A Day in the Life

And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.  And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.  That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.  Mark 1:29-34

Have you every wondered what a day in Jesus’ life was like?  In 1968 archaeologists in Israel discovered a fifth century church that had inscriptions on the wall referring to Peter as well as Jesus.  The church had gone through several expansions, but scholars agree that this site was the actual home of Simon Peter, the base of Jesus’ operations and the place He laid his head at the end of a long day of preaching, teaching, healing and doing good, like the one described in Mark 1.

Jesus’ day had begun with worship at the synagogue where he cast out the demon of a man.  As the day continues, Jesus returns to Peter’s home, where he finds Peter’s mother-in-law sick in bed with a fever.  He takes the woman by the hand and helps her up and immediately she is made well.  It may not seem like that big of a deal in comparison with some of the other miracles, but it is what Jesus does – it is good.

Later in the day, as evening has come and the Sabbath is now over, crowds of people come to Peter’s home.  They come into the courtyard that is found there outside the door of his home.  And there the throngs of people gather to see if this Jesus, who has gone around doing good to everyone would do good to them.  Mark writes that the whole town gathered there and that Jesus kept on doing good – healing the sick and casting out demons.

We still go to Jesus’ house today so that He can “do good” to us as He hear His good Word and taste and see that the Lord is good.   We came as those with all kinds of sins and griefs to bear.  We come with weary souls and troubled hearts.  We come with bodies infected by sin and all of its terrible effects.  We come to Jesus, the Master Physician, for healing.  In His house, Jesus brings to us His healing of mercy and grace.  His word brings comfort and hope to the troubled and the conflicted.  His forgiveness brings healing to the conflicted and the ashamed.  His Holy Supper, called by the early church fathers, the Medicine of Immortality, brings strength for body and soul.  Each day is a day of Jesus doing good as He blesses us with His gifts.

Prayer - Lord Jesus Christ, during your earthly ministry you healed all manner of infirmity, grant your healing of body and soul to Your servants in need according to Your good and gracious will.  Amen. 

Fraternally in Christ,

President Lee Hagan