St. Mark 1:29-39
Dearly beloved,
St. Mark's gospel reminds us of the nature of this world. How you
view the world and your place in it will have an impact on what you
think about God. Your behavior and practices will reflect what you
believe. In fact, what you believe about God largely determines your
practice and vice versa. For example, the Pharisee and the tax
collector in St. Luke's gospel demonstrate two very different
perspectives.
The Pharisee prays about all the good he did and thanks God that he
wasn't like the filthy tax collector. The lowly tax collector hangs
his head low and beats his chest saying, "Lord have mercy on me a poor
sinner." The tax collector was no great shining beacon, but it is the
tax collector that goes home forgiven, says Jesus. The difference
between the two was humility. The tax collector repented. The
Pharisee didn't even see his sins. The tax collector knew he was
ill—he had the sickness of sin.
In the gospel for today, Jesus and the four disciples go to Peter's
mother-in-law. "She lay sick with a fever," Jesus was told. Jesus
went to her, took her by the hand and lifted her up. The fever left
her and we are told that she served them. There is much more to make
of this than a mere healing of sickness. This is spiritual. Jesus
taking her by the hand and lifting her up is the very language of the
resurrection and victory. Beyond that, however, we are told that she
began to serve them.
This isn't some ancient form of cruelty on women. The word for
"serving" is the word that we use for "deacon" or "deaconess." She is
serving God with a willing heart. In Peter's mother-in-law, Jesus is
giving us insight into what the church will be like because of the
shedding of His blood on the cross. Jesus will take people who cannot
help themselves due to the sickness of sin, and He will make them well
again--So well, in fact, that they will immediately desire to serve
Jesus.
This is the way of the church, this is the way of Jesus, and this is
how things are going to be from the time of Jesus unto eternity.
Disciples will be born through holy baptism and nurtured through
teaching, and the people will begin to look at things differently.
This is your life in Jesus. Going on, we see that Jesus continued to
heal the sick and cast out demons. St. Mark includes something in the
gospel which is worthy of comment. "…in the morning, a great while
before day, Jesus rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he
prayed." It was very early, it was still night or, at best, very
early morning.
Jesus went to a place in the desert to pray. The church gets its
ways from its Lord. Jesus prays, therefore the church prays. Jesus,
by going into the desert, is hinting on something descriptive for the
church. The desert symbolizes the place where the devil prowls. It's
an unsafe place. Anything can happen, so he who is in the desert must
keep watch. Jesus is showing us how to live. St. Paul tells the
Galatians, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit"
(Galatians 5:25). To the Colossians, St. Paul states, "Continue
steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with
thanksgiving"(Colossians 4:2).
Whether we want to believe it or not, the world is a spiritual
desert. St. Paul is continuously telling the churches not to fall
prey to the deceitfulness of the world. There are destructive
teachings out in the world—destructive practices for the godly person
as well. There are many ways of life that slowly lead people away
from Christ. Things that seem non-threatening and innocent can become
the most destructive for the life in Christ. Bad habits can turn into
debilitating wounds. An unguarded mouth can speak all kinds of deceit
and evil.
Again, St. Paul speaks concerning this topic: "…walk by the Spirit,
and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the
flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are
against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you
from doing what you would"(Galatians 5:16-17). The sinful world and
the sinful flesh are the culprits of our struggles in this world. We
talk so much about the gospel, about what it means to be holy,
baptized, children of God, yet how often have you lived your life just
as the sinful world lives out its existence?
How often have you failed to guard your soul, by not being watchful
nor praying without ceasing? We don't often pray as we ought, nor do
we live as we ought. We look at our lives and think that somehow we
have failed to make use of the gift Jesus has given to us. Jesus is
faithful, when we are not. Jesus is holy when our actions seem to
indicate that we are not. Jesus became the sacrifice for sin that we
could not become.
Why Jesus heals the sick and casts out demons has everything to do
with the reason for His coming. Jesus came to bring life and order to
people. The sick and the possessed are filled with chaos and turmoil.
By lifting up Peter's mother-in-law and making her well, we learn
that this is always the work of Jesus. Your sins are a sickness that
started with Adam, Eve and the serpent. You are like Peter's
mother-in-law before Jesus came. She was helpless.
Her life was slowly leaving her body. Had Jesus not arrived,
there would have been no life left in her body, but He came and made
her well and strong again. Strong enough, in fact, that she began to
serve Jesus. This is what Jesus has in mind for you. Confess your
sins to Him and let the new life that He pours into you do its thing.
We learn from this gospel that once people taste the life of Jesus,
they soon desire more. As Jesus was in the desert place praying,
Simon Peter finds Him and desires to bring Him back to the people.
They seek Him. Christianity is that way. Once a person tastes the
heavenly love and forgiveness that Christ gives, they will not be the
same. Once a person finds comfort for sins, then he cannot grow tired
of the receiving of that forgiveness again and again.
The aspect of the Christian life that is difficult is learning how to
stop living like the world. How do we not plot and scheme, hate, and
carry on in anger or lust? We know that as Christians there is to be a
place for holy living. Again, we must learn from Jesus, but you must
be attentive, both, to your soul with its weaknesses, and you must
repent and seek Christ's strength.
Spiritual change will not occur in your life apart from Jesus. You
must seek the Lord for this. First, you must look to Christ crucified
for your consolation, and second, you must pray to the Lord and ask
Him to work this change in you in order to live holy lives. Holy
living is done on your knees at the altar, taking the body and blood
of Jesus in the Lord's Supper. Holy living is seeking Jesus in the
Holy Scriptures. Holy living is coming to church to hear the
preaching.
Being watchful and being in prayer is our way of striving for
holiness, but God's answer to holy pinings is in His word and
sacraments. If sin is going to be put away from you, then you must
look to the author and finisher of your faith, Jesus. Your heart and
your mind must be fixed upon Him alone, for it is in His cross that
you are set free from this world of sin.
It is in Him that you are holy and righteous. The Holy
Scriptures are always leading us to such people as the tax collector,
the sick, the possessed, and Peter's mother-in-law to behold the
reality that it is those who are spiritually weak and who know it that
come to find manifold blessings in the saving economy of Jesus Christ,
the One who lifts up and brings life and order. Amen.
--
Rev. Chad Kendall
www.frchadius.blogspot.com
Trinity Lutheran Church
Lowell, Indiana
www.trinitylowell.org
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