A Visit To Peter's House.

I. Introduction

A. Here after having taught the disciples the sermon on the mount, Jesus pays a visit to Peter’s home

1. And as He entered the house He saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying sick

a. Now the Bible says sick with a fever.

b. Where she had a fever or not is not that important

c. The fact the Jesus noticed her on the bed sick shows that He noticed such things

2. Now every one of us has been sick with a fever

a. And we know just how miserable it can be

(1) We are often terribly thirsty

(2) Often some what dizzy

(3) Hot at times and freezing at other times

(4) And every muscle and joint hurts

(5) And we are probably communicable

b. Fevers are the result of some viral or bacterial infection

(1) A cold or the flu

(2) In Jesus time perhaps something even more serious

(a) Well Jesus noticed and did something about it

i) Lets turn to Matthew 8:14 and 15

(b) Jesus came to earth to do three things

i) To heal individuals

ii) To meet the needs of people

iii) And to prove His Messiahship

II. Body

A. Jesus came to earth to heal individuals

Matthew 8:14-15 NKJV

Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever. {15} So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

1. In this little story Jesus ministered to one individual

a. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law

b. There was no crowd, no multitude

c. Just Peter’s family

(1) Possibly Andrew

(2) Possibly the sons of Zebedee, James and John

(a) Turn to Mark 10:45

d. But it would not have mattered if there were only Jesus and the mother-in-law, Jesus still would have healed her

(1) Now Matthew notes that she got up and began to serve them

(2) But this was never Jesus motive

Mark 10:45 NKJV

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

(3) Jesus did not come to be served

(4) Jesus came to serve, to minister to mankind

2. In healing the mother-in-law Jesus also served all those in Peter’s house

a. As I mentioned before, a fever is a symptom and not the cause

(1) Even if the problem was a simple cold, every one exposed to her cold would have gotten it

(2) And so, in healing her, Jesus had to have eliminated the cause of the fever and so prevented the other in the house from getting the disease

b. But He also freed the family from having to minister to the mother-in-law

(1) More hands lighten the load for every one

(2) Along with the fact that the two hands added to the load were part of the load before Jesus healed them

(a) Turn to Matthew 14:14

c. Why did Jesus heal the mother-in-law?

(1) We have already said that it was not so she could serve Him

(2) Even though the passage dose not says so, it was because Jesus had compassion on her

Matthew 14:14 NKJV

And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

(3) Turn to Matthew 20:33-34

d. Two blind men cried out to Jesus, and Jesus called them to Himself and asked said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

Matthew 20:33-34 NKJV

They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." {34} So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

(1) Notice Jesus had compassion on the sick and the blind, the leper, the cripple, and the demon possessed

(a) The word compassion is used 21 times in your King James Bible and only 6 times outside the Gospels

(b) 15 times in Matthew, Mark and Luke

(c) Compassion is a loving, caring, feeling for some one who is hurting

3. Now I want you to notice something in these two verses in Matthew 8, verses 14 and 15

Matthew 8:14-15 NKJV

Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever. {15} So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

a. First of all, Jesus saw the woman’s condition, she was sick

(1) Jesus knows our condition, He knew our condition before we were born

(2) We were sick, sin sick, lets face it we were sicker spiritually than Peter’s Mother-in-law was physically

b. Jesus had compassion on the Mother-in-law

(1) Jesus has compassion on us

c. Then Jesus healed her