By His Stripes, We are HealedSpeaker: Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Gist: The wounds that were inflicted on our Lord Jesus Christ are for the sake of our healing. He heals not only our body, but also our soul which is afflicted by sin. His blood flows from His wounds and cleanses us, giving us everlasting life. The Bible says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Matthew 24:35).
"By His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)
"He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses." (Matthew 8:17)
Our hope lies only in these assurances.
Naaman was healed because he obeyed the word of God. Naaman dipped in the River Jordan. We have a river to dip in. That is the blood of Jesus. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
Look at the scars of Jesus! His hands and feet were pierced by nailing to the cross; a crown of thorns on His head; bleeding wounds all over His body that bore our diseases; and the blood streaming from His body that heals the leprous sins in our bodies. Looking up towards those wounds gives us a heart to abhor sins. If He can cure leprosy, He can cure any disease on the earth. So, be not dismayed.
In U.S.A., there has been built a rail bridge across a river, which opens into two halves, which are lifted up to make way for the ships to pass. When a train has to cross the river the arms are lowered and locked together. There was once a man to raise and lower the bridge. One day, his twelve-year-old son said that he wanted to go with him to the bridge. The bridge was kept open and the father and son rejoiced watching the ships passing below. Suddenly, the whistle of a railway engine was heard at a distance. The father looked at his watch. There were just a few seconds for a train to cross over the bridge. He told the boy, "Son, be here. I shall go and close the bridge." He ran and set his hand on the lever to lower the bridge. Suddenly, he heard a scream behind him. He turned back to find his son hanging at the edge of the swinging bridge, shouting , "Daddy lift me up." The boy had disobeyed his father's words and carelessly walked behind his father, where he slipped and fallen down the bridge on the railway track. The man saw the train nearing him with roaring noise, and there was the pathetic shriek of the boy calling for help. In a split moment, the father had to decide between his son's life and the lives of the hundreds of people in the fast-approaching train. He hardened his heart and lowered the bridge just in time for the train to pass over his beloved son's body. He looked into the train at the children playing merrily inside. On the other side, he saw his beloved son's shattered body. He wept most bitterly.
The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). God our Father, looked at us, a huge multitude wallowing in sin and suffering. He also looked at His only son, Jesus, who had come down to save us. With no other option, He saddled all the sins of the world on Him and allowed Him to be sacrificed for us.
We have this truth well explained in the prophecy of Isaiah, "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand" (Isaiah 53:10).
"Christ Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24)
"He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)
"He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses." (Matthew 8:17)
Yet, out of His love for us, God hid His face from His beloved Son on the cross. The blood of Christ was shed for us. The blood streams from His body towards us. Our Lord Jesus Christ knows all our sorrows, diseases and our leprous sins. Today, when we implore Him, He touches us with His wounded hands. By His stripes we are healed. His healing is for you. Claim it by faith, as His beloved child.
Prayer:
Gracious Heavenly Father,
Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to show Your love and pay the debt of my sin. Help me to live as Your child, worthy of Your grace and mercies. Heal me by the stripes of my Saviour Jesus Christ. May Your name be ever glorified! In Jesus' name, I pray.
Amen. |