The Healing Spirit / Exodus 15:22-36
Today is Pentecost Sunday. The day the Church of Christ was founded. As the Holy Spirit came from among the 120 disciples of Christ who gathered in the upper room on the day of Pentecost to pray, they were transformed and realized the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross and began to preach it. Many changes occurred when the Holy Spirit came among the followers of Jesus. Most of all, the fear that had been in them disappeared, and confidence and courage took place. In doing so, instead of the vain desires and dreams of the disciples, they were burned with enthusiasm to spread the gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth. Not only that, they were given amazing powers like never before, and they preached the gospel to many people of different languages, changed those who heard the gospel, and even healed the sick. And there were no difficult people because the believers sold their property and possessions and distributed it according to each person's need. A community with a whole new set of values was born.
The book of Acts records how people were changed and renewed by the full-fledged action of the Holy Spirit. In particular, Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, was a physician. He wrote Acts from that perspective, noting how the Holy Spirit came and healed the sick and the sick society.
Today, while we look at the work of the Holy Spirit from the perspective of “healing”, we need to know that the Holy Spirit has come among us today to heal our wounded lives and this society. God's work of salvation is the process of healing and renewing people who are sick because of sin. So, in the Old Testament, God is called "Yahweh-Ropeka" ("I am the LORD who heals you" Exodus 15:26), that is, the LORD who heals. During the 40 years in the wilderness, the healing work was done to regenerate the children of Israel, who had become enslaved while living in Egypt, into a holy people. This specific prescription for healing was made through the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and based on this prescription, the Holy Spirit descended and the work of healing is in full swing.
sick world
The first thing we should look at is that we are the sick in need of treatment. In the book of Acts we read today, we find the story of Peter and John healing a man who was born lame. It is said that he sat in front of the temple gate and begged. Born crippled, he was unable to lead a normal life. He had no choice but to make a living by begging. But Peter and John raised him up in the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
The person who was born crippled is a symbol of us humans who are sick because of sin. Since he was born crippled, he must have accepted the disease by fate. Of course, the sad feelings of his parents tried to heal him in various ways, but to no avail, he was forced to live by begging.
We humans have been ruled by sin from birth and have been crippled. But accepting it as fate, I adapted to it and took it for granted. People did not try to cure the disease, but accepted the disease as normal. After all, people forget that we are sick because of our sins and live our lives.
When the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt for 400 years, they suffered excruciating pain and wounds. Their minds have become crooked and sullen, and they have lost the morality that makes human life dignified. Moreover, their souls withered away, and the wounds they suffered from oppression were very deep. However, as I have been immersed in this kind of life for many years, I have accepted that life as my destiny and I have come to take it for granted. In the case of the lame or in the slavery of Israel, the bigger problem is that they forget that their lives are not normal.
There is a big problem in the fact that modern people do not even know that they are ill. It is possible to receive a cure only by diagnosing one's disease accurately and visiting a doctor who can treat the disease. will be The suffering that our society is experiencing today did not suddenly appear, but rather that we have been ill for a long time, yet we have been unaware of it. The Church has long and continued to point out the injustice and iniquity of this society. Of course, it is difficult for the church to absolve itself of its responsibility when it fails to actively fight against the injustice, but he pointed out that it is difficult to escape God's judgment in this society that leaves God and follows human desire.
Nevertheless, we are not yet fully aware of our disease, so our society is still making vain efforts without a diagnosis for solving the problem. They give various prescriptions for economic revitalization that they have encountered an economic crisis, but without knowing the cause of the underlying disease and its treatment, these prescriptions only produce other side effects.
When the children of Israel escaped Egypt and passed through the wilderness, they clamored for water when there was no water and made a commotion for food when there was no food. Each time, God made water come out of the rock through Moses, drove the quails to taste, and gave manna to keep food from running out. However, they made them drink water when there was no water and eat meat when they wanted to, but that did not solve all their problems. Their hearts were still perverted, and their desires were endless. So God led them to Mount Sinai, where he gave the Ten Commandments and the law through Moses, and made them a covenant people. He showed the children of Israel how to become a holy people. But the people did not keep the law properly.
Even if all of our economic problems are solved today, the problems still remain. No, when the economy revives, we will probably fall into a greater sin of lust and want to have more. Bread is not the only thing we need today. Only when we allow the Word of God to take root in us along with bread will we be able to move forward on the right path of life.
The Church and World Healed by the Holy Spirit
The lame man sitting at the beautiful gate of the temple begging, meeting Peter and John completely changed his life. When Peter and John said to him, "Look at us," he looked at them, wondering what they would get. His only stigma is getting a few bucks The beggar may have looked forward to getting some money from Peter and John. In the world he has experienced for 40 years, begging for money is the only way he can live, so there is nothing he can expect from anyone other than money.
Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk." He took the man's right hand and lifted him up. He immediately gained strength in his legs and ankles, jumped up and walked. Walking and running, praising God, I went into the temple with them.
An amazing miracle happened to him, more than the money that the beggar had ever considered the best value. He soon realized that what he had been thinking was wrong. He did not delay, praising God. The sound of praise to God was constantly flowing from his mouth, which had never been uttered in praise of God. His life, which had been a life of frustration and despair, was a revolution in his life. His life was filled with new hope. A belief that no one could stop took root in him. It was the first miracle performed by the apostles who were transformed by the Holy Spirit.
In this way, the Holy Spirit first healed the disciples who had been weakened by frustration and despair so that they could become bold witnesses of the gospel, and now, through them, He began its work to heal sick religion and society.
The economic crisis we are facing today requires political remedy and economic resolution, but it requires the help of the Holy Spirit before that. Only the Holy Spirit can set us free from every disease we encounter. God, who made it possible for us to drink water first when the water is too bitter to drink, will also give us water today. But that is not God's last remedy. God told him to listen to him.
said the Lord. “If you listen to me, the Lord your God, and do what is right in my eyes, obey my commands, and keep all my ordinances, then no disease that I have brought upon the Egyptians will come upon you. He is the God who heals you." Ex 15:26
It is saying that all fundamental problems can be solved only when we listen to God's word by correcting our hearts that are twisted with all kinds of desires.
through a transformed church.
The Holy Spirit first transformed the disciples. A new work of healing was created by the changed disciples. Now, first, the church must be filled with the Holy Spirit and be healed of our diseases. The fears, frustrations, and negative thoughts that we have kept in us must be healed by the Holy Spirit. So, like Peter and John, we must become a church that can confidently cry out to this sick society, "Look at us." The church should not be like the disciples who cowardly ran away when Jesus was crucified, but rather like the disciples who gained new life and confidence through the resurrected Christ. To this world and society, we must become a church that can cry out to see us who have nothing to fear and nothing to be ashamed of. That is why we must reach out to the society that is discouraged today.
Dear saints, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, your problems will be resolved and you will gain the power to heal others. Now empty your mind and go to God and pray. God will send you the Holy Spirit at this time to renew you.
Now, with the power and love of the Holy Spirit, do not look down on the crippled around you, but in the name of Jesus Christ, raise them up by calling out, "Get up and walk." You must heal the mentally disabled and spiritual lame that are prevalent in today's society. The church must be able to represent hope in today's desperate generation with the conviction and experience of the early church. This is the missionary mission given to the church today. Today, as we pray for the power of the Holy Spirit for this mission, I hope that your life will become a new work of healing.