Our Sermons

Bible Passage: Luke 4:38-44
Pastor: Pastor Berg
Sermon Date:  January 30, 2022

“He who has a “why” to live for can bear with almost any “how.” Those words originally attributed to German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche were used by Viktor Frankel in describing his experiences in a concentration camp. A man’s purpose, a man’s agenda in life, the “why” allows us to put up with and endure just about anything. 

As Jesus is uncovered for us during this season of Epiphany, we see that Jesus had a “why.” We hear that in the way that he speaks, the actions that he takes. “I must be taking care of my Father’s business…” he said as a child. “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is why I was sent.” we hear today. Later in Lent we’ll hear, “he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” Jesus had a very specific “why.” He came to accomplish our salvation. He came to preach the good news. And that’s exactly what we see before us today. Jesus’ Agenda is Uncovered, and perhaps not how we would expect. Let’s dig in.

Today, we find Jesus in Capernaum. Last week’s account of his rejection we learned actually takes place after what is before us today. In some ways, what we see today set the stage for that rejection. Jesus has just begun his public ministry. He’s starting to gather friends and followers, but he hasn’t officially called any disciples to follow him. Just prior to our section, Jesus was in the synagogue, teaching. His agenda was on full display, to share the good news, and that’s exactly what he was doing. And his Word had power. It carried authority. It amazed the people. It drove out demons. And people were starting to recognize this. Jesus was gathering a following. Luke tells us, “Jesus got up, left the synagogue, and went into Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. They asked him to help her.” 

This Simon is Simon Peter, soon to be Jesus’ most famous disciple. His mother-in-law is sick in bed with a high fever. It’s easy for us to rush past this detail too quickly. In our day of modern medicine where we take a couple Advil and move on with our day, we forget the seriousness of fever. This was deadly serious. High fevers led to seizures; caused blindness. High fevers would keep people bedridden for days and would take a long time to recover from. And they asked Jesus to help. 

“He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.” Do you realize how amazing this is? Do you see how much Jesus cares? Do you see the power of his Word? Jesus stood over her. That’s almost incomprehensible in an age where we fear disease like none other, Jesus went right up next to her. He took the time to stand over her. And then he rebuked the fever. Usually that word is reserved for a personal object. Jesus rebuked the demons in the synagogue earlier and he’s going to rebuke the demons again here in a minute. Does that suggest that there was more than just a health problem here? Perhaps, but regardless Jesus’ word has power. The fever left her. And don’t overlook this: “Immediately she got up and began to serve them.” Immediately, 100% cured. Immediately able to serve this large gathering in her house with no after effects of this high fever. 

And it gets even more amazing. “As the sun was setting, they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases. He laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.” We read over these details so quickly, but we shouldn’t. All night long, Jesus stayed up to heal the sick. All night long. And Luke tells us, “He laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.” He certainly had the power to heal just by speaking. We have multiple examples. But Jesus took the time to touch every single one of them. Just think about that. Jesus has this big picture agenda, which he never loses sight of. Yet, along the way he deals with the details. He helps individuals. He sees people and their needs and he helps them individually, personally, every single one of them.

Friends, it’s easy to believe in general that Jesus died for the sins of the world. It’s easy to believe in general that Jesus works out things for the good of his believers. It’s a whole lot harder to believe it personally. It’s a whole lot harder to believe that Jesus is going to have time for me as an individual. It’s a whole lot harder to believe that Jesus is going to be willing to put his hands on me knowing what I’ve done, knowing my sicknesses and my diseases. Yet, what is uncovered for us today is that you are Jesus’ favorite. You are the one who has Jesus’ sole attention. You are the one whom he spends all night with, putting his hands on you. You are the one who experience his power and his love and his concern for you are the one for whom his hands were pierced. You are the one for whom he died. You are the one whom Jesus has shown this restless love that moves his agenda forward. Believe that Jesus is doing this for you!

“When it was day, he went out to a deserted place. The crowds were looking for him. They went up to him and were trying to prevent him from leaving them. But he told them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is why I was sent.” And he continued to preach in the synagogues in the land of the Jews.” Having spent all night healing, Jesus is looking for some solitude, some rest. But the people wouldn’t have it. They were hunting him down. They were in hot pursuit. And for the second week in a row, we see a crowd trying to keep Jesus from leaving, only today not in rejection, but wanting him to stay. But Jesus won’t be deterred. He won’t be kept from carrying out his agenda. He says what needs to be said and not what the people want to hear. “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is why I was sent.” 

It’s easy to be like that crowd in Capernaum. We’ve seen what Jesus has done and we want to keep it all to ourselves. We want to stay nice and safe in our little sanctuary and bask in the glory. But we don’t get to tell Jesus what to do. He says, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is why I was sent.” And so we’re forced to ask ourselves, “what does this mean for us? What are we about? What is our mission? What are we going to be about as a people, as a congregation? We know that we can’t fix the world. We can’t solve the world’s problems with any program or policy. But Jesus can. Jesus is the only hope for our world. A God lived life is a life lived for others, a life showing them Jesus. We are Christ’s hands and feet in this world. It is through us that Jesus continues his role as prophet, speaking God’s Word to his people. 

What is our “why”? What are we about? What is our mission? What is the one thing that we live for that allows us to bear with just about anything? It’s our relationship with Jesus. It’s the good news of the gospel of all that Jesus has done for us.  God gives us many things that we can be doing, and we should do them. But our primary work must be preaching the Word, administering the sacraments, and clearly communicating the gospel. This is our “why,” because this was Jesus’ “why.” 

I don’t think it’s a secret that we live in a world that has a crisis of trust. No one trusts authority anymore. There’s only one solution to this crisis. May we, moved by the love of Jesus, step out of our comfort zone and show our community the real Jesus we see here in Luke 4. Jesus will win them with his love, his compassion, his personal care for each one of them. Jesus has died for them individually. He has won their salvation. Now that the agenda has been uncovered, may we say what must be said, may we point them to Jesus and tell of his love. Amen.