Mark 1:29-31

The Lord of the Sabbath

Such drama in the Synagogue that day. They witnessed something that utterly overwhelmed them. A member of their congregation was dramatically delivered from an unclean spirit. To their amazement, the spirit spoke through the man, knowing who Y'shua/Jesus was and actually demanded that "The Holy One of God" leave them alone. Y'shua's response was to silence the spirit and set the man free.

Amazement and a debate about who this Teacher, this rabbi, is began among the witnesses.

A new teaching? With authority He commands even unclean spirits and they obey Him. The news spread immediately to the surrounding district of Galilee.

The Lord of the Sabbath

And immediately after they had come 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 Him 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.

Mark 1:29-31 NAS

"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve..." Mark 10:45a

Immediately after synagogue, the four disciples, Simon, his brother Andrew, James and his brother John went with Y'shua/Jesus to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon had a wife and her mother lived with them. On this day she was sick in bed with a fever. Perhaps they were simply concerned for the health of their teacher and wanted to warn him of the sickness inside the home. Maybe they hoped to encourage her this Sabbath with a word from the teacher since she was too ill to go there herself, or maybe they just wanted to let Him know that he should keep His voice down so she could rest. The text doesn't really say why they told Him about her. I can come up with so many reasons why we would tell a guest in our home about a member of the family who is down with a fever.

Whatever reason they had for telling Him about her, He responded by going to her immediately. Through the haze of fever, a hand came to her. She met Him with her own. I often wonder what happened next. Was there a tug, a pull on her fevered arm? Did she feel a shock wave of energy that suddenly strengthened her weakened body? Could there have been some supernatural power that lifted her? We are not given the details. All we know is the result of Jesus coming to her and taking her hand. The fever left her and she waited on them. No drama to compare with what happened in the synagogue, no amazed discussion; maybe there weren't any witnesses, just the woman and Jesus. All we are given is the result. The fever left her and she waited on them.

What does it mean to be touched by Jesus? For this woman whom we only know as Simon's mother-in-law it meant that she could serve her family and guests.

What does His touch mean to me? I get to write, something I love, with purpose. I get to teach, work that gives me joy, with purpose for the Kingdom of God.

Like Simon-Peter's mother-in-law, we have seasons in our life when we know we are helpless and needy. Probably we have heard of Jesus who loves, but who are we that He might bother to come to us? What could we possibly offer to him in return?

Four men who fished for a living became fishers of men because of Him. A woman without a name, known by a title that holds little honor, mother-in-law, the butt of jokes, got to server her household for Jesus.

Suddenly, one day, Jesus comes to your regular life and asks you to do something simple and regular. "Follow Me" "Take my hand" the only thing you have to do is respond and he will give you His power, His Spirit, so that you can live with purpose for the Kingdom of Heaven. Empowered by the Lord of Heaven Himself, the Lord of the Sabbath. Who loves you, Who will never leaver or forsake you. All you have to do is respond.