Sunday
02/08/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s
Sermon Title: “Jesus the Healer”
[The “Natures of Christ”
series: Part 2 of 3]
Old Testament Lesson:
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c
New Testament
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Gospel Lesson:
Mark 1:29-39
Welcome again my
friends, my brothers and sisters, on this the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany,
of when the Wise Men followed that Bethlehem Star in the sky, to the Christ
Child. This Sunday is also Boy Scout Sunday in the United Methodist Church, and
on this Sunday, the church honors and upholds the work done by our Cub Scouts,
and by our Boy Scouts, both past and present.
Next Sunday we will have Transfiguration Sunday, which is
the Sunday that Christ went up a very high mountain and was changed, or
transfigured in front of three of his disciples.
Three days after next Sunday, we will begin the season of
Lent on Wednesday February 18th. On this Wednesday, which is Ash
Wednesday, we will have a dish to pass dinner at 6:00 pm that night, followed
by an Ash Wednesday worship serving at 7:00 pm.
This morning though, I am continuing my sermon series on
the natures, or the characteristics, or the qualities of Jesus Christ. When
looking at Jesus Christ, we could find countless natures, or characteristics, or
qualities. These could include things such as Jesus as a leader, Jesus as the
Messiah, Jesus as an agent of justice, Jesus as a prophet, Jesus as a
revolutionary, Jesus as a teacher, Jesus as a healer, and etc., and etc.
Last week, I talked about Jesus as a teacher, as a “Rabbi.”
For while Christ came to earth to be wiped, and to be nailed to a cross, so
that we would know what true love is, so that we may be forgiven, the same Jesus,
also laid out a road map or a blue print in the gospels about how we are
supposed to live and treat one another. Jesus taught us to love God, and to love
our neighbor, regardless of who or what our neighbor is. Jesus taught us to
feed the poor, to clothe the naked, to regard the aged, to visit those who are imprisoned,
and etc., and etc. The gospel of the Risen Christ then at its core, is his
death and resurrection of for the redemption of humanity, but our day to day
lives here on earth, should resemble what Jesus taught and said in the gospels.
For if we truly do our best to live the gospel of Jesus Christ every day, our
communities, and the world will be better.
This morning however, in the second part of this three part
series, I want to talk about “Jesus the healer.” You see, while Jesus came to earth
to die for us all, while he came to teach us a new way of living and being, he was
also, among so many other things, a great healer. You see there are countless
stories in the gospels, of Jesus’ miraculous healings.
To begin this idea of “Jesus the healer,” let me give you just
a couple examples of the miraculous healings that I am talking about. In Luke
5:12-13 it says:
“Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a
man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face
to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” Then Jesus stretched out
his hand, touched him, and said, “I do choose. Be made clean.” Immediately the
leprosy left
him.”
A second example of Jesus performing a miraculous healing
is found in Mark 10:46-52, which says:
“They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large
crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was
sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to
shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him
to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on
me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called
the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his
cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go;
your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed
him on the way.”
So,
once again, these are just two examples out of many, of Jesus’s miraculous
healings. I am sure that we can all think of many more examples in our heads,
such as when Jesus healed the 10-lepers, or when Jesus raised Lazarus from the
dead, or when Jesus healed the man with the withered hand, or when Jesus drove
demons out of people, and etc., and etc.
Clearly
then, in the gospels, among many other things, Jesus was a great healer. For he
healed many, with all sorts of afflictions, illnesses, and diseases. For some
there healing was physical, for some is was emotional, and for some it was
spiritual. Yet through Jesus, many were and are still healed.
This
morning in our gospel of Mark reading, Jesus heals Simon Peter’s mother-in-law,
who is in bed sick, and then after this he heals many others. So, yes Peter was
married as the gospel says, and Jesus saves his mother-in-law, who is in bed
sick with what seemed to be a terrible flu, fever, or illness.
While
I don’t normally plan such things, I want to show a video clip as part of this
message. This movie clip is from the movie “The Apostle Peter and the Last
Supper.” Here it is:
In
our reading from Psalm 147 from this morning, it tells us to “Praise the Lord!
Because it is good to sing praise to our God!”
In
the reading from this morning, from the Apostle Paul’s first epistle or letter
to the Corinthians, Paul tells us to preach the gospel, and to preach the “Good
News” of Jesus Christ abundantly.
In
our gospel reading from this morning, Jesus and his disciples have just left
the Synagogue in Capernaum, and upon doing so, “Jesus, James, and John went
home with Simon and Andrew.” The gospel then says, “Simon’s mother-in-law was
in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once.”
At
this point, “Jesus the healer,” “went to her, took her by the hand, and raised
her up. The fever left her, and she served them.” After this, when the evening
came that night, “people brought to Jesus those who were sick or
demon-possessed. The whole town gathered near the door. He healed many who were
sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons.”
The
next morning, before the Sun even rose, the gospel says, “Jesus rose and went
to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer.” Then Simon Peter and
the rest of disciples “tracked” Jesus down. “When they found him, they told
him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”
Jesus
replied to Simon Peter and his other followers, “Let’s head in the other
direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve
come.”
The
gospel reading for this morning then ends speaking of Jesus, and says, “He
traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out
demons.” “Jesus the healer,” the one who makes all things new.
Instead
of bringing this message to a close this morning with a story that I gleaned
from some other source, I want to share part of my own personal story, about my
some of my own healing. I don’t know if any of you have ever heard this story or
not, but here is part of my story of healing:
I
have had nine surgeries in my life. In fact, I was born with something called “Nail–patella
syndrome.” According to one source I found, it defines “Nail-patella syndrome”
as “a genetic disorder that results in small,
poorly developed nails and kneecaps, but can also affect many
other areas of the body, such as the elbows, chest, and hips. The name
"nail–patella" can be very misleading because the syndrome often
affects many other areas of the body, including even the production of certain
proteins.”
This
syndrome I was told, comes from a specific part of what is today Germany, as
part of my ethnic heritage is German. This syndrome as I just stated, can also
manifest differently in each person.
For
me, I had to get three surgeries as a little baby, on both of my largest toes,
in an effort to save my biggest toe nails. You see I had pieces of toe nails
growing under my toe nails on my big toes, causing my biggest toes on each foot
to start to lose their toe nails. After three surgeries, the toe nails on my
biggest toes were just removed by the surgeon. They in effect, killed the root
of the toe nail. While that might sound gross, to me, my big toes look fairly
normal, but I still do have pieces of toe nail that grow up where the big toe
nails should be.
I
was also born with what was called an inverted or a concave chest. As such, I
will always walk with a little bit of a hunch, unless I try really hard to
stand up straight. Since my chest was inverted or concave when I was born, my
doctors determined when I was a little boy at the age of 5-years old that if I
didn’t get surgery, that one day one of ribs would likely puncture my heart and
kill me.
So
at 5-years old, my surgeon took one of my spare ribs from rib cage, and made
that rib into a new sternum in my chest. For one year, I then had a metal bar
in my chest, holding my newly reconstructed rib cage together.
A
year later, I got surgery again, to remove this metal bar from my reconstructed
rib-cage.
My
other surgeries were getting my tonsils and adenoids out, and three oral surgeries,
as my “Nail–patella syndrome” caused teeth to grow under the teeth in my mouth,
where there were not supposed to grow. Oh, and like many of you, I got my wisdom
teeth out to. Which was awful, but I got to eat a lot of ice cream, so that was
good. Other than this, I haven’t had and other issues with the “Nail–patella
syndrome,” but it is possible that our future children could have it.
My
mother Susan always told me that ever since I was little boy, that I wanted to
help and serve others. That my surgeon who was worried about the potential
fatal risks of my chest surgery, told my mom after the surgery was over, “Susan,
your boy is a fighter.” My mom also remembered being in tears as the nurses present
when I got my chest surgeries, said, “It is so nice to have a healthy child on
this floor,” as the floor had many terminal children.
I
was also told that 100-years ago, or even 50-60 years ago, I might have died
one day, as this procedure couldn’t have been done yet. So, I speak of healing
this morning. So, I speak of the power of the power of the living God this
morning. So, I speak of the power of Jesus Christ this morning. Brothers and
sisters, my doctors told me I was a walking miracle. So I have decided to live
for Christ, so he may use me to change hearts and minds, and through him maybe
even perform some miracles in others. Since I have life, and since I have been
forgiven by the lord of life, I now serve him, I now serve others, for I have
been healed.
I
am now in my third year of pastoral ministry, and I know this where God has
called me, and I know the healing power of the Risen Christ. For I have been
healed, as I likely wouldn’t be here years ago. I am alive, I have breath, God
loves me, and God loves you. Jesus came to teach, to heal, and to save us all.
Brothers and sisters let the Risen Christ come into your heart today.
Oh
and by the way, other than church, a place that I learned great values,
discipline, and focus, was in the Boy Scouts of America. Whose Scout Law is
written as” “A Scout is ... trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous,
kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” So for those
scouts, both past and present, hold your heads high, as you are the future of
this nation and of this world. God has called you all greatness, and who knows,
perhaps the living God has called some of you to be great like healers, following
after the Risen One, “Jesus the healer.” Praise be to God, and Amen.
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