Authorized by God to heal and forgive!

Reflecting on Luke 5:17-26

"And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick." (Luke 5:17)

This phrase is interesting when we think of Who Jesus is.
The clear confession of the first Jesus followers was that Jesus was Lord.
The word for Lord is kurios, which means ‘supreme in authority’.
It was the the Jewish title for YHWH, the Most High God.
It was also used by slaves for their masters.
And by women for their husbands (1 Peter 3:5-6).

In this context, it is the power of God that is with Jesus to heal.
It is not Jesus’s own power as God, but God’s power with Him.
While on earth, Jesus did not go around saying He was God.
He was fully human, and did what He did as a human.
He did not have greater knowledge or power because He was God.
He did not heal because He was God.
He did not walk on water or raise the dead because He was God.
He did not forgive sins because He was God.
He was what Adam was, a God-like representative and likeness of God.
He was backed by the power and authority of God, like Adam was.

He is the promised Son of Man who is able to overcome the Beasts (Daniel 7:13-14).
He is the promised Seed of Eve who is able to crush the Serpent (Genesis 3:15).
He is able to forgive on God’s behalf, and to release sinners from the curse.
Though God is the Most High(Lord), Jesus is given that Name on earth.

“He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:14)

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

This is how Jesus saves us, and restores us.
He becomes what we were supposed to be to reclaim and renew God’s creation kingdom.
And by faith in Him, we are made to be what we were supposed to be.
We are given God’s authority to rule this world in a loving, God-like way.
The power of the Most High in Jesus is with us to continue His work.
We are authorized like Adam, like Jesus, to heal and forgive in God’s Name.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

When we focus too much on the Godness of Jesus, we fail to appreciate His humanity.
And this leads us to fail to understand our own human identity and purpose.
We do not see our significance as Jesus followers in life, at home, at work.
Our mission is the same as Jesus’s, to make this world ‘very good’ again.
We do this by representing God’s love, compassion, mercy to the world.
We do this by healing, helping, forgiving, suffering with and suffering for others.

May we not be like the religious leaders, critical of Jesus’s graciousness.
May we not resist God’s gracious mercy when others are showing it.
Rather may we be God-like, Jesus-like agents of healing and grace.
May the people who encounter us experience the power of the Lord to heal.
For not only does the Son of Man have authority and power to heal and forgive.
As His followers, we also have authority and power to heal and forgive.

“Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.'” (John 20:21-23)

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You became what I was supposed to be, so that I could become what I was supposed to be. May the power of the Most High, the power of Your Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control be upon me to heal and to bless all those I meet.