Graeme Schache
Jesus healing people was a significant aspect of his ministry while he was here on earth. We investigated this briefly during Chapel in Week 7. This year, we focused on a brief account where Jesus heals a man afflicted with leprosy. Middle and Senior school students watched a version of it from a dramatisation of Jesus’ life called ‘The Chosen’. This retelling of the event powerfully conveyed how radical and complete Jesus’ compassion towards people is, especially to those who the rest of society shuns out of fear and lack of love. The scene portrays the complete healing of an individual who is at his wits end, desperate to find a way out of being totally cut off from society. He was without hope until he heard about this amazing teacher. He decided to put everything on the line and approach Jesus.
Luke 5:12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

He was incredibly audacious in coming to Jesus for help. Ultimately though, his healing restored so much more than just his physical health. It enabled him to resume participation in everyday activities that he had been deprived of ever since leprosy overtook his body. He came seeking physical healing. He received this and so much more.
The whole area of physical ‘healing’ is quite contentious within the variety of Christian Churches today. Some churches base their ministry on offering physical healing whilst others are quite hesitant to embrace it as something that can be demanded of God. In amongst this, the fact remains that sharing our pain with God will undoubtedly bring healing to our hearts and minds. We may not experience such a miraculous cure as the Leper did in Luke Chapter 5, but we will certainly receive healing as we share our hurt with Jesus. He does need us to come in faith to him as the Leper did but as we do this, he will not leave us in our hurt and pain. His love and compassion is a wonderful comfort no matter what our sickness and despair may be. Jesus’ mission whilst here on earth entailed establishing God’s Kingdom on earth and the healing of those who come to Jesus is a beautiful aspect of this kingdom being established.