Jesus Heals All - Luke 4:38-41

Introduction:

And so last week in our text we read of how Jesus “healed” and delivered a man with an unclean spirit

Leaving the people in the synagogue saying “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!

Safe to say Jesus left his mark on this man’s life; and dare we say all of those in the synagogue last Sunday in our text were affected in some way.

So as Jesus was in Capernaum geographically last week, so to set the stage for this Sunday Jesus next ministry moment in Galilee, we will read of him arising to a new place.

And today that place He was heading was about to feel the hand of a Jesus who heals.

Please Stand

Luke 4:38–41 ESV

And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

Pray

Luke 4:38 “And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf.”

Mark 1:29-30 “And immediately he left the synagogue...

See Jesus did not ever question his next move; from Capernaum to Simon’s house.

No! He knew where He was going next and “immediately” He went to a place called Simon’s House

And so he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house....

And so who is Simon? (We know Him best as Peter)

Simon Peter, was from the town of Bethesda a fishing village on the shores of Galilee and operated a fishing business in partnership with James and John.

So geographically Jesus has moved from Capernaum to Bethesda, in Galilee located on the northeast side of the Sea of Galilee

And so why do we see that “they” went to Simon’s house?

“Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever…”

Simon’s house is serving as a resting place for his (ill) mother-in-law, who did not only have a fever, but a “high fever”

Now when we think of fever we think of medication to fix us up right away today and we are good to go!

But this was not the case! “this was like a death bed ill, scenario”

R.C. Sproul “In those days a high fever could indicate fatal illness.”

Here this “high fever” wasn’t something that was just going to go away, and as we begin to see what this high fever meant in this time “fatal” so she needed a miracle.

And so as Jesus entered the house what did “they” do? (They being the people in the house, and Simon himself)

“…and they appealed to him, (Jesus) on her behalf.”

This was a BIG deal in the house of Simon at the moment…

That’s right Simon’s mother-in-law was so ill, and had such a “high fever” in these moments she wasn’t even able to appeal for herself for healing; and so we read others spoke up and “appealed to Jesus on her behalf.”

To Appeal for someone - meaning to make a serious and urgent request; on behalf of someone or something

So this was urgent, this was a request that they hoped the Lord would answer.

So in this story so far, does this kind of scenario sound familiar to us?

When someone we know is ill and unable to even comprehend forming words; better yet can barely keep breathing because of the pain and hurt they are in, so we do what for them? We pray for them!

And what is prayer? We are “interceding for them (appealing for them, when they can’t for themselves)

We bring them before our heavenly Father in prayer, who is able to heal if it’s His will.

In this urgent moment they were for her all the way!

And let it be said this morning, some of us need to make an appeal, some of us need to make urgent requests to Jesus for areas and people in our lives that we need Jesus to heal according to His will.

And so Jesus was there; (not by happen stance, He knew why he was at Simons house) so they “appealed for her to Him”

And what a loving thing to do, may we follow this pattern in appealing for those lost and ill.

Luke 4:39 “And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.”

And Jesus “stood over Her” - meaning in the greek to come upon, or to stand near.

And referring to Jesus the healer “standing over her”,being near

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

And so Jesus had listened to the peoples appeal and now He was physically close to her, and what happened next?

.He rebuked the fever, and it left her…

We can see the Lord “heard their cry and plea” and listened to their appeal for her… (us seeing that it was in the Lord’s will for her to be healed)

But I want to speak on this really quickly...what did Jesus rebuke in her?

He rebuked the “high fever”

See there are groups and pockets of Christians out there who might call this “high fever” a “spirit of high fever” or another example is they may have anxiety or been complacent in the week past and will say “I just have a spirit of anxiety and complanceny”

But the more I look at the Scriptures I can’t find where it speaks of these “different forms of many spirits”

So what we need to make clear here is this. This is a physical fever in her body, that has nothing to do with an “evil spirit” (not saying at times it can’t) but this high fever has EVERYTHING to do with her fallen, sinful nature

This high fever is a direct affect from the fall, from sin and our bodies wasting away because of sin corrupting our outterself.

2 Cor 4:16 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away,…our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

So what does it mean that Jesus rebuked the fever?

Rebuked ,as we looked at last week in the man with the unclean spirit, this word rebuked meaning - command, He commanded her body to be healed “and it left her”

What left her though? The spirt of “high fever, or illness” - No The physical fever causing her illness in her body

See not everything has to do with an evil spirit, (people get sick because we are fallen in our fleshly nature)

And to live this Christian life like this, (that everything is a spirit of something) this would be exhausting and dare I might even say “you are making your life more spiritually dark and heavy”

Because if everything is a “spirit of something” (sickness, anxiety, complaency, then we sure do have a lot of evil spirits in us.?)

Have you not met yourself? Our flesh is corrupt and weak; our flesh and bodies get sick, and this has nothing to do with an evil spirit.

Some days we just can’t get it together, some days we are complacent, some days we have anxiety.

Romans 7:18 “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.”

As my brother Chris Hensley says “don’t give the enemy so much credit” - we tend often to blame the enemy and his demons before we look to blaming our flesh.

And what happens after the illness leaves Simon’s Mother-In-Law? “and it left her”

Because it was according to the will and Word of the Lord!

…and immediately she rose and began to serve them.”

Church family Simon’s mother-in-law was basically lying on her death bed; and what do we see?

We see “immediately” - yes immediately, Jesus went to Simon’s house for a reason; and yes “immediately” his mother-in-law “rose as Jesus “rebuked the fever” and she began to “serve them.”

Serve them - in the greek meaning to take care of them, and wait upon them…

But wait after one breaks a “high fever” to the point where they haven’t even been able to appeal for themselves, shouldn’t it take a while; like a few days for them to get back up on the their feet and get there strength?

We can see here Jesus mighty power to heal the body physically of not only the illness; but equip the body for service After being healed. (astounding)

And so as she was a mother in law; so her calling as soon as she was healed was to do what mothers do best, nurture and care for those around them; bringing hospitality to the feet of the guests’ to serve this day Jesus the Messiah for what He has done for her.

And so Jesus is in Bethesda at Simon’s house and just healed his mother-in-law; and as the sun was setting…

Luke 4:40 “Now when the sun was setting,...all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.”

Now lets back track for a minute, this means that in verse 38 Jesus “arose” in the morning to head to Bethesdia

Jesus went to Simon’s house, healed His mother-in-law (daytime) and moved on

and as the “sun was setting” - meaning it was a full day for Jesus in Bethesda!

And there were more people to see this evening for Jesus to, heal and deliver. (as they all might of just heard what happened in the house of Simon)

“All those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and he laid his hands on everyone of them and healed them.”

So now Just as Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law so many more were brought out when it was almost night...

Why almost night?

Because diseases such as leprosy; to those in society in the daytime would “be shunned and disowned from the community.”

“And rendered ceremonially unclean, excluding them not only from society but from worship in the temple.”

And so these with “various diseases” as the sun was setting were being “brought to Him”

So as the community around them would have no desire to meet the needs of the diseased; and would never touch them, nor even be by them.

So what did Jesus do?

For instance leprosy was contagious and could be spread, but this did not stop Jesus “he laid his hands on everyone of them and healed them.”

And not only that but we continue to read:

Luke 4:41 “And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.”

Meaning those whom did not even know they were coming to find deliverance, found it at the touch and the presence of Jesus

The demons yet again recognize Jesus as they are shouting “You are the Son of God!”

If we can remember from last week the demon in the man said “The Holy one of God!”

Now here the demons get more specific right?

Who is this, this man who has come to Bethesda to heal and deliver? “Jesus the Son Of God!”

But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ.”

Points:

From this text we can know Jesus can heal the physically ill, and save the spiritually possessed.

If Jesus is able to raise and rebuke the “high fever” “deathly fever” in Simon’s mother-in-law And give her the immediate healing and strength to serve them.

If Jesus is able to heal all the diseased, touch them and deliver the possessed by demons.

Then let it be said why would we not believe He is able to save us from sin after reading of His accounts?

This Jesus who is all powerful. He is able to save those who are spiritually dead in sin and immediately; give them salvation and new life in Him as they trust in Him by grace through faith in Him as Savior and Lord of their life.

But you might be asking, who is this Jesus to immediately do anything? What Kind of power does He have you might be asking?

See Jesus the perfect one; the one without sin died in our place of sin. (Becoming sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God)

Why did Jesus do this for us? - Because He loves us and as we learned from our story, our bodies are wasting away, time is running out; and we need deliverance from sin and one day this fleshly nature.

See Jesus dying in our place, being buried in the tomb and doing something know-one else has been able to do...

On the third day Jesus rose from the grave, defeating death, hell, sin and the devil once and for all!

And Jesus today for those who call on His name wether you have something physically wrong in your body or not; so if you are hearing of Jesus saving power from sin for the first time, one thing that needs to change immediately this morning is your heart!

Respond to Christ’s work on the cross, in the grave and rising from the grave in faith, and be immediately saved

Jesus met Simon’s mother-in-law on her death bed; and rebuked the “High fever” and “immediately she rose and began to serve.

Jesus met many with disseases and demons and he healed and rebuked them and they were freeded.

Church Jesus has conquered sin on the cross

And the penalty of sin which was rightfully ours, he took for us.

And He has caused sin to leave us; that we can be set apart for Him and His purposes and His glory to serve Him until He glorifies us with Him in heaven.

Psalm 103:12 “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

So can we just for a moment; picture this town of Bethesda by the Sea of Galilee waking to a new morning?

The night before Jesus arrived, so this city was one of many ill, sick, diseased and possessed but...

Jesus entered the city...healed Simons mother in law

He goes on and many more are brought to him who have diseases and demons and He touches them and commands the demons to not speak.

The demons leave, and the sick are healed...

Now just imagine that next morning many waking up, seeing not only the disseased healed of sickness, and the possesed freeded; but they having felt and witnessed the power of Jesus that has changed those in the cities life.

Many waking to see those who have been shut up because of their disseases, now are being seen by others as changed.

(Physically yes, but spiritually touched by Jesus the greatest physician ever)

For us today as Christians, So what is that change in us that people can see?

We who are Christian’s have been touched by the healing hand of Jesus, and He has saved us from sin, and given us new life in Him.

And while we may have physical ail-laments (that mind you we will never stop praying for healing; and praying according to the Lord’s will do be healed)

But we know even past the physical healings that may come; we are grateful for the spiritual healing of our souls through Christ Jesus our Lord and we are thankful for His Holy Spirit in us.

We Christian’s have been touched spiritually by the mighty hand of the Lord and have been saved up out of spiritual darkness and bondage and sin to glorify Him amd serve Him.

J.C. Ryle “Christ is the universal physician to whom all the children of Adam must repair, if they would be made whole.”

Let the redeemed of the Lord this morning rejoice; for we have a Savior who is over the physical and spiritual; He is sovereign over all, and now we are called to lay down our life to sacrifice and serve others, that they might see, feel, and know Jesus healing power to save.

May there be a morning, a breaking of day where we can see and say Jesus has been here, and many have seen and felt His power to save physically and spiritually.

As the demon’s knew, so let us know this today this here in Bethesdia, and living in us by the power of the Holy Spirit is the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord.