Beyond Sunday

Jesus Used His Wounds to Heal Others • Day 19

March 23, 2022 King of Kings Church Season 3 Episode 19
Beyond Sunday
Jesus Used His Wounds to Heal Others • Day 19
Show Notes Transcript

Throughout Lent, we’ll be publishing daily devotionals written and narrated by members of our congregation. This year, our theme is Transformed in Christ. Today's episode is narrated by Carolyn Peterson, and features a reflection written by Roger Theimer, followed by an application written by Carolyn Peterson.

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Thanks for listening!

Hello! I am Carolyn Peterson and welcome to King of Kings’ Lenten Devotions, “Transformed in Christ”

Today is March 23rd and this week we are reminded to Be Like Jesus in Dealing with Brokenness

Today’s truth that transforms is:  Jesus Used His Wounds to Heal Others

Our Scripture readings are from Isaiah and John. 

Isaiah 53 
 Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all

John 20
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (Jn 20)

How are we “Transformed in Christ” and shaped to be more like Him? 
Twice Jesus appears to his disciples when they were together in a room. Once without Thomas. Once with Thomas. In both cases, He shows them His wounds. Some even touch them to make sure they were real…or that Jesus is real. We have had our wounds as well. Some were physical, sure. Many were emotional. Our spiritual scars might be the scars of lives that fell short of a Christ-like example. Listen to the prophet’s promise. “By His wounds we are healed.” It’s proof of our forgiveness and even more. It's proof of our acceptance and our welcome. “Touch the scar,” Jesus could say to us. It’s proof that it has been completed and because of that, every one of your scars will be healed as well. Now we too can be those agents that bring healing to others because our wounded lives have touched the wounds of Christ!


Option 1
As a nurse I’ve seen wounds in many shapes and sizes. Some were created accidentally while others were inflicted intentionally to hurt someone or sadly, even oneself. Yet other wounds can be unseen mental or emotional issues caused by lifestyle, abuse or neglect. Surgical wounds can be created to help us by cleaning out infections, repairing an injury or rebuilding a body part. Isaiah 53:5 foretold about Jesus, “by his wounds we are healed.” 
Have you ever skinned your knee or had a fresh wound that was open to air? Those severed open nerve endings seem on fire. We want them quickly covered with ointment and a bandage to stop the hurting and start the healing. Think how Jesus willingly endured the crown of thorns piercing his scalp, the whip ripping the skin on his back, the nails that piercing through the muscles, ligaments and bone in his hands and feet. Those wounds were part of the payment we owed for our sin that he took on himself. Jesus did it out of love so that we who believe in him could be healed of all the wounds in our lives that have caused pain. Knowing He loved me enough to suffer wounds for me that paid for the sin in my life has helped me to forgive others that may have wounded me and to forgive myself for the wounds I may have inflicted on others. 

Option 2
My dad, a farmer, had a 50 year-old hired man named Clifford who was also a WWII veteran and an alcoholic. He would work for my dad for six weeks, and then he needed to go binge drink in a neighboring town for a long weekend. My dad would then go pick him up, and wait for him to get sober enough to work again. One time, on the way back from visiting my grandmother, my dad picked him up with the rest of the family along for the ride. I was the oldest, and probably 14 at the time. I had to sit next to Clifford in the back seat for the next 20 minutes. He had the smell of beer on his breath. I was offended by the smell, listening to his slurred speech and having to sit next to him. Those feelings continued beyond our journey home. He was a gentle person and I don’t think would hurt anyone intentionally. He didn’t know I had been offended. He ate his meals with us and lived in the bunkhouse on the farm, so I couldn’t avoid my feelings. However, God eventually showed me that God loved him as much as God loved me. Jesus healed that wound of hate in my heart and changed it to a forgiving heart. I was moved to share with him that God loved him and invited him to worship with us. He never did, but my heart was at peace instead of hate.