Synoptic Gospels 2: Servant of the Lord (3)
Pray Psalm 38.1-4.
O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
For Your arrows pierce me deeply,
And Your hand presses me down.
There is no soundness in my flesh
Because of Your anger,
Nor any health in my bones
Because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
Sing Psalm 38.1-4
(Leoni: The God of Abraham Praise)
O LORD, rebuke me not, nor chasten me in wrath!
Your arrows pierce my sinful heart and block my path.
Your heavy hand weighs down; my flesh and bones grow weak.
My sins oppress, confuse, confound—I cannot speak!
Read Matthew 8.14, 15; Mark 1.29-31; Luke 4.38, 39; meditate on Matthew 8.14, 15.
Preparation
1. What was wrong with Peter’s mother-in-law?
2. How did this come to Jesus’ attention (Lk.4.38, 39)?
Meditation
We cannot fail to make the connection between sin and spiritual and physical maladies—demon possession, illness, blindness, paralysis, and all the rest. These are not visited upon us necessarily because of our sin (cf. Jn. 9.1-5); mostly, they beset us because sin is in the world, and sin affects all aspects of life in the world. By taking away the sickness and fever of Peter’s mother, healing the demon-possessed, and curing those who had a variety of illnesses, Jesus demonstrated that He has power over the effects of sin, and sin itself.
Sin is the original, chronic, everywhere-pervasive pandemic which causes misery, suffering, sorrow, pain, and death. And Jesus came to take sin away, so that, even though we may yet experience various maladies, all who know Jesus participate in His victory over sin now and can always rejoice and give thanks. For we know that, should our mortal bodies—temporal and frail as they are—succumb to the effects of sin in this sinful world, Jesus, the Servant of the LORD, has taken away our infirmities, having borne them in His own body, and we shall at last be made well and whole in Him.
Notice Jesus’ method: touching and speaking. It’s not the only way Jesus brings healing to the world (cf. Jn. 2.1-11—here He simply thought), but it suggests to me that we need to stay close to Jesus, both so that we can hear Him speaking to us and know His Presence and glory. When Jesus touches us, and when He speaks His Word to us, we know that our infirmities—be they ever so persistent or pernicious—have ultimately been taken by Him, and the joy of our restoration is just a prayer of gratitude away.
Thus daily healed and renewed by the Servant of the LORD, let us rise and go forth to serve Him.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Hezekiah was sick and going to die. He pled with the LORD to heal him, and God inclined to do so (see 2 Kin. 20). He lived an additional 15 years, and during that time another son was born to him, who was a hellion and caused much suffering. “Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years…and he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel” (2 Kin. 21.1 2).
Hezekiah did not make good use of the additional years he was gifted. His life was the antithesis of the life described by Matthew Henry in our quote for today: “Where Christ gives a new life, in recovery from sickness, it should be a new life, spent more than ever in His service, to His glory.”
So many, it seems, don’t respond to recovery to give God all the glory—as it becomes more an occasion to do what they want to do than what He wants them to do. Like the leper who was told to keep his mouth shut and obey the Law as his testimony for healing (see Mk. 1.40-43). He preferred not and made Jesus’ life more difficult.
All of life is meant to be our opportunity for giving God glory in all circumstances, as Paul said, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me” (Phil. 4.11-13). And in so doing, we shout aloud—most quietly—His praise and honor and glory.
The paralytic carried by four friends and lowered through the roof for Jesus to heal, did his recovery obediently. His healing was an opportunity for Jesus to expound upon His own power to heal all diseases of the body and demon-possession of the soul—His power covers all sins and all illnesses. As He said, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house” (Mk. 2.9-11).
And his recovery done obediently? What was its effect?
“Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’” (Mk. 2.12).
And Peter’s mother-in-law? Why was she healed? To put it up on Facebook? To write a book? Surely to give her testimony at several local women’s groups? Nope. She was healed to serve.
“So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her.
And immediately she arose and served them” (Lk. 4.39).
Just like Jesus, Who came to serve (Matt. 20.28).
He lived and served.
He died and served.
He arose and served.
And we? Why have we been healed of our sins?
To arise and serve. Obediently.
Reflection
1. What “healing” do you need from Jesus every day? How should that move you to serve Him?
2. How should the healing you know from Jesus factor into your witness for Him?
3. Whom will you serve today? How?
Where Christ gives a new life, in recovery from sickness, it should be a new life, spent more than ever in his service, to his glory. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Luke 4.31-44
Pray Psalm 119.60-64.
Listen in silence for the Lord to convict you of any sins. Confess and repent as He leads. Pray that He will use you to encourage other believers today.
Sing Psalm 38.9-22.
(Leoni: The God of Abraham Praise)
You know all my desire, my sighs You know full well.
My strength fails and light’s holy fire my eyes dispel.
My friends and loved ones fail; the wicked do me wrong.
My life they seek, my soul assail the whole day long.
Their threats I will not heed, nor speak to their reproof;
To hear or speak I have no need—I claim Your truth!
LORD, hear my fervent prayer! Let not my foes rejoice;
redeem me from their traps and snares—LORD, hear my voice!
My sins I now confess; my anxious soul relieve!
Though foes are strong, LORD, heal and bless all who believe!
Forsake me not, O LORD! Repay my foes with wrath.
Stand by me with Your saving Word and guard my path!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: Our Read Moore podcast is concentrating on praying the psalms to seek revival—why we should and what we might expect. Do you ever wonder about what God’s will for you is? Patrick—echoing Paul—makes it clear, as you can see in last week’s Crosfigell. Our current ReVision series, “Pray for Your Church”, teaches us how to pray for the ministries of our church, beginning with worship. And new in our bookstore, our book, The Ongoing Work of Christ shows us how the book of Acts provides a template and footprint for all who take up the work of building Jesus’ Church.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
