Sermon for February 8

Mark 1:29-39

All in a Day’s Work

Did you ever have one of those long days, when everyone is looking for you, and you just need some peace and quiet? How did you handle that? Jesus seemed to have those days frequently.

Today I want to focus on our Gospel lesson. It’s a continuation of the readings for the last two weeks in the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel. This is a very important chapter, because it introduces us to several of the main characters who will populate the other fifteen chapters. Two weeks ago we met Jesus’ first four disciples – Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John. They were all fishermen from the town of Capernaum, by the Sea of Galilee.

Capernaum became important in the life of Jesus. I have visited the excavations there, and as I have mentioned before, Jesus had excellent taste in real estate. Matthew’s Gospel (4:13) tells us that as an adult, Jesus also lived in Capernaum. This was a good choice because it was a thriving community located at an economic crossroads. It was here that Jesus successfully recruited Matthew the tax collector (Matthew 9:1, 9). Five out of twelve Apostles is a pretty good record for any town.

Also in Capernaum, a Roman Centurion had built for the Jewish people a synagogue. Jesus probably went often to this synagogue, and as a visiting rabbi, he was allowed to speak. There were many synagogues, or local places for worship, around the country, but there was only one Temple, which was in Jerusalem. The word “synagogue” means “assembly together.”

Jesus’ presence there was strong. Not only did he teach, but Jesus spoke on behalf of God. Jesus differed from the scribes in that Jesus did not have to quote another teacher. He was the master teacher. His authority was clear. When Jesus cast out a demon there to the astonishment of the onlookers, Jesus was just getting started. They had not seen anything yet. Before the day was over, Jesus would heal every sick person in town and cast out more demons.

Have you ever been sick with a fever? I mean – so sick you thought you were just going to die? I had this experience some years ago. It all started with a tickle in my throat, and next thing I knew I had a full-blown bronchial infection. I thought I had to keep working because my group at the law firm was preparing for a trial. When the first round of antibiotics failed and I lost my voice, I gave up and stayed home. The doctor threatened to put me in the hospital if I didn’t stay home. I had a fever.

In about a week, after a bigger round of antibiotics and several quarts of chicken soup, my fever finally broke. I sweated profusely and was exhausted by it. The doctor told me not to leave the house for at least three days after the fever broke. I couldn’t have gone out anyway – I was limp as a wet rag. So I wised up and rested a few more days before going back to work. And guess what – the place had not fallen apart without me.

Here is what is so amazing to me about our Gospel reading for today. After a tough morning of casting out demons at the synagogue, Jesus and his four new recruits went to the home of Peter and Andrew. It was probably time for lunch. When they got there, the matriarch of the house – Peter’s mother-in-law -- was sick in bed with a fever. She must have been very ill to have been in bed. In those days, people died of illnesses that are not life-threatening to us. If she were alive in this century, she would probably get a good dose of antibiotics and some chicken soup, just as I did. Antibiotics were not available to her, but Jesus was.

When Jesus touched her, the fever left her. And here is the miracle to which I can personally relate – she got up and served them -- presumably a meal. She had the strength and energy to resume her normal activities. I think about my own struggle every time I read this passage. What an incredible miracle. She was able to do immediately what it took me several days to do. And I had the benefits of “modern medicine.”

It is no wonder, then, that Jesus’ fame began to spread throughout all the region of Galilee. That day was the Sabbath, so no big activity could take place until after sundown. But when the sun had set, our Gospel passage says that “the whole city was gathered around the door.” A lot of needy people got their needs met. Jesus healed the sick, and did some more spiritual warfare. Jesus had come to make people whole in body, mind and spirit. At the beginning of his ministry, there seemed to be no lack of opportunity for Jesus to heal in this way. I believe this took a lot of spiritual, physical, and emotional energy for Jesus to keep up such a pace.

Here is where I want to remind us that Jesus is fully human and fully divine. As the divine Son of God, Jesus had the power and authority to heal the sick. As a human being, Jesus accepted the limits of humanity, such as a need to eat, sleep and rest. But there was another aspect of Jesus’ personhood that needed to be fed. Jesus needed time to pray and gain perspective. Jesus did not neglect this part of himself. This taught his disciples a lesson: If they were looking for Jesus, they could probably find him somewhere praying. Jesus set the example for us in his daily life.

Our text says that Jesus got up very early in the morning – before first light. He went out to a place where he could be all alone, and he prayed. Jesus took time to replenish his spiritual side. How often do we do that on a daily basis? How often do we take time just to get alone and pray? Do we ever shut off the media around us – radio, TV, newspapers – and just get alone and pray? If we do this, it might amaze us how much we can gain perspective on a problem. Or maybe our day will just be more peaceful than it otherwise might have been.

When his disciples found Jesus they wanted to set his agenda. But he had been praying and he set his own agenda. He did not meet their expectations. They were all looking for him, but he would not let them put him in a box and control him for their own purposes. He would not stay in that one place. Jesus kept moving so that his ministry would not get petrified. He was available to reach more people that way. Also, it’s harder to hit a moving target. Jesus was already making some enemies. He wanted some time to teach his disciples, so he was not going to allow himself to be apprehended by the authorities so soon as to cut short his time on earth.

I urge you in this busy world to take time to stop and pray. Take time to get away somewhere -- just you and God. The earth will continue to spin on its axis. It will keep on twirling in its orbit. If you take a few days of rest and respite, the work at your place of business will go on. Or even if it is waiting for you when you get back, you will be more apt to clearly set your priorities. We are all subject to having long, exhausting days. The antidote to that is prayer.

Take a cue from Jesus and get alone with God. Imitate Jesus’ prayer life and worship habits. Come for communion on a regular basis. It will energize you for the tasks that you face. It will set your dial back to zero and give you a fresh start for the week. Amen.


In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Vicar, Holy Cross Church Episcopal
Billings, Montana
406-208-7314
www.holycrosschurchbillings.org