"HE DOES ALL THINGS WELL"

9.30am Sunday 29 March 2009

Readings: Mark 7:31-37; James 1:1-17TNIV

There will be opportunity for healing prayer during the service this morning and so this is an appropriate passage for us to consider in preparation for that time. Hearing or reading stories of healings inspires faith to believe that if God could do it for that person, he can also touch my life.

Once again in Mark we see Jesus on the move, this time moving north from Tyre to Sidon before travelling back "down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis."[1] As you can see from the map, the region of the Decapolis was to the east of the Sea of Galilee and, like Tyre was Gentile territory. As you can see from the map is was a roundabout way of getting back to Galilee. Jesus obviously still wants to keep clear of Jewish territory and the attention both good and bad that he was receiving there. This is Jesus' second visit to the Decapolis as the Gerasene demoniac, of whom we read in Mark 5, also came from this region. The name Decapolis simply means ten cities. These cities were essentially Greek in character and were taken over by the Roman Emperor Pompey when his legions conquered the land in 63BC.

On our tour of Israel last year we went to two of the ten cities, Beth Shan in Israel, and Gerasa in Jordan. Three of the ten cities are within Israel, six in Jordan and one in Syria. It is amazing how much of these two cities are still visible. They must have been large centres bustling with activity in the first century AD. One could stand on the cobble stone streets that centuries before sounded with the wheels of chariots and the hum of conversation among the crowds of people that walked there. The grooves the chariot wheels made over the years are still visible in the cobblestones. All ten cities were built to exactly the same plan. The Romans stationed their garrisons here to oversee their occupation of the land. They would have plenty to occupy their spare time in the entertainment provided for them and their families.

We are not told exactly where this healing of the deaf and mute man took place in the Decapolis except that it was in this region. As in Tyre Jesus' is not there very long before his presence is recognised and a person is brought for him to heal. The fact that someone is brought to Jesus for healing is significant because when Jesus was last in this area he had healed the Gerasene demoniac. Jesus had permitted the demons in the man to go into the herd of two hundred pigs grazing nearby, which, when the spirits entered them, stampeded down a steep bank and were drowned in the sea. When the locals heard of this they were anxious for Jesus to leave, and may well have hoped that they would not see him again. The healed man wanted to accompany Jesus, but Jesus had said, "Go home to you own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." And this is what he did. Mark says, "So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And the people were amazed."[2] It seems clear that the testimony of this man must have had a positive affect on people's attitude toward Jesus, in that whereas before they eager for him to leave, now when he returns they quickly seek his help for one of their own who needs healing. The words, "they begged Jesus to place his hand on him,"[3] shows how much they wanted his help.

The testimony of people whose lives have been transformed by Jesus is a powerful encouragement for others to come to him for healing. You must never underestimate the effect your testimony can have to inspire faith in people. It makes people think, "If Jesus can do that for him or her, then maybe he can help me." This is why the Psalmist says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story..."[4] and then goes on to speak of those who have experienced his deliverance from trouble, danger, sickness, storms and drought. During our time for healing prayer this morning, testimonies of how God has meet your needs are welcome. We are also trying something new today. As well as there being Prayer Teams available to pray with you, we would also encourage you to pray for each other. If you would like the person beside you to pray for you, just say, "I would appreciate prayer for this need." If you are asked to pray for someone and feel inadequate, then offer to come with them to one of the Prayer Teams. God wants us to come to him for help in our times of need. Scripture continually encourages us to do this. He is more willing to give than we to ask. No one need leave this morning without receiving prayer.

Returning to Mark, note in contrast to the previous passage where the mother of her daughter seeks Jesus out, in this incident others bring the person in need to Jesus. Whereas some people have no hesitation in approaching Jesus with their need, others need the encouragement of those who do believe, or who have seen, heard or experienced his power at work. The value of personal testimony is that it can overcome people's reserve and hesitation, and give them the courage to take that first step and accept Jesus invitation to 'come.' God can use you to bring others to Jesus. This is the one characteristic that the Bible makes clear about Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. Of the few times we read of him in the Gospels, nearly always he is involved in bringing others to Jesus.

Mark tells us that this man was deaf and could hardly talk. The word used means that the man stammered or stuttered in his speech. This word is found in only one other place in Scripture, Isaiah 35, which is a passage about what will happen when the Messiah comes. Verse 6 reads: "Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy." In Jesus' day it was generally believed that it was God who made people mute, and it was only God who could rectify this condition. For example, when God called Moses out of the burning bush to go to Egypt and command Pharaoh to 'let his people go,' one of the excuses Moses gave was that he had "never been eloquent," and was "slow of speech and tongue." To which God replied, "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? ... Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and teach you what to say."[5] And God did help Moses, as he has helped many others. Ian Grant who headed up the TV programme "The Herd" had this condition, but whenever he was before the TV cameras, God enabled him to overcome his stammer. One of Mark's primary concerns in writing his Gospel is that people would come to know that Jesus was the Son of God. By choosing this particular healing from the countless healings Jesus performed, and knowing that his hearers would quickly link it with what Isaiah said would happen when the Messiah came, Mark was sending signals to his readers about who Jesus was. The fact that the crowd "were overwhelmed with amazement" after this healing indicates that they, too, were aware of its significance.

Mark tells us that Jesus took the man "aside, away from the crowd." Let me suggest two reasons why Jesus did this. One would have been out of considerateness for the man. The person was uncomfortable about being the focus of attention, and Jesus, being aware of this, takes steps to ensure the person's privacy in protected. The Lord always treated people in need with sensitivity and respect, and we must follow his example. Further, we know that Jesus did not want to draw attention to himself through restoring this man's hearing and speech, as after he had healed him he commanded those who had witnessed it "not to tell anyone" about it. However the more he said this, the more people "kept talking about it." Thus at the beginning of the next chapter in Mark we find Jesus in the company of a great multitude who had been with him for three days, and which led on to the account of his feeding the four thousand. This raises the question of how well do we obey Jesus instructions and promptings. It also has lessons as to how to go about the work of evangelism. Jesus' example provides a helpful corrective to the kind of emphasis healings are given today. Jesus did not want his healing activity to be a spectator event. The focus of his ministry was on always on the person's need, never on himself. He shunned self-promotion. Which raises the question, do we minister for the good of others or for publicity?

The next thing of significance is how Jesus goes about healing this man. With the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman Jesus had healed her from a distance. He did not even met the child, let alone touch her. On other occasions Jesus gave a simple word of command and healing took place, such as when he healed the man with the shrivelled hand in the synagogue, and also the paralysed man whose four friends had lowered him through the ceiling to where Jesus was teaching.[6] With this deaf and mute person Jesus puts his fingers into the man's ears and then spits and touches the man's tongue, before speaking to the ailment. Why did he go about healing the man in this way? When we go to the doctor we expect him or her to follow certain procedures. When they do things differently it arouses our suspicion. So too in the ancient world people expected a healer to do certain things. It would not put us off if Jesus had used an otoscope and tongue depressor, things we are accustomed to seeing; so with this man. There would have been no point in Jesus speaking to this man because he could not hear, but by acting out what he intended to do, he was showing the man that he could expect a healing. By putting his fingers in his ears he was showing the man that he was healing his hearing, and by putting spit on the man's tongue he was curing his speech impediment. In chapter 8 Jesus does the same with the blind man. He put spit on the man's eyes to restore his sight. We would not think of doing that today, but many in Jesus day believed that the saliva of a person had healing power. We need to remember that the people who had brought this deaf and mute person to Jesus had come begging for him to place his hand on the man, and so Jesus does this. This tells us that there is not a set way in which to carry out healing, but one needs to be sensitive to what is appropriate on each occasion. The Holy Spirit guides us in these matters. That is why it is important to wait on God before praying. Certainly the laying on of hands is mentioned in several places in Scripture, but healing can take place without it, and even at a distance. For example you can stand in for a family member or friend who is sick this morning and ask for prayer for them. The sick person does not need to be present.

After Jesus puts his fingers into the man's ears and touches his tongue, Mark says, "He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to (the man), 'Ephphatha!" (which means, 'Be opened!")"[7] On speaking this word, "the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly." In looking upward Jesus is indicating the source of power for this man's healing. The word translated "deep sigh" is sometimes translated "groan," and is found only here in the Gospels. Paul uses the same word in Romans when speaking of the longing for our ultimate salvation. "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly for our redemption, the redemption of our bodies."[8] Paul uses the same word in a similar context when writing to the Corinthians. He says, "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God... Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling... For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we ... wish ... to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life."[9] In the "deep sigh" or "groaning" of Jesus we sense the spiritual struggle that is taking place at that moment. It indicates the strong emotion of Jesus as he wages war against the powers of darkness that cripple and enslave human beings, and from whose bondage he has come to set people free. The sense of struggle is borne out in the word "Ephphatha!" and is not limited to just the opening of the ears and the loosening of the tongue. When the healing power of Jesus touches a person, it is the whole person that is liberated and opened up to God's kingly rule. All Jesus' healings were signs of the kingdom.

At this the people were "overwhelmed with amazement." And their response, "He has done everything well ... He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak,"[10] brings echoes of the last verse of the first chapter of Genesis, when God had completed his work of creation: "God saw all that he made, and it was very good." All God's creative work is perfect, and so is that of his Son. The healing of this man heralded the fulfilment of God's promise in Isaiah's prophecy about the coming of the Messiah. Creation would be restored as it was in the beginning, and Jesus was initiating this renewal. The surprising thing is that this event takes place in Gentile territory, which affirms that all nations will be involved in God's work of making all things new.[11]