Jesus’ Eternal Ministry

Summary

I find a lot of humor in life, but don’t end up sharing too much of it up here in the pulpit, but the first verses of today’s gospel comprise what I find to be one of the more humorous situations in the Bible.

So, following is one way to see some of the humor in the first verses of today’s scripture.  Please listen to this paraphrase of the first three verses from this morning’s reading from Mark 1;

“Jesus and his fishing buddies decide to head over to Simon Peter’s house for supper.  Jesus has just spent a lot of energy preaching and casting out a talkative demon at the synagogue.  Anyway, they’re famished and the whole way over, Simon’s bragging on his mother-in-law’s cooking.  “Oh, she does the world’s best pita bread.  Crispy on the outside and the inside’s like air, and her Tabouli is to die for!”

Anyway Jesus and the boys arrive at Simon’s house only to find there’s no food!  Simon’s mother-in-law is in bed with a fever and hasn’t fixed a thing for supper, but the boys are starving!  They are desperate, they’ve got to eat, so, Jesus calls the woman out of her bed and heals her on the way to the kitchen.  She starts cooking immediately and soon they all are served supper.  It’s always helpful to have a miracle worker around, when you’re hungry, isn’t it!”

Well…I find it humorous at least, yet it does have some seriousness to it as well.  Jesus did need to eat though, for right after dinner upon the setting of the sun, when the Sabbath ended the street in front of Simon’s house filled with people.  The sick, the lame, the injured, the demon possessed, the curious and the interested came to Jesus.  Many wanted healing or to be rid of an unclean spirit or two, but I am sure there were many others whom simply wanted to see what he would do.  Perhaps a few were even interested in what he might say.  The main thing though was, they had heard of his power, and so must have wondered, “What miracle might he do?”

That evening Jesus did not disappoint the crowd, for he healed many and cast out many demons.  But as soon as it was dark enough for him to get out of town unseen, he left.  He left, for his mission was different than that which the people wanted for him.  Jesus left Capernaum and headed out into the wilderness in the middle of the night to pray.

Now we don’t know what he prayed, or how for that matter, but we can figure that he must have been asking his Father for strength to focus him upon the task before him, to renew his spirit after the exertions of healing all of those people, and the spiritual drain of silencing and casting out those many demons.

You see, Jesus needed to escape the “rock star” status that was building around him amongst the people of the region of Galilee.  Word concerning his healing powers and miraculous abilities was spreading.  That was okay as long as it gave him the ability to preach to the people and teach them of the Good news of God.  His struggle though, was to not let the first overshadow the second.

As Jesus said to Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John when they hunted him down and said, “Everyone is searching for you.”

Then, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came.”

Jesus came to preach.  He came to tell of God’s saving grace, and then to be that grace risen from the grave.

In my humorous telling, Jesus’ healing of Simon’s mother-in-law was simply a means to an end, he healed her and she ended their hunger.

Jesus knew that any miracle, or healing or exorcism was temporary.  When Jesus fed the 5,000 they were hungry again the next day.  When Jesus healed someone, they would eventually fall sick again.  The exorcised could be possessed again.  And Lazarus, who was raised from death, eventually ended his physical journey on earth in a grave, again.

Jesus did miracles so as to get the people’s attention. He wanted them to listen to his words, his parables and his teaching with rapt attention and an open mind to the possibilities and wonders of which he shared.

Jesus’ miracles of wonder, healing and exorcism were simply means, wonderful means for those made whole, to proclaim, “The Kingdom of God has come near.  Repent and believe in the Good News.”

Jesus’ miraculous acts were for the people of his day.  Jesus’ teachings and proclamation of the gospel were for all people of all times, so as to be able to understand his final salvific act of death and resurrection.

It’s weird but we can see Jesus’ concern for all people of all ages in these words from the first chapter of Mark, written almost two-thousand years ago. “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came.”

He’s not interested in becoming popular.  He does not desire the crowd’s adulation and praise.  What Jesus desires is for as many people as possible to hear the gospel.  He truly wants them to listen to what he has to say.  The common person needs to believe that his power could only come from God.

This is the focus of Jesus ministry because even at this point Jesus is laying the groundwork for his church for centuries to come.

You and I do not get to experience Jesus in our midst as did the people of Capernaum did 2,000 years ago.  No, we need to believe without the benefit of observing Jesus’ acts of extraordinary power.  We need to trust in the witness of our forefathers  and their experiences of faith.

It was as if Jesus was sowing seeds amongst the people when he preached and taught.  Seeds that would be germinated and grow into fruit bearing tree, bush or stalk…someday.

Once we understand the magnitude and wonder of what Jesus did for us, by dying on the cross we don’t need to see the miracles, or experience the healing so as to believe.  By our faith we know that our lives have changed, rather have been transformed through God’s grace in Jesus the Christ.

In Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection our sins are gone and we live in the reality of a new life, given in God’s love that will never end.  This is our miracle and the one that is not the means, but the end.  It is an end, meaning a new beginning, if you believe what I mean.

Jesus preached then, that we might hear him now. Listen to Jesus’ words, believe him, believe in him, and live because of his love for you.

Amen.

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