International Gospel Hour

Jeff Archey: The words of that old blessed hymn stands true, "The great physician now is near, the sympathizing Jesus. He speaks the drooping heart to cheer, oh hear the voice of Jesus." Yes friends, the great physician is near for our study today right here from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.

Jay Webb: Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God's word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archey of International Gospel Hour. Let's begin.

Jeff Archey: Well, thank you always to our beloved brother and fellow servant Jay Webb for his kind words, and greetings to all of you. How grateful we are to have you with us for this our broadcast of the International Gospel Hour. If you'll allow me to mention some dear friends at truth.fm, that's truth.fm or the period FM. Check out their number of listening options and download their app. Feel free also to download beautiful congregational singing of some of the most blessed long-time hymns. Again, that's truth.fm. Once again, truth.fm, be sure you get the period or the dot between truth and FM.

Speaking of congregational singing, I mentioned earlier of that beautiful hymn, "The Great Physician." And our text today deals with Jesus, the great physician. From John chapter five, verses one through nine, we read, "After this, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people: blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water, then whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made well of whatever disease he had.

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, he said to him, 'Do you want to be made well?' The sick man answered him, 'Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.' Jesus said to him, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked. And that day was the Sabbath."

The question, "Will you be made whole?" or "Do you want to be made well?" from verse six of John 5. It's a simple question that was asked by our Lord to a man who, no doubt, desired to be well. I mean, suffering for 38 years, friends, oh yes, no question this man wanted to be made whole. I mean, who would not want to be? And we learn later in John 5 and verse 13 that this man did not know who Jesus was, and so he did not know what Jesus could do. But Jesus, however, knew who the man was and his length of suffering, as we read in verse six.

And here was one who was unlike any other physician. This physician John described earlier as the word of God, the lamb of God, the Messiah and master, and the Son of Man. Here was a divine teacher and one who cared for the very soul of man. Not only could he heal the physical ailments, but he cared for the very soul of man. You know, when we think about some other texts concerning Jesus as the great physician, we see the Gospel accounts from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and we see the parallel here in Matthew 9 verses 9 through 13, and in Mark 2 verses 13 through 17, and Luke 5:27 through 32.

Now from these texts, we are reminded the disease that Jesus came to heal. For example, in Matthew 9, specifically verse 12, "But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, 'They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.'" In Mark 2 and verse 17, "When Jesus heard it, he said to them, 'They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'" And in Luke 5:31 and 32, "Jesus answered and said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'"

And it is the diagnosis of the Almighty that Christ is the physician that this old world needs. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life," John 3:16. It was Paul who said in Romans 5 verses 6 through 8, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." And when we think about the beauty of how infinite God is in knowledge, our Lord, what about Psalm 147 verse 5? "Great is our Lord and of great power; his understanding is infinite."

Jay Webb: In a world of division and even confusion in the religious world, friends, please know this: the Bible is always right. The free booklet "Something is Wrong, but the Bible is Right" is available from International Gospel Hour. Please call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, your address, and just say "Bible tract." That's it. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the contact tab, and leave us the same information: name, address, and type "Bible tract" in the message box. We will get it to you right away.

Jeff Archey: Dear friends, let's study about the great physician. You know, the great physician Jesus, he addresses the sick. I mean, he knows his patients. In John chapter 2, the latter part of verse 25, the Bible simply says, "for he knew what was in man." In our lesson text of John 5 and verse 6, Jesus knew the man had been in his sickness, his infirmity, a long time. So he knows his patients, and he knows the disease, the sin, as we noted from Mark 2 and verse 17, Matthew 9:12, and Luke 5:31 and 32. Now let's think for a moment how when he walked on this earth, the great physician restored the sight of people. An example there is in Matthew 20:29 through 34. But he also restores spiritual sight. He's able to go against one who blinds the minds of them that believe not, old Satan in 2 Corinthians 4 and verse 4. But he will restore and bring forth spiritual sight when one turns to him.

In Mark 7:31 through 37, we see Jesus restoring hearing of one. He restores spiritual listening with his address. Say the Sermon on the Mount when he said in Matthew 7:24 through 27, "He who hears these sayings of mine and does them." The great physician can address every spiritual need that we have, friends. And if we find ourselves struggling in our lives with questions about our salvation and dealing with matters that have become too strong in which to deal, here's my question: have we visited the great physician lately? Have we, if you'll allow me to use modern-day terminology, have we made an appointment with the great physician? Because you see, he addresses the sick. Number two, the great physician issues the prescription. He knows the remedy. He knows the call, if you will.

Jesus pinned the prescription through his death on the cross, yet you and I must have that prescription filled: our obedience. In Colossians 2 and verse 12, we learn how one is buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead. You see, through the gospel, it has the proper operation for the soul of man. You know, a surgeon corrects physical ailments, but Jesus the great physician corrects the spiritual elements. You know that passage in Colossians 2 and verse 12, he's commending the Colossian brethren, the church there, as they were buried with him in baptism. That's a beautiful text that parallels with the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ in Romans 6 verses 4 through 6.

I'm grateful for the surgeon that addressed my wife's situation with a tumor found in her kidney and how he was able to address that and how she healed up and how well she did. Very small incisions with the technology today that we find within the medical realm. It is amazing what can be done today with small incisions rather than a large incision. And I will add this, when my wife recovered, I really learned what hard work was trying to take care of a house. And I'd do it again in a moment; I hope I never have to face it again. But I'm so grateful again for the ones placed in our path, and I am grateful for the great physician placed in our path today.

Let's continue thinking about the prescription here. I want to go back to the Old Testament. In Jeremiah's time, here was a question asked, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?" Jeremiah 8:22. Now earlier in that same chapter of Jeremiah 8, we find the disease of sin affecting their hearts, their minds, and their complete soul. We note that from Jeremiah 8:11 through 12. They were pleading for peace, but there wasn't any. And they were committing abomination or sickness, and yet they thought they were well. By rejecting the commands of God, that was a balm that would soothe and address their sickness. They thought they were all right, and they were rejecting the very thing that would help them. Oh, what Jeremiah faced in his years of preaching. And friends, when you think about it, God's word continues as the balm for sin-sick souls. It and in alone is the prescription for man, and it addresses the sickness and the diseases of sin and transgressions.

Friends, will you please get your prescription filled? If a doctor gives you a prescription and you get it filled and use it, that's great. But if you do not get it filled and you will not use it, friends, you're going to remain sick. And if you don't respond to the prescription that is written, you will remain spiritually ill, tragically spiritually dead, as described in Ephesians 2:1 and 2. You see, only Jesus through our obedience will bring us to life. Friends, there's a number of people today that need to get their prescription filled. And friends, we hope you will be one that will fill that prescription. We're talking about sin. We're talking about how sin can help us or hinder us. We struggle, we hurt, and friends, we want to help you to see the call of Jesus or the prescription he has written.

Jay Webb: Maybe you'd like an online study of the Bible. The World Bible School has a free online Bible study available. Just go to worldbibleschool.org and register. That's worldbibleschool.org. And get this: a study helper is provided for your lessons. That's the free online study at worldbibleschool.org. Sign up today. Tell them the International Gospel Hour sent you.

Jeff Archey: So friends, as Jay has mentioned, we do have that online study of the Bible available through the World Bible School. It's a great tool; it'll help you in your studies. But we also recognize our wonderful audience, a lot of our good folks do not have the internet capabilities. I remember my mother lived to be the age of 89, never had internet in her house. And so we respect a lot of you are thinking, "Well, I can't go online. I'm listening to this by radio. How can I get a study?" Well, I tell you what. If you'll contact us at 855-444-6988, it's the same number we mentioned of the free booklet "Something is Wrong, but the Bible is Right." Well, give us a call and just say "home study." All you have to do is give us your name and your address and just say "home study." Again, the toll-free number is 855-444-6988. And since I mentioned the free booklet earlier, just call us and say "Bible tract, home study," and we'll get both of them to you. And again, everything from the International Gospel Hour is absolutely free. Please friends, tune in and let us hear from you. Again, if you would like a study mailed to you at your home, 855-444-6988 and just say "home study." And also say "Bible tract," and we'll send you the tract we spoke about earlier.

All right, let's continue our study about the great physician, and I want you to notice this great physician makes house calls. I can remember the days of doctors making house calls. It was a little bit before my time; I went to the doctor's office when I was a boy. But a lot of doctors will make house calls. You know, as we note from the Matthew, Mark, and Luke account, and especially Luke 5:27, Jesus was in the house of Levi, also known as Matthew in Matthew's account of Matthew 9 and verse 9. Well friends, this should remind us the great physician is available 24/7. You see, the appointment that we have with Jesus is always available 24/7. He always has an opening on his schedule.

And he will also keep an individual's health, spiritual health maintained. If we fill the prescription, sometimes there are medicines we need to help us maintain our health. As Jesus healed the man sick of the palsy in Matthew 9 verses 1 and following, we know that Jesus will continually heal his body, the church. In Ephesians 1:22 and 23, the Bible says how God hath put all things under his feet, that is Christ, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all. In Colossians 1 and verse 18, "And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence." You see, Jesus is able to correct the elements within the body, the church. And how thankful we are the great physician continues to labor and work on our part.

In Revelation 2 and verse 3, we read of Jesus and his messages to the seven churches of Asia. And he reminded five of the seven churches what they needed to do with their behavior, and that is to repent. And you know, friends, Jesus has the great prescription for us all. Is it not wonderful that Christ is always there 24/7? We learn from Isaiah 59 and verse 1, and Isaiah is speaking to those who are going off into captivity and to remind them, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear." So friends, the Lord's hand is always extended. His ears are always open, and he will respond to us if we will but respond to him.

So once again friends, we want to encourage you. If you need a visit from the great physician, he's written the prescription, he addresses the sick. Let us be of help to you here at International Gospel Hour. Again, if you would like that free home Bible study mailed to you, 855-444-6988, and just leave your name and address, say "home study." And also say "Bible tract," and we'll send you that free booklet "Something is Wrong, but the Bible is Right." And we'll send those to you absolutely free. Again, you can go online through worldbibleschool.org and register to study online as well. We'll give you a choice. And I want to give you a third choice to help you in your study or to know a little bit more about us here at International Gospel Hour. How would you like to have access to everything that we do: our daily broadcast, our weekly broadcast, our Hispanic podcast, Christianos Fearless with Marlon Retana—that's also available—and even our YouTube channel. A few more words from our Jay Webb about the International Gospel Hour app.

Jay Webb: Please download the International Gospel Hour app on your iPhone or Android. A free download awaits you at the App Store or Google Play. Just search "International Gospel Hour" and download our app free and have access to all our work. It is all there through the IGH app.

Jeff Archey: Yes friends, the great physician now is near, the sympathizing Jesus. Hear the voice of Jesus. He's the only physician that can address our disease of sin, and the only physician that can do that is Jesus Christ. Let us not continue to suffer and die in a spiritual condition where we are outside of Christ. The beauty of hearing the word of God brings forth our faith, Romans 10:17. As we study and hear the word of God, the great physician gives us a prescription to repent of our sins, Luke 13:3 and 5. And as they proclaimed in Acts 2 and verse 38 upon his command in Luke 24:44 through 47, the great physician says to confess him before men, Matthew 10:32, and oh how we found that eunuch confessing Jesus Christ as the Son of God in Acts 8 and verse 37. And then as we noted earlier, we are buried with him in baptism wherein we are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead. Allow God to operate and cure that sin through Christ. And dear friends, the great physician has the prescription and may we help you get that prescription filled. Again, we are so grateful for your choice today to listen to us here on International Gospel Hour, and we're going to continue our studies together at another time. Thank you once again for joining me today. I'm Jeff Archey and friends, keep listening.

Jay Webb: God be with you until we meet again. Thank you for listening to our broadcast today, and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God's word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. God be with you until we meet again.