prepared for Sunday February 9, 2003. Pittsworth Lutheran Parish, Qld. (Pastor Wayne Logan)
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" 38 Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come." 39 So he travelled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we thank You that Your Word has come to us with power to heal and to set us free. Help us to spread Your word to others, who are still captive to the powers of darkness, so that they too might be delivered and find comfort and strength in the sure hope that only you can give. Sanctify us through Your Word, O Lord, Your Word is truth, Amen.
Our text begins with Jesus and his disciples leaving a synagogue service, where Jesus had preached, and confronted an evil spirit. In the home of Simon and Andrew, Jesus was asked to help Simon's mother-in-law, and he did. He took her by the hand and healed her fever. Here we see that God's power and love are not limited to what happens in Church. Christ is pleased to bring deliverance and healing also in our homes. That evening after sunset, "the whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons." The love and power of our Lord embraced the whole community. But the next morning we find Jesus away from the crowd, and spending time alone, in prayer to his heavenly Father.
The disciple searched for Jesus, and when they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you!" Jesus had become very popular, but he responded, "Let's go somewhere else -to the nearby villages" (Why?) "-so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come."
Jesus was happy to heal and deliver people. But he wasn't interested in impressing them or becoming popular. He was more concerned that they listened to his teaching. He knew their physical healing would be only temporary. Those who were healed would still have to die one day. So too those who were delivered from the evil spirits: Unless they took the word of God to heart, they would be in danger of re-occupation by hell's foul spirits. The disciples and the excited community focused on the healing and power ministry of the Lord. But his focus was different. "Let's go somewhere else -to the nearby villages," he said, "so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come."
Deliverance and healing ministry can be part of God's loving action in our midst, but Jesus said he really came to preach. He came to bring God's Word as light to a dark world. He came to bring salvation from unbelief, fear and death, to restore lost people to their spiritual home through God's mercy and grace. He came to preach. Now preaching is usually nowhere near as impressive as a showdown with an evil spirit. or a miraculous cure for cancer. But preaching was what our Lord chose to focus on. He calls us not to be distracted by things that appear important and impressive to our eyes or the eyes of the world. We don't need headlines in the papers. We need his Word. A Word that often appears weak, foolish, and unimpressive. As 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." Romans 10:17 reminds us that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes through the preaching of Christ."
Friends, are we only a demanding crowd, keen to have Christ serve us with gifts of healing and special events in our lives, but not concerned about the preaching of Christ? Maybe we do appreciate the Word God, read it regularly, and eagerly gather to listen to preaching. We want a pastor to feed us faithfully, and keep us in touch with God. But what about other places, villages, homesteads, -even great cities-, where Christ's Words have not yet been heard?
Christ came to die not only for our sins, but for the sins of the whole world. His Word is not only for we who have been baptised and have grown up in a church family, or for those who in some way are part of our church community, but for all people. God has called the whole Church to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. The compelling need of people is not healing, and not simply deliverance from Satan's power. It is the preaching of the cross, God's Word that creates and sustains faith, brings us peace with God and secures us in him forever.
Jesus said, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come."
For centuries God's people kept to themselves, settled and satisfied in a Christian Europe, and the world's lost millions stayed lost. Then some Christians heard God's call, and did something about it. It cost them popularity, health, money and often their very lives, but they left their comfort zones to do as Jesus did. They went 'somewhere else.' To nearby villages, and to the ends of the earth. And as a result, many people are eternally grateful.
God has given us work and responsibilities at home. Each of us has our particular calling or vocation. For my part, I need to tend the flock that is here, which means essentially, to provide you with the good pasture of God's nourishing Word and the blessing of the Sacraments. Over the years, little 'crowds' have gathered in our congregations, appreciative of the healing and delivering work of Christ. There is still work to be done to strengthen the body of Christ here. And yet there remains for me, and for you, "somewhere else." There are nearby villages - literally, and in the sense of people close to us- who need to hear the good news of Christ. There remains many other place who will not hear, unless those whom God has called, listen and obey, and go, with the support and partnership of others whose call lies closer to home.
Christ has given us his Word, and commands us to listen His preaching and teaching. His intention is that we do not simply enjoy the wonders of his love for ourselves, but that our hearts will be so full of the gospel of the grace of God, that they will spill over, and we will pass on what we have learned of Christ, to others.
May God grant us grace, and the blessing of His Holy Spirit, so that we never become a clamouring, selfish, demanding crowd, but instead live as disciples of Christ, serving under him in the ministry of proclaiming the Gospel to folk near and far.
God's Word is true, Amen.
The peace of God, which is beyond all human understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.