The authority of our King extends to all of creation,
but the one that is more common to us than demon possession is that
of disease. It is the common malady of man to get sick and some
sickness is unto death. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into
the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for
that all have sinned... (Romans 5:12).” Yet, when we find our
King ministering on earth in the presence of disease He heals them
all. Such is the case with Jesus at Peter's house.
“And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered
into Simon's house. And Simon's
wife's mother was taken with a great fever...
(Luke 4:38).” Have you ever noticed that sickness comes at the
most inconvenient times. Here the master has come home to Peter's
house, obviously for a Sabbath day meal and rest. But there is
trouble in Peter's house: his mother-in-law was in bed sick “with
a great fever”.
But Peter, and they that were with him, was more
concerned with his mother-in-law. Having witnessed what Jesus did
the Bible says, “...and they
besought him for her (Luke 4:38).”
Notice how simple intercessory prayer is “they
besought him for her.” They looked to
Christ Who had said that He came, “...to preach the gospel to the
poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year
of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19).” If the King is so willing shouldn't
we “...come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).”
You will notice the readiness of Christ to answer
their request. “And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and
it left her... (Luke 4:39).” Notice that “he stood over her”.
We can be assured that Christ stands over us, looking to the need,
and ready to hear our prayers, and heal the sick. Our Lord is able
to “rebuked the fever” or any other disease. He that created
everything with just His word (Genesis 1; John 1:1-3,10; Colossians
1:16). With just a word the fever is rebuked and Peter's
mother-in-law healed.
You will you notice the proper response of all those
that benefit from Christ: “...and immediately she arose and
ministered unto them (Luke 4:39).” She was not saved to sit, but
to serve. Neither are we saved from the sickness of our sin just to
occupy a pew. We are saved to serve both Christ our King and others
in His name. If you have benefited from Christ's grace, rise up and
serve your King. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's (1
Corinthians 6:20).”
Good news is hard to keep secret. “Now when the
sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases
brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them,
and healed them (Luke 4:40).” I understand from missionaries in
the field that when a doctor comes to a remote region that people
will travel for days to seek help for their children. Here, with the
Sabbath ending, the residents of Capernaum come to seek the Master's
healing hand. So should we always proclaim the good news of Christ
so that those afflicted by sin, for all sickness is a result of sin,
might come to Christ and be healed. We are told that “...devils
also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the
Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they
knew that he was Christ (Luke 4:41).”
The King has authority over His kingdom and His
kingdom encompasses all of creation. Although not everyone will be
healed of disease in this life, the root cause of all disease can.
The root cause is sin. Repent and trust the Savior. “Who his own
self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead
to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were
healed (1 Peter 2:24).”
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