Jesus Heals

Key Takeaways

• Jesus has the power to heal what's broken inside us.

• Jesus can heal what's broken around us in our communities.

• Jesus' power is unbreakable because of his resurrection.

• God's timing in our suffering isn't random, but redemptive.

• The church is called to participate in Jesus' healing work in the world.

Study Questions

• Question 1

  The sermon mentioned that suffering is “like hot water on a teabag. It draws out what’s inside.” Suffering reveals how we really see God. How has suffering impacted your view of God? Has it strengthened or challenged your faith?

• Question 2

  Reflect on the concept of "eighth day healing." How does the idea of Jesus bringing new creation power into our brokenness resonate with you?

• Question 3

  How do you typically respond to your "hidden brokenness"? Do you tend to bury it, or have you found ways to bring it to Jesus for healing?

• Question 4

  The sermon highlighted how Jesus heals not just individuals, but communities. Can you think of examples where you've seen the church bring healing to community issues?

• Question 5

  Discuss the concept of "kingdom playgrounds" mentioned at the end of the sermon. How might God be calling you to use your gifts to address brokenness in your community?

5-Day Devotional

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

Day 1 : Healing Our Hidden Brokenness

READING :

Psalm 147:1-6

DEVOTIONAL :

God's love reaches into the deepest, most hidden parts of our brokenness. Just as Jesus healed Aeneas after eight years of paralysis, he desires to bring his resurrection power into our areas of long-standing pain and struggle. Reflect on areas in your life where you've felt stuck or unable to move. How might God be inviting you to rise and walk in newness of life? Remember, God's timing isn't random, but redemptive. Trust that he is working, even in your waiting.

APPLICATION :

Identify an area of "hidden brokenness" in your life. Spend time this week prayerfully bringing it before Jesus, asking for his healing touch.

Day 2 : Faith in the Midst of Suffering

READING :

Romans 8:18-25

DEVOTIONAL :

Suffering often reveals how we truly see God. Do we trust his goodness even when life doesn't make sense? Consider the faith of the man who saw his cancer as something that had to “pass through Christ's nail-scarred hands” before it reached him. How can you cultivate this kind of trust in God's sovereign care?

APPLICATION :

Ask God to help you see your current struggles through the lens of his redemptive purpose, knowing that he can use even our deepest pain for our good and his glory.

Day 3 : The Power of Christ's Resurrection

READING :

Philippians 3:7-11

DEVOTIONAL :

The healing of Aeneas and the raising of Tabitha point to the ultimate healing power of Christ's resurrection. This "eighth day" power is available to us now, bringing new life into our present reality. Where do you need to experience the resurrection power of Jesus in your life today?

APPLICATION :

Pray for God to bring his life-giving power into your circumstances, relationships, and personal struggles.

Day 4 : Community Restoration

READING :

Acts 2:42-47

DEVOTIONAL :

Jesus doesn't just heal individuals; he restores communities. The story of Tabitha shows how one person's ministry can be crucial to an entire community. How might God be calling you to be an agent of restoration in your neighborhood, workplace, or church? Consider practical ways you can serve others and reflect Christ's love in your community. Ask God to use you as an instrument of his healing and grace to those around you.

APPLICATION :

Research a specific need in your local community (like the food crisis example in North Nashville). Reach out to the church to ask how your community group could get involved in addressing that need. Email lindsay.mcclary@westendcc.org

Day 5 : Joining God's Restorative Work

READING :

Isaiah 58:6-12

DEVOTIONAL :

God invites us to participate in his work of restoring what is broken in the world. Like the "kingdom playgrounds" described by Robert Lupton, we have the opportunity to use our gifts and talents for God's kingdom purposes. Reflect on the unique abilities and resources God has given you. How can you "spend yourself" for God's purposes and join him in bringing hope and healing to others? Pray for courage to step out in faith and engage in God's restorative work in your sphere of influence.

APPLICATION :

Practice vulnerability by sharing a struggle or area of brokenness with a trusted friend. Allow them to pray for you and support you.

This Week’s Liturgy & Playlist

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.

People: Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Psalm 30:4-5

Confession of Faith

Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A #1

Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Confession of Sin

Almighty God, we confess that we seek healing through comfort, not repentance. We want our wounds soothed, not our hearts changed. But like Aeneas, you call us to rise—to respond in faith, turn from self-protection, and walk in newness of life. Forgive us for clinging to broken strategies instead of trusting your word. Heal us not by ease, but by grace that calls us to repent and obey. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10

Looking Ahead

Next week’s scripture: Acts 10:1-33