He Came to Preach for paper May 24 

You might say it was a very busy Sabbath day for Jesus. First he preaches in the synagogue in Capernaum and casts out a demon. Then he goes from the synagogue to the house of Simon and Andrew to pay a house call on Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, who he heals of a fever. And the fever left her and she gets up and serves them.

The word got around town that Jesus was at of Simon Peter’s house. By sundown, when the Sabbath had ended, people started coming from all corners of Capernaum. People being carried on mats, or draped over shoulders. Demonized people, people with horrible, disfiguring diseases, contagious people. All the diseased and demonized people of Capernaum were gathered in front of the house thanks to Jesus. And Jesus healed them all. He patiently worked into the dark hours of the night.

Finally, early in the morning, Jesus went off by Himself and prayed. We could learn something from that. When the going gets busy, go off somewhere and pray. But Simon and the others ran after Him and found Him. He could have no peace. No time for prayer. “Everyone is looking for you,” they said. There was no end to the diseased and the demonized.

And then Jesus said a remarkable thing. “Let’s go to the next towns, so that I may preach there also, because that’s why I came.” He left all those diseased and demon possessed people behind in Capernaum and went on to the next town! To preach is why He came. To preach that the kingdom of God had come in His coming. That’s what the miracles showed. They were signs of the new creation, signs of the resurrection, sneak previews. Not the main event. Jesus came to preach. Healing everyone was not the main goal, preaching the message that the kingdom was near was.

Our priorities are upside down. We hope for all the wrong things. We want band aids from God. Happy pills. A quick fix. Something to make me healthy, wealthy, and wise. We want healing for our diseases. We want our demons silenced. But Jesus came to preach. And all Jesus offers is a sermon. He came to preach. He sent His apostles to preach. He sends ministers to His Church to preach. He sends His church to preach.

So what’s with the miracles? They’re a sign that reveals who Jesus is. Jesus was simply showing Himself for who He is, our Creator and Redeemer, the One who made us and the One who saves us. Every healing, no matter how it happens, no matter on whom it happens, is the work of Christ. The miracles simply leave out the middle man – the doctor, the hospital, the pills – and point directly to Jesus.

Jesus didn’t heal everyone in Capernaum because it wasn’t necessary. His objective was not to create heaven on earth. That’s not what He came for. That’s not how He usually deals with diseases and demons today. The way Jesus deals with demons and diseases is to die, and to drop all our diseases and demons down into the black hole of His death. The way He typically heals us is not to give us band aids and bromides, but a death and a resurrection. The miracles just point the way to Jesus. Saving faith in Jesus is not faith in miracles. Faith that is born of miracles needs miracles to keep it going. And every prayer for healing is answered positively in the resurrection of the dead.

It isn’t God’s desire that you are sick, nor does God cause disease. And sickness isn’t punishment from God. And when we pray for health and healing, that prayer is always answered “yes.” The only thing we don’t know is when or how. Perhaps you might be like Simon’s mother-in-law and simply rise up from your bed. Or you may spend a few days in bed before you rise. Or maybe months. Or you may die. But that’s not the worst thing that could happen to you. In fact, it’s the best.

Simon’s mother-in-law died one day. Simon and Andrew, James and John died. All those diseased and demonized people that Jesus healed in Capernaum, they all died too. One day you and I will die too. And there doesn’t need to be any easy answers or quick-fix miracles. But Jesus will be there as He always is.

He will reach down to you, as He did with Simon’s mother-in-law. He will reach down to you and take you by the hand, and raise you up from your grave. And then all those prayers for health and healing you ever uttered, and all the prayers others prayed for you, will find their “yes” and “amen” in your resurrection. Jesus heard them all, all those sighs and groaning and prayers. He heard them. And He’s already done something about them. He died and rose from the dead, and took you with Him.

Blessings