“SIMON SAYS”
REFLECTING UPON THE JOURNEY OF ONE WHO FOLLOWED JESUS.
PART TWO: RE-THINKING POSSIBLE
Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-law and Others
Luke 4:38-41 (See also Matthew 8:14-17 and Mark 1:29-34)
38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law is suffering from a high fever,
There is a word here that stands out to me—Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering—she was in misery—she was sidelined—and she was probably concerned about what might happen to her next.
What do we do with suffering?
I don’t know about you, but one of the hardest things for me is to watch someone suffer and to be unable to ease their suffering. You just feel powerless.
While the causes of suffering vary and range from self-inflicted misery – think injuring yourself while attempting something reckless—like trying to ride a skateboard down the steepest hill in town…
To needless suffering caused by the foolishness of another—think getting hit by a drunk driver...
Whatever the cause--It is a miserable thing to suffer—and Peter’s mother-in-law IS suffering with a high fever!
The world of the first century took fevers seriously, especially high fevers. While the works of Hippocrates had been around for four hundred years by the time of Jesus—the causes of fever were still quite mysterious. Many in the first century still attributed fever to spiritual causes, such as divine punishment or evil spirits. Others thought fever was caused by the air someone breathed or by imbalances of phlegm, blood and bile in the body.
First century treatments for fever often started with things we might still do today--like a cool wet cloth on the forehead, or a cool or tepid bath, even trying to “starve a fever” by fasting—but they went on to herbal treatments like chewing on willow tree bark and chewing the leaves of the feverfew plant. If none of those things worked--bloodletting was always perceived as a viable first century option.
While the causes of fever were unknown, the results were very well known—fever could be a forerunner of death.
So, when Peter’s mother-in-law comes down with a high fever, he and his household are naturally concerned, so we read that Simon and his wife make a request of Jesus:
“and they asked Jesus to help her. “
SIMON SAID TO JESUS “Please Help Her.” AND JESUS DID!
9 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
One thing I find interesting in this story is the fact that the healing of Jesus was so complete, she did not need any more rest or any more time off her feet. She was completely healed and completely re-energized—she quite literally hits the ground running and serving and quite probably “running the show” as head hostess that evening.
She was completely – restored. Jesus does not do things halfway! He is mighty to save.
Let me ask you, is there anyone close to you who needs the help of Jesus?
Do you know someone currently living in a space of suffering?
Let me encourage you to invite Jesus into their situation and circumstance.
He is still mighty to save.
I am always mindful of the words of James in chapter 5 beginning with verse 13:
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
The same Jesus who healed Peter’s mother-in-law still lives.
Still heals.
Still saves!
While Peter might not have realized it at the time, he was very much living out the words of the prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah 55:6
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Simon sought the Lord for someone he cared about, and we should too!
What happened next was equally thrilling. The neighbors got wind of what had happened to Peter’s mom-in-law, and they were like, “Jesus is in the house tonight, and he is healing the sick!
And they came running!
LUKE 4:40-41
40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.
Whatever the causes of their illnesses – germs, accidents, poor choices by them or by others, even spiritual causes involving demons—none of them could endure against the healing touch and words of Jesus! When He touched you—you were healed and restored!
I don’t have that gift, but I believe with all my heart that Jesus still does.
Simon certainly believed that as well—seeing is believing—and time and time again across Simon’s three years of training at the feet of Jesus he will have to confront his own beliefs about what is possible through Jesus.
You could say this was one lesson Jesus emphasized to Peter multiple times and in multiple ways—NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD!
Now I get it. There are some here who struggle with the healing miracles of Jesus—you think, why didn’t he just cure everyone with a snap of his fingers—no more suffering of any kind for anyone in the world.
I can’t completely answer that today, but I am confident God has an answer to that question.
Paul healed many, but God allowed him to suffer with a thorn in his flesh for all of his earthly life.
Job sought the Lord above all people of the earth in his day, yet he suffered through the deaths of his children and horrific afflictions,
Sometimes we suffer.
Like death, suffering seems to be a part of the human condition—a side effect of living in a broken and fallen world.
What is it Jesus says in John 16:33:
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
We take hope in this truth—Jesus cares about us in the midst of our sufferings and He understands them—for he also suffered many things.
Indeed, God still suffers just as all good parents suffer when they see their children struggling, failing or making poor decisions.
Know this; if you are suffering today—Jesus understands.
Jesus suffers WITH us.
He has also suffered FOR us.
But it is hard to remember that in the middle of a storm of suffering! We want to believe God will help us through it—but when things start to crash around us it’s easy to focus on things other than Jesus.
Which brings us to another incredible Simon story and Simon statement…
I reference the story found in Matthew 14, starting in verse 22.
It starts with an emphatic word--
22 Immediately
In this reference it is immediately after Jesus had fed the 5000 but hold on to that word—“immediately”—for it shows up again in this story!
Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on the mountainside by himself to pray.
There is a lot to pray about. Thanksgiving over the incredible miracle God has just brought forth. Concern over the recent death of John the Baptist, and the willingness of the leadership in Jerusalem to kill the prophets of God. And his disciples—he had a lot to pray for concerning them—when they saw the crowds they wanted Jesus to send them away, when Jesus asked them to feed the people, they saw only limitations instead of possibilities!
While they had not meant to reveal it—their attitudes and actions showed Jesus how small their faith still was--how limited their understanding was of all God was capable of doing and what God was willing to do with them and eventually through them!
Jesus had a lot to pray about, and He prayed for a long time!
Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
TALK ABOUT RETHINKING POSSIBLE---for a brief moment in time Simon Peter did something we would have thought impossible!
As long as He was locked on Jesus—he was sustained!
When he focused on the waves, the wind and the lightning—he sank!
And I have seen the same thing happen in churches, ministries, and in people’s lives—
They have this moment when they are locked in on Jesus. Totally focused on the Lord.
++This sermon is provided for the glory of God; you need not cite me as the author.
