The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
St. Mark 1:29-39
Rest
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, 05 February 2012
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, WY
Grace, mercy, and
peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
The
Holy Gospel appointed for this Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, St. Mark
1:29-39 is the Biblical basis for this morning’s sermon, entitled, “Rest.”
Most Christians are familiar with this
verse from Matthew 11: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest.” In this morning’s Gospel lesson, St. Mark shows our Lord
Jesus at rest and giving rest.
And immediately he [Jesus] left the
synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever,
and immediately they told him about her.
And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever
left her, and she began to serve them.
Simon Peter’s mother-in-law was lying
down, but not truly resting, for she was not free from disturbance—she was ill
with a fever. Suffering from a fever, with the accompanying chills, uncertain
sleep, and tossing & turning is not rest. Jesus came and took her by the
hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her. Jesus gave her rest from her
fever. And what happened next?
She didn’t go back to bed. She began
to serve them. One of the definitions that Webster gives for “rest” is “freedom
from activity or labor. Jesus’ rest gave Simon Peter’s mother-in-law the
freedom for activity and labor—freedom to serve. The rest that Jesus
gives frees you from the burdens and cares of the world so that you can serve
Him by serving those God has already given to you. Are you a father, mother,
son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker? Whom has God already given you to serve?
How does the rest you enjoy in Christ give you freedom and opportunity to get
up and serve them?
Christianity is more than just a
Sunday thing. It’s for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday,
and even Sunday afternoon. The actions of our lips and hands and feet are
called to be consistent with the Word of God we profess on Sunday morning.
One more thought on this paragraph.
The Word of God brings rest to a world going at a feverish pace. The Word of
God is rest for the weary and burdened. A great burden currently weighs upon
some of our brothers and sisters in Christ due to the sexual abuse scandals in
the Church of Rome. What Word of God can give rest to those who are ill at the
very thought of such abuse going on? There are many I could mention, many that
need to be shared because the pain is great and deep. This one I offer from the
text: “Simon's mother-in-law.” This is but one example from apostolic times
that pastors were married—they always have been. It’s impossible to have a mother-in-law
without having gotten married. Denying pastors the opportunity to marry is
unbiblical and invites sexual immorality.
The Lutheran Augsburg Confession of
1530 echoes today’s situation in its concern for clergy, families, and young
people in the church, as well as providing for a Biblical solution: From
everyone, both of high and low degree, a mighty, loud complaint has been heard
throughout the world about the flagrant immorality and dissolute life of
priests who were not able to remain chaste; their vices reached the height of
abomination. In order to avoid so terrible offense, adultery, and other
immorality, some priests among us have entered the married state. They give as
their reason that they are compelled and moved to do so by the great distress
of their consciences, especially since Scripture clearly proclaims that the
married state was instituted by God to avoid sexual immorality as Paul says
that to avoid immorality, “Each man should have his own wife” [1 Corinthians
7:2]….
More should be done about this problem
in Christian circles than just buy insurance. It is high time for all
Christians to return to the Scriptures for all teaching and all practice.
That
evening at sundown they brought to him [Jesus] all who were sick or oppressed
by demons. And the whole city was
gathered together at the door. And he
healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And
he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Healing
and exorcism are two more kinds of rest that Jesus gives. Christ was there at
the beginning, active in creation, for “without Him was not any thing made that
was made.” In His Incarnation, or taking on human flesh at His conception,
Christ is the beginning of the renewal of all creation, that which will come to
its fruition in the resurrection of all flesh and the new heaven and earth.
That
Jesus can heal diseases shows that He is the author of life. That He can cast
out demons with a word and hold them silent shows us that the Devil is
powerless against Him. See what kind of rest Jesus gives you! We pray for
Jesus’ rest from the devil the world and our own sinful flesh when we pray,
“forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” We pray for forgiveness
for past sins that were inspired by the Devil, and that God would protect us
now and in the future.
What
about healings? In them we see the renewal of creation, the beginning of a
return to the pristine conditions of Eden.
What about healings today? Today, miracles are not impossible. They happen
every day. In God’s continuing care for His creation, His hand is seen in the
wonder behind how His creation is put together. It’s impossible for an eye to evolve!
Scientists are daily discovering new natural cures and treatments that God
built into His creation. Discovery is nothing more than finding something that
was already there.
We
are certainly called to pray for people in all kinds of conditions and situations,
especially rulers, persecuted Christians, the sick, the dying, the erring, and
the troubled. When we ask for spiritual things, we have God’s promises that He
will answer us. This is like praying, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”
When
we pray for physical blessings, including healing for ourselves or loved ones,
it is always according to the petition, “Thy will be done.” Any other kind of
“faith healing” like the frauds on TV just after money, are being dishonest and
teaching contrary to Scripture.
And
rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed
and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
According
to His Divine Nature, Our Lord had no need for rest. He took rest after six
days of creating, but He didn’t have to. According to His Divine Nature, Our
Lord had no need for rest. But as 100% God and 100% man, He needed rest
according to His Human Nature. He slept, He ate, He drank, and He was tempted.
All this, but He never gave in to temptation—Jesus never sinned. He did need
rest. This is good for us to see. All of us need rest from something.
The
Old Testament Sabbath was designed as a day of rest. On the seventh day God
rested from His labors of creating and set in motion a pattern for His people. Our
Lord died on Good Friday and spent part of that day in the tomb, as well as all
day Saturday, which we can call His Sabbath Rest. Part of early Sunday He
remained in the grave, Rising on the first Easter Sunday. Jesus’ Resurrection
on a Sunday is the primary reason why Christians meet on Sundays, gathered
around Word and Sacrament.
Have
you ever missed a Sunday service and then felt like you didn’t what day it was
the whole rest of the week? Sunday is a day of rest from the world when we
receive Jesus’ rest given in Word and Sacrament. It also recalibrates our
clocks so that we’re ready for the week to come. That way, you know what day it
is. Each day is Jesus’ day, a day for Christ to live in you.
As
a pastor, it is a relief and a joy to see Jesus departing and going out to a
desolate place to pray. I first learned to more deeply cherish my days off,
vacation, and time with my wife, when I served a vacancy in Rock Springs while I was the called pastor in
Green River. I had been humbled by the fact
that I did not have the time or opportunity to take care of everything that I had
wanted to at either Emmanuel or Trinity. Everything essential got done, but I
sometimes had to make tough choices. Not doing some things truly grieved me. It
still does being both Pastor and Headmaster.
Pastors
are imperfect. Sometimes, my omissions were unintentional. Due to a weary mind,
I have forgotten to do some things here. After the fact, I have remembered
some, but perhaps not all. If I have neglected to care for you or someone you
know through a visit, a prayer, to return a phone call, or to answer a question,
I ask your forgiveness and for your kind reminders in the future. I am only a
man and a sinner, just like all of you. I say these things not in the way of
excuse, but in the way of confession.
The
same rest, the same forgiveness of sins that I preach is also the same rest and
forgiveness that I need. J When I got to the
seminary, I wanted to take such classes as “Walking on Water 101,” “Reading
Minds 342,” “Pleasing Everyone All the Time 811,” and “Cloning Yourself During
a Vacancy 901,” but not one of those classes was offered. J So, since I’m not Jesus, but His called servant with His
authority, in His stead and by His command, I’m asking for your help.
Jesus
regularly showed His care and concern for His flock by His presence. He gave
rest as if beside still waters or in green pastures. According to His Divine
Nature, He knew all things. But, according to His human nature, like human
pastors today, we have an example in our text of people seeking Him out to ask
Him to come to them. It’s not too difficult to imagine Simon Peter as an elder
informing the pastor, Jesus, about a congregation member’s spiritual and
physical needs.
And rising very early in the morning,
while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place,
and there he prayed. And Simon and those
who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him,
"Everyone is looking for you."
And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may
preach there also, for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee,
preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
The term “pastor,”
the Latin (and German and English) word for shepherd, is a most appropriate
title for a called servant of the Word in a Christian Congregation. As your
shepherd, I count it a privilege to be one of the Lord’s “undershepherds” in
His church. And that means that I am here to care for you the Lord’s way, in
Word & Sacrament ministry, to be a shepherd to the flock of Christ.
In addition to
making bi-monthly and emergency visits to shut-ins and trying to regularly be
in the homes of all congregation members, I would like to care for anyone in
need.
You can help me
help you. I am not always aware of every member’s needs or concerns. I can best “shepherd” or “pastor” the members
of this flock as they give notice of their needs, or as I learn of them from a
caring friend.
Don’t
be afraid to be like Simon Peter and contact me, even on a day off, when there
is a life-and-death emergency. Together we can rejoice in the comfort of the
Word and the gifts of Baptism, Absolution, and Holy Communion. Please leave messages on either answering machine. Both
machines have “remote access,” so I can even check messages while away at a
conference or on vacation!
Please call me, your pastor, any
time, and especially:
W when hospitalized for any reason
W before outpatient surgery
W when concerned about a friend
W after a birth to schedule baptism
W when there is a death in the family, especially a congregation
member, before making funeral
arrangements
W when contemplating marriage
W before seeing a lawyer for divorce
W when you just need somebody to listen to you
W when you have a family crisis
W when you have questions about your faith
W when you have a prayer request
W when you have sorrows,
joys, or concerns that you want to share
A pastor is placed by God to serve you with His good gifts of Word
and Sacrament. You can help me to do that. (Cell phone coverage isn’t always what
we’d like it to be. Please leave a message so I can get back to you.)
Rest.
We all need it—even Jesus according to His human nature—even pastors today. Our
Lord Jesus gives rest. He gives rest in His Word. Don’t doubt it or dismiss it
until you’ve actually tried it. As creator, Christ can bring about healing. He
is eager to answer the prayer, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.” We remember
to pray, “Thy will be done,” when praying for physical things. “Come to me,” He
says, “all you who are weary, and I will give you rest.” Amen.
The peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus. Amen.
