Community Church Sermons
February 5, 2006
Mark 1:29-39
Dr. R. Tim Meadows
What does a typical day in your life look like? Have you ever been asked to describe such? Employers always want to know how you spend your time. Spouses ask How was your day? or What did you do today ? This question has always been difficult for me to answer! I’ve never quite had a typical day, and I never know how much the people who ask the polite questions really want to know. So it surprised me when I read one commentator’s reflections on the gospel reading for today that described the events as a typical day in the life of Jesus. Somehow, I never imagined that Jesus had a typical day either. I was however intrigued by his following suggestion that if this represents a typical day for Jesus, then it should also be a typical day in the life of His Church.
The day was filled with prayer and preaching, but was predominated by healing. Today we begin an examination of the question “Why Church”? by focusing on the healing role that Jesus intends for the church to have in the world. What can the healing actions of the church do for the world in which we live? How can we make a positive difference, so that when we pray for God’s will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, it can be a reality? This typical day from the life of Jesus suggests at least three ways the Church can be engaged in the healing of the world.
I. The Healing of the Church can Restore Families: Jesus’ compassionate action toward Peter’s mother-in-law allowed for a return of normalcy and peace in this household. Energy previously devoted to caring for her illness could now be used in other productive ways. This should be the healing mission of the church toward families today as well. We should look for ways to bring normalcy and peace in the midst of harried and hectic lives. Rather than trying to define what constitutes a family, or trying to describe how a family should function according to certain roles, our time is better invested in helping them to be a whole family: teaching them to love, care, and serve like Jesus. The question is how engaged are we in this healing ministry of the Church? What more can we do to restore families like Jesus restored this one?
II. The Healing of the Church can Strengthen Communities: Jesus’ compassionate actions toward those who came to Him provided this community with a sense that life with God was a life of hope, that the difficulties of life could be overcome, and would not have the final word in the course of one’s life. When individuals are made whole, communities become stronger, and are encouraged. The Church must seek today to provide this kind of encouragement and strength to a hurting world. Healing actions toward our Community will strengthen our influence with it more than any piece of legislation or exercise of political influence ever could. The question is how engaged are we in this healing ministry of the Church? What more can we do to strengthen communities like Jesus strengthened this one?
III. The Healing of the Church can Silence Evil: Jesus work to cast out and silence the demons that afflicted these people reminds us of his personal concern for our deepest needs. The Church must demonstrate this same concern for our world today. We say people will only care how much you know when they know how much you care, but do we really act as if we believe this to be the truth? The world is on a constant search for healing and truth. Only when we give them both will they be able to receive our message as credible. We must deal with the modern day demons that divide our world racially, economically, socially, religiously, and in so many other ways. The question is how engaged are we in this of healing ministry of the church? What demons of division are we seeking to cast out in order to aid the healing of our world?
So we return to the original question: Why the church? From this story of Jesus we are reminded that at least in part the answer lies in the healing that the church can and should provide for our world. Perhaps the notion of a ministry of healing makes you nervous and conjures up ideas which are foreign. You are not alone because it does the same thing to me. However, I find great challenge and comfort in a story from the American Baptist sociologist, pastor, theologian, and all around raconteur , Tony Campolo, who when challenged to have his own ministry of healing by a friend, tried it with the following result:
“Having been challenged to add a healing ministry to my work, I decided to try it at a service in a church in Oregon. On impulse at the end of the service I announced to any who wanted to remain that we would be having a healing service. I warned them that they should not expect much, but I would be glad to pray with them, and anoint them with some oil that I had. Surprisingly, about thirty people stayed for this event. I prayed with each individually, hearing all kinds of requests for deliverance, including many with physical illnesses. Four days later I received a call from a woman who indicated that I prayed for her husband at this time, who “had” cancer. “Had” cancer, I asked? Yes, she said, “He’s dead now”!
Disheartened, I listened further to her story in which she recounted how prior to this event her husband was angry with God and unbearable to be around. Since that night however, he was different. The last four days have been the best days of our lives together. He was not cured but he was healed”. (adapted from Let Me Tell You A Story. by Tony Campolo Word Publishing, 2000,p.34-36)
Like Tony, I think we must have a ministry of healing, and like the result of the story, I’m not sure that we cure the ills of our world, but with God’s help we can bring healing. Healing for families, for communities, and of the evil in our world. May God grant us the desire and strength to do this for our world! So that when people ask Why the Church? the answer given can be for healing.