“When Jesus heard about the plot against Him, He went away from that place; and large crowds followed Him. He healed all the sick.” (Matthew 12:15)
What happened was that Jesus went to the synagogue in an unmentioned town in Galilee. There was a man there with a withered hand and Jesus healed him. This was the first time that it’s mentioned that the Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus. (Matthew 12:14) Mark adds that the Herodians along with the Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus. (Mark 3:6) The Herodians were the political authorities in Israel at the time.
When Jesus left that place, our Scripture says large crowds followed Him. He was the Messiah bringing God’s kingdom to the people. He was the Messiah and the authorities, both religious and political didn’t want things to change. It made no difference who Jesus was to the Herodians. They were secular and ungodly and without knowledge of the Scriptures. But the Pharisees and the other religious leaders knew that Jesus was the Messiah. Nicodemus even said it to Jesus. “One night he went to Jesus and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher sent by God. No one could perform the miracles You are doing unless God were with Him." (John 3:2) Nicodemus accepted Jesus as his Messiah as did other religious leaders, but they were afraid to speak up because they would be put out of the synagogue.
Large crowds followed Jesus. They brought their sick, those mentally sick, emotionally sick, physically sick and spiritually sick. Our Scripture says that Jesus healed all the sick. He cured their diseases. He delivered and set them free from tormenting spirits. Even those who were not of the house of Israel went to Him. His mercy and love extended to all. And Jesus did this knowing the end from the beginning. This is the amazing thing.
Jesus is One with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He only said what the Father said. He only did what the Father wanted Him to do. You may ask why it was that He continued healing. One thing was His obedience to the Father. “So, they began to persecute Jesus, because He had done this healing on a Sabbath. Jesus answered them, "My Father is always working, and I too must work." (John 5:16-17) This should encourage us. The Father is always working. Jesus is always working. When it looks like you are forgotten by God, even if we don’t see anything happening, God is working. We don’t have God’s knowledge and wisdom. God is working His Will and Purposes. In hindsight, many, many times, we see all that God has done for our best, when at the time we thought God had not answered our prayer.
The Father is always working. Jesus is always working. The Holy Spirit in us is always speaking to us. If we are His children, we should be always working. But our work is resting in Jesus. It’s not striving and running around doing good works here and there, juggling our schedule and trying to do as much as we can. Our work is resting and trusting the Lord will open doors and will give us opportunities to glorify Him. It’s all about glorifying the Lord, not ourselves. It’s about working alongside of the Lord, in what He is doing, not forging a new work for the Lord. Our strong determination may be successful in our eyes, but how does it look to the Lord when He didn’t commission it? God wants us working with Him, in His work. It’s praying, seeking His face, listening and obeying. “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:” (Colossians 4:3) It’s praying for the church, for the pastors, teachers and leaders. It’s moving with the vision and purpose God has given the body of Christ. That’s where God is moving. That’s where God is working. That’s where we will see that open door of opportunity to glorify God using the gifts and talents God has given us.
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