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Epiphany 5, 2021
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
Feb. 7, 2021
Isaiah 40:21-31, 1 Corinthians 9:16-27, Mark 1:29-39
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Jesus is disappointing. That is a strange way to begin a sermon. Jesus disappoints you. It is not something that you readily want to admit because it sounds so unholy, but Jesus is disappointing. We see this in our Gospel reading today.
It has been a busy day for Jesus and His disciples. That morning at the synagogue Jesus teaches the people and drives out an unclean spirit. Afterwards He goes to Peter’s mother-in-law’s house but she is sick in bed with a fever. Middle Eastern people have a great sense of hospitality and Peter’s mother-in-law must feel terrible about not being able to prepare a meal for Peter and his friends. Jesus heals her and she is able to serve them.
As the sun sets the people of Capernaum come to Jesus bringing those who are sick or oppressed by a demon. That evening the whole city is gathered at the house. So much sickness. So much demonic possession. So much darkness. Jesus heals many of various diseases and casts out many demons, forbidding them to speak.
Before the sun dawns the next day Jesus gets up early and sneaks out of town to find a quiet place to pray. When the others get up and they can’t find Jesus in the house they go to look for Him. There are a lot of people who want Jesus to heal more people and drive out more demons. Sounds like the crowds are already gathering at Peter’s mother-in-law’s house. Crowds are waiting, but where is Jesus? All these people are going to be disappointed if Jesus does not come back to heal them all. Peter and the other disciples know this.
When they find Jesus, how does He respond? Does He hurry back to Capernaum to make sure He does not disappoint? No. Mark 1:38 (ESV) 38 … [Jesus] said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”[1]
The people are left disappointed in Jesus. And you know that feeling. There is great darkness in Capernaum that day with all the disease, all the demons, all the troubles. You know the darkness. You live in the darkness of our present pandemic age with the isolation and fear and sickness. You live in the darkness of this world with so much disease, so much suffering, so much brokenness, so much evil, so much death. Where is Jesus when you need Him? Why doesn’t Jesus heal everyone? Why doesn’t Jesus get rid of all of this darkness?
In last week’s sermon we learned that Jesus has authority over Satan. Jesus has authority over demons. This week we see Jesus has authority over disease. So, why does Jesus allow evil, sickness, suffering and death to even occur? This is a vexing question. Why does God allow evil? Why doesn’t God just put an end to all sickness, evil and death? Why doesn’t God end this pandemic? Why, O Lord? Why is Jesus so disappointing?
The truth is that what is most important to the people of Capernaum is not what is most important to Jesus. Jesus tells the disciples, that He is going to other towns to preach Mark 1:15 (ESV) 15 … “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”[2] The people think Jesus’ identity is “healer” and “exorcist”, but Jesus is so much more than a healer and an exorcist. He is the Savior. He is the sacrifice for the sins of the world.
The people want Jesus to keep doing what He was doing, but Jesus has other things to do and the people are disappointed. How often are you disappointed that God does not do what you want Him to do when you want Him to do it? What you want is a good thing, but what is most important to you is often not what is most important to God. Your time table is not God’s time table. Isaiah 55:8 (ESV) 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.[3] Peter 3:8 (ESV) 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.[4] This can be terribly frustrating and it can feel like God has left you lonely and despairing, waiting at an empty house for Jesus while He has gone to minister to someone else in another place.
American Christianity often makes it seem that sadness and grieving and lament show lack of faith and have no place in the Christian life. The sense is that if you don’t go from victory to victory there is something wrong with your faith. That even if you mourn at a loved one’s death you are showing lack of conviction. If you pray for healing and the healing does not come there must be a problem with you and your belief.
The truth is that the world is full of trouble. Your life is full of trouble. It is indeed good, right and salutary to lament the sickness and evil and death in the world and in your own life. It is not a sin to cry out to God in loneliness and despair, “How long, O Lord?” King David cries out in Psalm 6:3 (ESV) 3 My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long?[5] Psalm 13:1 (ESV) 1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?[6] Psalm 130:1-2 (ESV) 1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! 2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy![7]
It is fully acceptable to grieve over the brokenness of the world. Faithful Christians mourn disease; lament over evil, grieve death. Matthew 5:4 (ESV) 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.[8] Faithful Christians sorrow over this pandemic. Crying out to God in lament does not show lack of faith, but rather it shows great faith because despite disease and evil and death you still know that God is in charge. You cry out to the Lord.
American Christianity often makes it seem that sadness and grieving and lament show lack of faith and have no place in the Christian life. The sense is that if you don’t go from victory to victory there is something wrong with your faith. That even if you mourn at a loved one’s death you are showing lack of conviction. If you pray for healing and the healing does not come there must be a problem with you and your belief.
Jesus’ does not promise to heal every disease right away. He does not promise to stop all evil immediately. He does not promise that no one will die. He does promise to eliminate sickness, evil and death when He returns in glory on the Last Day. He promises you in your baptism that you belong to Him and are in the Kingdom of God right now. He promises to forgive you all your sins. He promises to pour out His forgiveness upon you from this altar with His body and blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
When you die your spirit goes to be with the Lord and your body waits to be raised from the dead when Jesus returns. He promises that by His death on the cross your sins are forgiven and that by His resurrection you will be resurrected and will live with Him forever in the heavenly City of New Jerusalem.
Jesus does and can heal. The disappointed people of Capernaum rejoice when Jesus returns after a few days and He preaches to them and heals their sick. When you are sick or troubled; when a loved one is sick, when you see the evil in the world; bring that all to the Lord. Pray for healing; pray for comfort; pray God’s will be done. When Jesus disappoints you, cry out in lament, “How long, O Lord?” confident that God is God and despite the darkness of this world you remain the apple of His eye. Amen
[1] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
[2] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
[3] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
[4] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
[5] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
[6] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
[7] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
[8] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.