“The Message” – Mark 1:29-39 – February 8, 2009
In Mark we have a series of stories where Jesus healed those who were sick. He healed the man with the unclean spirit, Simon’s mother-in-law, a leper, the paralytic, the man with the withered hand and countless others who were brought to him to be cured of their demons and diseases. Make no mistake, people were healed because of Jesus and they were healed in a variety of ways. He used words, touch, forgiveness, compassion and grace. In today’s lesson “he took the woman by the hand and lifted her up.”
Each healing story is profoundly different from the others. There was no standard medical procedure or no prescription drug that cured his clients. In each case he was made aware of someone who was sick and Jesus attended to them all. By the end of this particular day in Capernaum Jesus was spent. Rising early the next morning, Jesus found a deserted place where he could pray. Apparently he needed to recharge his batteries. I believe he was emotionally drained. He simply needed to retreat from all those that wanted to be healed.
I have several friends who are physicians. They all tell me that after seeing patients all day, they are exhausted, completed drained of energy. They need private, alone time to go on, since tomorrow is another day. It’s no different in ministry. A series of pastoral calls is also emotionally and physically draining. I pray, I touch, I give words of encouragement and like Jesus I sometimes hold their hands. Some get well and some don’t but that is not in my power to control. Attending to the sick is part of the “call’ to be a pastor.
That being said there comes a point where healing the sick can be overwhelming. While he was praying the disciples found Jesus and told him that “everyone was searching for him.” The word of his healing power had reached epic proportions. The needs were endless. But, Jesus then surprised the disciples with these words: “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.”
The disciples must have been shocked at those words. “What, you mean you are going to walk away from all these sick people? Preaching is more important than healing?” Apparently that was the case. Before he healed anyone Jesus proclaimed, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Indeed, Jesus’ primary mission was to spread the gospel. The reason he came was to “proclaim the message.”
Jesus resisted the fame and notoriety of becoming a faith healer or miracle worker. He frequently instructed those he healed to say nothing to anyone. He did not want his healing ministry to take precedence over his mission of preaching the good news. In order to fully understand his mission it is necessary to grasp the essence of “the message.” What was the message?
In Matthew Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven has come near.” (Matt. 4:17) In Luke his message was expanded. He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) Here in Mark Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mark 1:15)
For me, his message meant the following: First, REPENT, change your ways, walk in a new direction or “follow me.” Secondly, there is GOOD NEWS, everyone is a child of God and there is an infinite supply of God’s love. Third, GOD IS WITH YOU, God is in your midst, walking with you, listening, sharing your burdens and feeling your pain.
After the fever left Simons’ mother-in-law, she “served them.” In other words, she responded to her healing in an act of discipleship. I believe she was grateful for being well again and to show her appreciation to Jesus she assumed the role of a servant.. She used what talents and resources she had for the glory of God. Now she was a follower, having changed the direction of her life.
Tom Chappell, founder of “Tom’s” of Maine, was a man who appeared to have achieved the “American Dream.” He had a wonderful family, a large New England home, and all the comforts of wealth. But, he wasn’t happy.
One day, Tom awoke and realized he had lost his enthusiasm. He began to question why he was in business. Tom embarked on a search for the meaning of life and work. He enrolled in divinity school to find the answer. While there he was confronted with the idea that making money did not have to be an empty, unfulfilling exercise. He developed a new mission statement for his company that embraced social responsibility and care for the environment. In the process Tom rediscovered the enthusiasm for his business and he went on to introduce several new products. Once again, Tom’s life work became meaningful and fun. (from God’s Little Lessons for Teachers, Honor Books, Tulsa Oklahoma, 2001)
Tom's of Maine has been one of the pioneers of "green" business, manufacturing toothpaste and other personal care items from natural ingredients since 1970. The company's products are biodegradable, packaged in recycled paper board with soy-based inks, and don't involve animal testing. Tom's of Maine uses wind power to run its manufacturing plant in Kennebunk, Maine, and donates 10 percent of its profits to charitable organizations.
Tom Chappell knew the meaning of the word, repent. His life became fulfilled when he walked in a new direction, working for the greater good of society.
The second dynamic of Jesus’ message was to believe in the Good News? In Jesus’ day people who were marginalized in any way were outcasts. There was no system in place for the sick, the dying, the lame or the poor to receive help. As Jesus journeyed in Galilee he came upon the disenfranchised in society. The good news was that he attended to them. He acknowledged their presence and reached out to them. Although is primary mission was to preach, that didn’t prevent him from caring for others.
While I was working on this very sermon, a woman came to the church seeking help. Her home had been robbed and the robber stole everything in her child’s room; her bed, her clothes, even her toys. I was able to refer her to an agency where she could find help. That incident reminded me that while I am dedicated to preaching the word, I too am not exempt from attending to the needs of people in need.
Your mission in life may not be spreading the word. You may be a teacher, a nurse, a tool and die maker or an associate on an assembly line. Like me, folks with needs will appear in your path, interrupting your primary mission. This story is here to remind us that although we have a mission there will always be people along our journey who have need.
When you read on in the rest of the gospel of Mark, notice that Jesus is constantly confronted with folks in need. In the remaining chapters Jesus healed a demoniac in Gerasene. He restored the life of Jairus’ daughter and healed a woman who suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years. He healed the sick at Gennesaret and healed the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman. He cured a man who was deaf and restored the sight of a blind man at Bethsaida. He restored the speech of a young boy and in Jericho he restored the sight of the blind man, Bartimaeus. Jesus came to preach the good news, but he never ceased to care for those who were on the fringes of society.
The final part of “The Message” is the promise that God is with us. As Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is near.” We experience the closeness of God when people care for our hurts and our needs. Likewise, we experience God’s presence when we extend a hand to others.
Several years ago, I was asked to preach at a service of ordination for a colleague. That was a real honor for me and I was thrilled with the opportunity. Following the service we gathered for food and fellowship in the fellowship hall. During that informal event my friend’s wife was telling me about a problem she was having with her teenage son. He had been acting out and she was feeling overwhelmed. I listened to her story and she thanked me for my help.
That experience has reaffirmed the fact that while I am called to preach, there will always be people with needs along the way. The “message” is essential but in no way can it be separated from the ministry of personal care.
Dr. Keith Wagner