Jesus began his public teaching career in 30A.D. alongside many other academics of that day known as the Scribes and Pharisees. The beautiful, hungry, weary, sick people of that day watched, listened and received life from Jesus as he taught. The Scribes and Pharisees saw themselves as “holier than thou,” because of their righteous deeds, watched this “teacher” very carefully and questioned his words and actions. Here are Matthew’s words:

Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." ⁴But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? ⁵For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. ¹⁰And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" ¹²But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Matthew 9:3-4, 9-12

Jesus knew the thoughts, the heart, the soul and spirit, and the body of everyone in his presence. When he spoke, whatever he said was so. When he spoke he proclaimed himself as the coming of the Kingdom of God. When he taught he healed because his word and his actions were different forms of the same thing – death and life. Jesus’ Word to the teachers of the day, knowing their heart, made them furious and they plotted to cleanse the world of this “false teacher.” Sinners received his living, healing word and were granted life in Him.

Jesus, our teacher, is our healer. He is living and active; he is the very word of God. There is life in the Word and there is hope in the Word and there is mercy in the Word. There is time for academics, but it is not now. Now is the time to shed the lies Satan has us believing about Christ as an academic subject – whether we were terrific in school and know a lot about God or didn’t do well memorizing the assigned Scripture verses. Christ came to touch and heal sick and weary souls, our souls.

Today is the day to say, “I need this physician because I am sick.” Now is the time to wake up and say I need Christ, the teacher, as healer. I need the Word to soak into my entire being to cleanse and heal me. The Word is alive and the Word is in us bringing life to us. As Christ works his healing work in us, we begin to crave his healing hand and crave his words. As Christ works his healing work in us, our eyes are open to the deep pain and suffering in everyone’s lives. With open eyes and hearts that are being healed we can receive God’s work through us.

We may not be teachers, but we are healers because of the great physician who lives in us and is working in us. Take your pulse, feel your beating heart. Christ's life is in there too! Christ lives in us and we cannot help but speak his healing word to this dying world. May God grant us courage to rest our fears in him and allow him to heal our wounds. May God grant us boldness to speak healing. May God’s peace which passes understanding guard our hearts and minds. Blessings IN Christ, Cindy

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