Worship Helps for Epiphany 5
Healing Peter’s
Mother-in-Law
John Bridges
Worship Theme: Though the
call to faith is general and always miraculous in its capacity to create a
willing following, it is also always individual. It comes to each in his own
special or unique set of circumstances. Jesus both arranges and takes those
circumstances into account when he calls us to follow him. He so rules over
history that he allows and then overcomes the obstacles in each of us to
heeding his call. Again he shows himself glorious, but hides the glory in
apparent weakness.
Old Testament: Job 7:1-7
Isn’t man’s time on earth like being
compelled to serve in the army? Aren’t his days like those of a hired man? 2Like
a slave, he longs for shade, or like a day laborer, he waits for his pay. 3In
the same way, I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of agony have
been assigned to me. 4When I lie down, I think, “How long before I
get up?” But the night drags on, and I am filled with restlessness until dawn. 5My
flesh is clothed with maggots and caked with dirt. My skin scabs over and then
oozes again. 6My days pass by more swiftly than the shuttle of a
weaver’s loom. They come to an end without hope. 7Remember that my
life is just a breath. My eyes will never again see good fortune.
1. How was Job feeling
about his life?
2. Why did Job feel the way
he did?
3. Job had not lost
his faith in God. How can you tell?
Epistle: Romans 8:28-30
28We know that all things work
together for the good of those who love God, for those who are called according
to his purpose, 29because those God foreknew, he also predestined to
be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many
brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called. Those he
called, he also justified. And those he justified, he also glorified.
4. Earlier Paul has said
that we know that the whole world is groaning as in pains of childbirth. What
else do we know?
5. God's purpose is not
necessarily to make us happy now. What is his eternal purpose?
6. What unbroken chain does
Paul want us to picture?
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39
29They left the synagogue and went
with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30Simon’s
mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with a fever. Without delay they told
Jesus about her. 31He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised
her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them. 32That
evening, when the sun had set, the people kept bringing to him all who were
sick and demon-possessed. 33The whole town gathered at the door. 34He
healed many people who were sick with various diseases and drove out many
demons. But he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was.
35Jesus got up early in the morning,
while it was still dark, and went out. He withdrew to a solitary place and was
praying there. 36Simon and his companions searched for him, 37and,
when they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is looking for you!”
38He told them, “Let’s go somewhere
else, to the neighboring villages, so that I can preach there too. In fact,
that is why I have come.” 39Then he went throughout the whole region
of Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
7. How did Jesus feel after a long day of ministry?
8. How did Jesus respond to
the demands of the people?
Answers:
1. Job was frustrated with
his lot in life. Tired and depressed, Job figured that he would never be happy
again. Job had lost his desire to proclaim good news about his Savior God.
2. Job had lost his
fortune, his children and his reputation. Then he lost his health, too. His
friends figured that he had done something terrible to deserve such treatment
from God. Job resented them and their accusations. God seemed distant and
unfair. Job's suffering led him to discouragement and despair.
3. Though frustrated,
tired, and depressed due to all the calamity touching his life, Job still
addressed God in prayer (verse 7).
4. We also know that all
things work together for good to those who love God, whom God has called to
faith.
5. God's purpose now and
forever is to conform us to the likeness of his Son. This is why he chose us to
be believers before he made the world. (What grace.)
6. The unbroken chain of
God's grace is that those God predestined in eternity to be his children, he
also called to faith in Jesus here in time. Those he called he also declared
innocent in his courtroom, for Jesus' sake, and those he justified, he also
glorified. We are not on the new earth yet, shining like the sun, but because
of God's grace it is as good as done. (What amazing grace.)
7. Jesus was worn out and
looking for solitude. People were demanding an audience with him. Sadly, it
seems that they were more interested in earthly blessings (miracles of physical
healing) rather than the heavenly blessings that Jesus had to offer: the
forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
8. Jesus left and went to
other villages, realizing that his primary mission from the Father was to preach
the gospel and bring eternal healing to souls. He had a tireless compulsion to
preach the gospel.
Putting your faith into action
Life this side of the veil
can be oh, so difficult. And why shouldn’t it be? It isn’t God’s fault that sin
entered this world. What we often experience are simply the consequences. In
fact, the only relief from the misery, hurt, and seeming futility of living
life in a sinful world is God’s answer to that sin. Unmerited forgiveness
through Jesus is what gives us relief. Promised protection for God’s family is
what gives us hope. Unending life in heaven is what grants us peace. Our
natural response? Thankful living and giving despite our troubles. That’s the
“thank you card” each believer has the opportunity to write every single day.
Christ gave the apostles
only spiritual power (i.e., the command to teach the Gospel, to announce the
forgiveness of sins, to administer the Sacraments, to excommunicate the godless
without bodily force ‹by the Word›). He
did not give them the power of the sword.
For Christ says, “Go … teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). Also,
“As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21).
It is clear that Christ was
not sent to bear the sword or possess a worldly kingdom, as He Himself says,
“My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
[A Contrast between Christ
and the Pope]
Christ in His passion is
crowned with thorns and led forth to be ridiculed in royal purple. This symbolizes that in the future, after His
spiritual kingdom was despised (i.e., the Gospel was suppressed), another kingdom
of a worldly kind would be set up with the appearance of churchly power. (So the Constitution of Boniface VIII and
similar opinions are false and godless, for they argue that the pope is by
divine right the ruler of the kingdoms of the world.) From this notion, horrible darkness has been
brought into the Church. The ministry of
the Gospel was neglected and knowledge of faith and the spiritual kingdom
became extinct. Christian righteousness was assumed to be the outward government
the pope had established. – Power and
Primacy of the Pope (paragraphs 31-34)
1 When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea
billows roll—
Whatever my lot, thou hast
taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with
my soul.
Refrain
It is well (It is well)
with my soul (with my soul).
It is well, it is well with
my soul.
2 My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious
thought—
My sin, not in part, but
the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and
I bear it no more:
Praise the Lord, praise the
Lord, O my soul!
Refrain
3 And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall
be sight,
The clouds be rolled back
as a scroll;
The trump shall resound,
and the Lord shall descend;
Even so, it is well with my
soul.
Refrain
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