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     This morning's sermon is going to be different than usual; we have a tag team of preachers, focused around the subject of healing and wholeness. I'm going to begin by talking about the wonderful healing ministry God has always undertaken in creation.

Thanksgiving Meditations on Healing and Wholeness - Psalm 103: 1-5,11-14; Matthew 9: 27-38 - November 22,2009 - Cicero United Methodist Church - Everett J. Bassett

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            This morning's sermon is going to be different than usual; we have a tag team of preachers, focused around the subject of healing and wholeness. I'm going to begin by talking about the wonderful healing ministry God has always undertaken in creation. Jack Keating is going to share a powerful healing story that lifts up the healing ministry of organ and tissue donation. And then we're going to hear from the Rev. Louise Shepard. We're blessed to have Louise as a regular worshiper with us, along with Jim Stephens, and Louise is going to talk about God's ministry of healing and wholeness in the pediatric ward of University Hospital, where she is the Protestant chaplain.

            It is appropriate to lift up healing and wholeness this particular week, because health in general is a big part of our thanksgiving - in whatever portion we have it. We've all said it, "If you've got your health, you've got everything." And every one of us has some portion of health. In fact, God is healing us every moment; our bodies, for, example, are created as healing machines. As we sit here together today, this moment, our lungs are taking in healing oxygen to restore depleted areas; our hearts are pumping the blood that revitalizes us: our immune systems are on the lookout for harmed areas. And so on. We are created for constant healing. And God is a constant Healer.

            And the Bible celebrates that. The writer of Psalm 1 03 lifts up this beautiful prayer:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name ... do not forget all God's benefits ... " And then follows this catalog of healing. God 'forgives all your iniquity, ... heals all your diseases, ... redeems your life from the Pit, ... so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.' But God is not just a Healer on a personal level. God also heals society. Verse 6 says, "The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed." And the historic experience of the people is the reminder of that. So verse 7 says, "God made known his ways to Moses; his acts to the people of Israel." A Great Healer for our inner selves, our society, our nation. And the bottom line, the motivation of God's heart, is described in verses 13 and 14: "As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust." And we shouldn't get hung up on that word 'fear' in that verse - it is a wider word than our use of it as being afraid. It really means those who 'honor' God, and could just as easily be understood as, "the Lord has compassion on those who give thanks." We should not take our health for granted, but should bless the Lord, honor God, give thanks for it.

            And, of course, Jesus represented the Healing God perfectly. With that busy agenda Jesus had of preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the ways of love, and bringing about the salvation of the world, Jesus still had time to touch the eyes of the blind men, and to restore the speech of the mute one, and to be moved with compassion for the crowd. When he was asked if he was the Messiah, he pointed to his healing ministry, and said, "You decide."

            So it is so important to recognize that we as a church are a healing community. For one thing, of course, we have the wonderful ministry of our Care Committee, and the Stephen Ministers. But along with that, God is working acts of healing every time we are together, through the prayers we offer with each other; through the power of human touch, through the affirming and encouraging words, and all of the other ways that God works among us. Just as your body and mine were created to be constantly healing organisms, so is the Body of Christ, you and me gathered in His name. For those who come today with hearting hearts or wounded souls or sick bodies, we pray that this can be a healing moment for you. God is a wonderful healer, and his love is at work right now.

            Luke tells us that Jesus once healed ten lepers. One of them came back to give thanks.

Jesus said, "where are the other nine?" I believe he asked that not because he needed more attention, But he knew that the healing was not complete until thanksgiving was expressed. This week, as we give thanks, let us remember the gifts of healing and wholeness. God is at work in our bodies, our spirits, our relationships, our society, our nation, all creation. The rest of this sermon lifts up some of the ways. Let us bless the Lord.