Love in Action, Episode 3: “Loving to Serve”

In Matt. 8:14-17 we see Jesus serve Peter’s mother-in-law and she in turn serving Jesus as He heals her and many others. Take a look at the Facts:

Jesus served Peter’s Mother-in-law. She was sick, lying in bed with a fever. Fever in those days was considered a disease, not a symptom. Most likely Peter’s MIL was suffering from Malaria. (there were tons of mosquitoes where the Jordan River connected to the Sea of Galilee and Malaria was very prevalent in Capernaum). Jesus had just come from the synagogue to Peter’s house (Mk. 1:29-34; Lk. 4:38-41). Peter was married (1 Cor. 9:5) and had moved with his brother Andrew from their home in Bethsaida (John 1:44) to Capernaum, possibly to remain near to Jesus (Matt. 4:13). It is possible that Simon and Andrew took over their parent’s home, and lived there with their extended families. Simon’s father-in-law had probably passed away, and he and his wife took care of her mother in their home. In those days adult children were expected to care for their aging parents. Mark tells us that Peter, Andrew, James and John were with Jesus, and when they got to the house they told Him about her. Jesus went into the room where she was and touched her hand & He healed her. Luke 4:39 says Jesus rebuked the fever. Her healing was effective and immediate. Jesus’ power and authority transcends things like sickness and legalistic culturally-imposed norms. He was giving evidence of His deity, that He was the Messiah/the Deliverer – showing His power and authority. Jesus makes some of the benefits He would provide available in advance of the Cross. There is healing in the Atonement, there is promise of a resurrection body some day, which we will inherit when Christ returns. The Cross is the basis for all the benefits we receive. But why are some healed and some not? While God heals now, and chooses many ways to do so, the greater application is for later. John MacArthur said: ‘Disease and death cannot permanently be removed until sin is permanently removed, and Jesus’ supreme work, therefore, was to conquer sin. In the atonement He dealt with sin, death and sickness; and yet all three of those are still with us’. Whoever trusts in the work of Christ is immediately delivered from the penalty of sin & will one day be delivered from the power and presence of sin & its consequences.

As soon as she was healed Peter’s Mother-in-law served Jesus. She waited on Him (Greek diakoneo, to serve, wait upon, minister, emphasis is on the work being done to benefit others). He had most likely saved her life & with gratefulness she served Him, not to pay Him back, she could never do that, but out of love she simply served. Her one desire was to use her new found health to be of use and service to Him and others.

This story shows us two things that apply to us in understanding who Jesus is as well as our relationship to God and our response to Him.

Jesus is the Servant who saves and as such He deserves and desires our careful attention. Matthew 8:17 says what Jesus did in healing was to fulfill Is. 53:4, where the Servant, who performs God’s call, engages sickness and disease on behalf of the people. It is generally understood that when the NT quotes a brief OT passage it often refers to the entire context of the quote. So we must take into account the thrust of the entire Servant song and look for a deeper connection. At 1st glance it looks like Matthew is referring to bodily healing not His death but Is. 53 is important to New Testament writers to show the significance of Jesus’ death. The verbs took up and carried in Is. 53:4 show the idea of substitution, referring to the Servant taking the diseases of others upon Himself through His suffering and death for their sin. The way He bears the sickness of others is through His suffering and death on their behalf. In using the words took up and carried, Matthew is also making a connection between Jesus’ healing ministry and the Cross. Our standing in Christ hinges on Christ taking our sin upon Himself. In essence Jesus’ healing ministry is itself a function of His death in our place, by which He lays the foundation for ultimately destroying sickness. In the Kingdom of God one day, where there will be no more death and sickness, made possible by the shed blood of Christ. The healings He did were not only a foretaste of His kingdom but a fruit of His coming death. For Matthew, healing miracles pointed to the Cross. The miracles highlighted Jesus’ authority. He never used it for His own benefit, but only for the benefit of others and the glory of God. When He gave His life as a ransom for many, it was an extension of that same authority directed to the good of others. Jesus is the Servant who saves; He went to the Cross for His glory and our good.

Believers are Christ’s servants. Peter’s mother-in-law was served by Jesus then got up and served Him, the imperfect tense (diaknei) portraying the ongoing nature of her service. William Barclay said: ‘Peter’s wife’s mother used the gift of her health restored to serve Jesus and to serve others. That is the way in which we should use every gift of God’. Healing and restoration lead to a grateful response in service. In a similar way, Jesus has saved the life of every one of us who believe. And we can never pay Him back, nor are we to try, but oh what loving service His gift of salvation generates in us. Darrell Bock said: Service is what naturally follows God’s grace. God’s grace motivates us to serve Him. Some people serve to be loved, others love to be served, others love to serve. The 1st do it for approval and security, the 2nd to gain comfort and feelings of superiority; the 3rd serve simply because they have been loved. I jump back and forth among the 3 groups, or develop a hybrid of my own. Why I do what I do, is so important because it reveals the condition of my heart before God and others. Matt. 20:28 Jesus came not to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. In order for us to truly love to serve it needs to be rooted in the grace of God in Christ; as He serves us, we in turn serve Him. It must be rooted in the self-sacrificing substitution that Christ entered into on the cross – where He loved us so much He went to the cross. How can you know if your serving flows from God’s grace in your life? You will know by the extent to which you are willing to be inconvenienced, misunderstood or hurt for the sake of others; to the extent that you are willing to give up your reputation for kindness, your comfort, your position of strength to be seen of as weak; to the extent that you are willing to make a personal exchange; your life for theirs. As Tim Keller wrote: All life-changing love toward people with serious needs is a substitutional sacrifice. That is the heart of the true gospel story. Substitution. Christ's life for ours…because of His love. We can serve because of what we will get out of it, such as a free day at a theme park if you volunteer; or a paycheck if you are an employee – we can do it to gain security or approval or acceptance of a subculture, be it our family, the church or a community organization that expects it. But we are called to so much more: To do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but in humility of mind think of others as more important than ourselves. We are called to serve God’s purposes. We will be blessed as we do but all the glory goes to God. He is the One who frees people from the effects of sin.

Everybody who has been changed by Jesus has a story to tell of being freed: Peter’s mother-in-law healed of a fatal disease, a leper given his life back, a servant able to walk again, the once-demon-possessed freed and in their right minds; and more…of marriages put back together, of scars healed, of pain relieved, a heart replaced, of sin forgiven, of guilt removed, of hope restored, life reborn. I’ve got one and so have you if you know Him; how Jesus rescued us from the brink of hell, and in love gave us life. In love the Son became our suffering Servant so we could single-mindedly serve Him. Right this moment, Jesus is loving you; so that you might love to serve Him. If you know Him, you will find avenues to serve Him at home, in the church and out in the community. If you don’t know Him I appeal to you right now to be reconciled to God.

Soli Deo Gloria