Last night's Communion service was lovely. I preached on Isaiah 53 digging out the interpretation of "By his stripes we are healed" from the context of the book of Isaiah as from chapter 1 onwards and not taking the phrase out of context in a vacuum as some do. Hence clearly Isaiah is referring to spiritually healing and not physical and this is above all the great need of our era. This does not mean that physical healing is not to be prayed for as Jesus did it all the time! However it is not what Isaiah 53:5 is referring to. Such an intepretation avoids the absurd aberations of prosperity theology guaranteeing in the atonement physical healing for everyone always, which, if it were true, would mean nobody who adheres to such an idea would ever die! One such theologian said he hadn't had a headache for 45 years! I myself read this! He is now dead by the way.
Thus yesterday the Lord really blessed as we focused on the wonderful truth of the possibilty in Christ of spiritual healing from the wounds and scars of sin. Praise Jesus for this!
The service also was taken over by the church at one point to celebrate my birthday, give me presents, say generous things and then everyone eat cake! It was a lovely time of celebration and fellowship. God is good!
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