What I came to do.
1 Corinthians 9: 16 – 23; Mark 1: 29 – 39
Christ Jesus has come to all and wants the best for us all.
“That is what I came out to do”, said Jesus to his disciples. [Mk 1: 38] What always strikes me in this passage is that Jesus has had a very busy day well into the evening, and he gets up before sunrise to go to a quiet place to pray. Why? Surely there is reason enough to have a little longer in bed? Anyway how much time does he need? Before sunrise – before everyone else gets up?
Mark paints another word picture for us depicting a day in Jesus’ early ministry. We naturally see all the healings and get caught up in that part of his ministry, but I believe that misses the point: two points actually. Firstly, he returns to Simon Peter’s house and is told about his mother-in-law’s illness. What Jesus does is significant, but the significance is lost on us, because of our cultural difference. In those days, a respectable rabbi would not take a woman by the hand. And we have no records, amongst the healings of that time, of rabbis healing women. And certainly this would not have been done on the Sabbath. Jesus could have waited until after sundown that day, which was the beginning of the next day. Their days ran from sunset to sunset. In healing this woman and touching her Jesus is subject to uncleanness and breaking the Sabbath law. Mark records something very significant here. Jesus cures a demon-possessed man on the Sabbath and heals a woman on the Sabbath. And he touches a woman he does not know. Jesus will not be constrained by convention when it comes to our well-being. And, more importantly Jesus’ actions proclaim that the Gospel is for all. That is the first and profound lesson: all are included in God’s kingdom, and our conventions take a second place. We should take careful note of the latter.
The second point of this passage for me is that Jesus needs time alone. For what? Well, we are not told, but there are some clues. Jesus has become popular. The beginning of his ministry sees a group of disciples formed and people respond warmly to this rabbi – a teacher who speaks with authority and acts with power. People have been healed and they see that this man, Jesus of Nazareth, is special. They come to Simon Peter’s house in the evening because it is no longer the Sabbath. Jesus heals. Reading between the lines the disciples wake up rather lazily. They discover that some early risers have arrived to see Jesus. This is exciting. They go looking for Jesus. They’re part of the show. For them it is about the success of Jesus’ ministry. The crowds are growing. The disciples are pleased and excited. When they find Jesus they tell him; “Everyone is searching for you.” [Mk 1:37] A little bit of exaggeration, but it is basically true. The disciples think that this is what Jesus has come to do and they’re part of it. But they are wrong. Jesus has come to proclaim the message throughout Israel and to Israel. Jesus has also come to confront evil and lay down his life. They don’t understand this. Their lack of understanding is understandable.
Jesus needed time alone to reflect on what has happened. He needed to get perspective because others would not see what he sees. A successful day with crowds is tempting. The temptation would be to stay with the crowds and build a strong rabbinic teaching ministry. That’s what rabbis did. They established schools – at least the great ones did. But that is exactly the temptation he needed to face and reject. It is not that people should come to him, but that he should go to them. That is the Gospel: God comes to us in this one, Christ Jesus. I think one of the great dangers in life is that we do not give ourselves time to reflect on our successes. We’d just rather repeat them. Never forget about the long journey – the goal. What you are called to: what God has laid on your heart. Jesus didn’t.
This passage speaks to us of the scope and purpose of Jesus’ ministry: God’s Kingdom is at hand and it is for all: the rich, the poor, men and women, children, the outcasts and tax collectors. They will come to see that the Gospel is for all – even the Romans – their enemies.
Now the Gospel comes in the power of God and God’s intention is to heal and restore us to our former image. Now for us healing has largely to do with our physical wellness. Healing often means the removal of pain, discomfort and limitations. Let’s briefly ponder about this.
In my ministry of over 50 years I have come to see healing in this way.
Firstly, I believe that God can intervene and that miraculous healings do take place. I have personally witnessed this. But physical healing does not always come in the way we wish it. There is a testimony that goes back through time right to Paul, who had some physical ailment, that the physical ailment has been a means of witnessing to God. What if our physical ailment is the instrument of God’s message to others? What if the great healing is death itself, so that we can go to be wholly in God’s presence? I fear that we tend to see healing as the absence of suffering of any kind. I am not sure that is a helpful understanding.
Yes, I like being free of pain and any form of suffering. I like to be bouncing with energy. But such health, when I reflect on it, is the health I enjoy and I want because it serves my interests. And our concern is mostly for bodily health, not a well being of the spirit and the mind. I know too well the suffering of the spirit and the mind, which is a different suffering and limitation on one’s life.
This brings me to my second point. For us to be truly well, truly healthy, we need the inner healing of mind and spirit. The mind is the space in our lives where we process our thoughts, feelings, thinking, wills and reasoning. A healthy mind is critical for a healthy body. They are not separate. There are times when our negative experiences of life and relationships have led to us developing unhealthy patterns of responding and behaving. These will also impact upon our physical health.
We see it in others where a poor or negative childhood experience can be most destructive in the way we handle our sporting and professional life. Negative feelings of anger, failure, fear, insecurity and a lack of confidence can skew negatively who we are. At times the emotion can be so strong that it affects us physically. If fear can render us immobile do not think that anger, injustice, hopelessness, guilt, shame and others do not affect our physical well-being. We need to deal with these emotions. God can heal us. It may take time.
Jesus offers to heal us: the whole being. To the paralyzed man brought to Jesus and lowered through the roof of Simon Peter’s house, Jesus offered first forgiveness then the man rises and walks [Mk 2: 3ff]. To the woman who touches the hem of his garment he commends her faith [Mt 9: 20ff]. When Jesus offers us to lay our burdens at his feet and take up his yoke, which is light, he is offering us a healing of the mind and spirit [Mt 11: 28-30].
There are things that will aid our healing or aid us entering the holy space of God where we find healing. There is faith. We do need to believe and trust God. Coming to God in the hope you might get lucky will not achieve anything. Believe that God can do it for you.
Secondly, God calls us to forgiveness. He offers to forgive us and for us to forgive others. When Jesus commends his disciples to forgive 70 X 7 he is telling them that their well-being is dependent upon forgiveness. So those who seek healing need to humble themselves, seek forgiveness and become forgiving persons themselves.
Praise is essential for healthy living. Praise for what we owe God, but as much as it is due to God it is a healing balm to our spirits. It lifts us up. It takes our minds away from the self to God. The repentant forgiving person, who acknowledges their need in faith, will also be a person full of praise. Praise releases us and liberates us in a way that truly transforms our lives. When the Spirit is so working in us the healing of God takes place. Praise is for me is like my vitamin supplement. It’s my medicine. A thankful spirit will be the best medicine we can take. Praising God each day and throughout the day will bring both and inner healing and a bodily healing to us.
Christ Jesus has come to all and wants the best for us all.
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Peter C Whitaker, Leighmoor UC: 04/02/2018
/ www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org
