In Peter’s speech in Cornelius’s house found in Acts 10, we find this summary of Jesus ministry, starting from verse 37:
“you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” Acts 10,37-38
I read “healing all those who were oppressed of the devil”, as epexegetic (explanatory) of “doing good”!
In other words the “doing good” was about the healing of the oppressed (see Luke 4,18-19).
And we know this is true, if we have read the Gospels.
I notice also that it was God who anointed Jesus of Nazareth for his ministry, and that it was God who was with him!
The work of the Messiah was by the will, power and sanction of God!
And when we know that Jesus sent out his disciples to do exactly this – to heal the sick and oppressed (Luke 9 and 10), and that they continued doing this after the resurrection, it is difficult to see how healing is not part of the Church’s ministry today!
And according to Mark 16,17-18, it is not just the minister, the priest, or clergy that can pray! It is “those who believe” who will “lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Of course Christians should be praying for the sick today, in Jesus’ name!
We must naturally exercise wisdom, sensitivity and discretion in the way we go about this.
We should also fully realise that the Church’s ministry of healing in no wise is in competition with the medical profession, rather is complimentary to it!
But let us not in the age of scepticism give up on this part of our calling. God has not changed! He is still the God who does wonderful things!
To be continued…
