Doctor On Call

Mark 1:25-45

Sometimes it’s hard to find a good doctor. The health care industry seems to be in a constant state of change. You may have been frustrated to discover that a really good and capable doctor is not included in your insurance carrier’s list of preferred providers. It can be very expensive to pay out of pocket for just an office visit and consultation. And just try to get an appointment anytime soon! More and more doctors are deciding that they just aren’t called to the task of being a good doctor. They are pursuing other interests and leaving the practice of medicine altogether. The result is that there seems to be fewer and fewer practicing doctors helping more and more people. So how does one define a “good doctor”? It depends on who you ask.
National standards may differ. If you’ve ever been treated by a doctor in a foreign country, you have probably experienced the practice of medicine at different standards, for better or worse. A doctor may be a “good doctor”, doing the best he or she can with the available resources at their disposal, but not able to provide the care that we have become accustomed to and often take for granted.
Generational definitions can vary. My parents had their interpretation of what it meant to be a “good doctor.” I noticed in the many interactions we had with both of them before their death that they had their distinctive view of what a good doctor looked like. I believe it is shared by many in their generation. For one thing, when a doctor suggested a course of treatment or plan of action, even though they did not think it was necessary, rarely would they express that to the doctor. It mattered more to them that the doctor would spend time to talk and listen to them. They trusted their doctors. In contrast, my generation will question more, and often get more than one opinion, continuously seeking one that agrees with how we want things to be! We might say that a “good doctor” is familiar with our condition and a “good doctor” can be trusted to act in our best interests and a “good doctor” has some authority over the treatment of our disease. I ask you today to consider a “Good Doctor” who is a Great Doctor. He has absolute authority over all disease and the treatment of it.
Let’s read the Word of the Lord.
And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them.
When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Simon and his companions searched for Him; they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.
And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere. (Mark 1:29-45)
JESUS IS LIKE A GOOD DOCTOR WE CAN TRUST WITH OUR SICKNESS.

JESUS HAS ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY OVER ALL THAT CAUSES DISEASE.

I. LIKE A GOOD DOCTOR, JESUS MAKES HOUSE CALLS. (29-31).
..they came into the house of Simon and Andrew…
Not since Adam lived in Eden, had God walked so close to man. The first Adam enjoyed the presence of God in an unhindered and unobstructed way. Evidently, it was normal for God to walk with Adam in the cool of the day. In the fullness of God’s time, now we see the Second Adam, Jesus of Nazareth, Immanuel, or God with us, walking once again with man. The God-man was actively dealing with disease, which is the result of the judgment of God upon the sin of the first man. In the day he sinned, death began its process. The text shows us Jesus with His disciples in Capernaum, dealing with the effects of disease. Sickness had visited the family of Peter, and death was a potential result.
When there is “fever in the house,” fear is in the home. The Gospel of Luke says that Peter’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever. From the perspective of a doctor, it was a life threatening condition. With extremely high fever, death was often nigh. Even today, sometimes when fever strikes a small child or an older adult they are especially at risk. Godly families are not immune to this kind of fear. My heart goes out to the person without a personal God that can intervene on their behalf. How terrifying it must be for a person without knowing a God who can heal. The fear of impending death can be consuming.
Jesus comes out of the synagogue and into the home. In the first century Jewish community, the synagogue was the hub of community activity. In those days, a lot of religious hypocrisy could be found there. And one of the worst things that could happen to any Jew was to be put out of the synagogue. It severed their community lifeline. Synagogue life was protected and isolated from life in the real world in some cases. It had become an idolatrous substitute for a faith walk with God. Jesus was coming out of the synagogue and into the home. Our life with God is to start in the home, within the family structure, and flow into the community of faith. It is my prayer that our people today become such a family of God at home that it flows back into the church. Strong families will build strong churches.
Christ exercises absolute authority over spiritual and physical bondage. This synagogue venue is important to the issue of authority. In the preceding passage, Jesus had cast out an unclean spirit. The demonic spirit was in the midst of godly instruction. Do not ever assume that only godly people gather for worship. The worship of a human being can be hindered, bound, distracted and perverted by spiritual entities and physical factors. Jesus came to do something about that. Jesus wielded His absolute authority over the demonic and the diseased.
Stability in unstable times for the Christian requires frequent inspection and regular home visitation by the Spirit of God and the Word of God. The old song “God, Give Us Christian Homes,” is a good old hymn. But if I were writing this song for the church today, I would change it to “God, Give Us Biblical Christian Homes.” They aren’t the same anymore. A cultural Christian, claiming the name of Christ without demonstrating the nature of Christ, can still live as though Jesus has no authority in the home. We all have our daily routines. Does yours include prayer and bible study? The Word will inspect you. The Spirit will direct you. How stable is your home foundation?
Jesus comes in as our companion, but is He Lord in our home? This God-Man has promised to be with us, but the question becomes are we with Him? Do you surrender your life and the life of your family to Him? The earliest Christian testimony, Jesus is Lord, can still an encouragement to everyone who visits your home. Under the Lordship of Christ, will your home be disease-free? Probably not this home…not at this time…but one day there will be “none of these diseases”, as promised by God to His people:
And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.” (Exodus 15:26)
As a church we need healing. We can say we believe Jesus can heal us but do we really let Him in? Do we surrender ourselves to His Word or pretend that we are as healthy as God wants us to be? He must have free access to our plans and procedures and that means we have to hold our agendas and goals loosely. God has authority to heal our church. Let the Good Doctor in!

II. LIKE A GOOD DOCTOR, JESUS HEARS OUR REQUEST. (30, 40)
...immediately they spoke to Jesus about her...
...a leper came to Jesus...beseeching Him...falling on his knees before Him…
After Adam’s sin, a mediator was necessary between God and man. People like Moses stood and spoke for God to man and spoke for man to God. Christ came and was actively engaged. There is one mediator between God and man…the man Christ Jesus. If you have not surrendered to Christ, God will not hear you. Some people claim to pray to God but do not know Christ or see their need for Him as a mediator. I would make the claim that they are praying to a different God than the one revealed in the Bible. Here is an encouraging phrase. Immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. This level of communication with God was something restored to man and a great privilege. Through the mediation of Christ, God has granted immediate access to His disciples.
For those who do not know God, who will hear their fearful crying? Who will intercede for the one who is a stranger to God? Have you ever had someone who has asked that you pray for their sick child because they know that you will pray? What a privilege and honor! For you see, they are talking to you on behalf of their loved one. Just as they spoke to Jesus about her. Do not squander this moment to mediate this encounter with God on someone else’s behalf and point them to Christ.
Are we, as God’s people, pleading in Jesus’ name in the public arena? Do people see us as God-trusters? This is what a believer is. A truster. Do we profess that our God is able and willing? At the risk of being mocked, do we still believe that God is able to heal in the name of Jesus?
Jesus says “I am willing.” Here is the glory of God. Christ is willing to hear and do something about man’s sorry condition. The leper is the second example of how Jesus demonstrates His authority over disease. Curing leprosy got the attention of the Jewish community. Leprosy was called the “stroke of God” and was seen as God’s direct judgment on sin. In Numbers 12, Miriam, the sister of Moses, was stricken with leprosy when she and Aaron contended with God’s authority in Moses. In 2 Kings 5, Naaman, the Syrian general, was cured of leprosy when God used the prophet Elisha. Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, was stricken with leprosy for his treacherous and greedy pursuit of Naaman, seeking the reward that Elisha had refused. The New Testament Jewish belief was that only God was powerful enough to take away the curse of leprosy because it was God who placed it there in the first place. We don’t see Jesus as God cursing people with leprosy. We only see Him curing them of it. A new thing was happening in Israel. Jesus was not only able to do so. He told the leper He was willing to cleanse him.
There is a way to ask God for help…directly and desperately. Directly because we can. Desperately because we must. The disciples spoke directly to God when they spoke to Jesus. They did not need to go through a priest. They were talking to the Great High Priest of the Most High God. I am privileged when I am asked to pray for you. But never forget, as a disciple of Christ, you have a direct line to the Great Doctor who is on call 24/7! Direct access is available to you today.
The leper models another way to seek God’s help for healing. He is desperately pleading and utterly abandoned to Him, faithfully proclaiming the ability of Jesus to help him in his utter helplessness. Friends, when you’ve lived like a leper, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by total surrender. Maybe you have not seen God move in your life with power because you still think you can fix what’s wrong with you. Maybe God has not manifested His mighty presence because you are not willing to humble yourself. God exalts the humble. We can be desperately direct in our plea to Him today.
Believe the One who heals us can also hear us and help us. The Church is at a crisis in our time and in our land. We are not in a crisis in the sense that all is lost and we must seek another way to help ourselves and change the message. That would be a new gospel. The one that has been given to us will work just fine. The gospel with which we are to preach is this: God has come in Christ to do for us all that which we cannot do for ourselves. But God will not compete with our own self made methodologies about health and wealth. God will not be seen as some Cosmic Genie who can be managed by man. Naaman found that he could not purchase deliverance. But he did ask for two mule loads of dirt to take to Syria. He had seen the power of the God of that Land revealed. And he wanted that power in his land. For us to see that kind of power in America today we must be direct in our desperation for God. Jesus is our only hope. Perhaps we have not made our request for healing made known to God in a desperate and direct way.
III. LIKE A GOOD DOCTOR, JESUS IS NOT AFRAID TO TOUCH THE ONES WHO ARE AFFLICTED. (31, 41)
...taking her by the hand...
...He stretched out His hand, and touched him...
Salvation’s story unfolds when sin-infected Adam is cast out of God’s presence and quarantined. He became an “untouchable” to God. Holiness cannot be approached by the unholy. God instituted a method for His people to approach Him. The sacrificial system was instituted as a shadow or a type of what was to come. There would be a day when God’s people could touch Him and He could touch them. So the Holy One came and dwelled among us. That day had dawned at Peter’s house and in all of Galilee.
People can be so afraid of being hurt again, that do not trust the hand of God.
Do you find it hard to believe that God wants to make you whole? He is willing. Are you so broken and fragmented that you don’t know where all the pieces fit? Have you lived so long in isolation from God’s community that you don’t know how you are supposed to be among them? The Lord is reaching for you. His arm is strong enough to save. And His hand is gentle enough to heal.
The Christian’s public image can be marred when it comes to our willingness to touch the world. Years ago, I was part of a group that went to the Raleigh Rescue Mission to serve in the kitchen one day. There was one lady among us who seemed to think this was a worthy thing that we were doing. She was so excited about being there and serving a meal to the homeless. During the time we were there, she made a comment that she was thirsty. One of the homeless people working in the kitchen heard her and brought her some iced tea. Thanking him, she set the tea aside and didn’t drink it. I saw her do this. Others did as well. When she was asked why she did that, she responded that she didn’t think the glass was clean enough. The dishwashing operation was highly efficient. The temperature of the water was very hot. There was nothing wrong with the cup. But there was something very wrong with the situation. The unclean vessel was not the one containing the iced tea. The problem is that we desire to be seen as touching the world while keeping the world from touching our world.
The compassionate Word of God in Christ came to touch the world. Moved with compassion for the plight of the leper, Jesus heals him. Interestingly, the Bible says He cleansed the leper with His word. He tells him to go show the priest and bring an offering for in thanks for His cleansing. Jesus passionately warns the leper not to tell anyone else. Why not? Jesus did not come primarily to heal, although He could have. His primary mission was to preach the Word of God. It’s what He came for. Do you want the miracles of Christ apart from the message of repentance? Most of the world did then. And most of the world does now. Here is the truth. His word to us is the miracle of life itself. The word of God is touching the world. And He begins with us.
We may prefer healing from a distance. Some people in the ministry of Jesus were healed at a distance. But these he touched. Jesus wants to get close enough to touch. No one would touch the leper. Jesus is a “hands on” healer. Are His hands touching you?
Mount Olivet Baptist Church…be still. Let the Good Doctor touch us! Let the washing of the Word heal our leprous condition. Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within us! Let the Word of God go forth from here to Raleigh and beyond. Let us be as those lepers in 2 Kings 7:3 who said, “Why do we sit here until we die?” Almighty God has touched us with His word. Let us go to the nations as leprous beggars telling other leprous beggars where to find food that cleanses the soul! Moving into the darkness, we can take courage.

IV. LIKE A GOOD DOCTOR, JESUS WORKS THE NIGHT SHIFT. (32, 35)
...when evening came, after the sun had set...
...in the early morning, while it was still dark...
The God of Light injected Himself into the dark world of human history. Four hundred years of prophetic silence for God’s people came to a close with the dramatic picture of John the Baptist, in the spirit of Elijah, preaching in the wilderness. According to Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus was a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy where “THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT” (Matthew 4:16a). John’s Gospel says that “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”(John 1:4) Dark days for this dark world are numbered. Light has come.
People can remain in darkness, paralyzed in fear and trapped there. The Bible says that men love the darkness more than the light is because their deeds are evil. That’s why they stay there. Another reason is that they are more afraid of the Light bringing judgment to their sinful condition. Change can be scary. But God is merciful.
Does the culture see us as representatives of the “true light” or is our light artificial? It’s easy to shine like Christ when life is good. But when you or someone you love is sick and afflicted, bound in disease, it can wear you down, dimming your light. Sometimes you can pretend that everything is fine but our lamp can be mighty dim. Spending time with the Lord in prayer refuels our lamp.
Prayer is part of the Good Doctor’s treatment plan. It is always a great comfort to see our modern physicians pray about their patients and some even pray with them. Count yourself blessed if you have a doctor like that. Rejoice all the more to know that Jesus is a Good Doctor who prays for His patients. He who can heal our bodies also attends to our soul.
Disease does not take the night off. Neither does Christ. He neither sleeps nor slumbers. Behold, He prays! In the daytime and especially at nighttime, His disciples found Him praying. He lives to make intercession for His people every day and all night long.
For the Christian disciple we can remember at night what we learned in the day. Do you know that Christ works the night shift on your behalf? Do you know He prays while we sleep? What do you want Christ to do in you and for you today? Do you know who you are and what authority you lay hold to when you pray to Him and He prays for you? Remember that in the dark times, we have a Good Doctor on call.
At Mount Olivet, we can pray to the Good Doctor and we can learn to pray like the Good Doctor. Are you often found praying? Are you found praying in the church? Are you often praying for the church?

Our “so what” for today is:
A good doctor can be hard to find. Jesus, the Great Doctor, has already found you.
Are you directly approaching Him? Because you can.
Are you desperately seeking Him? Because you must.

He comes personally to heal us, to hear us, to touch us, to encourage us.
Rejoice! Our Healer lives!