Mark 1:29-39

Mark 1:29-39

Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House

²⁹ As soon as they^* left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. ³¹He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. ³² That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. ³³And the whole city was gathered around the door. ³⁴And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

A Preaching Tour in Galilee

³⁵ In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. ³⁶And Simon and his companions hunted for him. ³⁷When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ ³⁸He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’ ³⁹And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

In today’s Gospel we encounter a lovely domestic scene. Jesus must have been exhausted after the dramatic nature of what had happened in the synagogue and looked forward to a meal with friends and some wonderful rest. I know, each time after I have led Sunday worship, I feel totally drained and have always had to lie down before preparing for the next service. This was especially true when I expounded on a passage on Luke in the morning and Revelation each Sunday evening! But what a pleasant and fulfilled exhaustion it always was.

It is important to note that Jesus cares deeply for all people who come to him. He does not need a crowd to witness his miracles, just people who bring their needs to him. At the time, there were all sorts of formulae and rituals that were prescribed to deal with exorcisms and healings, but Jesus used the simplicity of his words.

A mother-in-law was ill and ‘… they told him about her at once …’

I have the great privilege of a prayer ministry. It is an honour to bring people before the Lord in prayer and to know it is because of who we pray to and not because of our prayers that people are blessed. When I pray, I am often reminded of the friends of the paralysed man, persevering and lowering him down through the roof, because the house was so full – and Jesus saw their faith and healed the man. The age old hymn has it in a nutshell: “Take it to the Lord in prayer”! How often we go without, do we struggle, do we fail, because we have not taken it to the Lord in prayer?

And yet our present context does not always make it possible. Whenever a minister visited someone at home or in hospital in South Africa, it was expected of them that they would: “Lees en bid …” (read and pray). But in some areas here in the UK, it seems unnatural and often unwanted. I remember when I was first in pastoral ministry here, I heard of a member who had gone into hospital for an orthopaedic procedure. Still following my South African training, I went, at my first opportunity, to see him and to commend him to our Lord’s keeping, only to be met by the sincere comment: “O God, is it that bad!” At first I thought it was a joke and made things worse by treating it like that; but it was meant is all seriousness. I have also been told expressly by some, that they do not want to be visited or prayed for. In my early ministry I was affirmed in my visiting and prayerful care in addition to my expository teaching role. I remember Professor Brian Gayber, the Dean of the faculty, at our valedictory Chapel service at Rhodes University saying in his sermon – (I paraphrase):

“You have studied the mysteries of theology, you have gone into the depths of biblical study and philosophy … … but I have a secret to reveal to you: successful ministry requires you to visit and get to know your people, teach them from Scripture and pray for them …”

For good reasons, school chaplains cannot work in this way, because our congregations have been told to be there. This requires a complete paradigm shift which does not give us the liberty we enjoy in a more overtly Christian environment. But I am richly blessed: I work for a committed Christian man who joins me for prayer most weeks and I have a number of staff and students who do the same. I believe our school is blessed because there are many who bring it to the Lord – each day – in prayer. Sadly I am not sure that the rest of Britain does the same. I do not write this in a judgmental spirit, but out of love for the people and this land. Britain misses out on so much because people do not bring their needs and those of their loved ones to Jesus in prayer. (I have just heard on the news that a nurse has been suspended because she offered to pray for a patient. In this case, the patient did not mind but told a friend who reported it, and the nurse is in trouble and might even lose her job!)

Barclay records a touching example of a simple, unassuming Christian minister, who never let a person leave without praying with them. Barclay writes of a friend of this pastor who explained that he was

“…struck by the extreme simplicity of the old man’s prayers. It seemed just a continuation of an intimate conversation that the old saint was carrying on with Jesus.” (page 30)

Jesus is alive! We all too often worship the Jesus of history and forget that he is the Christ of faith who “… walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way …” (as the hymn writer put it). Barclay adds:

“He is a friend with whom I can discuss everything that happens in my life. He shares my joy and my pain, my hopes and fears … Therein lies the very essence of the Christian life. … ‘Take it to the Lord in prayer’.” (page 30)

Peter’s mother-in-law also sets an example. She used her recovery for renewed service. “Jesus helps us that we may help others.” She served – willingly – and out of gratitude.

Again I am touched by the simplicity of this lovely scene and the way our Lord cares for all of us, even though, in the eyes of the world, we seem so utterly insignificant. For the creator and sustainer of the universe, we all matter; there is no one who does not matter – we all are important. Amen.

So the people brought all who had need to Jesus, the sick in body and mind – and they were all – the nameless many - touched and blessed.

Have you noticed how often the different evangelists comment on the frequency of Jesus going out to be alone to pray? It was early in the morning, it was still dark and Jesus sought out a deserted place ‘… and there he prayed …’ He needed to pray – I need to pray - for without it I am lost. But prayer is – in my mind at least – often mistaken as being a time of words. I find rather that it is more a time of ‘being’. I love sitting in our school’s chapel all alone in the stillness and just being. True, I say the Morning Office and I love the privilege of the time of intercessory prayer, especially as God blesses me as I pray in this way; but there is something refreshing in just being there; being immersed in the presence of God.

I have not only experienced this in places of worship. I remember visiting a Methodist mission high up in the mountains of Lesotho and being left on a plateau. In the distance I heard the sound of a bell, but it seemed as though there was nothing to make the sound, until I noticed a shepherd with his sheep, climbing up the side of the mountain. They were so far away they appeared to me, the size of a match box. I was simply filled with the numinous experience of the beauty, the simplicity and the peace.

I remember also a time in hospital when I was awaiting surgery to remove the tumour from my pancreas (as well as most of my digestive system) and the onslaught of the most exquisite pain that lasted for hours on end – the visit of my Superintendent Minister – and then a while later the pain simply and inexplicably disappearing. I was enveloped by the presence of God and the most amazing and wonderful peace.

There are many others, often taking me by surprise because the ‘ordinary’ is so filled with them. All kairoi moments!

Jesus needed them – and if he needed them – so do we all even more so.

It would appear that Jesus reached out to meet the needs of all who came or were brought to him. But he was drained and needed to be replenished, so he sought the presence of his heavenly Father.

The more we give out – the more we need to be replenished. The busier we are, the more we need to pray. Barclay writes: “Not to pray is to be guilty of the incredible folly of ignoring the ‘possibility of adding God to our resources’.” (page 33)

The disciples just never got it – not at his stage at least. They were filled with excitement; they were befriended by this wonder-worker and they wanted to see more. They thought it was good news for Jesus that even more people were seeking him out. If they were really perceptive to his needs, they would have left him alone.

Jesus did not want to become famous as a worker of wonders; he had good news to proclaim, the Kingdom of God was at hand. Before the misconception could take hold, he set out on a preaching tour of the synagogues of Galilee. Mark uses one verse to make this point; it probably took weeks, possibly months. Where he preached, he met personal and material ordinary needs as well.

I am reminded of Brother Lawrence, the 17^th Century monk, and his lovely work entitled: “The Practice of the Presence of God.” In his monastery kitchen he discovered ‘… an overwhelming delight in God’s presence …’

I trust that we will enjoy the ‘… presence of God …’ in the ordinariness of our day. If Brother Lawrence can experience it in the banality of the dirty dishes and preparing food, I am sure we can do the same as we mark hundreds of scripts or in some other simple activity of a teacher and pastor.