Introduction: Wouldn’t it be nice to go through this life without ever having suffered any illness. I have never met anyone who has done this. There have been many who were known to be “as healthy as a horse” or (seemed to be) “never sick a day in their life”. But even those will face an illness sooner or later in their life.
No matter where you are in your walk with the Lord, sickness is something that has to be dealt with.
I have met some believers who are convinced that sickness should never take place in the life of any believer. Some Christians will even go so far as to judge another Christian who is faced with an illness.
I don’t claim to have all of the answers to why some people are almost never sick, while others seem to always be sick. Like many of you, I have read scriptures that explain the many reasons for illnesses and diseases.
(But that is another teaching for another night.)
I would like to tell you that I have never been sick, but unfortunately I have had more than my share of experiences with illness and injuries.
I can assure you that Jesus has always been there right by my side every time that I have been sick or injured.
The Good News tonight is that we know that Jesus is the Great Physician, and that He bore the stripes on His back for our illnesses. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that,
…He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
I trust we all are firm believers in this truth and in the miraculous working power of God’s healing…
Question: What do we do when we are healed? How do we respond to the Lord when He has healed us?
Text: Matthew 8:14 – 15
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of information on this story, other than it is mentioned also in the first chapter of Mark. Sometimes people measure the importance of a scripture by how long it is or how often it is referred to (in other passages). Perhaps these two verses are often overlooked and the significance of this story may not mean much to some. But I would imagine it meant a lot to Simon Peter, his mother in law, and his wife.
This was no ordinary case of the “not feeling so good”. Many scholars believe this “sick of fever” was an extraordinarily high fever that would not subside.
Transition:
Have you ever had a high fever like this one?
With one of these fevers, we often rush that person to the emergency room. Things can go bad real quick with a high fever. Permanent brain damage can occur if a high fever is not treated quickly and properly.
As you might imagine, in our story there were no hospitals or Emergency Rooms like we have today.
No doctors or nurses standing by all hours of the day and night to treat a sudden illness like this. No one was there to help this woman. No one, that is, except Jesus.
I would imagine that Simon Peter was very fortunate that Jesus was there that day. The Messiah had planned a visit to Peter’s humble home that was timed perfectly. Jesus could have visited someone else’s home that day. Or maybe He could have been busy teaching down at the town square in Capernaum.
Application:
I would suggest that we need Jesus to come by and visit us at our homes everyday. As often as many of us find ourselves sick and miserable, disappointed or filled with despair. I am sure Jesus has many things to do every single day, but He is never too busy to visit you.
Jesus’ coming to your home is no small event…
I don’t know about your home, but perhaps you have never had anyone famous come to your house to visit. No dignitaries, no great preachers or evangelists have ever come to make a house call. How surprised Simon Peter must have been when Jesus came that day.
We should notice that just prior to these two verses, we see that Jesus was excused from having to go visit the home of the Roman Centurion. The Centurion’s faith was great, and he was confident of the powerful ministry of Christ even from a distance away.
Even though the ministry of Jesus was often confined to the form of a mere human, Jesus made house calls.
Simon Peter, and those of his household, were blessed and privileged and fortunate to have Jesus come by.
And, so are we! We are blessed, privileged and fortunate to have the presence of Jesus in our homes!
I am grateful for the home this church provides for my wife and I, but the décor really isn’t anything special to receive and welcome royalty, especially a King. Nevertheless, the King of Kings comes by my house quite often. I love it when He comes by for a visit.
I am blessed – privileged – fortunate.
Jesus has no special interest in being in noted places. Going to an elaborate and plush home of someone who is well thought of like a celebrity or dignitary is not what is important to Him. Going to a mansion built by wealthy and prominent men doesn’t impress Him.
Jesus’ greatest desire is to simply spend time with us no matter where we are or who we are.
We are blessed – privileged – fortunate! Amen?
Question: In this story of Jesus coming to visit the home of Simon Peter, how did all of this happen?
Was there anyone else Simon Peter should thank?
Think about this for a moment. Think back to how Jesus came to meet and know Simon Peter. It actually all started when Andrew, (Peter’s brother) first met Jesus. This home, where this story took place, was also the home where Andrew, James and John lived.
It was a busy household with a large family living there.
The “Sons of Thunder” lived there.
(It was probably a very busy and noisy place to visit.)
The fact is - Andrew had been the reason why Simon Peter found Jesus. And Simon Peter had become the reason his wife and mother in law had now found Jesus.
Church – What we see here is “Evangelism”.
One person finds Jesus as their Savior, and it only seems natural that they would want the rest of their household to meet Jesus, also. We can see this to happen more than once when we read the book of Acts.
One example (that comes to mind) is when Paul and Silas witnessed to the Philippian jailer. The jailer asked “What must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas told him. Acts 16:31 –
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Application: Listen – the Lord has a plan of salvation for your entire household. You cannot save them yourself, but Jesus can make the difference. You cannot convince your household by just saying the right words, but you can convince them when you are convinced of just how blessed – privileged – fortunate you are.
Our families must become a greater priority for salvation, redemption and healing in 2005.
We need to invite Jesus over to the house. Amen?
Evangelism has always been a priority throughout the Bible. Consider these other two examples from the Old Testament:
1. Moses said when leaving Egypt, in Exodus 10:26 that he “…would not leave one hoof behind…” This meant that nothing that belonged to God would be left behind (or, in other words, bondage.) We must take with us what we know rightfully belongs to God!
2. It was Abraham that insisted with the Lord that his relatives (Lot and his household) would be saved the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Conclusion:
Likewise, we must be the one who will insist, or better yet intercede, for our families and lost loved ones.
In your household, you have authority if not influence over those who live there or those you have raised. We must be careful not to condemn or condone those of our household who are not living for the Lord. Rather, we must all share with them the how much the Savior loves us and takes care of our every need…everyday.
I like how Charles Spurgeon once put it,
The members of our family come under our shadow, and we either drip poison upon them like a deadly upas (Japanese evergreen tree), or else beneath our shade they breathe an atmosphere perfumed with our piety.
I do not want to be the one who is dripping poison from my family tree down on the younger ones. I would much rather shade them with my humility and spiritual wisdom. Regardless we all must take our spiritual responsibility to our families very seriously.
