“Seized and Sent”
“Seized and Sent”
Mark 1.29-39
Mark 1.29-39
In the name of the Living God and the Christ who has appeared to us. Amen.
Saint Mark gives us two different camera shots in today’s gospel lesson. In the latter half, we get the wide-angle view. They bring to him all who were sick and possessed by demons. The whole town is stacked up to the door, Jesus cures many and various diseases. He goes to bed late and then gets up early, for a preaching and healing tour throughout Galilee. No individual is named, nor specific example given of the work of the Lord. It’s the general theme, objective perspective, broad strokes painted.
But in the first half of today’s reading, we’re given the close-up and personal, narrow-focus lens. This is the camera angle, where in the old-time movies they’d use the soft gel to make people look better. Today, we’d use the HD makeup, or more likely, we’d just smooth out the wrinkles with production software. You know, like that feature on your zoom meeting that says “touch up my appearance.” Yeah, you know you like to click on that! Turn it up all the way, right?
St. Mark’s close-up camera shows us the personal side of ministry, and we’re given remarkable details, or we might say, all the “wrinkles” of the account. We know where they are: not just in Capernaum, along the northwest shore of Galilee, but they’re leaving the synagogue and entering Simon and his brother Andrew’s own home. We know when it happened: on the Sabbath, sometime before sundown. We know who was healed—Simon Peter’s wife’s mum—his mother-in-law. We know where in the house she is—lying in bed. We know what afflicted her—she had a fever. (St. Luke’s account adds that it was a “great fever.” The Greek word here is related to the word for fire, Pyros, so we know she’s in a very serious state indeed.) We’re shown how it happened: Jesus raises her up, seizing hold of her hand. And we’re even told what she does after—she immediately gets up and begins to serve.
Both are true: Christ healed, and Christ healed her. Just like both aspects of the gospel are true: Christ died for all, and Christ died for you.
But this morning, I want to take you into the close-up, narrow-focus lens, because you and me and she all have something in common: Jesus has grabbed hold of us, restored us by his power, and bids us get up and serve. And I want to use the close-up camera view this morning because sometimes in church, it’s a lot easier to stay general, and not get too close because that might get a bit uncomfortable.
So here we go: Christ Jesus, in all his power, has grabbed hold of us… of you. Not because you deserved it or because you met him halfway or because he needed you on his team. But rather, the Bible says that “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5.8). St. Paul writes, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Tim. 1.15). The Lord knows us personally, knows every way we’ve fallen short, knows every secret sin, knows the smallest detail of deception and transgression, every dark thought, every false motive, every hateful or resentful corner of our hearts. And yet he still comes to us in power and love. At Calvary’s cross, the God of grace and mercy grabbed hold of us, giving us full forgiveness in the blood of Jesus. Christ’s perfect life was given as a covering for sin. Christ’s own sacrifice worked redemption, yes for all people, but also for you.
In baptism, all that Christ Jesus won for us was distributed, made real, poured over us and into us. The Old Adam drowned and the new Child of God is arising to come forth. Like Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, the hand of Christ seized each of us in the sickness of our sin, and by his power alone raised us to new life. And like her, we too each are called to get up and get going.
You’ll notice she doesn’t spend a lot of time trying to figure out what to do. Jesus grabs her, restores her; she stands and serves. Because when God grabs you, you get going.
It’s a reminder for each of us in the wrinkles and details of our daily life: don’t forget who’s healed you and what he’s done. You’ll never be able to fully understand it. You can’t pay it back. You don’t even know fully the depths he’s brought you out of. But the same Lord who walked into Simon’s house in Capernaum, seizing hold of his mother-in-law—this same Lord has entered into your life and mine even today, and grabs us, raises us, sends us.
And I know we’re all busy, and we’ve got lots of important things going on in our life. Sooo busy! Lots of things to occupy our time, our energy, our resources! But I want to put before you this morning Simon’s wife’s mum—there’s no hesitation in her service, no question as to who she now belongs to. She knew how much had been done for her, and more importantly, who had done it, and so she stands and serves.
Our God is the God of the big picture, and also the grainy details. The gospel truth stands for all people of all time, but it is also real for you and me today. It’s as objective as the law of gravity—indeed, even more so—an eternal truth that cannot be shaken, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Cor. 5.19). But it is also as near and personal as the body and blood you’ll receive into yourself this morning from this altar.
The thing to remember is how much you’ve been given—the gift of eternal life, forgiveness of sins, deliverance from sin, death, and the devil; and who’s given it—the Living Lord Jesus Christ, who we worship this morning, and in whom we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17.28).
When God grabs you, you get going. Stand and serve, my brothers and sisters!
Come soon Lord Jesus. Amen.