Section #2 – Session #7

You and I live in a fallen creation. Sin and death have entered the world. Everyone is born with a rebellious sin nature. No one can see God face-to-face as Adam and Eve did and live. Sometimes in the storms of life, it seems overwhelming. We ask ‘where is Jesus’?  Does He really know and care about our hurts? In this study we will examine what the Bible says Jesus is doing, even when life hurts

In the first section we examined these things Jesus Christ is doing for you when life hurts:

Session 01: Serving as the Captain of your salvation

Session 02: Limiting the bitterness and taking you through the storm

Session 03: Providing a refuge, place of relief or escape

Session 04: Holding you safe in His hand

Session 05: Serving as your Daysman and Your Advocate

Session 06: Enabling you to stand

Next we begin a section on what Jesus Christ is doing to you when life hurts.  First, we will examine His healing and restoring you. Sometimes the storms of life wound us, not physically, but emotionally and with heartache. O, Jesus cares about you in those times!

7) Jesus Christ is healing you, caring for your wounds, restoring your soul

According to Exodus 15, Jesus sweetens the bitterness and heals:

²² So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

²³ And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

²⁴ And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

²⁵ And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

²⁶ And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

²⁷ And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

How can the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ to pay your sin debt sweeten your situation?

Notice Jesus Christ declares Himself to be the LORD Who heals you.

What significance do you see in His identity as the LORD Who heals you?

Jesus knowing full well He would be the perfect sacrifice, He would die for our sins on the cross, explained His reasons for coming to earth, as a man, this way according to Luke 4:¹⁶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

¹⁷ And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

¹⁹ To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

A bruise is an inside trauma. The Greek word for “bruised” means, “crushed, broken in pieces, shattered through, broken by calamity”.

Sometimes the storms of life make us feel broken, don’t they?

Heal = to make healthy, whole, or sound, to free from evil; cleanse; purify, to mend

Types of wounds include: abrasions (superficial) cuts, pressure sores, punctures

What kind of wound would you say is hurting you now?

How deep would you say is your wound?

The purpose of wound care is to prevent infection, assure no associated injury, preserve function and promote healing

The depth of the wound will vary the healing time. But be assured Jesus Christ is working to heal you and will complete His healing.

Healing process

Stop the bleeding

Cleanse the wound from filth, germs, debris

Provide antiseptic

Apply a dressing (protect while healing)

Allow the process – don’t put a timeline

Where in the healing process would you say you are?

Jesus is restoring you according to Psalms 23:¹ (A Psalm of David.) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Restore = to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition, to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor

Man is a living soul, very different from every other creature.

According to Genesis 2, the soul goes on living after physical death

⁷ And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

1 Corinthians 15:⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

⁴³ It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

⁴⁵ And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Another window into living after death according to Genesis 35:¹⁸ And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

¹⁹ And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

Another window into living after death according to Ecclesiastes 12;⁷ Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

What do these three windows mean to you?

Soul includes heart (emotions), mind (understanding) will (strength) outlined in Mark 12:³² And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

³³ And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Questions for Reflection?

1) What are some symptoms of a soul needing restored?

2) What do you think is your responsibility when you see these symptoms in yourself?

When you see them in someone else?

2) Can you identify some ways (methods) Jesus has used to restore your soul?

3) What would you say is the difference between a wound and a scar?

4) Is it possible to have both wounds and scars in your life? Which is easier for you?

5) When you consider Jesus as the Healer, what emotions do you feel?

What thoughts do you think?

What is your understanding?

6) Which type of emotional hurt is most difficult for you?

disappointment, betrayal, uncertainty, loss, etc. Why?

7) Is there some lie from your past (some false thinking about who you are or what is expected of you) that still needs healing? Why not tell Him today and ask for His healing?

Surely Goodness And Mercy

1. A pilgrim was I and a-wand’ring, In the cold night of sin I did roam.
When Jesus, the kind Shepherd, found me, And now I am on my way home.

Chorus:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days, all the days of my life.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days, all the days of my life.
And I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever; And I’ll feast at the table spread for me.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days, all the days of my life.

2. He restoreth my soul when I’m weary; He giveth me strength day by day.
He leads me beside the still waters; He guards me each step of the way.
Chorus

3. When I walk through the dark, lonesome valley, My Savior will walk with me there;
   And safely His great hand will lead me To the mansions He’s gone to prepare.
   Chorus:
   Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days, all the days of my life.
   Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days, all the days of my life.
   And I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever; And I’ll feast at the table spread for me.
   Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days, all the days of my life.
   All the days, all the days of my life.

   (Lyrics: John W. Peterson and Alfred B. Smith)

Our focus = Hebrews 12:¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our challenge = Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti