Sermon Manuscript020806
Sermon Manuscript – 2/8/2006 Robert Hutcherson, Jr.
Sermon: “What we came to do”
TEXT
Mark 1:29-39
Our text today comes from the book of Mark While there is no direct evidence to prove it, it is generally accepted that this Gospel was written by John Mark, who was a close associate of Peter. It is believed that this Gospel for the most part consists of the preaching of Peter, directed to the needs of the early church as arranged and shaped by John Mark.
It is only the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, but already Jesus is performing miracles -- and dealing with the crowds who are clamoring for more miracles -- and dealing with disciples who do not understand his ministry. Already he is withdrawing to a deserted place for prayer. Already he finds himself having to re-set the focus where it belongs --the proclamation of the message. This is the shortest of the four Gospels, the fastest paced, and the one characterized by the word, immediately! We find ourselves needing to replay the story in slow motion to understand its significance. Just a few verses ago, Simon and Andrew left their nets to follow Jesus -- and James and John left their father. This story takes place in the home of Simon and Andrew. The story of the healing of Simon's mother-in-law follows the story of the exorcism in the synagogue of the man with the unclean spirit, Jesus' first act of ministry (other than calling the first four disciples).
This exorcism takes place on the sabbath, but the opposition to Jesus has not yet developed, and there is no reaction to his performing an exorcism on the sabbath."As soon as (euthus) they left the synagogue". This verse opens with the Greek word, euthus, which means "as soon as" or "immediately" or "at once." Mark uses this word frequently in his Gospel, and it fits his hurried, quick-moving style.
"they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John". These four are the only disciples that Mark has identified so far. Jesus will soon recruit Levi, the tax collector and the twelve, which include these four. Jesus "took her by the hand and lifted her up (egeiren)". Earlier, in the synagogue, Jesus exorcised a demon. In that instance, he used words. Now he uses only touch Jesus' touch is gentle and helpful, but unorthodox. In that culture, men do not touch women (except family members). Jesus, however, often touches people who need healing -- even a leper, whom he cannot touch without becoming unclean himself.
We are reluctant to touch people who are ill, in part because we don't want to hurt them, but also because we are afraid of catching their disease. In modern times our understanding of viruses and bacteria has reinforced that notion, but fails to explain our reluctance to touch a person who has cancer or another non-communicable disease.
Several things come to mind when I read this story about Jesus healing crowds of people and then going elsewhere instead of sticking around to make something out of his newfound congregation. Jesus came to Capernaum. He attended the synagogue and drove out a demon. He went to Simon's house and healed Simon's mother-in-law. The people flocked to him so that he might heal them. He healed lots of people, and the crowd couldn't get enough of him. And then, just as he had them eating out of his hand, he went off to a deserted place to pray.
We might think that Jesus would not require prayer. But Jesus gave out spiritual energy all day every day, so he needed time for renewal -- time alone with the Father -- opportunity to recharge his spiritual batteries so that he could face the challenges that he encountered every time he entered a new town.
But his disciples lost patience with Jesus. They found him missing, and began searching for him. The Bible (NRSV) says that they "hunted" for him. That is a good translation of the original Greek. That word is katedioxen. That is the word that people used to speak of hunting animals. It was as if the disciples had gone on a manhunt looking for Jesus -- trying to figure out where he went -- searching everywhere to find him.
They finally found him in a lonely place -- all by himself -- praying -- seemingly oblivious to the crowds clamoring for his attention back in Capernaum. They couldn't believe that Jesus had gotten the people so stirred up and had then walked out on them. It didn't make sense. They had marveled at Jesus' teachings --and everyone was in awe of his healing power -- but the disciples silently wondered what Jesus was doing out here in the middle of nowhere when he was needed back in Capernaum!
I can imagine how they felt. Jesus had raised people's expectations -- and then had disappeared. With nobody else to turn to, I am sure that the people turned to the disciples. There were only four of them at this point -- Peter, Andrew, James, and John. But what could they do? They didn't know how to handle these crowds. They didn't know how to heal the sick. They had only recently begun to follow Jesus, and they certainly weren't qualified to stand in for him. I'm sure that the disciples were feeling the pressure -- that they were mystified and angry when Jesus disappeared -- when he walked off and left them holding the bag.
When they found him, they said, "Everyone is searching for you." I think they really wanted to say, "What's the matter with you Jesus! Everyone's searching for you. Come on! Let's get back to town! Let's take care of business!"
I think that they also wanted to say, "And another thing, don't do that again! Don't leave us alone! Don't get the crowds all stirred up and then disappear. It's not fair! It's not fair to them -- and it's certainly not fair to us!"
But Jesus was having none of it. He answered:
"Let us go on to the neighboring towns,
so that I may proclaim the message there also;
for that is what I came out to do."
I'm sure that the disciples were stunned. "But what about all these people who are searching for you Jesus? They want to see you. Everyone wants to talk to you. There are people who need healing -- and there is a young man who wants to be your disciple -- there's a rich man who wants to build you a synagogue. You don't need to travel all over Galilee, Jesus. There are more opportunities right here in Capernaum than you can shake a stick at -- opportunities to last a lifetime!"
But Jesus said:
"Let us go on to the neighboring towns,
so that I may proclaim the message there also;
for that is what I came out to do."
"That is what I came out to do." Jesus "had his eye on the ball." That old phrase comes out of a sports context -- exactly which sport, I'm not sure, because keeping your eye on the ball applies in most sports. It means staying focused on the one thing that counts most. A football player who has his eye on the ball isn't listening for the crowd's cheers -- isn't worried about the mud stain on his pants -- isn't trying to figure out how to invest his latest bonus.
The ball player who has his eye on the ball is focused on the one thing that counts -- the game -- the play -- and most especially the ball. He needs to know many things -- who has the ball -- where they are on the field or the court-- which team is ahead -- where he is in relationship to the other players. But none of that counts unless he knows where the ball is. If he loses sight of the ball, he isn't likely to defend effectively -- and certainly can't score. Keep your eye on the ball. Stay focused on the one thing that counts most.
Jesus had his eye on the ball. "That is what I came out to do," he said. What was it that he came to do? He came to preach -- to proclaim the message to the neighboring towns. What message was that? Mark told us earlier that Jesus proclaimed "the good news of God" -- that he preached, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news”.
What does this mean to us? We, as Christ's church, need to be doing a thousand things. We need to feed the hungry -- provide shelter for the homeless -- visit the sick and those in prison -- send blankets and money to hurricane victims. But those things are not our first order of business. Our first order of business is proclaiming "the good news of God" -- preaching "Repent, and believe in the good news." That is what it means for us to have our eye on the ball. If we are not preaching the Good News of Christ, the other things won't amount to much.
It is Pastor’s job to preach the Gospel on Sunday mornings at eleven o'clock. But it is OUR job to preach the Gospel the other hundred sixty-seven hours of the week. It is YOUR job to preach the Gospel in the many places where you have influence -- certainly in your family -- to your neighbors -- to co-workers -- to friends -- perhaps even to the person that you meet on the street or in the store.
Do you need to be discreet about that? Of course! It is possible to alienate people instead of persuading them. But the problem for most Christians isn't that we are likely to alienate people by being too pushy -- but that our witness is likely to be so low-key as to be invisible -- no witness at all -- and that is not what Christ expects of us.
What about the witness to your family.
-- Would it be too much for Christ to expect that you will let your family know that you are a Christian. Surely you can help them to grow in faith. –
-- Would it be too much for Christ to expect that you will make faith a daily part of your family's life.
-- Would it be too much for Christ to expect that you will encourage and expect your children to participate in Sunday school -- and worship -- and church youth groups.
-- Would it be too much for Christ to expect that you will make it a point to eat at least one meal a day as a family -- and that you begin that meal with a prayer of thanksgiving?
-- Would it be too much for Christ to expect that you who are parents of small children will find a good book of Bible stories and read those stories to your children in the evening?
-- Would it be too much for Christ to expect that you will have prayer with your children at bedtime?
-- Would it be too much for Christ to expect that you will personally make Sunday worship a priority in your life -- and that you will encourage your family to do likewise?
Or maybe your family is grown. Perhaps you have grandchildren.
-- Would it be too much for Christ to expect that you could give some thought to how you might encourage them in the faith.
I'm not talking about anything difficult here. I am not talking about grabbing strangers on the street and asking, "Do you know Jesus?" I am talking about your family - immediate AND extended-- the place where Christ expects you to take the lead. It doesn't matter whether you are father or mother or child -- or grandfather or grandmother. In the family, each person is important and each can help the other to grow in faith.
You are writing a Gospel,
A chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do,
And the words that you say.
Men read what you write,
If it's false or it's true.
Now what is the Gospel
According to you?
-- Author unknown
When the disciples found Jesus and asked him to take care to the crowds in Capernaum, he said that he had to go to neighboring towns to proclaim the Gospel, because that was what he had come to do. That is what God has called us to do -- to proclaim the Gospel.
-- Would it be too much for Christ to expect us to “do what we came to do”….