TOUCHED BY LOVE

Mark 1:41, "And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him.... and he was cleansed."

MATTHEW 8:1-4, MARK 1:40-45, LUKE 5:12-15

Only Mark records this important statement that Jesus was "moved with compassion" in the healing of this leper. 

There are three other instances in the gospels when Jesus was moved with compassion which resulted in healing (Mt. 14:14; 20:34; Lk. 7:13; and once in deliverance - Mk.5:19). The difference between seeing a person healed or not healed many times is this all-important ingredient of love.

All three of the Gospel accounts record Jesus touching this leper. This not only illustrates the doctrine of "laying on of hands", but was probably included because according to Numbers 19:22, this action would have made Jesus unclean. This illustrates the New Testament ministry of the Spirit versus the Old Testament ministry of the letter of the law (2 Cor. 3:6).

Luke : The Man Who Wrote the Most Beautiful Book in the World

Luke, Lucas [Lo̅o̅ke,Lo̅o̅'cas]—light-giving or luminous.

The Man Who Wrote the Most Beautiful Book in the World

Less is known of Luke than any other New Testament writer. This we do know, he was a Gentile and probably the brother of Titus (2 Cor. 8:16; 12:18). Paul speaks of him as a “beloved physician.” Luke must have been a man of some wealth, otherwise he could not have traveled with Paul as his friend and useful companion (Acts 1:1; Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24). Tertullian said of this native of Antioch that he received his illumination from Paul.

Luke was a man of learning and knowledge, an exact observer and faithful recorder. His medical training taught him to be exact. He is in the first rank as a reliable historian, scholarly, skillful and sympathetic (Luke 1:1-3;Acts 1:1-3). His gospel is the most literary of the four. With his Greek mind he had a sense of form, a beautiful style—studied and elaborate. A poet, he was unsurpassed as a word-painter. Luke’s gospel has been described as the most wonderful book ever written, the most beautiful book in the world. Above it and within it we hear the rustle of the angels' wings, the music of angels’songs.

Is God Still In The Business of Healing?

"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Matthew 4:23 & Hebrews 13:8 NIV

In many accounts of the gospels, we see that Jesus physically healed people. As a result of the physical healing, the oppressed, depressed and hopeless were supernaturally cured in more ways than just in their bodies.

The book of Matthew is full of stories of Jesus healing the sick. But does He still do that today? As the scripture says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." There are many skeptics in the world who would say Jesus can’t heal today, but there are millions more who can testify that He does.

The Bible and Archaeology: Jesus Christ's Arrest, Trial and Crucifixion

article by Mario Seiglie

In the four Gospels no period of Christ's ministry is more detailed than the last few days when He was arrested, tried and crucified as a common criminal. What have archaeologists found that confirm and illuminate many of the details of Jesus' last days on earth?

In recent issues of The Good News we have examined archaeological findings that shed light on the period of Jesus Christ's ministry in Judea in the early first century.

Evidence of Caiaphas's tomb

Events rushed to a crescendo as Jesus and His disciples came to Jerusalem for that final Passover feast. The chief priests began to panic after hearing that in nearby Bethany Jesus had resurrected His friend Lazarus from the dead (John 11).

Pope Says Jesus' Birth Date Is Wrong

GINA MEEKS

 

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Pope Benedict XVI

Jesus was born several years earlier than commonly believed, according to a new book by Pope Benedict XVI. The pontiff argues in his book Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives that the Christian calendar is based on a miscalculation.

This latest publication, which delves into the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, completes Benedict's trilogy. His first book was about Jesus' public ministry, and the second about His death.

“The calculation of the beginning of our calendar—based on the birth of Jesus—was made by Dionysius Exiguus, who made a mistake in his calculations by several years,” 85-year-old Benedict explains in his book, which has a print run of 1 million copies.

G o d C a r e s

By Kenneth E. Hagin

Many people have a difficult time comprehending God as a Father Who loves and cares for them. They have the idea that God is like a judge who sits up in Heaven and looks for a chance to punish them the moment they make a mistake.

But no, God is a loving Heavenly Father! The Bible says that He is love (1 John 4:8, 16).

In the Gospels Jesus always portrayed God as a loving Father.

JOHN 3:16 (NKJV)
16 “GOD SO LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

How Many Loaves?

John 6:1-15

Additional Scripture Readings: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Mark 6:32-44

The only miracle reported in each of the four Gospels-besides the resurrection-is the feeding of the five thousand. If a truth is worth telling four times, it must be worth hearing.

It probably seemed ridiculous to Philip to even consider feeding 5,000 men (and about 10,000 women and children). Jesus' response in Mark 6:38 was simple: "How many loaves do you have?" And with the meager resources at hand, a few loaves and fish, Jesus fed the hungry.

Most of the time we don't realize how many "loaves" we have. We don't realize the many ways we can feed those around us. With the evening meal, we can serve up a loaf of encouragement to a dejected teenager. With a cup of coffee, we can serve a loaf of support to a new mom in our neighborhood. With a simple brown-bag lunch, we can serve up a happy time, hiking with our little ones. God takes our "loaves" and nourishes the needs of those around us. 

Let's eat!

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Converted Coward: A radically changed man

Today's reading: 1 Peter 1

1 Peter 1:12 Even angels long to look into these things.

The Peter portrayed in the Gospels and the Peter seen in this letter are hardly recognizable as the same person. The Gospels portray Peter urging Jesus to avoid pain, cowering in the darkness the night of Jesus' trial and execution, and denying with an oath that he knows the man he's been following for three years. In this letter, by contrast, Peter welcomes suffering as a badge of honor, as proof of his commitment to Christ at any cost.

Most likely, Peter is writing this letter during an outbreak of persecution under Nero. Leaders of the church, the apostle Paul among them, have been shipped to Rome for imprisonment and execution. Crucial questions about suffering have stirred up within the embattled Christian community.