Jesus, Our Model for Caring for the Whole Person GMM – Chapter 2 HHP – Lesson 2

The names of Jesus Yeshuwah – to save, heal, restore, make whole Sotera – Savior, healer, restorer Salvation includes healing Healing includes salvation Both are on-going processes with a beginning and a final completion in eternity

THE JESUS’ MODEL OF HEALING He healed the whole person Body, mind, soul, and spirit He made the sick person whole He was competent in physical, social, psychological and spiritual care None of us are, but the Body of Christ can be Thus we need a team approach

The woman with bleeding – Mark 5 : 25 - 34 Write out together all of the physical symptoms, social issues, psychological and spiritual problems of this woman How did Jesus heal her in all these areas of her life?

HER PHYSICAL PROBLEMS 12 years of bleeding Anemia due to blood loss Weakness Probably pain with the bleeding Infertility

HER SOCIAL PROBLEMS She was Jewish and subject to Jewish laws Bleeding causes uncleanness (Leviticus 15:19–30) She had been unclean for twelve years Divorced Abandoned by her family No friends No money

HER PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL PROBLEMS Grief Anger Fear Sense of rejection Despair – cut off from God No hope

SHE WENT TO JESUS BY HERSELF This was socially unacceptable It was morally wrong She made Jesus unclean She stole his power According to Jewish culture, she should have been condemned and probably stoned Jesus did not follow Jewish culture

WHY DID JESUS EXPOSE HER? He knew she had been physically healed We doctors are happy when we have physically healed someone Why was Jesus not satisfied? Because the woman herself had not yet been healed

HOW DID JESUS HEAL HER? He used physical power He listened to her story He discerned her real problems He spoke a healing word He affirmed her as a person He healed her as a whole person We can do the same!

A WORD HEALING We have many interventions for healing the body What heals the mind, soul, and spirit of sick people? A WORD Jesus spoke a healing word to this woman. With her ears, she heard him say, “My Daughter.” With her heart she heard him say, “I love you. I accept you. I invite you into my family. You are worthy, clean, and whole. Come and celebrate.” This one word healed the agony of rejection, the anguish of uncleanness. And the pain of loneliness. She was now accepted, loved, and restored to her place among people and with God. A magnificent word in Isaiah explains this. Isaiah in the temple; saw God’s glory; recognized his own uncleanness, and was healed. He then heard god calling, and he responded. God commissioned him to take Good news to the people of Israel, but explained how difficult it would be. Listen to God speaking to Isaiah – in your handout.

ISAIAH 6 : 10 This people’s heart has become calloused They hardly hear with their ears, and They have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, and Turn to me and be HEALED. If there is time, tell the story of Debbie to show that Jesus continues to heal people today by speaking a word to their heart.

THE HEALING WORD Is spoken to the heart Is understood by the heart Resolves the anguish and pain of the heart Jesus knew how to speak such words Do we?

Great distance between head and heart Head – cognitive knowledge Heart – feelings, emotions Much of head knowledge is not understood or accepted by the heart Psychology speaks to the mind. That can help Jesus speaks to the heart. That heals.

WORDS THAT HEAL A single word An explanation A story or parable A passage from the Bible A word spoken in prayer A personal word from the Holy Spirit A visual symbol, picture, or scene

What does the Jesus’ model require of us? A lot of time. We doctors and nurses do not have that time Trained people. We have not been trained for this Discernment, learned by training, prayer, and experience An understanding of wholeness by all of the staff It needs to be ‘evidence based’ and ‘patient directed’ - It can be

THE SOLUTION A team approach Medical staff plus pastoral care staff How do you see this working where you are?

A story from Vanga in the Congo A 16 year old boy with tuberculosis Chapter 1 in God, Medicine, and Miracles

ANALYSIS His primary problem was social, a family conflict Despair came into his spirit when he believed he would die Fear and anger filled his emotions These depressed his immune system and prevented his recovery Jesus healed his inner problems and he recovered We must move beyond witness to HEALING

THE PERSON GOD spirit soul body NATURE PEOPLE

JOHN’S PROBLEMS GOD spirit soul Uncle’s curse body NATURE PEOPLE despair fear anger body NATURE PEOPLE Immune system was weakened He could not handle his tuberculosis – a physical disease

How Jesus healed John’s problems GOD spirit soul Salvation hope peace body NATURE PEOPLE Immune system was strengthened With treatment he now recovered

HOW WAS HE HEALED? Jesus restored hope to his spirit - Salvation Jesus healed his emotions of fear and anger His immune system recovered The immune system plus the medicines overcame the infection He was made whole – body, soul, and spirit Salvation and Healing must go together

CONCLUSION Healing of the heart - mind, soul, spirit, and relationships - FAVORS [not guarantees] healing of the body.