Kenneth Copeland - The Good News of Healing
Our good God heals. Let's go to Matthew 19 verse 2, "And great multitudes followed him and he healed them there". Mark 6:56. Oh dear Lord, I love it. Mark 6:56, "And whithersoever he entered into villages," look at this, "Villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets and besought Him that they might touch if it were but the border of His garment, and as many as touched Him were made whole". That's that "sozo" word again, made whole, saved, delivered, made whole from destruction. They're healed and well and made whole. Now, I am of the strong opinion that these same people, these same people, when they moved over after the resurrection, I'm of a strong opinion that that whole bunch received Him as resurrected Lord and savior, and I'm not so sure that there were not those from Nazareth because He went about teaching in their villages.
That's what you get rid of unbelief with is teaching and faith comes. Amen. We know His brothers did. We know they thought He was insane. We know. Is the Book of James in this book or not? The oldest book in the New Testament. Jesus's half brother wrote it. That's the reason he knew so much about corresponding action, because he was raised with this man. He saw his big brother do it. He heard his big brother talk about it. How would you like to have been Jesus's brother? Jesus wouldn't do that, Jesus never makes a mistake. I'm so tired of hearing about Jesus. Get out of my face. He never sins. He never says an ugly word. And it seems like every word I say is wrong. Well Jesus... But when he saw the cross and was raised from the dead and he took Him as his Lord and savior. Oh dear God, thank You, Lord Jesus. Are we doing good this morning? Okay.
Let's go to the Book of Luke in the fourth chapter. Now this fourth chapter of Luke, you talk about a chapter that's loaded. This fourth chapter of Luke is a cannon of information and power. Luke Chapter 4 verse 38, this is Luke's account of what happened at Peter's house. "And He arose out of the synagogue and entered into Simon's house and Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever and they besought Him for her, and He stood over her and rebuked the fever and it left her and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. Now, when the sun was setting and all they that had any sick with different diseases brought them unto Him".
It's the end of the Sabbath. It's the end of the Sabbath. Now He healed a man in the Sabbath and shook everybody up at synagogue. So the sun was setting and all they that had any sick with them or diseases brought them unto Him and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. Glory be to God. Thank You, Lord. Luke Chapter 6 verse 17, "And He came down with them and stood in the plain and the company of His disciples and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear Him and to be healed".
They wanted to hear Him. He wasn't just healing, He was preaching and teaching and faith was coming. They just came to hear Him. They just wanted to be in His presence. They wanted to hear Him and be healed. He didn't just go around zapping people. Well you know, some guy got the lucky ticket. No, no, no. It was the hearing first. They wanted to hear it. They wanted to hear it. They'd never heard the blessing of Abraham. All they heard was you're cursed if you do and you're cursed if you don't. And He would heal in the synagogue and they'd get mad about it. Well, there are six days for men to work. How come this woman's been all these years and didn't get healed? What sixth day did you have your healing? They didn't. But Jesus saw her and called her. He saw her bowed over and couldn't straighten up and saw her and called her.
Ought not this woman be loose from this infirmity lo these 18 years? Do you suppose this was her first day at synagogue? I doubt it. Lo these 18 years the devil bound her, shouldn't she be loosed seeing she's a daughter of Abraham? And the apostle Paul wrote, "If you be in Christ, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise"? That same promise is to you. Ought not you be healed today seeing you're a child of Abraham? Ought not you be healed today seeing you're a child of the Almighty God? Ought not you be healed today, I don't care where you are, all over this world where you're watching today and this morning, you should be healed of that infirmity. You should be loosed today. You're a child of God. If you've not received Jesus as your Lord and savior, receive it. Or receive it and then receive Him as your healer. Either way, just take it. Hallelujah. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Lord Jesus.
Luke Chapter 9 verse 10, "And the apostles, when they were returned, told Him all that they had done. He took them and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city of Bethsaida". Beth-sa-ee-da really is the way it's pronounced. "And the people, when they knew it followed Him, He received them and spoke unto them the kingdom of God and He spoke"... He preached first, doesn't say how long. He preached first. He spoke unto them of the kingdom of God who is so good. Don't you know He told them that God was good? He told them that God was good. Your God is good. He's not trying to curse you. He's not trying to hold your sins against you. He is good. It's His kingdom of goodness and it's His kingdom. It's His kingdom and His kingdom is good. Everything in it is good. And heal them that had need of healing. Now that is good news. Amen.
Now turn with me beginning with Mark's gospel the 10th chapter. Let me tell you what let's do. First of all, let's go to the 22nd Chapter of Matthew, verse 41. Now make note of this in your Bible and underline it. It is extremely vital information to understanding in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Verse 41, "While the Pharisees were gathered together". Now the Pharisees. The Pharisees were gathered together. Jesus asked them saying, "What think ye of Christ"? Let me change that now. They didn't say Christ. Here's what he said. What think ye of the Messiah? Christ, well in English it means the same thing as it does in Hebrew, but it's been so misused in the English Bible that people don't get understanding of it. John is the only one that takes the time to translate it. But anyway, it's Christ, the anointed. That's what Christ means, to christen, to pour over, to anoint. He said, "What think ye of the Messiah? Whose son is he"? They say unto Him, "The son of David".
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is still in the old covenant. The new covenant begins with the Book of Acts, after the resurrection. Jesus is still preaching primarily to Israel. He said so. You got it? All right. Now go to Mark 10:46. This is talking about Bartimaeus. He's not blind Bartimaeus anymore, he's just Bartimaeus now. Ten forty-six, "They came to Jericho and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, sat by the wayside begging. When he had heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, 'Jesus, thou son of David.'" He knew who He was. He called Him Messiah. Everybody else around there was so dumb about it they didn't get it, but that blind man did. Son of David, have mercy on me.
Now let me help you with that. Mercy, hesed. He's calling on the Jewish covenant of hesed. Jesus, Messiah, do hesed for me. Jesus stopped. Of course He did. He knew who He was. The rest of them around there didn't have a clue. Glory to God. "Many," look at it, "Many charged him that he should hold his peace". They didn't get it. "But he cried the more a great deal". Thou Messiah. Have hesed on me. Jesus stood still, commanded him to be called and they called the blind man saying unto him, be of good cheer, be of good comfort, rise. He calls you. Anyway. Casting away his garment. You no have no idea how big that is. He was legally blind. He had been checked out by the priest that he was actually blind and not faking it, and he had a garment that was his, that proved he had a right to be where he was and he had a right to beg.
And when he got up, he dropped that garment. I don't need this anymore. I'm walking out of here with my sight. He knew He was Messiah, he believed it, and he believed in hesed and he called for it. He's a Jew and he knew exactly what he was doing. And he recognized Him as the Messiah, the sent one, the anointed of God. And he called Him son of David and he called for his covenant rights. And he got up and dropped that garment. "Jesus answered and said unto him," I like what Gloria said about this, "Bartimaeus, what can I do for you"? Can't you just see it? Bartimaeus what can I do for you, son? "The blind man said unto him, 'Lord, that I might receive my sight.' And Jesus said unto him, 'Go your way. Your faith has made you whole.' And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus in the way". So he became a disciple of Jesus. He became a follower of Jesus.
Whatever else do you think he might have become, Keith? He may be one of the great apostles. You don't know, right along with the madman of Gadara who's no longer mad but well-dressed. He went home to his friends. These are great stories. Now, there's a myriad of stories like this but the Spirit of God chose these. And each one of them has information that will heal you. Luke 18:35, same situation, but we get a little more here from Dr. Luke. "It came to pass that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man". So we know that this actually happened. There was a real Bartimaeus and he was really blind and he really got healed. "A certain blind man sat by the way begging. Hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant".
Oh, he couldn't see and he could tell, there's a lot of people out here. What do you suppose? What do you suppose is going on? "They told him Jesus of Nazareth passes by and he cried, 'Jesus, son of David. Jesus, Messiah, do hesed on me, anointed one. I need Your anointing. I need Your anointing. I need Your anointing. I want my sight back. Oh". Who's passing by? Who is it? Who's passing by this room this morning? Who is in this room? Jesus of Nazareth. The Son of the Living God. Messiah. The anointed one. Hallelujah. And we're little anointed ones.
Do you believe that the Lord God sent me here on this Saturday morning? Amen. Do you believe He has anointed me with His spirit? Do you believe He has called me and separated me to the office of the prophet many years ago? Well I believe it too. Glory to God. Hallelujah. And you know what Jesus said? If you receive a prophet because he's a prophet, you receive a prophet's reward. Amen. What does that mean? Well, that just simply means, and He also said this, if you receive the one that I send, you receive me. Jesus of Nazareth is here. But He's now Jesus of heaven.
But the reason He is Jesus of Nazareth, this needs explanation to Gentile, English Bible readers. His name was not Jesus. His name was Joshua, Yeshua. In the Book of Hebrews, Joshua's name was translated Jesus and it kind of confounds some people. But that's why the word S-T-U-D-Y is in there. Doesn't that spell study? I think. At least I can spell it. Yeah. But it was on purpose in the Book of Hebrews. But His name and Joshua's name are the same. Joshua, Jesus. It moved over into English. English-speaking people are the only ones that do that. You've changed somebody's name for him. Amen. Anyway, I won't get over into that, but probably should some time.
Now... praise God. Thank You, Jesus. He cried that. "They which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace, but he cried so much more, 'Messiah, have hesed on me.' Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought unto Him and when he was come near, He asked him saying, 'What will you have me do for you?' And he said,'Lord, that I may receive my sight.' And He said it again, 'Thy faith has made you whole.' And immediately he received his sight and followed Him glorifying God," and all the people when they saw it glorified God. The blindness didn't glorify God, but the healing did. The healing did, it brought glory to God.