Preacher, Bryan Jackson

Sixth Sunday After Pentecost

Healing

Mark 6: 30-34; 53-56

 

"Ok, yeah - I'm pumped... let's let the healing begin!!!"{Explanation of that part of the movie, Good Will Hunting.}

What Matt Damon's character didn't know was that his two mentors in the movie had an agreement, or a covenant, if you will, to help him begin a necessary healing process.

This past week I tried to make some honest, sincere observations about the concept of healing. I spoke at length with a friend who is recovering from breast cancer, whom I will talk about shortly. I will also tell you briefly about a wise ol' doctor whom I have known for almost 20 years who has been part of my own healing process. But first, let me tell you about an experiment that I did recently. I took the time to watch somewhere around 8 or 10 ministry broadcasts to determine what, if anything, the people in them had to say about healing.

{At this point, give examples of what I saw...., and become a bit animated.}

Now, one of the few things that I have in common with each of the folks that I viewed is that we all believe in the power of God to heal persons. Toward the end of today's service, I will announce that anyone who would like to may come forward for a brief prayer and anointing with oil. The notation in the bulletin reminds us that this practice has been undertaken in the Christian church since its inception, and, whereas we have not done this often (if ever) at Wedgewood, I thought it might be time to offer it.

Let me tell you where I am coming from with this: In view of the totality of today's lectionary readings, I see the central message as being that God has established an agreement with His people through David, and that David's descendents (us) will endure, and that one of the descendents (Christ) will always be King. Through that kingship, that dynasty, that endurance, healing (among other things) will occur.

As we saw in Psalm 89, when David was made king he was anointed with holy oil. Over the centuries, oil has proved to have a penetrating, healing effect on the body. That penetrating effect, the ability to reach deep within the human body and, in addition, the human experience, may have more to do with today's Gospel reading than first appears. The concept of "being cured" in this passage of Mark comes from the Greek diasozo (dee-as-odze-o), which means "to heal, make perfectly whole, save."

If a person has been made whole, then it has to be more than just a "surface" type of healing - wouldn't you agree? John, the doctor friend I mentioned earlier, explained to me the difference between healing with a heating pad and healing with short-wave, ultrasound heat. A heating pad reaches only about an inch or so at most into the skin's tissue. It cannot reach deep enough to dialate the major blood vessles of the area, which would allow blood to return to the surface of the skin, providing nourishment for healing. In the long run, it does more harm than good in most cases. Short-wave heat, on the other hand, reaches down 5 or 6 inches into the connective tissue, to the joint in question, to tendons, etc., allowing for a deeper healing process, and therefore, a more rapid and effective recovery. I have found this to be true from experience.The shepherd needs to have more at his or her disposal than something that merely produces superficial healing. What's more, my friend, a chiropractic physician, (who was also here for my ordination, by the way) an expert in "the laying on of hands," cannot find anything about retirement in the New Testament. When I once asked him if would be retiring in the near future (he is 70), he said no. He wants to continue his ministry of healing until he is physically unable to do so. For John, whose father was also a chiropractor, healing is a perpetual reality.From some of the examples of the TV ministires that I mentioned earlier, it seems safe to say that people experience healing and redemption in different ways. The healing that allows "the barriers to be brought down," as Paul speaks of in Ephesians, comes in a variety of ways; yet, when it does come, it is unmistakable. My experience with healing over the years has demonstrated two things to me: First, healing is usually (not always, but usually), progressive, in the sense that there are small, gradual steps to take before ultimate restoration can begin.Second, healing is temporary. Lets face it, most of the people whom Jesus and the disciples healed eveutually got sick again and died anyway. Scripture does not teach that miraculous healing is normative for God's people.The healing event at Gennesaret (as well as other healings in Jesus' ministry) were mission specific: they authenticated the person who performed them as one with power and authority. Much of this really revolves around the recognition of Christ's power:1) Wow! Jesus walked by my bed. He touched me!2) Immediately, I was healed!3) Gee, here in the first century, we associate such miraculoushealing with the power of God!4) Jesus healed me. Therefore, he must have the power of God!Sound reasonable?Let me tell you about my friend Frieda (who gave me permission to do so). When we talked about healing the other day, she told me about the two things she did right off the bat when she learned that she had breast cancer. First, she called five people she knew that loved her and asked them to pray for her. She formed a "covenant" with them, actually.Second, she "immediately" (a consistent word in Mark) decided that she would be comfortable with the idea that "healing" may not mean a "cure." As a result, she said that these had been the 7 most peaceful months of her life. "I have spent that time healing, as opposed to spending it as a cancer patient."Frieda's "trust and assurance that the outcome would be fine," as she put it, has been my own healing moment for the week. Her words are the summation of the point of these passages: Healing is part of God's covenant relationship with humankind. Further, she has reminded me of God's indwelling presence, as promised so long ago to David, an agreement sealed with holy oil and the power of the Holy Spirit, lived out in the flesh in Jesus, and evident in the life of my faithful friend.Frieda and I also talked about the importance and power of "going away to a place by oneself" - the healing that can come in temporary solitude. The earlier part of this reading records Jesus' suggestion to the apostles that they find a place where they can be alone and rest. Those of you who went to Sliding Rock yesterday - were you able to find a moment where this was possible? Did you find a bit of Gennesaret there, lush and fertile?Frieda reminded me that when Jesus recommends solitude it is so that we can be alone with the Divine. Hopefully, in so doing, we can experience a healing that may not come in any other way.Healing, and ultimately, restoration, often come with a price. The price is usually worth it, however, and we risk sickness and injury again the minute our wholeness returns.Beware of "healing" that only affects the surface of your personhood. If the technology had been available, I would like to think that our Shepherd would have forgone the heating pad for the more effective, deeper-working, and longer-lasting short-wave method of healing.

Furthermore, in the twelfth and thirteenth verses of this passage of Mark, upon Jesus sending out the twelve, they went, two by two, and anointed many with oil and healed them. [Mk 6:12-13]