In the first study, we saw that Jesus was not just
an unusual person; he was God's Son. He came into the world in
order to meet the deepest needs of all men and women.
In this study, we will look at how Jesus met the needs of
two particular people. Everywhere Jesus went, he came across
needy people. Often, the people he met had incurable diseases.
He was able to change their physical lives by healing them.
More importantly, he changed their spiritual lives through
forgiveness of their sins.
He healed Simon's mother-in-law, a Roman officer's servant,
a man with a paralyzed hand, a crippled woman, a paralyzed
man, people suffering from spiritual and mental disorders or
skin diseases, blind people, and he even raised the dead. "All
who had friends who were sick with various diseases brought
them to Jesus; he placed his hands on every one of them and
healed them all" (Luke 4:40).
Look at how Jesus interacted with these people.
A. A blind beggar is
healed
- What do you think life was like for
this blind man?
- Why do you think he kept calling for
Jesus?
- What did Jesus do and say once he
had heard the man? (18:40-42)
- In what way did the man show he
believed in Jesus?
- If you had seen this miracle, what
would you have thought of Jesus?
This was a blind man to whom Jesus gave "recovery of sight"
(Luke 4:18). He healed many people of different physical
illnesses. But he also healed people from other forms of
"sickness."
B. Jesus and
Zacchaeus
The Romans gave the job of collecting taxes to the highest
bidder. Tax collectors did not get any wages for their work.
They collected as much money as they could so there would be
plenty left over for themselves after paying the government.
Zacchaeus was one of these tax collectors. He was a greedy and
unpopular man.
- What was Zacchaeus' attitude toward
Jesus? (19:3,4,6)
- Many people grumbled about Jesus
talking to such a man What was Jesus's attitude toward
Zacchaeus? (19:5,9,10)
- How did Zacchaeus change after
meeting Jesus? (19:8)
- What do you think Jesus meant by
"the lost"? (19:10)
- What does this incident show about
the character and purpose of Jesus?
Zacchaeus was "captive" to his own greed. Jesus gave him
freedom.
Jesus said that he had come "to seek and to save the lost."
People changed when they met Jesus. How do you think meeting
Jesus would affect your life?
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