My Healer

Mrk 1:29-34 (ESV) And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. [30] Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. [31] And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. [32] That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. [33] And the whole city was gathered together at the door. [34] And he healed 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.

From the time we are a kid (and age is just a number, we are all just kid’s at heart), there are a list of things we don’t like to do. None of us really like doing the dishes or cleaning the bathroom. We don’t appreciate the thought of shoveling snow or sitting in school all day. But above all—we don’t ever want to go to the dentist or the doctor. Even if they do give us a sucker or a sticker after our visit. Why is that? We appreciate the fact that going to the dentist will probably make our smile look better. We certainly want the doctor to instantly make us feel better when we are sick. But, I think, primarily, we don’t want to go to the dentist or the doctor because it’s a reminder that we’re broken.

The gospels work to give us this panoramic view of Jesus. They show us who Jesus is. They show us what Jesus does. They show us why Jesus does what he does. They show us the Lordship of Christ and the compassion of Christ. Think about the view that Mark has given us already in Chapter 1:

• Jesus Christ the Son of God.
• Jesus is the Lord, for whom John came to prepare the way.
• Jesus will baptize you with the person of the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus is the beloved Son of the Father.
• Jesus has authority and power to overcome Satan and his lies.
• Jesus said the kingdom of God had come and it coincided with his arrival.
• Jesus has authority to command people to follow him.
• Jesus teaches the word of God with all authority.
• Jesus has all authority over demons.
• Jesus is the Anointed Holy One of God.
• It’s crucial as we walk through the book of Mark that we see very clearly who Mark describes Jesus to be. Because who Jesus is and what Jesus can do has a direct impact on all of our lives.

As the Lord, the Son of God, the Anointed Holy One of God, Jesus is uniquely called to bring the healing that we need. Remember that Mark 10:45 is the focal verse of the entire book.

Mrk 10:45 (ESV) For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Through the giving of his life as a ransom for many, Jesus serves our greatest need, which is to heal us from our brokenness and to deliver us from the darkness of our own hearts and the darkness of the present, evil age. So, as we explore this passage and try to understand it, the first point I want to consider is…

1. Jesus came to bring healing to his broken world.

Mrk 1:30-31, 34 [30] Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. [31] And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her…

[34] And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons.

• Jesus has the authority.
• Jesus has the power.
• Jesus has the compassion. He walked into the house there in Capernaum, they told him of a need, he came to where Peter’s mother-in-law was, he took her by the hand, he lifted her up, and the fever left.
• Because of the compassion of Jesus, he came to bring healing to his broken world. He came to heal, to restore, to relieve, and to cure. He healed the demon possessed man and he healed Peter’s mother-in-law. Then the entire city of Capernaum brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by a demon and he healed many.
• The word “healed” in verse 34 is a transliteration of a Greek word—it’s where we get our word for “therapy.” It means “to heal, to cure, to relieve, to wait upon”
• Scripture says that we live in a world that is broken and in darkness and is evil. Jesus came to deliver us out of that brokenness, darkness, and evil.
• Gal 1:3-4 (ESV) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, [4] who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
• Eph 6:12 (ESV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
• Mat 8:17 (ESV) This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
• Isa 53:4 (ESV) Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
• Jesus came to deliver us from this present evil age, this present darkness. Jesus came to carry, to lift up our sickness and to carry our sorrow (our physical, mental pain). But he didn’t just come to carry them, but to carry them away and to bring healing, to cure us!
• Picture the citizens of Capernaum bringing their sick friends and family to Jesus. If he can carry away a high fever from Peter’s mother-in-law maybe he can bring healing to the one I love. If he can set free the demon possessed man in the synagogue maybe he can heal my friend. The whole city gathered at the door and Jesus healed many of them. Why? Because Jesus came to bring healing to his broken world.
• As we journey through the rest of Mark, take note of the changed lives as Jesus comes to bring healing.
• We have the ultimate promise that Jesus will one day bring full, complete healing.

Next, I want to consider the results of a life that’s been healed.

2. Healed people help people.

Mrk 1:31-33 (ESV) And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. [32] That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. [33] And the whole city was gathered together at the door.

• Immediately after being healed what do we see Peter’s mother-in-law doing? She is serving. She is serving Jesus and the others that are gathered at the house.
• What an incredible picture of a life that is healed by Christ!
• As Jesus has healed and is healing us who are we helping, how are we helping?
• Matthew 27 and Luke 8 both mention a group of women that had been healed of diseases or set free from demons. These women followed the ministry of Jesus and did all they could to provide for the needs of his ministry. Why? Because they had been healed. Healed people help people.

3. Questions to consider

Mrk 1:34 (ESV) And he healed 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.

• Do you know Jesus? As the Lord, the Son of God, the Anointed Holy One of God, Jesus is uniquely called to bring the healing that we need. He is the One who came to deliver us from our sins and this present evil age.
• Have you been healed by Jesus?
• How are you helping people?
• Psa 116:12 (ESV) What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?
• What will I offer or give back to the Lord for all his acts of kindness, for his gift of grace, for his healing of my life?
• The greatest way we help people is to bring them to Jesus!