Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law

What's the difference between a mother-in-law and a mosquito? The mosquito stops bugging you when you slap it.

Adam & Eve were the happiest couple in the world – because neither of them had a MIL.

What’s the difference between outlaws and in-laws? Outlaws are Wanted.

I haven’t spoken to my mother-in-law for eighteen months – I don’t like to interrupt her.

"Mother-in-law came for dinner and asked, "Why does your dog keep staring at me?' I said, 'Because you're using his plate.'"

"My mother in law suffers from acute diabetes and hay fever... I always try to cheer her up with chocolate and flowers."

"Definition of mixed emotions: Seeing your mother in law drive over a cliff in your new truck."

Mark 1:29–31 “And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue [takes place immediately after the spiritual victory at the synagogue], they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John [notice how many people were in this house, Peter and Andrew, Peter’s wife and any kids they might have had. Then Andrew and his family, then Peter’s wife’s mother]. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever [Luke tells us this was a great fever, and Luke who was a physician, knew better than the other disciples], and anon they tell him of her [they means more than one, anon means directly or immediately]. And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up [do you see the compassion that Jesus had?]; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.”

Opposition increases when we are living for The Lord

Jesus had just finished healing the man that was demon possessed. Think about how many times this had happened? The Bible even says his fame spread abroad.

Immediately after this victory, a trial hit. Peter’s Mother in law, who was a part of their every day life (she lived with them), was now sick. Imagine how this affected Peter and his family. The emotional heartache on Peter’s wife, and how that overflows to their family. When someone is sad, it affects everyone around them. She probably helped with the food prep and keeping of the house and was a dear friend of her daughter. And now they find out they are about to lose her.

As soon as Jesus starts affecting change in the world, the devil started his opposition.

Anybody ever heard of Jim Marshall? He was a Minnisota Vikings defensive end. On Oct 25, 1964, The vikings were playing the san Fransisco 49ers. San Fransisco runs the ball during one of their plays. The runner ends up getting hit by the vikings and fumbles the ball. Jim Marshall recovers the ball, sees the goal post and begins running toward the goal post as fast as he can. Surprisingly, he makes it all the way down the field, unopposed by any of the Niners, and in celebration, he throws the ball into the crowd. You know why he was able to make it all the way to the goal post, virtually unopposed? Because he ran the wrong way. He ran toward his own goal post. And when he threw the ball into the crowd, it was ruled a safety for the niners. The niners wanted him to run that way. One of the players came up to Jim and told him thank you after the play.

Satan doesn’t mind if christians sit on their hands and do nothing for the Lord. That’s exactly what he wants every Christian to do.

Why are we surprised when opposition comes? When we start living for the Lord, opposition fires up. I think sometimes we are almost confused as to why trials come into our life? We look at God and say, “why did you allow this into my life? I was just beginning to really start living for you and now this? Do you even care.” The Psalmist had those thoughts

Psalm 73:5 “They are not in trouble as other men; Neither are they plagued like other men.” Psalm 73:13–14 “ Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain [I got right with you for nothing], And washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning.”

God never told us that trials would cease once we became a Christian. God didn’t tell us that life would be easy. However, through the opposition, we have something that those without hope don’t have. We have the presence of God that brings peace in the midst of opposition.

Psalm 73:16–17 “When I thought to know this, It was too painful for me [look, by myself, it’s hard and painful]; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then understood I their end [It wasn’t until the Psalmist went into the presence of God that he saw opposition for what it really was.]” Psalm 73:21–22 “Thus my heart was grieved, And I was pricked in my reins [Have you ever been pricked by a thorn or something sharp? That is how it felt to the Psalmist when he changed his perspective on the situation]. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee [What do you think goes through the mind of God when we play the victim and saw woe is me?].

So what do I do when opposition and trials come?

Embrace the trials, knowing they bring us closer to the Lord

October 5, 2018, was a whirlwind of a day. I remember I was working on some marketing for my work and we were outside filming most of the day. It was working out well because I needed to get off early from work to go to Malerie’s 36 week check-up. Haven was about 4 weeks away from her due-date. Well when we got to the appointment they start with a typical measurement and the doc noticed there had been zero-to-little change. She had us then go down for a biophysical ultrasound. This sort of test is usually done in third trimester if a doctor suspects something wrong with the health of the baby. What they found out is that there were no nutrients reaching Haven and she had stopped growing in utero about 2 weeks prior. We ended up having Haven born that night. She was 3lbs 3 oz when born and shrank to 3lb by the time she reached Boise. What we didn’t realize that morning is that we were about to face a long-drawn-out trial that was going to impact our life. While in the NICU, Haven we found out that Haven had a CHD. Because of her size and her heart, that was going to lead to feeding disorders that would require us to feed her through a turbe every three hours, including during the night. Her CHD would require open heart surgery when she was 6 months old. two months later she had another surgery to put a more long term feeding tube in her stomach. She would be 20 months before she started to eat solid food. She had acid reflux for 18 months of her life where she would throw up her feed and not get he nutrients she needed to gain the weight she needed for the surgery. She’s always going to be small.

Not just once, but over and over and over again we had to bring that trial to God, we had to consciously decide to see the good in it all, and embrace the trial God had allowed into our life. If we had wanted to, we could have complained about the situation to God, we could have complained about the sleepless nights, the unfairness of it all, the unexpected financial hardships, the extra cleaning, extra tears, the extra stress. But that’s not the purpose of trials.

We saw the hand of God over and over again. If work had been extra busy that day, we might have missed our check-up and had a still birth the following Monday. We had a doctor who decided, lets do a ECG just in case the routine murmur in Haven isn’t routine. We saw a church family band together and support us with meals and financial assistance. Those hours and hours of holding up a feeding tube allowed me to spend some extra time with the Lord. Our family moving to one income instead of two caused me to start looking for a business to buy that could help supplement the lost income. We ended up making rubber band bracelets that encouraged people to pray on Feb 21st, for Haven’s surgery. Over a thousand people got down on their knees and prayed for Haven. More than anything else, our relationship with God was strengthened when we saw all He did for us in the trial.

James 1:2–3 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

Trying or proving, is what God uses to strengthen our faith. Who here wants a weak faith? We have to work it out.

We do what the Psalmist did in this chapter, lets look at verse 23.

Psalm 73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand. [stop focusing on the opposition and the trial, and focus on Christ, shift our focus and start focusing on Christ. Are the kids too hard to handle, is the financial burden too hard to bear, is the sin too shameful to face, is the situation too hopeless to see the end? The answer to all these situations is “nevertheless, I am continually with thee - shift our perspective, stop living as if God isn’t with you in the trial

Psalm 73:24 “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, [seek counsel from Him, ask Him what He wants you to do. How few times are we caught on our knees asking for God’s help. I feel like so many times we forget that our heavenly father knows what we need to do and how to handle the opposition and trials in our life. And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. Step back and get the big picture; What problem do we face that’s worth sacrificing the joy of heaven? What is so important that it causes us to shift our focus away from Christ]. My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all thy works.”

Trials bring us closer to God.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Share in other’s burden’s

In Verse 31 we see Jesus exercise compassion when he reaches out and lifts her up. Could she have done that by herself, probably. But it makes it easier when someone is there bearing our burden with us.

Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

Bear means to carry to pick up. Essentially, we are feeling the weight and the pain of that load. God wants us to feel the pain of other’s burdens.

About a month ago, we were able to help Abby with her roof for her house. Did she need our help? No, she’s resourceful. Any single mom with two kids has to be resourceful. On top of that God promises to always provide for her. So in reality she didn’t even need our help. But that’s not what our verse says, it doesn’t say to bear other’s burdens if we think they can’t do it by themselves. It simply says to bear other’s burdens. furthermore, 8 verses later in Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” As a church, we were able to come along side and help bear a burden that Abby had. That is the perfect example of what we as Christian’s are supposed to be doing. And you know what, while looking at the situation from the outside, it appears Abby was the only one receiving a blessing. But in reality, our whole church was blessed to be able to help her. I went home and told Malerie how encouraged I was that our church was so supportive and came together in overwhelming support for Abby. It was as pastor mentioned: it felt like first-century Christianity.”

Weather or not we help other’s with their burden is not based on need, but on opportunity. I fear, we as Christians, look for needs rather than opportunity. We listen to little quips like, “see the need, take the lead.” No, see the opportunity, take the lead is what it should be. We ought to be looking for opportunity to help.

The challenge this week is to look for opportunity to help. Be proactive with opportunity, not reactive with needs.

Remember what God has done for us

About a year ago, Sean helped with some stuff for my guns. I needed some help sighting a scope on a rifle. So later on, we went to eat and I wanted to pay for our meal since had helped me sight in my rifle. You know what he said afterwards, oh thanks, I got you next time. We haven’t been out to eat since :)

Do you see the pattern here, someone does something for you, and you naturally feel obligated to do something for them. We see that here in our passage. Jesus causes the fever to leave Peter’s MIL, and she in turn ministers unto them.

I don’t think she was expected to serve, I think she genuinely wanted to serve. There was a natural outpouring of gratitude that flowed from her life. Moments earlier she was wondering if she would ever see her grandkids play outside, but Jesus had given her hope once again.

So why don’t we have that natural inclination to serve Jesus with our lives. Why aren’t we continually in a state of gratitude for all that Jesus has done in our lives? He’s given us love, joy, and peace. A home in heaven and a help in time of need. He walks with us and guides and council’s us through life’s struggles. He protects us and sustains us. So why aren’t we constantly grateful. Furthermore, why do we find ourselves complaining and ungrateful when things don’t go as we plan?

It’s because we forget. We forget all that God has done for us. It’s not fresh on our minds like it was before.

We all know Ephesians 2:8-9 which talks about salvation and how it’s not based on our own works, but God’s grace. And some of us know the next verse, which talks about how we were created unto good works. God wants us to live for Him. But not many of us know the verses after that. God says two words, “Wherefore remember.” God connects our good works to remembering.

Ephesians 2:8–19 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both …”