DECEMBER 2013

E-Sermon
Healing Is Not The Main Thing!
Now that I have your attention, please allow me to explain! During 2013 a number of believers, some high profile ministers, have passed on. For many who have laid claim to the word of God to heal those who are sick, the results have not always been what we wanted or expected. Surely healing is the childrens bread? The Bible says that we must lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. And I am sure you can quote other scriptures that speak about Gods desire for us to be healed. Like you, I also believe in the power of God that heals us from sicknesses and diseases. I have seen my own daughter healed, and many other miracles unexplained in the natural. There is a group of believers who believe we can have eternal life on earth i.e we need not die! Another group says that God can and does heal, but you are required to fulfil certain steps to keep your healing. I am not going to debate these issues, but I am going to say this; HEALING WAS NOT JESUS MAIN THING! Every person that Jesus ever healed or raised from the dead eventually died! My word for you today is that healing is from God and he does want you to be well, but He did come to this earth for another reason. But, first hear from His word as to the reason why he heals the sick; Matthew 9:4 6 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so He asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" If you read about the miracles that Jesus performed, you will be aware that He was ministering to sinners because He often said go and sin no more. I am in no way implying that He does not heal believers! BUT, it is obvious that He healed the sick to show that He has power to forgive your sin. Healing was a tool for Jesus to get the attention of sinners. He asked the Pharisees who accused Him of blasphemy, Is it easier to say, your sins are forgiven, or stand up and walk?

It is easier to say your sins are forgiven, because you dont have to prove anything or expect anything else to happen. They must just believe you but is does NOT challenge them to change their ways and to go sin no more. It is more difficult to say stand up and walk because you need to believe it and something happens that astounds the natural mind. You and I cannot explain a miracle BUT because of a miracle the sinners can know and understand that He will also forgive their sins. And truthfully, how many people would like to know that their sins are forgiven? I am all for healing, because I preach it too. But I also know that healing is not only for the believers, but for the sinners, and since most of them dont come to Church, might be the reason we dont see many healing miracles in the Church (just a thought). God does heal and He does forgive sins. With that as our starting point, let us minister this to those who are unsaved, pray for them and you will see miracles on the streets, on the bus, in your homes, and even in the Church. Why? As a sign to the unbeliever! But it was not His main thing! Remember that Jesus only had three years of ministry and much had to be packed in to lay the foundation on which we now live. You can focus so much on healings and eternal life on earth that you can miss the basics of loving people, because without love we are nothing! Yours For His Kingdom Pastor Tony Sands