacrifice. If the “religious” people had faithfully studied the true writings of the Old Testament prophets, they would have seen He was the fulfillment of many prophecies. As far as that goes, He isn’t through even today.
There are still prophesies that will happen. The next major event will be the Rapture, followed by the worst 7-year period this earth has ever experienced. Finally, the judgment of all who rejected God and Jesus at the Great White Throne. Everyone there will be cast into the Lake of Fire with satan and his demons.
The faithful will enter eternity with Jesus, never to need the services of an earthly doctor again. Imagine, no wheelchairs, canes, crutches, glasses, hearing aids, and on and on.
Satan knows his time is getting short. He knows the Bible better than anyone, yet he still tries to overcome the Lord He’s out in the open as never before, and the evil is increasing more rapidly every day. Very soon, God will fulfill His promise to keep all the Savior’s flock from the Wrath. (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10; Revelation 3:10) The Rapture will happen no matter what any false prophet tries to tell you.
If you haven’t called on our Great Physician to bring Salvation into your life, right now would be a very opportune time to do so. People will still be able to be saved during the Tribulation, but the cost will be their very lives. He’s waiting for you call, and all who do so will be saved. (Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:9-13) Tomorrow could be too late. Even so, Come Quickly Lord Jesus!
Shalom!