Luke 6:17-19 - America Needs Jesus

Today is a very special day as the American people go to the polls to vote on who our next president will be. I trust you have been praying, have educated yourself on the issues and the candidates, and you have voted or will vote today! This election will definitely determine the course of our country for years to come. But as important as it is, what is really needed for our great country is not a new president, a new congress or new leadership in Washington. We need our nation to repent and come to Jesus! We need to “hear Him”, to be “healed” by Him, to be “cleansed” of tormenting spirits by Him, to be “touched” by Him, and we need to experience His “power” to bring healing to our souls and to our nation!   This is exactly what we see happening here in Luke 6:17-19! The major part of this sixth chapter of Luke is taken up with the message from Christ, which He gave to the people who "came to hear Him, and to be healed" by Him (Luke 6:17). Some of the message, but not all, is similar to the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5-7. First, notice the place or the setting of this great message. It was a “level place”.   My friend, the most level ground in all the history of humanity is at the foot of the cross. No one is better than anyone else. We are all sinners, and it doesn’t matter how rich or poor we are, how famous or insignificant we might seem to be, how educated or uneducated we are, we still all have the same need. We need forgiveness for our sins that can only be found in the finished work of Jesus at the level ground of the cross!   Luke details the make-up of the people who were present on this occasion. It was both Jesus’ disciples and a great multitude of people (v. 17). And they came from everywhere! “From all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon”. The people were from many different areas as the news about Christ had been circulated in many lands. Notice the problems of the people. "Diseases... tormented with unclean spirits" (Luke 6:17, 18). The people were plagued with many problems. Health problems and demon possession were two of their prominent problems. Others came with hungry hearts, aware of deep longings in their empty souls. No doubt these are the same issues that are plaguing the multitudes in America today!   Most importantly, notice the pursuit of the people. "Came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases... the whole multitude sought to touch him" (Luke 6:17, 19). They came to hear Christ and be healed by Christ, to be taught and to be touched by Christ. Both the physical and the spiritual are involved. The world still has like problems; but sadly, and unlike these people, they do not seek Christ for relief. Furthermore, they are generally only interested in their physical problems. Few have any concern about their spiritual problems and needs.   The scientists, the philosophers, the psychologists, the educators, and the politicians all claim to have the answers to our problems and needs. Yet nothing changes when we apply their cures or solutions!  I love how Luke simply says, “…And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. Only Jesus Christ has Divine power that can overcome any physical or spiritual problem of the people. Jesus has the “power” to heal. The word “power” is the Greek word from which we get our English word “dynamite.” No government can boast of such power!   Finally, we should notice that Jesus first expresses His compassion and care for all the people before He brings His great message in the rest of the chapter. This illustrates the truth that, “People don’t care what you say until they know that you care”.   Do you care enough for your family, friends, neighbors and country to spend the night in prayer, to give up your right to yourself to serve others, to be criticized or mocked because you speak the truth? Think about it!   God bless!