Winter Sermon Series

A Mother-In-Law Story

Mark 1:29-34

Opening Words: We find ourselves today once again in the first chapter of Mark. Today’s story is nothing more then a continuation of last week’s story. So the background material remains the same. Jesus is still in Capernaum. Jesus is still with his first disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John. It is still the Sabbath. You remember the story. Jesus went to the synagogue and taught as one with authority and exorcized the demonic. When worship was over Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew for the main meal of the day. It is while Jesus is in this private residence that he is told that Simon’s mother-in-law is sick. We do not know her exact condition. All we are told is that she has a fever and is in bed. The exact problem is not important. The only thing that is important is that Jesus healed her.

Biblical commentators tell us this story is important because it underscores the main point from last week’s text, the authority of Je sus. Her healing is just one of the healings that Jesus preformed that day. However, it also demonstrates for us true compassion. Simon Peter is remembered as a head strong leader. This story shows his kind compassionate side. We find ourselves in the first chapter Mark, verses twenty-nine thru thirty four. Let me call this message A Mother-in-Law Story.

Mark 1:29-34 29As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33The whole town gathered at the door, 34and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Despite his busy schedule during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln often visited the hospitals to cheer up the wounded. On one occasion he saw a young soldier, who was near death. “Is there anything I can do for you?” asked the compassionate President. “Please write a letter to my mother,” the young soldier replied. Unrecognized by the soldier, Lincol n sat down and wrote as the youth told him what to say. The letter read,

My Dearest Mother,

I was badly hurt while doing my duty, and I won’t recover. Don’t sorrow too much for me. May God bless you and Father. Kiss Mary and John for me.

The young man was too weak to go on, so Lincoln signed the letter for him and then added this postscript,

Written for your son by Abraham Lincoln.

Asking to see the note, the soldier was astonished to discover who had shown him such kindness. “Are you really our President?” he asked. “Yes,” was the quiet answer. Why would Abraham Lincoln show such kindness to a young soldier? I can answer the question with a single word, compassion.

Has there is been a time your life when you needed some compassion? The world can be a hard place. Oh, you don’t have to be a soldier in a civil war to relate to that story. Has anyone every felt victimized by life. You have done nothing wrong but everything went wrong. Your dreams for the future were thrown to the side like yesterday’ s news. Have you ever struggled to redefine yourself and found your nearing the valley of self-pity. Then from the most expected source God sent you someone who showed you kindness and compassion. The rest of the world questioned your motives and desires but your angel only gave you peace. Compassion can be a powerful medicine. Has there ever been a time in your life when you needed some compassion? I have never met a person who didn’t need some compassion from time to time. Simon Peter’s mother-in-law benefited from compassion. With these introductory words behind us let us look at this morning’s scripture lesson.

It has become my custom on Sunday afternoon to take a nap. I have no prove to support the following statement but I believe it is true. I expend more energy on Sunday morning then the rest of the week combined. I get up early on Sunday morning to review my material and update my prayers. I participate in three worship services. I preach three times. I relate to countless people and try to welcome to everyone who enters our building. It is hard to remember the details of everyone’s lives. I know it doesn’t sound like much but I find these few hours to be exhausting. When I leave the church after Sunday morning I am spent. I eat a little lunch and take a nap on the sofa. This fact is not exciting but it is true.

According to the text today Jesus was a better man then I. When Jesus left worship he didn’t nap, he healed the sick. I don’t just mean a healing, I mean a multitude of healings. Verses thirty-three and thirty-four say, “The whole town (of Capernaum) gathered at the door (of Simon and Andrew‘s house), and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.” One of those healings, the first one mentioned, was the mother-in-law of Simon Peter. Verse thirty is key to our understanding to this morning’s message. It says she was healed because they told Jesus about her. I am not exactly sure who is included in the word “they” but “they” must have included Simon Peter. She may not have been healed if “they” would not have told Jesus about her. “They” had compassion on her and got her some help. They got her the best help you can possibly get someone in need, Jesus. She benefited from their compassion.

Webster defines compassion as, “A sympathy for the feeling of others, often including a desire to help.” Do the people in your life consider you a compassionate person? I hope they do because you are disciple of Jesus Christ. You should becoming more like Jesus everyday. Jesus was a compassionate person. John 13:34-35 says we sho uld love one another just as Christ loves us. If we are able to do that then everyone will know that we are his disciples! So let me ask you the question again. Do the people in your life consider you a compassionate person?

What I want to do today is encourage you to cultivate your compassionate side. I want to do this by giving three pieces of pastoral advice that you should never forget. Our world needs more compassionate people because our world has a surplus of struggling people. You can find the struggling everywhere. You can find them in your neighborhood. You can find them at work. You can find them at church. Our world is filled with broken people who benefit from your compassion. So I would encourage you to be like Peter, who had compassion and got involved with a solution. So if you are ready to develop your compassionate side say, “Amen!”

 

Compassion is sensitive to the needs of others.

First, never forget, compassion is sensitive to the needs of others. British statesman and financier Cecil Rhodes, whose fortune was used to endow the world-famous Rhodes Scholarships, was a stickler for correct dress—but apparently not at the expense of someone else’s feelings. A20young man invited to dine with Rhodes arrived by train and had to go directly to Rhodes’s home in his travel-stained clothes. Once there he was appalled to find the other guests already assembled, wearing full evening dress. After what seemed a long time Rhodes appeared, in a shabby old blue suit. Later the young man learned that his host had been dressed in evening clothes, but put on the old suit when he heard of his young guest’s dilemma.

Simon’s mother-law laid in bed with a fever. The story doesn’t come a medical chart to check her condition. I don’t know the source of her fever but I am qualified to say that she was a person on need. Simon and the others had compassion on her and found Jesus to help. Do you have anyone in your life that needs help? Do you have anyone in your life that needs Jesus? If you do say, “Amen!” Compassion is sensitive to the needs of others.

Compassion take advantage of interruptions.

Second, never forget, compassion takes advantage of interruptions. Have you ever noticed there are times when your agenda and God’s agenda don’t match? You know the scene. You have a million things to do.20You have a deadline to meet or a sea of people waiting for you. You are in a hurrying trying to get it done in time and suddenly someone shows up who just has to talk to you. They have a problem and you are the only one that can help. I know it is hard but remember compassion takes advantage of interruptions.

Consider these ten Bible stories with me.

1. The Parable of the Good Samaritan

2. The Greatest Commandment

3. The Blessing of the Little Children

4. The Healing of the Ten Lepers

5. The Healing of the Paralytic

6. The Healing of the Man Blind from Birth

7. The Rich Young Ruler

8. Zacchaeus

9. Blind Bartimaeus

10. Nicodemus

What do they all have I common? They are all special moments in the Bible that were produced by interruptions. Jesus was a compassionate man and used these interruptions to do real ministry. Have you ever noticed there are times when your agenda and God’s agenda don’t match? The healing of Simon’s mother-in-law was not on the agenda for the day but Jesus healed her because this was an opportunity for true ministry. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Compassion is gracious.

Third, and final, never forget, compassion is gracious. When I was in the Cleveland area I had a parishioners who claimed he hadn’t missed church for fifty years. One day I figured out he had heard 2600 sermon, plus the messages on the liturgical holidays. You do the math, fifty years times fifty-two weeks. I was impressed.

One year I got involved in the annual pulpit exchange. You know the event. It is a way to get to know other preachers in the area. I went to the Presbyterian Church and the Lutheran Church minister came to my church. The Lutheran preacher was just great! He was new to the area and everyone was surprised to discover he was Korean. Mr. 2600 sermons saw the Lutheran m inister and thought he was Japanese. He stood up in the pew that he had occupied for more then fifty years and yelled out some ugly language. He said, “We fought them in the war. I don’t have to listen to them in my church.” He stormed out of the church, never to be seen again. Everyone wanted to know what happened. I wanted to know if he had heard a single word of those 2600 sermons?

Compassion is gracious. It is applying the words of Jesus to your life and demonstrating to the world that your faith is insincere. The world doesn’t needs your words of advice half as much as your words of compassion. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Let me end at the side of a dying soldier. You remember the soldier. He was wounded in the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln came to visit him. In time, the president wrote a letter home for him and said his good-bye‘s. The soldier couldn’t believe the president’s kindness. But he really couldn‘t believe when the president said, “Now, is there anything else I can do?” The lad feely replied, “Will you please hold my hand? I think it would help to see me through to the end.” The t all, gaunt man granted his request, offering warm words of encouragement until death stole in with the dawn.

How many hands have you held during life’s most difficult moments? The situation may not be death, it may be divorce. The situation maybe a family crisis or a personal pain. How many people in your life need a compassionate word? Alexander Maclaren once said, “Kindness makes a person attractive. If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.”

You are a disciple of Jesus Christ so I would implore you to cultivate your kind compassionate spirit. It is one of the distinguishing marks that shows the world that you are genuine. Never forget, compassion is sensitive to the needs of others. Never forget, compassion take advantage of interruptions. Never forget, compassion is gracious. And all of God compassionate people said, “Amen!”