The Healing Ministry Continues...

I. Introduction

We began a serval part series on the life and teachings on Jesus last month…and this week I”dendf

a. Scripture: Mark 1:29-34

I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word.

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

II. Major Points

God Cares About YOU

There is No Room for Unclean Teaching

III. Point #1: God Cares About YOU

Explanation

So we have Jesus after the healing of the demon-possessed man in the Temple…and he comes to Simon Peter and Andrew’s house after services are over. It says that it is around the sixth hour…and you have to understand that the Jewish day began at 6 AM…and so hours were counted from there…so 6 hours after 6 AM is what time, class? 12 Noon. So it’s lunch time.

When they arrive at the house, they find Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with a very high fever. You have to understand something here, when you got a fever in those days, it was life-threatening. Today when you get a fever, you take a couple of ibuprofen, lie down, put a cold rag on your head and treat it, right? If it doesn’t get any better, you go to the doctor, and if if is caused by a virus, you may end up with an antibiotic of some kind....but either way....we don’t too much consider a fever to be a death sentence anymore....in those days, they did. They had no treatments like we do today. All they could do is put cool water on the person’s forehead....cool…not cold. They had no way to make ice, remember? So this is a very serious situation…and Peter is no doubt concerned…and so is his wife.

Now we don’t talk about this much, but Peter was indeed married. We are told about this here and Paul confirms it in his first letter to the Corinthians. I think that is a very important point because it does show that a person can be devoted to both the Lord and their family at the same time. I’m sure it was a struggle to do that for Peter....and as you can see, his mother-in-law was living with them so no doubt his father-in-law was dead…so that was another aspect of his life he was having to deal with.

But now she was ill…and the one person who could do something about it was Jesus. Now I have often heard it argued that the only reason Jesus did miracles was so that folks would believe in His power as Lord and Savior…but I want to remind you of something very important here: this particular miracle was NOT done publically. This miracle was done in private.

When he cast the demon out of the man in the temple, he did that for all to see…and I’m sure their faith was strengthened…so the question is: why would Jesus do this on such a small scale then? Only a couple of people saw it....so why do it?

Illustration

Years ago, I knew of this preacher at a very large church in a city. And right across the road from that church was a much smaller church. This pastor had 3 services every Sunday morning and had nearly 1,000 people show up for each service. This was a HUGE congregation....the church across the street was small…a lot like our congregation.

One day, the pastor was out. And rumors swirled all over the church that he was leaving....that he had gone to go candidate for another church. Phone calls were made…people were upset. No one knew where the pastor was and they were up in arms.

Over the course of the week, someone FINALLY called the pastor. They asked him where he was…and he decided he would tell everybody the next Sunday. So he stood in his pulpit the following Sunday…and everybody was anxious. He said “I guess yall are wondering where I was last Sunday...” “Here it is,” several of them said to one another...”they just KNEW he was about to resign.

The pastor said “last week....I received an invitation to preach at the little church across the street. They are a godly church with a sweet godly pastor. So that’s where I was....right across the street, preaching their special Homecoming service.”

Some people were furious “WHY!?” Somebody screamed at him! “Why didn’t you just TELL us one lady said?” The pastor looked up over his glasses and said: “If I had told you…many of you would have gone THERE instead of coming here where you’re supposed to be.”

Application

Church: Listen to me....the reason Jesus did NOT do this miracle publically was because it wasn’t to prove anything at all....He did it because he loved Peter…and He loved Peter’s family.

Yall…sometimes we get so tangled up in the reason God did this or that or the reason He DIDN’T do this or that that sometimes we forget that He is God and He can do whatever He wants for whatever reason He wants…and we also forget that He loves us....and the Bible says that His plans for His people are to HELP them....not hurt them. Sometimes He does things just because He loves us...

He may bring you healing…just because He loves you....He may bring you better job, just because He loves you....He may bless you in a number of ways…but remember this: It’s not because you prayed a special prayer or said some magic words or gave a certain amount to the TV preacher....it’s for one simple reason: He loves you. Amen? He love you…just like he loved Peter and is family....and that’s why he healed this woman in such a private way. He cared about them, and He cares about you.

IV. Point #2: There is No Room for Unclean Teaching

Explanation

So after the healing of Peter’s mother, she gets up and starts waiting on the people like nothing was ever wrong with her. That night, evidently word had traveled so quickly about the healing at the Temple earlier that day that people all over the city knew about Jesus and knew he was there…so they began showing up at Peter’s house. And Jesus healed ....sicknesses of all kinds. And cause Jesus to become even more famous....word about Jesus was by now out of the city and spreading throughout the countryside to other small cities.

All of that is striking and very important....but one thing about these healings particularly stands out to me....When Jesus was casting the demons out of people, it says that He did not allow them to speak....

And the question is: why? I mean he allowed the demon inside of the man in the Temple to speak....why not these?

The reason Mark gives is this: because they KNEW Him.

In other words: These demons knew the truth as well, and he could have allowed them to speak just as He had allowed the one to speak in the temple…but the one speaking in the temple proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah....he did in front of the Jewish leaders and everyone else there.

You see, Jesus USED these servants of Satan to confirm, even from the source of evil himself, that He is the Messiah…and now....there is NO reason for them to talk…even when they knew the truth. Their teaching was unclean....and it was unnecessary.

Illustration

Yall listen....you can turn on the TV and YouTube and find hundreds and hundreds of so-called “Bible Teachers”....and many of them KNOW the truth....they KNOW Jesus…and they confuse people because they speak of Jesus and they quote the Bible and they sound very religious and very Christian but there is one problem: while they KNOW the truth, their motives and their intentions are all wrong....while they speak of the Gospel and speak truth, they really just desire your money.

I have turned on these guys and they have made some of the most disgusting promises…they have promised everything from if you will send your money you will become rich overnight to if you send your money and put your sick baby up beside the television, he will be healed.

You see, these are wolves in sheep’s clothing....they are disgusting…and they prey on the vulnerable.

Application

Church listen to me…these demons knew the truth…but Jesus already had the forces of Satan confirm that....now it was time for the voices of evil to be quiet. He didn’t need their help…He didn’t need them teaching and confusing the people, even if they DID know the truth.

Folks....when you turn on the TV or computer screen and you see the unbiblical nonsense that is out there like I gave you evidence of earlier....turn it off…don’t watch it period!

b. Let’s Prayiaiill see that kind of thing on TV, and then 5 seconds later post some quote from that same preacher on Facebook....come on yall....either he is a liar or he isn’t.... I had a woman complaining one time that I had called a particular preacher a heretic because of something he said....and I’ll tell you what it was…he claimed that all people are “little gods”....like God is the one BIG God....but all people are little gods with power like Him....yall that is unbiblical heresy. And she was still listening to him....yall when it comes to your spiritual health…there is NO room for unclean teaching.

None.

Zero.

Do NOT allow yourself or your family to listen to it.

You know my mama found a preacher she enjoyed the other day…instead of just accepting his words, she called me and asked me what I thought of him....I had not heard of him…soI looked him him up....and it turns out mama, Jon Courson is a solid dude. Educated at a top-tier seminary…pastored at a solid church....has written several colid commentaries....so I say go for it.

But my point is....she didn’t make room in her Bible study life for bad or unbiblical teaching. YOu see even the demon’s know the truth....their theology is better than ours! They have MET Jesus....the problem is that, like these bad preachers, their motives and intentions....that’s the difference

Don’t make room for bad teaching when there is so much good out there!

a. Let me ask you this morning: do you realize just how much God cares for you? Are you allowing any unsolid teaching into your life? Stop…youre worth better than that.

b. Let’s Pray