The Character of Jesus 12
Healing Peter’s Mother-in-Law and Others While Preaching in Galilee
Matthew 8:14 – 17, Mark 1:29 – 39, Luke 4:38 – 44
- Characteristic:
Purposeful
- Peter and Andrew were from Bethsaida (John 1:44), and Jesus was teaching in Capernaum (Mark 1:21). So, the two places must have been close enough to travel on a Sabbath (Mark 1:29, Luke 4:38). Likely, this was Friday evening.
- The crowds came carrying the sick after the Sabbath ended after sundown on Saturday (Mark 1:32, Matthew 8:16, Luke 4:40).
- Disease and demon possession were different (Mark 1:32, Matthew 8:16).
- Again, the demons were not allowed to speak (Mark 1:32, Luke 4:41).
- Jesus rose very early (without an alarm clock) to pray alone (Mark 1:35)
- Although more sick people surely were being brought (Luke 4:42), Jesus determined He should move on and visit more cities of Galilee (Mark 1:38, Luke 4:43).
- Isaiah 53:4, cited in Matthew 8:17, was predicting that the Messiah would bear our spiritual, not our physical, ills. Matthew revealed that the physical healings of Jesus were an illustration (fulfillment) of that concept.
- Applications
- Jesus took time for serious prayer, then set
about accomplishing a plan. Jesus was
flexible (e.g., the woman at the well
and spending an extra two days in Samaria, various people who diverted Him for
a short time with special requests).
- How confident are we that prayer will make a difference?
- Do our prayers sometimes substitute for sleep?
- Can we know that the plan made after praying is the right one?
- Do our plans have flexibility built in?
- Jesus determined to set out before everything
was done in Bethsaida.
- We should take the time to determine the overall goal before developing the details.
- Do we have a plan or do we just go with the flow?
- Jesus took advantage of gatherings where people
were already inclined to listen to things about God.
- Benevolence is good (in Jesus’ case, healing). But help is a tool, not an end.
- Jesus did not heal everyone. We can’t fix everything. Stick with the overall goal.
- Make the connection between solving physical problems and solving spiritual problems.
- What are our purposes?
- Ambassadors
- Comforters
- Edifiers
- Examples that the gospel makes stuff happen.
- Illustrations of spiritual concepts
- Jesus took time for serious prayer, then set
about accomplishing a plan. Jesus was
flexible (e.g., the woman at the well
and spending an extra two days in Samaria, various people who diverted Him for
a short time with special requests).