Simon’s Supermom-in-law
Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. (Luke 4:38-39)
It was hard to be sick in my family growing up. My mom was an Intensive Care Nurse for thirty years so she saw diseases at their worst. Sometimes, at dinner, she would begin sharing in gruesome detail about her patients. The rest of my family listened with keen interest and compassion. I, on the other hand, would often begin to pass out. I cannot handle blood and gore. When my mom would see me swaying in my seat, about to topple onto the floor, she would abruptly stop the conversation and profusely apologize while helping me to the couch to lie down. Intensive Care Unit nurses are not fazed by illness, for they are surrounded by the horrors of it. In order for me to be able to stay home from school, I had to be on the brink of death. My friends could have a broken nail and they would get to stay home. But not me. I had to be too weak to walk, running a temperature, unable to speak, and look as if I had been run over by a car! Basically, I was never one of those kids who faked being sick to stay home. I was just thankful when I was sick and I was not sent to school.
Besides being a nurse, I believe another reason my mom never allowed us to stay home with just any sniffle was because of what a hard worker she was. Mother would not let any illness hold her down. She knew she had so much to do in the home; she would force herself to stay on the move for the sake of us kids. When mom was in bed, I would be scared for that meant she was truly ill.
I believe that is how many moms are. They hold the home together. These women know that a few days out can mess up the schedule for the entire household. Despite how they feel, they must keep going.
A remember a time when a gentleman in my church dropped off his child in Sunday School. He looked frazzled. When questioned, he told us that his wife had been out of town for a few days. He said, “She left me her list of the things she does each day. There is no way possible that she is able to do all that each day. I can’t complete the list!” So speaks a man. He had no idea what all she did at the house, taking care of their children, plus working part time. He was ready for her to come home! The schedule was too much for him.
I wonder if another man, years ago, was making the same plea. Instead of wishing her trip was over, he desired for her fever to be gone.
Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. (Luke 4:38-39)
Jesus had just left the synagogue. After healing the demon-possessed man, the Lord went to Simon’s house. Now I have to wonder if looking at the violent demon-filled man did not remind Simon that his mother-in-law was sick. Sorry, cruel mother-in-law joke, but some of you reading this can relate.
Whatever the case, they did go to his house that day. The mother-in-law was extremely ill. We do not know from what she was suffering. However, by the writer’s detail describing her fever as high, we can assume that her condition was serious.
A few years ago I caught a horrible case of the flu. I was sick enough to break down and go to the doctor. I hate going to the doctor. Since my mom was a nurse, we rarely had to go to the medical center. She could diagnose us and knew how to treat our various ailments. I still call my mom and try to get her to tell me what is wrong with me, anything to avoid the dreaded clinical office. What does she say? “Go to the doctor!” On this occasion, I readily agreed. I went to a local doc-in-the-box. I waited over an hour before they brought me in. I was so frustrated because there was only one other guy in the waiting room. What were they doing back there? Anyway, I was finally called back. After examining me and taking some tests, I was told that I had the flu, strep throat, and mono. The doctor basically told me not to leave my house for a while. He also prescribed medications that were so strong their side effects made me feel even worse, if that were possible. I have never been more miserable in my life. I lay on my couch not knowing what time of day it was as I drifted in and out of consciousness. Coworkers would call to check up on me, since I lived alone. They were afraid that I would faint and hurt myself and no one would know. They also called because they thought it was funny to listen to my voice. I sounded like an old man who decided to gargle with tacks. I was scared to hear myself!) It took me months to fully recover.
I do not know how ill this woman was, but I have a feeling she may have been suffering as I did. I know that, for one thing, she was unable to ask for help. Others had to do that for her.
Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. (Luke 4:38b)
I can only guess who the “they” was. Could it have been Simon and his wife? Maybe it was some of her friends who were staying with her to help her. Possibly it was some of the other followers of Jesus. We do not know who the “they” was. But they were obviously people who looked at her condition and realized the only Person who could help was Jesus.
Do you know someone who is suffering? It does not have to only be physical suffering. There are people around us who are broken emotionally and feel as if they cannot get out of bed. Some are hurting in relationships and do not know how to reach out for help. Many are spiritually afflicted yet do not know Who can change their state of life. Will you bring Jesus to that person? Be willing to go spend time with him or her. Be willing to meet the need. Be willing to boldly ask Christ to intervene. Be willing to watch for His answer.
Reaching out to others is always a risk. Look at the danger these people put themselves in. Here is a woman with a high fever; it is possible their immunity could not fight off her illness, and they also could become sick. Yet, they still went to be with her.
For a short time in college, two friends and I led a Bible study for the homeless around the campus. I befriended men and women who faced the daily hardships of trying to survive on the streets. One time the three of us went to our usual meeting place. A man from the Bible study was bleeding from a head wound. He had been in a fight with another man who was trying to steal his stuff. The potential thief had taken a metal chain and lock and had struck the first man in the head. It was bleeding profusely and we knew we had to get him to the hospital. I sent one friend to the nearest phone to call the police. The other friend tried to talk to the homeless man about the need to stop the bleeding. The homeless man would not allow him to come near. He only wanted me to come and help. I have already shared how easily blood and gore make me ill, so I did not want to help. I was also scared of diseases that could be transferred by blood. But I was more frightened to watch someone die. I went over and was able to gather some old cloths he had and stopped the bleeding. I also worked to keep him conscious until the ambulance could arrive. After he left, the three of us rushed to the hospital. In the waiting room, I looked down at my hands. His blood was on my hands. I ran to the bathroom and scrubbed them for fifteen minutes.
It is a risk to help others. Sometimes it is frightening. Other times it is just emotionally draining. It is always easier to not help, to not get involved, to just ignore the problem. But we hear the Spirit calling to our hearts, “Will you take Jesus to that person?” When we hear Him ask, and we do obey, then we see something amazing. For Jesus will get involved.
So He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. (Luke 4:39a)
I love how Jesus does not stand on the other side of the room to rebuke the fever; He gets up close. It reminds me of a parent to a child. When I was sick as a child (and my mom actually allowed me to stay home), my mom would bend over me and place her hand on my head to check my fever. She would ask me how I was feeling and show her concern for me. Jesus, the Heavenly Father, is leaning over His child, letting her know that He cares. I wonder when was the last time that this mother got to feel like a child. I bet, for a moment, she felt the love of a Father.
Before she had a chance to speak or maybe even to think, she hears Jesus rebuke her fever. Suddenly, she feels better. The fever is gone. The color returns to her face. The fog in her head clears. The eyes become clear. The energy returns.
She got up at once and began to wait on them. (Luke 4:39b)
After Jesus heals her, all she wanted to do was wait on Him, and not only the Lord but also anyone else in the home. She was so excited she wanted to help everyone. She began telling everyone, “Sit down. I’ll take care of that! Don’t you worry about me. I am doing great. I feel wonderful. I have been healed!”
What a beautiful picture of a life transformed by Jesus. A person who has felt His touch just wants to serve Him and others. It is a way of showing our gratitude. We know we cannot repay Him for what He has done. We understand that we did not even deserve His help. But we are so appreciative of what He did in our lives that we just want to be at His beck and call. Anything He asks for, we want to do. We are willing to perform any task to help others just to please Jesus.
In a spiritual sense, each of our lives was ill with sin. But Jesus rebuked the evil at work in our lives. We are free from the fever. And with that freedom, we will serve our Lord.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)
Sinful Simon
We have all heard, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” We quote it to our children. We wish we abided by it all the time. You must be wondering, “Then why is the chapter titled Sinful Simon? I mean, that is not saying anything nice about this poor disciple who is continually picked on. It is bad enough that in every movie portraying Peter, he is always the one with the blond curly hair that sticks up a foot above his head.” But it was easier to title this Sinful Simon, than Sinful You, or Sinful Me (and it sounded better, too). For this is a story of salvation. If you look closely, you can see your story in it. In order for us to experience salvation, there must be something from which we are rescued. What were we? Sinners, caught in the snare of evil, needing to be set free. We were entangled and could not escape. But then Someone came along who not only saves us from what we are, but chooses to see us as we can be in Him. If I could break out in song right at this moment, I would sing to you “Amazing Grace.” This story shows the beginning of the journey of transformation from Sinful Simon to Saint Simon. Same with you. Same with me.
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked Him to put out a little from shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him. (Luke 5:1-11)
A group of children from the third grade Sunday School class put an invitation in my mailbox for a party in honor of everyone working on the church staff. When the children saw me, they wittingly said, “We invaded your personal space.” Of course, they thought their joke was hilarious and repeated it to me half a dozen times because that is what kids do. A joke about personal space invasion is fine, but in reality, it is far from all right. I avoid speaking to one gentleman I know because he has a need to stand five inches away from the person to whom he is speaking. My personal space is a lot larger than that! I will step back to give room, but he moves on forward. I wonder if that is how Jesus felt as the crowd pressed against Him. But He just stepped back into a boat!
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked Him to put out a little from shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat. (Luke 5:1-3)
Unlike me, Jesus did not stop speaking because He was being crowded. Instead, He came up with a solution that could help everyone. He looked around, saw some fishermen cleaning nets, and requested help. Simon readily agreed. I love this about Simon. From the beginning, he was willing to give whatever he had to Jesus. I want to be more like that. So often I have a vice grip on things that when God asks me to let Him use them, I just squeeze tighter. He kindly pries my fingers off. Then, I go around bragging about how I gave all I had to Jesus. Not true. He had to keep after me to get anything.
My mom learned the difficult lesson of giving all things to God in a most unusual way. About twenty years ago, she was sitting in a church service listening to a minister speak on how everything we own is a gift from God for He owns everything we have. When we give to Him, we are only returning what He has given us. My mom wrote down in the middle of her sermon notes, “Not my music box.” My mother owned an antique music box that played a variety of songs through the use of levers and bells. It is a beautiful, hand made work of art. A few days later, she opened up her one-hundred-year-old box in order to listen to the music. After only playing a few notes, it began making a weird sound and then ground to a halt. It was broken. The box had never messed up in a century and now it was rendered useless. My mom began laughing. She said, “Lord, it always was Yours. Please forgive me.” She did not get the box fixed for years, using it as a testimony to tell others how God owns everything.
I am always amazed at how the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills can still be such a Gentleman and ask. Jesus did not use a Jedi mind trick (anyone a Star Wars fan?) on Simon and command him to let him use the boat. He just asked. And Simon was eager to please the Lord and said, “As you wish” (Did you see the movie Princess Bride?)
I have to laugh at this a little. Having worked with children, I have learned that sometimes you take the most unruly child and make them your “special helper” for the day. Sometimes, I stress sometimes, this helps calm him down enough to pay attention because he feels important and wants to act “grown up.” I wonder if Simon was not paying enough attention while cleaning his nets that Jesus decided to make him the “special helper”. All I know is now Simon was on the boat. Jesus was only a few feet from him. He had to listen to what the Teacher was saying! And this lesson went from being delivered to the crowd to being extended to one man.
When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)
And so begins the part of the church service called “The Invitation”. This is at the end of the message when people respond to what God laid on their hearts. Often people go forward to kneel down at the altar. Jesus was asking Peter to move the boat forward to let down some nets. Here the Lord is inviting Peter, to go deeper, to find out what He can do, to trust Him, to see a miracle.
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. (Luke 5:5a)
Think about this: a carpenter is giving fishing advice to a professional fisherman. Simon, one to always share his opinion, is letting Him know that they had worked very hard all night long and caught nada, nothing. Fish count for today: zero. By the way, this is not a prime time to fish. You go fishing at night or in the early morning hours before sunrise. Hence, the reason I do not fish. The only thing I want to see before sunrise is the back of my eyelids. But the professional fisherman prefaced his sentence with one word that made all the difference, “Master.” If Someone is your Master, you obey. Remember, Jesus did not ask Peter, “Would you mind going fishing? I mean, it could be fun. Maybe something miraculous could happen.” He commanded for him to go to deep water. And Simon knew a servant heeds the command of the One in charge.
But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:5b)
I wonder what Simon was thinking. “Because you say so, I will go. I will look foolish. Here I am a professional fisherman going fishing when no one is out on the water. I may get laughed at. If nothing happens, this will reflect on both of us. But I am willing to listen and go.”
Has Jesus ever asked you to do anything radical? It looked so foolish from a human perspective, yet you knew God was calling you to obey. Will you call Him, “Master” and follow? Is the Lord asking you to do something hard, even impossible? Peter had a long row ahead of him, after a whole night of not sleeping. There was no guarantee that this fishing trip would be successful. We know the end of the story; we know the miracle took place. But during his journey into the deep, Peter did not have a guarantee. Instead of fish, he may have to eat chicken tonight (or should I say rooster. Remember his famous denials. Sorry. I had to pick on Simon Peter again.) But without any guarantees, he kept rowing. I am sure he was ready to give up and go home, but he kept heading to the deep. Wherever you are, press farther, the miracle will come.
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. (Luke 5:6)
Don’t you love the fact that God does things in abundance? He blesses us beyond reason. He gives us more than we can ask or imagine. He lavishly gives grace and mercy. He is not stingy. He loves to love. We do not deserve it. We cannot earn it. He just gives because He is good. Praise His Name!
And often when God blesses us, others are bound to notice. Not only will they see the glory of God in your life, but will reap the benefits of His amazing power as well.
So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. (Luke 5:7)
Look at that picture of grace: all Simon said was he would go to the deep, only after giving Jesus a mini-lecture of why they would not catch any fish. But Jesus decided to not only give a good catch, but a catch of a lifetime. This gave Simon fishing bragging rights for the rest of his life. Next time Bubba gloated over the two foot bass he caught, Peter could outdo his story with the time he caught so many fish two boats almost sank. So be quiet, Bubba!
Let us brag on Grace. We deserve nothing, yet God gives us everything through Christ. I deserve eternal punishment. Yet Jesus was willing to save me from my sins. That would have given me eternal reasons to praise Him, yet He chooses to continue to love me, to lavish me with mercy, to be good to me. He wants to be in a relationship with me. Grace is giving me what I do not deserve. What better way of showing a fisherman grace, than to drown his boat with fish.
It is in the presence of Grace that we realize how much we need it.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. (Luke 5:8)
One of the movies about Jesus portrayed this scene in an amazing way. Peter is sitting on the boat laughing, amazed at the catch. His laughter abruptly changes when he looks at Jesus. Suddenly, he is crying. He begs Jesus to leave him, for he realizes he is a sinner. I was so moved by this scene. I realized that it was not judgment that convicted Simon but grace. He looked at what Jesus had given him and knew he did not deserve it. He recognized Jesus as good, as kind, as generous, as Lord and knew it was in stark contrast of what he saw in himself. Peter knew he had no right to be around Jesus. He commands Jesus to leave for he knew holiness could not be around sinfulness. At that point, Peter was right. But what he could not realize was that in a few years, grace would be poured out on sinners in new way. Those who confess their sins and proclaim Jesus as Lord would receive immediate forgiveness, justification, and redemption. Their sins would be paid for on the cross that Jesus would bear. But for now, the Lord looks into the eyes of the man kneeling in fear at His feet and speaks grace.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” (Luke 5:10b)
Another command from the Master. This one held a promise to Peter of what will happen if he would obey. This decree was far more intensive than taking an afternoon boat ride. This was another invitation to go deeper. It was not about one day, but for the rest of his life. Jesus was asking for a new focus, a new purpose, a new reason for living. Jesus would be all of these and more. For the Lord was looking into Peter, who for now could only see himself as the sinner he was, and saw a leader of a new order, called the church. Jesus was seeing all the men and women who would be “caught” for the kingdom. And Jesus was ready for this man to join His work.
So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him. (Luke 5:11)
He left it all behind: the boat, the nets, the huge catch of fish. None of them mattered now. Others could have everything. All he cared about what following the Master of Grace. Jesus had invaded Simon’s life that day by meeting him where he was. The Lord stepped on his boat in order to call him off it. God gave him a miraculous catch of fish, so he would realize that the fisherman’s idea of a dream come true was not the answer to the need in his heart. God graced him so he could see himself for what he was: a sinner. With that confession, Jesus would call Peter to Himself in order to train him on how to catch more sinners out of death’s waters so they might have eternal life in the Lord. But it came down to the decision. Peter made it immediately. Without a glance backward, the fisherman left the fish. The sinner followed the Savior. The Lord began training a preacher who would one day extend an invitation that would be answered by thousands of people. That is a bigger catch than one that sank two boats!
Are you ready to answer the call? It is time to drop the nets of this world. Jesus has called you to something more than what you had dreamed for yourself. However, a choice must be made. Will you let go of everything: security, relationships, plans? Will you follow Jesus? In three short years, Peter went from fisherman to an apostle. God alone knows where He is leading you. Follow Him today. Like Peter, you will not regret it. The adventures in grace will be more exciting than anything else you could have dreamed. Drop the nets. It is time to obey the Master’s call.