Lift Us Up Lord

LIFT US UP LORD

Text: Mark 1:29 - 39

Mark 1:29-39  As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  (30)  Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.  (31)  He 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.  (33)  And the whole city was gathered around the door.  (34)  And 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.  (35)  In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.  (36)  And Simon and his companions hunted for him.  (37)  When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you."  (38)  He answered, "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."  (39)  And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

We hear a lot about sickness these days because of Covid-19. People can be asymptomatic meaning they are sick and have no symptoms. People can be mildly sick and have minor symptoms or they can be extremely and have major life threatening symptoms. Most of us take all the necessary precautions but we cannot completely prevent getting exposure to Covid -19.

Lots of people who are authorities in the field of medicine have scrambled to work on things that can bring solutions that would help to develop ways of treating Covid- 19. Only Jesus has the authority to stop a storm, heal the sick---the lame, the blind, the mute, the deaf, liberate the captive and the bruised (those are are broken in body and heart).

We are all sin-sick. We cannot prevent being sinners anymore than we can prevent catching a virus. Not one of us is without sin (Romans 3:23) because we all like sheep have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus is the only physician, the great shepherd who can forgive us, heal us and bring us back into the fold.

It should be no surprise that things can change when Jesus shows up. Look what happened the very first time He went to the synagogue to teach at Capernaum, He healed a man with an unclean spirit. Look what happens when Jesus went home with Peter to find his mother-in-law running a fever. Jesus took her by the hand and He healed her.

Jesus is the only one who can lift us up where we need His healing touch---a touch only Jesus can give! Look at Jesus’s domestic touch, His couch in the community and the necessity of prayer.

DOMESTIC TOUCH

Do we bring Jesus home with us? Theologian John Coursar makes an important point in his commentary as he expounded upon this verse: “ I hope we’ll increasingly get to the place where, when we leave Bible studies and services, we won’t be those who quickly move into the next activity, but will learn to bring the Lord home”. Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p. 226). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.. Maybe that sounds like a stupid question, but is it? Would we really want to exclude others from meeting Jesus? Jesus is our Savior whether we are at church, out in public or in the home. Andrew and Peter brought Jesus home with them. That first visit made a difference. What difference will it make if we don’t take Jesus everywhere with us?

Does Jesus live in your home? There is the story of a new pastor who went by the house of one of his new parishoners. The wife told her husband that the new preacher had been by to visit and asked a questioned that she didn’t know how to answer. The husband wanted to know what the question that the preacher asked her. She said, “He asked me if Jesus lived here.”

“What did you say?” Asked the husband.

“I didn’t know what to say.”

“Why couldn’t you tell him that we’re respectable people?” Asked the husband.

“He didn’t ask me that.”

“Why didn’t you tell him that we go to church when we feel like it? He asked.

“He didn’t ask me that either.”

“Did you tell him that we read the bible sometimes?”

The wife answered, “He didn’t ask me that. What he asked me was ‘Does Jesus live here?’”

“That is a good question to put before any home. But an equally important one is ‘What difference would Christ make in your home?’ “ (T.T. Crabtree. ed. 2006 Zondervan Pastor’s Annual. James Carter. “When Christ Comes To Your House.” Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 2005, p. 182). What a difference Jesus makes for all who welcome Him! Have you welcomed Him when He has reached out to lift you up at home?