No Deductibles, No Copays
With the ongoing debate over healthcare (take a deep breath, we’re NOT getting political here!), it’s almost impossible to think of a day when doctors actually made house calls. Yup, it’s true. I remember back in a previous millennium when the family physician would come to you when you couldn’t get there.
No calls to the insurance company about whether something is covered. No worry about whether this doctor was “out of network.” No deductibles. No copays. The doc and his little black bag would simply swing by and bring healing your house. When you couldn’t get to help, help came to you.
Capernaum’s Urgent Care Clinic
In Mark’s bio of Jesus, he writes about the day the Son of God makes a house call right after church (Mk 1:29-34). Before it was all said and done, the Great Physician transforms one of his new disciples’ homes into a crowded and crazy urgent care clinic in Capernaum.
From Zero to Sixty
But let’s back up for a little context. The opening chapter of Mark’s story of the Messiah certainly gets off to a rip roaring start. This Gospel goes from zero to sixty like the meanest muscle car. Your head is spinning after just a few short verses. Once you’re strapped in and ready, we’ll review. Punch it!
The story begins with some quick road construction in order to prepare the highway for the high speeds we’re about to experience (Mk 1:1-3). Next, Jesus’ weird cousin John shows up as the opening act to get everyone ready for His message (Mk 1:4-8).
Things really get going the day Christ comes to the Jordan to be baptized by John. The other two Members of the Trinity can’t get there fast enough (Mk 1:9-11). Then Jesus wastes no time and opens His schedule by playing the toughest road game you can imagine, winning a forty day duel with the devil in the desert (Mk 1:12-13).
The Original Fast and Furious
Right after that, the radical Rabbi/Carpenter begins building the team He’ll use to transform the world. No, not with summa cum laude seminary grads and spiritual superstars. Instead He drafts four commercial fishermen (Mk 1:16-20). Not long after, Jesus shocks folks at a sleepy local synagogue not only with His incredible teaching but a rather raucous exorcism (Mk 1:21-28).
That’s all in just the first chapter! Is your head spinning? It’s my contention that Mark’s writing the original Fast and Furious. Well, we’d better hang on. The action doesn’t stop there!
Lunch after Church
We pick things up with Jesus and His first four followers leaving that crazy day of worship in Capernaum. “After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home” (v29). Christ and His brand new crew head are apparently coming over for lunch after church.
There are a few neat points to notice in this little verse. Both Matthew and Luke tell this very same story as well but Mark is the only one who mentions Jim and John. I mean, it certainly makes sense. Jesus asked them to join Him the same day as Simon and Andrew.
Two Boys from Bethsaida
Notice that Simon and his little brother Andy share the same home in the fishing village of Capernaum. You may remember John tells us these two guys are originally from Bethsaida (Jn 1:144). That’s just a little less than nine miles up the beach of the Sea of Galilee. Bethsaida sat at the foot of what’s known today as the Golan Heights.
Tradition holds that this home was just a block away from the synagogue. How do we know that? If you’re lucky enough to swing by Capernaum today, you’ll not only see the remains of an ancient synagogue but the place folks believe where Simon lived just down the street. Modern Christians built a church that looks like a flying saucer right over the location of the home. Nothing says First Century faith like a UFO.
The Married Disciple
Mark let’s us know from Jump Street that Simon and his kid brother share the home with their extended family. “Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever” (30). The apostle Jesus nickname’s Peter is clearly married BEFORE he started following our Lord.
This kinda trashes the idea that you have to be some sort of unmarried monk in order for God to use you in a big way. As a matter of fact, Paul makes the point that Pete and his lovely bride do a good bit of traveling together as they spread the news about Jesus (1Cor 9:5).
Caring for Those Who Can’t Care for Themselves
The fact that Simon’s mother-in-law is living with her daughter’s family probably means that her husband has died. Remember, there’s no Social Security, nursing homes, or retirement communities back in those days. An elderly widow had no way of supporting herself. She desperately needed friends and family in order to survive.
This is why God goes out of His way to tell Jesus’ followers to take care of widows, orphans, and anyone else who can’t take of themselves (James 1:27). Paul instructs Timothy that younger ladies who’ve lost their husbands shouldn’t be looking for a free ride (1Tim 5:16). But the church has the responsibility to help women who have no family support (1Tim 5:9-10, 16).
She’s Got a Fever!
Meanwhile back at Simon’s house, his mother-in-law is burning up and can’t get out of bed. Mark uses a Greek word (Gr. πυρεσσω/puresso) to describe her fever which literally means to be on fire. We all know just how terribly helpless we are when our body temp soars into triple digits.
How sick is she? When Dr. Luke diagnoses Pete’s mother-in-law, he uses medical language in the original text to say she is “very sick with a high fever” (Lk 4:38). MacArthur says that the good doctor hints that her condition is critical and quite possibly life threatening. Remember, it’s not like she could pop a couple of aspirin or ibuprofen to knock the fever down.
She’s got a fever and the only prescription is NOT more cowbell. (My apologies to Bruce Dickinson. I just had to get that out of my system.) Whatever they’ve tried to this point has clearly not worked. Her temp has spiked and she needs help right now.
Tell Jesus First
Once Jesus walks through the front door, everything changes. Maybe it’s because of what just what they saw the Lord do at the synagogue, but they don’t waste a second in asking Him to help. “They told Jesus about her right away” (v30).
Mark once again uses his favorite Greek word ευθεος/eutheos. It means immediately, at once, right away, and indicates the very next event in a sequence. He drops it eleven times in chapter one alone! A form of this word shows up more than 40 times in Mark…that’s more than the rest of the NT combined!!
The Priority of Prayer
Had they already pleaded with God for healing? Was Jesus appearance that Sabbath an answer to their prayers? We don’t know. It IS clear that once Christ arrives, they waste no time in telling Him exactly what’s going on.
Here’s one thing you and I can take away from this moment at Pete’s house. We need to make prayer our priority. I like how Oswald Chambers puts it. “We tend use prayer as our last resort but God wants it to be our first line of defense.” Too many times we wait until nothing else has worked. Too many times we pray as a last option. Let’s give God a shout right from the start.
He IS Help
He’s always right there and ready. One of the hit songs in the boxed set of the great worship tunes we call the Psalms makes that clear. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1 ESV). Notice how the psalm writer personifies God as help. He not only helps. He IS Help. The folks at Simon’s house are going to find that out in just a few minutes.
When we can’t get to help, Help comes to us.
Home Comes for Us
After they tell Jesus of her high fever, He wastes no time. “So He went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up” (31). Did you catch that? Christ comes to her! And why wouldn’t He? If the Son of God is willing to leave the comforts of heaven to come and save us, there’s nothing that will stop Him from coming to our house to help.
That’s the core of the Gospel right there. God is THE Initiator. He’s the One who is on the move to come to our rescue and make things right. It’s actually the truth behind the tagline for the movie “Dunkirk.” When we can’t make it home, home comes for us.
Jesus’ Go-To Move
But Jesus didn’t just stand there and stare at Pete’s mother-in-law. He gets personal and “took her by the hand” (v30). Jesus touches her. You see, touching is His go-to move. Over and over again, Christ scores with a touch.
NBA fans know what I’m talking about. Kareem had the Skyhook. George Gervin had the finger roll. Olajuwon had the Dream Shake. Jesus has His Touch. We see Him reach out and make physical contact time and time again (Mt 8:3; 9:29; 20:34; Mk 1:41; 7:33; 10:16; Lk 22:51). Touching is His go-to move. And in order to touch, He has to get close.
When we can’t get help, Help comes to us.
Get Well NOW!
They don’t have wait long at Pete’s house for healing. The very moment Jesus touches Simon’s mother-in-law, “then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them” (v31). Notice that little word “then.” There’s Mark’s favorite little adverb once again, ευθεος/eutheos! Jesus has His go-to move. Mark has his go-to word.
As the Great Physician, Christ has the miraculous ability to heal ASAP! No convalescence. No recovery room. No waiting. No “get well soon.” This is get well NOW! Matthew and Luke back that up the story of immediate healing (Mt 8:15; Lk 4:39). That’s a sure sign that Someone has supernaturally gotten involved with your healthcare!
Sandwiches as Worship
In case we don’t have enough proof of a miracle already, Simon’s mother-in-law jumps out of bed and starts whipping together lunch! She makes the meal as an act of worship. It’s her response to what He has done for her.
If you’re looking for a definition of worship, you’ve got one right here. It’s our response to who God is and what He has done. When you think of all that He’s done, it’s hard to sit still. You’ve just GOT to do something! You’ve got to worship! You’ve got to respond to His goodness! Yeah, sometimes worship might mean making everybody sandwiches.
Notice what she is NOT doing. Peter’s mother-in-law is NOT cooking as a way of paying Jesus back. This is her way of saying “thank you.” She didn’t have to make the meal to pay for the heal.
But Wait, There’s More
You’d think that would make for a full Saturday. Let’s run down the list of all that’s gone down. Teaching with amazing authority at the synagogue. Chasing a demon out of a dude during worship. Instantaneous healing in the home down the block. We top it all off with a spread of delicious food with friends and Pete’s family.
But wait, there’s more. “That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus” (v32). Remember a few verses back when “the news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee” (Mk 1:28)? Mark wasn’t kidding. At dusk, a line forms at the front door.
Twisting God’s Top Ten
Don’t miss how the writer points to the clock on the all and tells us how this happens “that evening after sunset” (v32). Sunset is the official sign that the Saturday Sabbath is over. God graciously gave His people the Sabbath as a day off after 400 years of nonstop work as Egyptian slaves (Ex 20:8-11).
Without giving too much away about what’s to come in Mark’s Gospel, the Sabbath is going to become a BIG hairy deal in his story of Jesus. These events at Simon’s house as well as that demonic throw down at the synagogue foreshadow what’s coming.
Religious bullies have twisted God’s Top Ten into a complicated code of commands that make the US tax code and NCAA manual look like children’s picture books. That includes the Sabbath. They’ve gone so far as to limit carrying people on stretchers to get help as “work.” So with the sun now down, people begin bringing friends and family who need Jesus’ healing touch.
Peter’s Story of Jesus
Since Help has come all the way from heaven to Capernaum, people line up at Simon’s house. “The whole town gathered at the door to watch” (v33). Folks come not just to get a miracle but to watch them being performed. Does Mark really mean every single person in this little fishing village came to Pete and Andy’s place? Got anything else to do on a sleepy Saturday evening in Galilee?
Once again, John Mark includes a detail the other Gospel writers do not. “The whole town gathered at the door to watch” (v33). Where does he get this observation? Straight from the Apostle Peter! Remember, some of the earliest church fathers said Mark’s Gospel is actually Pete’s personal memoir of Jesus’ life. It’s like one of those books we see. “Peter’s Story of Jesus…as told to John Mark.”
Ground Zero for Heaven’s Healing
Put yourself if Simon Peter’s sandals for just a moment. The past few days have been a whirlwind. The One you believe is Messiah has made you and your kid brother His first round draft picks. You see Him rock the crowd and kick demonic butt at your hometown synagogue. He heals your mother-in-law from her high fever in a heartbeat.
Now your humble home is ground zero for heaven’s healing and everybody’s come to watch. Imagine your pride, your gratitude, and your awe. And we know something that Peter didn’t at this point in the story. He ain’t seen nothing yet! The next three years will not only rock his world but ours too!!
No One-Trick Pony
Christ gives the crowd exactly what the came to see. Better yet, He gives those suffering exactly the healing they desperately need. “So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and He cast out many demons” (v34).
The Son of God isn’t just some one-trick pony. He’s not a specialist only dealing with one sort of health problem. He can do so much more than break a high fever. He heals all sorts of crazy illnesses. Demons are no big deal when He gets involved.
Does Jesus Still Heal?
Let me guess what some of you are thinking. A lot of folks believe Jesus may have been able to provide His healing touch back in the day, but that was then. This is now. He’s gone home to heaven and taken His miracles with Him.
Here’s the truth of the matter. The Son of God still heals. He provides the ultimate and final treatment for every one of His followers. For many, Jesus allows doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to use the gifts, talents, and abilities that He’s given them to heal people.
Not If but When
For a few others, the Great Physician gets personally involved in their care and supernaturally heals them. The rest of God’s children receive their miracle on the other side of eternity. Being the presence of God means no more pain, no more crying, no more disease, and no more death (Rev 21:4).
So for those of us who’ve placed our trust in Jesus, healing isn’t a matter of if but when. And we’re talking total healing. Physical. Emotional. And, most importantly, spiritual. It’s the kind of cure Isaiah writes about. “He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (Is 53:5).
Controlling His Messianic Mission
Let’s swing by Simon and Andrew’s place and wrap things up. Once again, we see Jesus stuff a supernatural sock in the demons’ mouths when He casts them out of their victims. “But because the demons knew who He was, He did not allow them to speak” (v34).
Why wouldn’t Christ let them reveal His identity? Well, think about it. Would you let your sworn enemies run your PR campaign? Didn’t think so. Jesus has His own agenda. He has His own plan. And it doesn’t include allowing evil spirits to put their sinful spin on His messianic mission.
Break Glass in Case of Emergency
So what’s all this mean for you and me? First of all, we can’t leave Jesus at church when we leave. Just like He came home with Peter and Andrew, He wants to come home with you and me. He’s not just for Sundays anymore. As a matter of fact, He never was!
Second, let’s remember to go to Jesus for help and healing right from the start. He shouldn’t be one of those “break glass in case of emergency” doohickeys. Prayer should be our first call, not our last resort.
Third, let’s recognize that the Son of God is the ultimate source of all healing. No matter how it happens, it all comes from Him. He was. He is. He always will be. It’s all part of being the “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). He still heals.
Help comes to Us
That means inviting Him to be a part of your healing. Are you sick? Do you have a common cold or even cancer? Has an addiction grabbed ahold of your soul and won’t let go? Do you struggle with mental illness? Pray to the Son of God for His healing touch. Maybe, just maybe, He’ll work a miracle on this side of eternity. We’ll never know until we ask.
We can be sure that God still makes house calls. When we can’t get help, Help comes to us.
With the ongoing debate over healthcare (take a deep breath, we’re NOT getting political here!), it’s almost impossible to think of a day when doctors actually made house calls. Yup, it’s true. I remember back in a previous millennium when the family physician would come to you when you couldn’t get there.
No calls to the insurance company about whether something is covered. No worry about whether this doctor was “out of network.” No deductibles. No copays. The doc and his little black bag would simply swing by and bring healing your house. When you couldn’t get to help, help came to you.
Capernaum’s Urgent Care Clinic
In Mark’s bio of Jesus, he writes about the day the Son of God makes a house call right after church (Mk 1:29-34). Before it was all said and done, the Great Physician transforms one of his new disciples’ homes into a crowded and crazy urgent care clinic in Capernaum.
From Zero to Sixty
But let’s back up for a little context. The opening chapter of Mark’s story of the Messiah certainly gets off to a rip roaring start. This Gospel goes from zero to sixty like the meanest muscle car. Your head is spinning after just a few short verses. Once you’re strapped in and ready, we’ll review. Punch it!
The story begins with some quick road construction in order to prepare the highway for the high speeds we’re about to experience (Mk 1:1-3). Next, Jesus’ weird cousin John shows up as the opening act to get everyone ready for His message (Mk 1:4-8).
Things really get going the day Christ comes to the Jordan to be baptized by John. The other two Members of the Trinity can’t get there fast enough (Mk 1:9-11). Then Jesus wastes no time and opens His schedule by playing the toughest road game you can imagine, winning a forty day duel with the devil in the desert (Mk 1:12-13).
The Original Fast and Furious
Right after that, the radical Rabbi/Carpenter begins building the team He’ll use to transform the world. No, not with summa cum laude seminary grads and spiritual superstars. Instead He drafts four commercial fishermen (Mk 1:16-20). Not long after, Jesus shocks folks at a sleepy local synagogue not only with His incredible teaching but a rather raucous exorcism (Mk 1:21-28).
That’s all in just the first chapter! Is your head spinning? It’s my contention that Mark’s writing the original Fast and Furious. Well, we’d better hang on. The action doesn’t stop there!
Lunch after Church
We pick things up with Jesus and His first four followers leaving that crazy day of worship in Capernaum. “After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home” (v29). Christ and His brand new crew head are apparently coming over for lunch after church.
There are a few neat points to notice in this little verse. Both Matthew and Luke tell this very same story as well but Mark is the only one who mentions Jim and John. I mean, it certainly makes sense. Jesus asked them to join Him the same day as Simon and Andrew.
Two Boys from Bethsaida
Notice that Simon and his little brother Andy share the same home in the fishing village of Capernaum. You may remember John tells us these two guys are originally from Bethsaida (Jn 1:144). That’s just a little less than nine miles up the beach of the Sea of Galilee. Bethsaida sat at the foot of what’s known today as the Golan Heights.
Tradition holds that this home was just a block away from the synagogue. How do we know that? If you’re lucky enough to swing by Capernaum today, you’ll not only see the remains of an ancient synagogue but the place folks believe where Simon lived just down the street. Modern Christians built a church that looks like a flying saucer right over the location of the home. Nothing says First Century faith like a UFO.
The Married Disciple
Mark let’s us know from Jump Street that Simon and his kid brother share the home with their extended family. “Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever” (30). The apostle Jesus nickname’s Peter is clearly married BEFORE he started following our Lord.
This kinda trashes the idea that you have to be some sort of unmarried monk in order for God to use you in a big way. As a matter of fact, Paul makes the point that Pete and his lovely bride do a good bit of traveling together as they spread the news about Jesus (1Cor 9:5).
Caring for Those Who Can’t Care for Themselves
The fact that Simon’s mother-in-law is living with her daughter’s family probably means that her husband has died. Remember, there’s no Social Security, nursing homes, or retirement communities back in those days. An elderly widow had no way of supporting herself. She desperately needed friends and family in order to survive.
This is why God goes out of His way to tell Jesus’ followers to take care of widows, orphans, and anyone else who can’t take of themselves (James 1:27). Paul instructs Timothy that younger ladies who’ve lost their husbands shouldn’t be looking for a free ride (1Tim 5:16). But the church has the responsibility to help women who have no family support (1Tim 5:9-10, 16).
She’s Got a Fever!
Meanwhile back at Simon’s house, his mother-in-law is burning up and can’t get out of bed. Mark uses a Greek word (Gr. πυρεσσω/puresso) to describe her fever which literally means to be on fire. We all know just how terribly helpless we are when our body temp soars into triple digits.
How sick is she? When Dr. Luke diagnoses Pete’s mother-in-law, he uses medical language in the original text to say she is “very sick with a high fever” (Lk 4:38). MacArthur says that the good doctor hints that her condition is critical and quite possibly life threatening. Remember, it’s not like she could pop a couple of aspirin or ibuprofen to knock the fever down.
She’s got a fever and the only prescription is NOT more cowbell. (My apologies to Bruce Dickinson. I just had to get that out of my system.) Whatever they’ve tried to this point has clearly not worked. Her temp has spiked and she needs help right now.
Tell Jesus First
Once Jesus walks through the front door, everything changes. Maybe it’s because of what just what they saw the Lord do at the synagogue, but they don’t waste a second in asking Him to help. “They told Jesus about her right away” (v30).
Mark once again uses his favorite Greek word ευθεος/eutheos. It means immediately, at once, right away, and indicates the very next event in a sequence. He drops it eleven times in chapter one alone! A form of this word shows up more than 40 times in Mark…that’s more than the rest of the NT combined!!
The Priority of Prayer
Had they already pleaded with God for healing? Was Jesus appearance that Sabbath an answer to their prayers? We don’t know. It IS clear that once Christ arrives, they waste no time in telling Him exactly what’s going on.
Here’s one thing you and I can take away from this moment at Pete’s house. We need to make prayer our priority. I like how Oswald Chambers puts it. “We tend use prayer as our last resort but God wants it to be our first line of defense.” Too many times we wait until nothing else has worked. Too many times we pray as a last option. Let’s give God a shout right from the start.
He IS Help
He’s always right there and ready. One of the hit songs in the boxed set of the great worship tunes we call the Psalms makes that clear. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1 ESV). Notice how the psalm writer personifies God as help. He not only helps. He IS Help. The folks at Simon’s house are going to find that out in just a few minutes.
When we can’t get to help, Help comes to us.
Home Comes for Us
After they tell Jesus of her high fever, He wastes no time. “So He went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up” (31). Did you catch that? Christ comes to her! And why wouldn’t He? If the Son of God is willing to leave the comforts of heaven to come and save us, there’s nothing that will stop Him from coming to our house to help.
That’s the core of the Gospel right there. God is THE Initiator. He’s the One who is on the move to come to our rescue and make things right. It’s actually the truth behind the tagline for the movie “Dunkirk.” When we can’t make it home, home comes for us.
Jesus’ Go-To Move
But Jesus didn’t just stand there and stare at Pete’s mother-in-law. He gets personal and “took her by the hand” (v30). Jesus touches her. You see, touching is His go-to move. Over and over again, Christ scores with a touch.
NBA fans know what I’m talking about. Kareem had the Skyhook. George Gervin had the finger roll. Olajuwon had the Dream Shake. Jesus has His Touch. We see Him reach out and make physical contact time and time again (Mt 8:3; 9:29; 20:34; Mk 1:41; 7:33; 10:16; Lk 22:51). Touching is His go-to move. And in order to touch, He has to get close.
When we can’t get help, Help comes to us.
Get Well NOW!
They don’t have wait long at Pete’s house for healing. The very moment Jesus touches Simon’s mother-in-law, “then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them” (v31). Notice that little word “then.” There’s Mark’s favorite little adverb once again, ευθεος/eutheos! Jesus has His go-to move. Mark has his go-to word.
As the Great Physician, Christ has the miraculous ability to heal ASAP! No convalescence. No recovery room. No waiting. No “get well soon.” This is get well NOW! Matthew and Luke back that up the story of immediate healing (Mt 8:15; Lk 4:39). That’s a sure sign that Someone has supernaturally gotten involved with your healthcare!
Sandwiches as Worship
In case we don’t have enough proof of a miracle already, Simon’s mother-in-law jumps out of bed and starts whipping together lunch! She makes the meal as an act of worship. It’s her response to what He has done for her.
If you’re looking for a definition of worship, you’ve got one right here. It’s our response to who God is and what He has done. When you think of all that He’s done, it’s hard to sit still. You’ve just GOT to do something! You’ve got to worship! You’ve got to respond to His goodness! Yeah, sometimes worship might mean making everybody sandwiches.
Notice what she is NOT doing. Peter’s mother-in-law is NOT cooking as a way of paying Jesus back. This is her way of saying “thank you.” She didn’t have to make the meal to pay for the heal.
But Wait, There’s More
You’d think that would make for a full Saturday. Let’s run down the list of all that’s gone down. Teaching with amazing authority at the synagogue. Chasing a demon out of a dude during worship. Instantaneous healing in the home down the block. We top it all off with a spread of delicious food with friends and Pete’s family.
But wait, there’s more. “That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus” (v32). Remember a few verses back when “the news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee” (Mk 1:28)? Mark wasn’t kidding. At dusk, a line forms at the front door.
Twisting God’s Top Ten
Don’t miss how the writer points to the clock on the all and tells us how this happens “that evening after sunset” (v32). Sunset is the official sign that the Saturday Sabbath is over. God graciously gave His people the Sabbath as a day off after 400 years of nonstop work as Egyptian slaves (Ex 20:8-11).
Without giving too much away about what’s to come in Mark’s Gospel, the Sabbath is going to become a BIG hairy deal in his story of Jesus. These events at Simon’s house as well as that demonic throw down at the synagogue foreshadow what’s coming.
Religious bullies have twisted God’s Top Ten into a complicated code of commands that make the US tax code and NCAA manual look like children’s picture books. That includes the Sabbath. They’ve gone so far as to limit carrying people on stretchers to get help as “work.” So with the sun now down, people begin bringing friends and family who need Jesus’ healing touch.
Peter’s Story of Jesus
Since Help has come all the way from heaven to Capernaum, people line up at Simon’s house. “The whole town gathered at the door to watch” (v33). Folks come not just to get a miracle but to watch them being performed. Does Mark really mean every single person in this little fishing village came to Pete and Andy’s place? Got anything else to do on a sleepy Saturday evening in Galilee?
Once again, John Mark includes a detail the other Gospel writers do not. “The whole town gathered at the door to watch” (v33). Where does he get this observation? Straight from the Apostle Peter! Remember, some of the earliest church fathers said Mark’s Gospel is actually Pete’s personal memoir of Jesus’ life. It’s like one of those books we see. “Peter’s Story of Jesus…as told to John Mark.”
Ground Zero for Heaven’s Healing
Put yourself if Simon Peter’s sandals for just a moment. The past few days have been a whirlwind. The One you believe is Messiah has made you and your kid brother His first round draft picks. You see Him rock the crowd and kick demonic butt at your hometown synagogue. He heals your mother-in-law from her high fever in a heartbeat.
Now your humble home is ground zero for heaven’s healing and everybody’s come to watch. Imagine your pride, your gratitude, and your awe. And we know something that Peter didn’t at this point in the story. He ain’t seen nothing yet! The next three years will not only rock his world but ours too!!
No One-Trick Pony
Christ gives the crowd exactly what the came to see. Better yet, He gives those suffering exactly the healing they desperately need. “So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and He cast out many demons” (v34).
The Son of God isn’t just some one-trick pony. He’s not a specialist only dealing with one sort of health problem. He can do so much more than break a high fever. He heals all sorts of crazy illnesses. Demons are no big deal when He gets involved.
Does Jesus Still Heal?
Let me guess what some of you are thinking. A lot of folks believe Jesus may have been able to provide His healing touch back in the day, but that was then. This is now. He’s gone home to heaven and taken His miracles with Him.
Here’s the truth of the matter. The Son of God still heals. He provides the ultimate and final treatment for every one of His followers. For many, Jesus allows doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to use the gifts, talents, and abilities that He’s given them to heal people.
Not If but When
For a few others, the Great Physician gets personally involved in their care and supernaturally heals them. The rest of God’s children receive their miracle on the other side of eternity. Being the presence of God means no more pain, no more crying, no more disease, and no more death (Rev 21:4).
So for those of us who’ve placed our trust in Jesus, healing isn’t a matter of if but when. And we’re talking total healing. Physical. Emotional. And, most importantly, spiritual. It’s the kind of cure Isaiah writes about. “He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (Is 53:5).
Controlling His Messianic Mission
Let’s swing by Simon and Andrew’s place and wrap things up. Once again, we see Jesus stuff a supernatural sock in the demons’ mouths when He casts them out of their victims. “But because the demons knew who He was, He did not allow them to speak” (v34).
Why wouldn’t Christ let them reveal His identity? Well, think about it. Would you let your sworn enemies run your PR campaign? Didn’t think so. Jesus has His own agenda. He has His own plan. And it doesn’t include allowing evil spirits to put their sinful spin on His messianic mission.
Break Glass in Case of Emergency
So what’s all this mean for you and me? First of all, we can’t leave Jesus at church when we leave. Just like He came home with Peter and Andrew, He wants to come home with you and me. He’s not just for Sundays anymore. As a matter of fact, He never was!
Second, let’s remember to go to Jesus for help and healing right from the start. He shouldn’t be one of those “break glass in case of emergency” doohickeys. Prayer should be our first call, not our last resort.
Third, let’s recognize that the Son of God is the ultimate source of all healing. No matter how it happens, it all comes from Him. He was. He is. He always will be. It’s all part of being the “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). He still heals.
Help comes to Us
That means inviting Him to be a part of your healing. Are you sick? Do you have a common cold or even cancer? Has an addiction grabbed ahold of your soul and won’t let go? Do you struggle with mental illness? Pray to the Son of God for His healing touch. Maybe, just maybe, He’ll work a miracle on this side of eternity. We’ll never know until we ask.
We can be sure that God still makes house calls. When we can’t get help, Help comes to us.
©2017
Jay Jennings
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