Willing

 

The first thirty-nine verses of Mark chapter one, introduces the reader to Jesus, who He is, what He said, and what He did at the start of His ministry. Mark’s intent in writing this gospel was to show Jesus is who He said by showing His ministry. After His baptism by John the Baptist and God’s proclamation that Jesus is His Son, Jesus walked to and stayed in the wilderness for forty days without food or drink, and He did not succumb to Satan’s temptations.

Upon exiting His wilderness experience, Jesus walked to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee and called four fishermen–Simon, Andrew, James, and John–to follow Him. The men immediately left their boats and walked with Him. Jesus and the four men walked to the synagogue in Capernaum, Galilee. He stood in the synagogue and taught from God’s word with power and authority, then cast evil spirits out of a possessed man. The people began talking among themselves with amazement. Afterwards, Jesus walked with Simon and Andrew to their home. Simon told Jesus about his mother-in-law being sick in bed with a fever. Jesus walked to her, helped her sit up, and willed her to be well. He helped her to her feet, and she began serving the men. When the Sabbath ended, the people brought to Jesus those who were ill and demon possessed. Mark said, “The whole city had gathered at the door. And He (Jesus) healed many who were ill with various diseases and cast out many demons” (Mark 1:33-34 [NASB]). People commented throughout Jesus’ actions about His power and authority.

After these activities, Jesus retreated to a quiet place early in the morning to pray. Simon and others searched earnestly for Him. When they found Jesus, Simon told Him everyone was looking for Him. Jesus told Simon and his companions they must go with Him to towns nearby so He could preach there, too. In these four verses (Mark 1:35-38), Jesus modeled and explained ministry for these people. Ministering includes praying to God and proclaiming the gospel. Jesus then took them into synagogues throughout Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

Compassion

⁴⁰And a man with leprosy came to Jesus, imploring Him and kneeling down, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” ⁴¹Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” ⁴²And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:40-42 [NASB])

While in a district in Galilee, a man with leprosy approached Jesus. This man understood the law forbade him from entering the city walls because of his disease. He knew the law forbade him to approach a clean person, a person who was not an outcast because of illness or demon possession. This leper learned about Jesus’ miracles. He wanted Him to cure him, too. Perhaps he had listened to the religious leaders teaching that God judges sinners with infirmities. We do not know what this leper knew and understood. He wanted to go to the temple to worship God. The leper wanted to be around other people. He did not want to be an outcast.

This leper listened to people talk about Jesus and risked further shunning by approaching Him, a non-outcast, a clean person. He begged. This man used the most humbling way to approach a person for a favor. He kneeled before Jesus. He lowered himself physically and in status before Jesus begging Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean” (vs. 40). After hearing about the people Jesus healed and the demons He cast out, he believed Jesus could heal him. The leper recognized Jesus as being greater than himself and risked shunning to implore Him for favor, grace.

The leper stated Jesus had the power to heal him when he said if He “willed.” When Jesus willed something, He gave His best offer. He was disposed-chose-to do something. When Jesus died on the cross, He gave His absolute best offer-salvation and eternal life. This leper did not realize Jesus had that ability, but he trusted Jesus could heal him and stated that fact in this verse. “If You are willing.” The leper begged Jesus to give His best offer that he had noted from overheard conversations–healing that made him ceremonially and socially clean. His curing would make him clean. This man desired for the people to accept him.

Jesus disposed Himself toward this man. He listened to the man and acted upon it. Mark said, “Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’” (vs 41). Jesus willed-desired-to give His best offer to this man. He desired the leper to receive ceremonial cleansing. Jesus used the same word the leper did when he asked for cleansing. The leper wanted ceremonial and social cleansing. He wanted to be in the city and the synagogue. Jesus proved to the leper, the watchers, and the later-hearers He is able and willing to heal and cleanse people. Jesus can do more than that, as Mark tells later in His gospel, but the time was not right yet. At the right time, Jesus would declare His purpose on earth.

Another factor to consider in this meeting with the leper is Jesus touched him. Jesus risked getting leprosy by touching Him, but He did not contract it. If Jesus had contracted leprosy, the priest would have proclaimed Him an outcast, too. This would have made Jesus unable to go to the areas in which the people lived. Jesus did not become infected with it. He, a clean man, touched an unclean one and made him clean, while Himself not becoming unclean. If the leaders considered this action in depth, they would have realized only a truly “clean” person can make another clean. Only a person who is absolutely clean can make another person clean. If the religious leaders dived deeper into their theology, they would remember their belief that God gives disease and death to those who sin against Him. By making this leper clean, Jesus’ actions said He forgave the leper and He Himself is God. Only God could forgive sins. The religious leaders had not pondered Jesus’ actions and teachings deeply yet. Soon, Jesus’ ministry would encounter negative reactions.

Again, Mark used one of his favorite adverbs. He wrote the word “immediately.” He wrote in such a way that it appeared Jesus rapidly encountered and interceded with power and authority for people one after another. In verse forty-two, Mark wrote, “And at once, the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.” Jesus willed the man to be well, and he was. He did not instruct the man to make a wish or do anything before he received healing. Jesus willed it and it occurred. Immediately, the leprosy left him. At once, the man became clean. Jesus willed, reached out, and touched. He did everything necessary for the man to be healed/cleansed. The man did nothing to receive healing other than approach Jesus, the One whom he trusted could heal him.

Command

⁴³And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, ⁴⁴and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere. (Mark 1:43-45 [NASB])

Once again, Mark used his favorite adverb, immediately. Mark pushed along the gospel about Jesus. He made it look as if no time elapsed between when Jesus healed the leper and when He sent him on his way with a stern command. With a strong warning, Jesus sent the once-leper away. What was the firm/stern warning Jesus gave the man? He commanded him not to tell anyone what happened, that Jesus healed him. Instead, Jesus firmly told him to show himself to the priest and give the offering Moses wrote in the Pentateuch. Notice Jesus willed the man to be well and touched him. He had compassion for the former leper. Now Jesus commanded the man what to do next, show himself to the priest. The man did nothing to be well and clean. He had to go to the priest for his declaration of cleanness. This once-leprous man had to give the offering, which Moses wrote about, at the synagogue. With his cleansing, the former leper had obligations in the world. Jesus had compassion and commanded.

Why did Jesus not want the man to tell people about Him? Why did He tell him first to go straight to the priest? Perhaps, Jesus did not want the leper to tell people because then they would constantly want Him to do miracles. Possibly, Jesus might not have wanted people to know He is the Messiah yet. Their expectation of the Messiah was as a political deliverer, a warrior king who would throw the Romans out of Israel. What Mark emphasizes in his gospel is that at the right time, Jesus would fulfill the requirements for the salvation of humanity. Jesus commanded this clean man to tell nobody. The time was not right yet.

Jesus commanded the clean man not to tell anyone but to go straight to the priest and give the offering required according to Moses’ command. This man trusted in Jesus and received the healing He willed for him. Yet, he did not obey His command. The once-leper walked and proclaimed his experience with Jesus freely and openly so that the news spread (vs. 45). Why did Mark highlight this part of the man’s story? Because by proclaiming about Jesus, it made it harder for Jesus to speak in populated places and have relative anonymity. He could not enter a city publicly, but had to stay in sparsely populated areas. Yet, what God planned, no human can stop. People from everywhere sought Jesus. Later in his Gospel, Mark will recall the 4000 and 5000 people who followed Jesus out of the city. They would need food because they were so far away from their money and a source of food.

The once-leprous man was now ceremonially and socially clean, but he did not obey Jesus’ command. He finally arrived, in his own time, at the synagogue to show himself to the priest and offer the sacrifices. The first part of Jesus’ directions. Showing himself to the priest and giving an offering were to be the first public testimonies of his cleanness. Instead, his first offering was to disobey Jesus. It was lip service, not heart service. It might have hindered more people from learning about Jesus. Humanity cannot thwart God’s plans, though. Jesus’ fame grew, and people sought Him.

Application and Conclusion

Mark’s telling about the leprous man Jesus healed is more than about what Jesus can do. Any time a person encounters another, a reaction happens. A person may say, “Hello,” in passing. The recipient of the greeting may respond similarly. If the person does not respond vocally to the first person, the lack of response is the person’s reaction to the greeting. People react with action or inaction.

In this retelling of Jesus healing the leper, Mark noted for readers who did which actions. He began and ended with the leper’s actions. Most actions, though, were in the story’s body. At the start, the man kneeled before and begged Jesus to make him clean. In the end, that man disobeyed Jesus and told people about his healing before going to the priest as commanded. Jesus’ compassion moved Him to will the man’s healing, so He touched him and cleansed him. As the recipient of Jesus’ favor because of his acknowledgment of His compassion and power to heal, Jesus commanded the man not to tell people about Him. Instead, He commanded the man to go to the priest and then offer the sacrifices required in the Old Testament. These would show his ceremonial and social cleanness.

Jesus’ reaction to the man’s entreaty and humility was compassion and action that showed His love. The leper’s reaction to Jesus’ compassion and command was disobedience and personal satisfaction. The man could legally be among people at last. He wanted that more than he wanted to obey the One he recognized as greater, Jesus. This once-leprous man did what he wanted before he did what Jesus commanded. Jesus did not need the man to show himself to the priest before He healed the leper. He healed him out of compassion, with no strings attached.

Jesus comes to each of us with no strings attached. He did everything necessary for each person to receive salvation from the judgment his or her sins deserve. We do not have to do anything except believe in Him as God’s Son, our Savior, and confess and repent of our sins. If you have done that, have you followed the command He gave to each of His disciples? Jesus said, the greatest commandment is to love the Lord, God, with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). In neither of these is a person to exalt self above God nor the neighbor. The desires of oneself are not greater than Jesus’ commands. The command to love our neighbors includes proclaiming about Jesus and the salvation He gives to each person who believes. Proclaim about God’s love for each person. Follow Jesus’ model for ministry. Have compassion on people, your neighbors. Tell them about Him.

If you refuse to obey Jesus’ commands, how much must you hate your neighbors that you do not tell them about Jesus and salvation? What caused that hate or disdain toward them? Is it because you love yourself more than them and more than God? Yes, that precisely is what causes that reaction to Jesus. The choice not to obey what Jesus commands, even though not overtly stated by you, is a reaction to His command. Disobedience by omission is disobedience, outright defiance. These reactions to Jesus are self-satisfaction, not obedience.

Jesus gives several imperatives in the Bible. To unbelievers and Christians, He says, “Come to Me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). What keeps you from accepting His rest? Jesus told the men who would become His disciples, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of people” (Matthew 4:19). If you follow Jesus, then refuse to do as He commands that disobedience is your reaction to Jesus’ call. If you recognize Jesus’ call to follow Him, but ignore it and go your own way, you are reacting to His imperative by going the other way.

With each encounter in life, we have the choice to engage positively, negatively, or completely ignore the encounter. The leper engaged with Jesus. He humbled himself and begged for mercy. Jesus had compassion for Him and healed him. He reacted to the man’s plight and plea positively. The healed leper reacted to Jesus with joy and immediately disobeyed the One whom he sought. This leper was like many people throughout history and into the endless future. He overtly disobeyed Jesus’ command. The leper was like Judas Iscariot. Alternatively, people who listen to others speak about Jesus but choose not to engage with Him shun His compassion. Their reaction is inaction to Jesus’ call. These people are like the priests who learned about or who listened to Jesus for themselves but ignored and persecuted Him.

Whether a person believes, then rebels, or chooses not to believe after hearing about Jesus, ignoring Jesus for self-satisfaction is the cause. Where are you in life? Who are you in this story of the leper? Are you the leper who sought Jesus, received His healing, then disobeyed Him? Are you the people who heard about what Jesus did for the leper, but did not believe in Him?

Today, since you have gotten this far in the lesson, these two questions affect you. You have heard about Jesus. Will you believe in Him for salvation, then continue to choose to live for your own satisfaction, in rebellion to Him? Will you push Him away and disobey because you wish to do something besides what He commanded you? Jesus wills for us to receive His salvation that He freely gives. He wants to have an eternal relationship with us.

Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 [NASB])

God is everywhere. We cannot go anywhere that He will not see us and know what we are doing and thinking. If you think by turning your back on God, you get away from Him, that is not accurate. He will keep making the offer of the salvation Jesus made possible for every person who believes in Him. He desires for you to be saved from your sins, the judgment of your sins, and an eternal separation in Hell away from Him.

Will you believe in Jesus?

Will you accept the salvation He offers you?

Will you obey Him no matter the cost?

What are you willing to do now that you have heard about Jesus?

⁷Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

⁸If I ascend to heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

⁹If I take up the wings of the dawn,

If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

¹⁰Even there, Your hand will lead me,

And Your right hand will take hold of me.

(Psalm 139 7-10 [NASB])

Does Your Life Reveal Jesus

 

Introduction

On this Mother’s Day of 2022, as a people of God, we remember the mothers of the Bible, women, like Esther, Ruth, Naomi, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Mary, Martha, Lydia, and the much-heralded Proverbs 31 women. We even recall our own mothers and the gifts they shared with us and other people, gifts like love, compassion, forgiveness, wisdom, a cool hand on a fevered brow, a meal out of little food, an effervescent joy in the face of difficulty, and an unparalleled love of God. We also can remember the women in our lives who loved us, encouraged us, gave us food, sent cards to us, and helped us in our hour of need. We might not remember their names, but we remember their actions. I know for me, as I recall actions of kindness, goodness, and love, several women served God by caring for me. I do not remember their names, but when I think about each one, I say, “You know, Ms. Whatshername.”

Today, I will use a much forgotten and possibly unknown woman of the New Testament. Six verses in three Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke - tell us about her. This woman is the unnamed mother-in-law of Simon, later called Peter. Mark’s recounting to his readers about this incident wants them to understand the woman’s name is not as important as Jesus. He is the object of this brief retelling in the Gospels. We will call Simon’s mother-in-law Ms. Whatshername.

What if you heard about a young lady who finally had finished her formal studies and began her career? She was a diligent worker. One Mother’s Day, she surprised her mother. She told her mom to dress sharply. This young lady had something she wanted her mom to see. She drove to where her mother lived, a house without running water or electricity. A house she herself remembered as home, a home filled with unending love by a mother who raised her and her four siblings. That day, she drove to her mother’s home and took her to an unknown destination. She and her mother walked into a building and met a young man. This man dressed sharply, too. He handed the mother a royal blue box with a red bow on it. The mother looked at her daughter, then back at the box. The young lady nodded at her mother. The mother took the box and looked at her daughter again. The daughter smiled and nodded. The mother, trembling, gently lifted the hinged lid. She saw a shining key in the box. The mother looked at her daughter with a question in her eyes. The daughter told her to hold on to it. Next, mother and daughter returned to the daughter’s car and rode several kilometers from the office. The daughter stopped in front of a yellow house. It had a front porch and clean windows, surrounded by blue shutters. The daughter got out of the car, opened her mother’s door, and helped her out of the car. She took her mother’s arm and walked her to the front door. The mother stood trembling. “Could it be?” she wondered as her daughter opened the box for her, then placed the key in her mother’s hand. The daughter pointed toward the keyhole and watched her mother insert the key with trembling hands. As the lock turned and the door opened, the mother, with tears in her eyes, turned to her daughter and hugged her. This loved daughter had given her mother a house for Mother’s Day. More than that, she had shown to her the love she had sown in her. The person to focus on in this story is the mother. Her daughter’s life revealed even more who the mother was.

Background

¹⁶As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother, Andrew, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷“Come follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸At once, they left their nets and followed Him.

¹⁹When He had gone a little farther, He saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother, John, in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰Without delay, He called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired me and followed Him.

²¹They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²²The people were amazed at His teaching because He taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. ²³Just then, a man in their synagogue, who was possessed by an impure spirit, cried out, ²⁴“What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One of God!”

²⁵“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

²⁷The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching–and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits, and they obey Him.” ²⁸News about Him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1:16-28 [NIV])

In the day or two before the time at Simon’s house, Jesus had traveled around the Sea of Galilee and called four fishermen to come with Him. As they walked into Capernaum, He and the men entered the synagogue because it was the Sabbath. While there, Jesus taught the scriptures with power and authority and cast out evil spirits from a man (Mark 1:21-24). The evil spirits recognized who Jesus was. They said He is the “Holy One of God.” Jesus commanded them to be silent (vs. 25). The time for His identity to be known had not come. The people in the synagogue were amazed at what and how Jesus said taught. They wondered aloud at the power and authority by which He did and spoke these things (vs. 27-28).

Mark’s Gospel emphasizes the unfolding ministry of Jesus. His purpose was to tell people who Jesus was by telling of His ministry. For this reason, Mark did not begin with Jesus’ genealogy, like Matthew. With the first two chapters of Mark, Jesus’ ministry rapidly unfolds, showing readers and listeners Jesus’ power and authority. He did this so they would come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

The Encounter

²⁹As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹So He went to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to wait on them. (Mark 1:29-31 [NIV])

Matthew’s account of this is found in Matthew 8:14-15. He said, “When Jesus came into Peter’s house, He saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her and the fever left her, and she got up and waited on Him.” (NIV) Luke’s retelling of this same encounter is in Luke 3:38-39. He said,

³⁸Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. ³⁹So, He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them (NIV).

Each of these men tells of this encounter Jesus had with Simon’s mother-in-law, whom we will call Ms. Whatshername, and the men who were with Him. Though each man wrote about it from his own perspective, each included three key details. Jesus looked at the woman with the fever. The fever left her. Ms. Whatshername was healed. The passive verb tense in Mark shows Ms. Whatshername is the recipient of the healing; Jesus did the action; He healed her.

In each of the Gospel accounts, the joint story moves from the woman, who is sick, to the fever having left her. In two of them, Jesus touched her. In one, He rebuked the fever and commanded it to leave her. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus raised the Ms. Whatshername from her lying down to sitting. Next, He helped her to stand. The fever would have dehydrated her and made her weak. Jesus shared His strength with her. At this point, Mark makes the statement that the fever left the Ms. Whatshername. He does not state Jesus’ touch healed her. Neither Matthew nor Luke said this either. Mark made this emphasis on Jesus easier to understand when, later in chapter one, he wrote about Jesus healing the leper. In that encounter, Mark told his readers and listeners, “A man with leprosy came to Him and begged Him on his knees, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Jesus was indignant. He reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be clean!’” (Mark 1:40-42 [NIV]) The healing Jesus did for Ms. Whatshername occurred because Jesus willed it. Jesus desired, willed, to heal her like He did the leper.

Jesus wants everyone to be free from their bondage, be it sin, illness, demons, false teaching, or anything else that keeps people from believing in Him for salvation. Jesus desired to heal Ms. Whatshername, and she was. Jesus is most important to remember and focus on as one reads the Gospel accounts. The person He “touched” is secondary. Jesus was the One who changed people’s lives back then and now. His intention for all people to come to know Him as their Savior is why He came to earth, died on the cross, and rose to life again. Jesus, by using His power to heal Ms. Whatshername, opened a door for her to be receptive to the gospel.

The Purpose

Since each encounter with Jesus has a purpose, what were the purposes of this mother-in-law’s encounter with Jesus? What are the purposes for us and each person who listened to and/or read about this story? Jesus met people. He did things for them. Why? The obvious Sunday School reason is so they would believe in Him and be saved. Think deeper than that. Jesus did these things so that His disciples would see and model them and teach about them. Why was it so important they and Jesus did these things?

Power and Authority

It was important to show Jesus’ power and authority over sickness. Just as Jesus showed He has power and authority to cast out demons and preach the scriptures authoritatively, He could heal people. Remember, Mark’s Gospel shows people Jesus really is the Messiah. That would hopefully lead them to trust in Him for salvation. The mother-in-law’s life revealed Jesus as the Messiah to the people who watched, listened to stories and read about her encounter with Jesus. Consider it another way. Jesus met Ms. Whatshername because she was sick. His meeting with her could reveal even more who He is.

Think about the story of Lazarus. Jesus did not go to Mary and Martha until four days after Lazarus died. Why? Jesus explained it to His disciples in John 11:14-15 when He said, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Consider the Jewish point of view. For Jews at the time, a person’s death was verified if they had not awakened within three days after a dying. Jesus going to Bethany, where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived, on the fourth day proved something for the Jews. It proved to the Jews Lazarus was undeniably dead. When Jesus called Lazarus to come out of the tomb, they would know without a doubt Jesus raised him from the dead. Jesus used Lazarus to reveal who He is. He used Ms. Whatshername of Mark 1:29-32 to reveal who He is. He proved He is all-powerful and has all authority.

Love and Compassion

We Christians believe Jesus has power and authority. We have had two-thousand years to read about Him and see God work in amazing ways during this time. Let us consider another reason Jesus used Ms. Whatshername to reveal Himself. What purpose did Jesus have? Jesus showed His love for her and had compassion for her because she suffered from a high fever. Back then, no antibiotics existed for infections. Fevers came in many ways, including malaria, typhoid, cholera, or flu. What Jesus noted was this woman was sick. She was special to Simon and Andrew. How do we know this? They mentioned her to Jesus, hoping He would do a miracle and cure her. Jesus recognized their love for the woman. Jesus loved her, too. He wanted to help her. Jesus revealed His love and compassion for Simon’s mother-in-law by healing her.

Equal Importance

Though different statuses existed in the ancient world of Jesus’ time and people’s value depended on who they were or what they did (Does this sound familiar?), Jesus showed to the people in Simon’s house and to Ms. Whatshername that all people are equal in importance. God made each person in His image. When He finished creating them, He said, “It is good.” God did not choose one person or people group to be less important or inferior to others. Similarly, Jesus considered women as important as men. “Whether slave or free, man or woman, Jew or Gentile, all people are one in Christ (Galatians 3:28).” In that vein, all people in the world are made in God’s image. Jesus came to save each person. He does not care if you come from a Christian, other religious, or atheist background. Jesus includes all people to receive the salvation He offers for sins. When any person believes in Jesus for salvation, he or she gains identification as a child of God. That means God begins making the person into the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit that lives in him or her. Paul said in Romans 8:15b-16, “The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” People who trust in Jesus for salvation are no more what they were. The Holy Spirit transforms him or her into the image of Jesus. Read these verses to understand more. 

For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among man brothers and sisters. (See Romans 8:29 [NIV])

Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 [NIV])

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with an ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 [NIV])

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16 [NIV])

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6 [NIV])

Jesus met Simon’s mother-in-law to reveal He loves everyone without prejudice.

Gratitude

Ms. Whatshername’s life revealed gratitude. Because of Jesus’ care for her, His love and compassion because He healed her, she cared for Him. This healed woman wanted to thank Jesus. She thanked and loved Jesus by serving Him. Ms. Whatshername may have served Jesus by washing His feet, giving Him the best pillow to sit on, taking His outer garment to clean, and feeding Him her best food. The Gospel writers did not say in what way she served them. Ms. Whatshername knew how to serve. This loved woman wanted to give her best to the man who healed her. She said, “Thank you,” with her actions. Ms. Whatshername recognized who healed her, thanked Him with what she had, and thanked Him openly so other people saw. This story of Jesus’ encounter with her shows people how they can express gratitude and that saying thank you is a good thing. Jesus' encounter with Ms. Whatshername came to be written and shared. The writers told the story to point to Jesus and tell who He is. It shows what He does. Ms. Whatshername’s life became an example of how to respond to meeting Jesus. Her life spread the news about Jesus. Does your life spread the news about Jesus and the salvation He gave you?

Think about the opening story of the young lady giving her mother a beautiful house. Is there someone you have not thanked? Do you take what they gave for granted? Does your life give a testimony about who helped you? We each have Ms. Whatshernames in our lives. We remember the kindness they showed us, but we cannot remember her name. Her life was not her own, just as yours is not. You are made in the image of God, like her. The young lady did not give her mother a house to display the amount of money she was earning. She gave her the house because of what her mother had given to her. A heart of gratitude and generosity. Consider who you have not thanked. Consider if that may be Jesus. Have you thanked Him and testified about Him because of His power and authority, love and compassion, and unprejudiced gift for you?

Recap and Conclusion

Jesus came to save people from their sins. Simon’s mother-in-law was no exception. None of us are sinless. The Gospel writers wrote about Jesus and His encounters with people to show He is who He says He is. His ability to speak with power and authority, to heal and cast our demons with power and authority, and to die and rise to life again all come from who He is, the Son of God, Deity. Jesus is part of the Trinity and has all power, might, love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, grace, etc. needed to do what He did and continues to do in this world.

On that day, Jesus taught the scripture with power and authority. He told four men to follow Him. He walked to the home of two of the fishermen. Simon and Andrew told Him about Simon’s extremely sick mother-in-law. Jesus knew of this woman’s illness. He realized Simon and Andrew were concerned for her health. Jesus understood before the day began what would occur and who He would meet. At the right time, He arrived at the home. One purpose Jesus followed Simon and Andrew to their home was to heal Ms. Whatshername. At the right time, Jesus understood her illness would be concerning. He recognized the time was right for people to see the truth of His deity by seeing His power to heal Ms. Whatshername’s body.

We do not know if Ms. Whatshername had heard of Jesus. He had only made Himself known in Capernaum that day. Would news have traveled to her about Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue even while she was sick? Whether or not she had heard of Jesus’ power and authority and the miracle He performed, Jesus walked to her and compassionately raised her up to sit. His power over life and death healed her. This woman may not have known yet that Jesus is the Messiah, but she recognized Him as a guest, a man with power, and the one who healed her. She arose from her bed and served Jesus and the other people who arrived at their home with Him.

Jesus revealed to people who He is through Simon’s mother-in-law’s life. Consider another way to say it. Ms. Whatshername’s life revealed who Jesus is. How so? Her life, because of this illness, resulted in six things being known. 

1.     Her life resulted in her family loving and respecting her.

2.     Her life resulted in Jesus showing compassion and love that led to showing His power through healing her.

3.     Her life resulted in praise and thanks to Jesus.

4.     Her life resulted in the spread of Jesus’ name and fame.

5.     Her life showed Jesus’ modeling for His disciples how to minister to and heal people.

6.     Her life resulted in the men being well-fed. (Which man does not want plenty of tasty food?)

Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s writings about Ms. Whatshername’s high fever allowed each person who read or listened to the story about her to learn of another area of Jesus’ power. It causes us to consider if our lives reveal who Jesus is. Three questions you should ask yourself.

1.     Who is your life story about you or Jesus?

2.     Does your life reveal Jesus to other people?

3.     Do you show your gratitude by trusting Jesus, and loving and serving Him?

God made you in His image. You should reflect Him. If not, what is in the way? Do you believe in Jesus as the Son of God and that He died for your sins? Have you confessed your sins to Jesus and promised never to do them again? You can avoid sins by relying on Him for strength. If you have never made this decision to believe in Jesus for salvation, today is not too soon. Your life can still reveal Jesus. Most importantly, Jesus is showing you, right now, who He is. Will you trust what He has revealed to you and become a child of God? Will you accept Jesus as your Savior?

Jesus was unafraid to show He is the Son of God. He was bold. You never walk in your own power to live your faith boldly. The Holy Spirit will give you strength and empower you to be bold for Jesus.

Be like the daughter who continued to reveal who the mother is.

Be like Simon’s mother-in-law and reveal who Jesus is through your life.