They Tell Him of Her

Q: What does the Bible say about suffering for Christians?

The Bible teaches that believers are not exempt from suffering, but they find hope and help in Christ. Throughout Scripture, we see that God's children endure various trials and afflictions, as outlined in Psalm 34:19, which states, 'Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.' Believers experience suffering as part of living in a fallen world, yet they possess a profound hope because Christ, the Great Physician, is with them. Trials are appointed by God for their good, to conform them to the image of Christ, as seen in Romans 8:28-30, reinforcing that their suffering is never in vain and is part of God's sovereign plan.

Q: How do we know that God cares for us in our troubles?

God's care is shown through His presence and the intercession of Christ in our lives. God cares deeply for His people, as demonstrated in Hebrews 4:15, which emphasizes that we have a High Priest who is sympathetic to our weaknesses. Jesus not only understands our suffering but actively intercedes for us. His presence, described as the Great Physician of our souls, assures us that we are never alone in our trials. Moreover, Romans 8:31 reminds us that if God is for us, who can be against us? His care is ultimately expressed through His historical and ongoing actions in the lives of believers.

Q: Why is it important to have Christ in our homes?

Having Christ in our homes invites peace and joy that can only come from Him. A home where Christ is welcomed is described as blessed, according to Mark 1:29-30. When Christ is present, He brings peace and joy, replacing strife and bitterness. The presence of Christ is foundational; it signifies that genuine faith is at work within the hearts of the inhabitants. As seen with Lydia in Acts 16, when Christ transforms a heart, there is a natural outflow, such as opening one's home to fellowship. Without Christ, even a household may appear intact but lacks true contentment and harmony.

Q: How does God use afflictions for our good?

God uses afflictions to teach us His statutes and draw us closer to Him. God is sovereign over the afflictions we endure, as Psalm 119:71 states, 'It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.' Afflictions serve a crucial purpose in spiritual growth; they teach us to rely on God's promises and deepen our relationship with Him. By experiencing trials, we learn about God's character and faithfulness firsthand, transforming knowledge of Scripture into lived experience. These necessary trials are measured, temporary, and designed to conform us to the likeness of Christ.

Mark chapter 1. I'm going to start with verse 29 to verse 39. Now the title of this message is this, THEY TELL HIM OF HER. THEY TELL HIM OF HER. God's children are still subject to the effects of sin in this life. We're still subject to the effects of sin. Salvation does not exempt us from trouble, sorrow, suffering. All throughout the Scriptures we see that God's people have had to endure Some very, very difficult trials. Heartaches, crushing heartaches. We see this in the Scriptures. Yet they are never without hope. God never leaves them without hope. He never leaves us without hope.

And the great comfort for the believer is this, we have the great physician of souls that we may apply to, go to, in time of trouble. means such as doctors or other help that God has provided you know God has provided doctors for us the world just gets the benefit of us of it of us being in this world they get the benefit of it the world gets the benefit of the sunshine it's for us the rain is for us it's for us I'll never forget when I was golfing with Paul Mahan, we were golfing and Paul said, he said, can you imagine this right here is all for us. These other people get to enjoy it, but it's for us. All things are yours in Christ. All things are yours. And God has given us doctors, He's given us means by which we may apply to. You know, HE CAN HEAL US WITH JUST A WORD. He can just, like that fever, say, BE GONE! He rebuked the fever, it says over in Luke. He rebuked that unclean spirit. Or he may be pleased to use memes.

But HEALING is ultimately of God. And I've said this a few times before, but every child of God will be healed of everything in a little while you know when I realized that and it's not been too long ago the Lord impressed this upon me He just struck me that I will be healed of everything one day no matter what I have or what I'm going to have I'm going to be healed I'm going to be healed You know, the Lord takes someone and say they have cancer or something, the Lord takes them and you say, well, the Lord wasn't pleased to heal them. He just did. He just did. And I've learned this as I've gotten older, when it comes to a child of God and they're sick, it's Lord, if it's your will to heal them, to have mercy on us. THAT THEY MAY STAY WITH US AND WE MAY HAVE THEIR COMPANY LONGER.

BECAUSE IF THE LORD HAS MERCY ON THEM, HE'LL TAKE THEM HOME. HE'LL TAKE THEM OUT OF THIS WORLD IF HE HAS MERCY ON THEM. IF I GET SICK, IT'S THE LORD'S MERCY IF HE TAKES ME HOME. BUT IT'S A MERCY TO MY WIFE IF HE LEAVES ME HERE. and to you as a pastor because I'm still the pastor. But all healings of God He might work through secondary causes but the cure comes from the Great Physician, the Great Physician. Now in verse 29, Blessed is the home where Christ is welcome. and where he dwells. This jumped out at me. And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. They followed them and went home with them. But this is the home of Simon and Andrew. And let me give you my thoughts on this one verse because it really just struck me.

A home is truly blessed when the Lord Jesus Christ is welcomed there and He dwells there. Oh, how blessed is that home! Priceless! In John chapter 1 verse 10 through 13 we are reminded that Christ was rejected by His own and the world rejected Him, yet those who received Him, those who were born of Him, They were born of not of their will but of His will, His will. And those who are born of the will of God, they're born again.

Christ is welcome in their home, in their home. And our Lord is only welcome where God has done a work of grace in the heart. It's by the sovereign will of God that our hearts are made willing to receive Him in our hearts and into our homes. You know, when the Lord saved Lydia, we remember when Paul preached and it said God opened her heart. What else happened? Lydia opened her home. She said, you know, you'll come home and stay with me.

You're going to stay in my house tonight. that God will give us homes where Christ is not merely acknowledged but truly welcome and dwells and has fellowship in that home. Now Christ saved Simon, Andrew, James, and John and He was welcome there in that home. This is significant, this here is significant.

If Christ is not in your home He's not in your heart. If He's not in your home, you can be sure He's not in your heart at all. Where Christ dwells there will not be constant strife and bitterness, there'll be peace and there'll be joy in the Lord where Christ dwells. Doctrine alone cannot produce peace in a home.

Christ Himself WHO IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE, MUST BE PRESENT IN THAT HOME. HE MUST BE PRESENT. WHEN THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE GRACE OF GOD FILL THE HEART, THEY WILL OVERFLOW INTO THE HOME. OH, HOW BLESSED IS THAT HOME WHERE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS WELCOME AND WHERE HE DWELLS. And notice here in verse 30, believers are not exempt from trouble. Our Lord goes to the home of Simon and Andrew. And it says here in verse 30, but Simon's wife's mother, Peter's wife's mother, which is mother-in-law, lay sick of a fever. Over in Luke it says a great fever, a violent fever.

Have you ever had a violent fever? Years ago when I was in my late 20s, I'd gotten the flu. I've never had it since that bad, but I remember laying in the bed and the whole bed was shaking. I was shaking the whole bed just violently because I just couldn't stop. She has a violent fever, a great, it says a great, great, a life-threatening fever is what she has.

But even in a home where Christ is present, where Christ dwells, where He's welcomed, there's sickness and sorrow. There's sickness and sorrow. Scripture repeatedly shows us this truth. Job suffered deeply. Oh, he suffered deeply. We can't even imagine it. David endured many afflictions.

He said this in Psalm 34 19, Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Look at the world we live in. We live in a world that hates God. And Christ said, If they hate me, they'll hate you. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. We have afflictions that the world knows nothing of. because we are hated by the world. You stand up for Christ and you tell the truth and you'll find out who your friends are and who they're not. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. Are any of you having afflictions right now? The Lord According to His Word will deliver you out of that affliction. You just bank on it. You count on it because He said He would. He'll do it in His time but He'll do it. He'll do it. He said He would. What about Paul? What about his trials? Look over in 2 Corinthians chapter 11. This is God's child. This is an apostle. 2 Corinthians Chapter 11 Look in verse 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?

I speak as a fool. I am over. Now listen to this list. In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often, of the Jews five times received I forty stripes, save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep. in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, besides those things that are without, that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches." Would your list read like that? Mine won't. Oh my soul, And you know what Paul said, I will gladly glory in mine infirmities that I have suffered for Christ's sake. I'll gladly do it.

What about Mary and Martha and Lazarus? They sent a messenger to Christ, tell him he whom thou lovest is sick. And the Lord purposely waited a few more days and He let him die on purpose. And he put their, he just put, he just, I mean, just broke their heart. He broke their hearts. And he did it that they might see him. that they might see His glory. It's like Job. He took Job down to nothing, that Job might say, by the hearing of the ear, I've heard of thee, but now mine eye seeth thee, and I pour myself in sackcloth and ashes. Would you suffer what Job suffered to see what Job saw?

Would it be worth it? Absolutely. Absolutely. Anything that draws me closer to my Lord is worth it. Believers are not exempt. These trials are appointed. God has appointed our trials. I don't know what's coming down the road yet for me and you, but it's coming. It's coming until we die. Until we die. He's going to conform us to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. until we die. You know, God only gives what is good for His people. He only gives us what's good for us, you know that?

Psalm 119, 71, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. That's more than memorize. That's more than memorize the Word of God. THAT'S EXPERIENCING THE WORD OF GOD. THAT'S EXPERIENCING TRUTH. THAT'S EXPERIENCING PROMISES. THAT I MIGHT LEARN THEM BY EXPERIENCE. AND NOT JUST SOMETHING I CAN RECITE, BUT SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY COMES ALIVE IN ME. As Paul said in one place, he said, THE WORD OF GOD WORKETH IN YOU. IT WORKS IN YOU. It's a work in us. Peter calls them needful trials.

If I need one, I'll get one. I told Marvin Stoniker, when he, after he had his first stroke, I said, the reason you had that is because you needed it. God gave it to you because you needed it. Just like I had a, I had a stroke, a light stroke. I needed it. Everything comes my way. A trial? I need. I need.

He only gives us what we need. Isn't that a good physician? A good physician will give you the medicine that you need at that time. And these trials are for a purpose. And they're measured. And all, every one of them. are temporary. Just wait a little while, it'll be over. They're temporary. Paul calls them light afflictions that we endure for a while. Now notice here the first response when he came into the house and a noun that means immediately. They tell him of her. THEIR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS TO GO TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEY DID NOT DELAY.

THIS SHOWS FAITH. THIS SHOWS FAITH. THIS IS WHAT FAITH DOES. IT GOES IMMEDIATELY TO CHRIST IN TIME OF TROUBLE. THEY BROUGHT HER NEED DIRECTLY TO HIM. THIS OUGHT TO BE OUR PATTERN. WHEN TROUBLE COMES, WHAT DO WE DO FIRST? Go to the Lord. Go to the Lord. We don't run around like a chicken with his head cut off. Now, if you ever lived on a farm, you know what I'm talking about. No, we go to Him. We go to Him first, the Physician of Souls.

Whether He heals instantly or through means, we begin with the Lord. We lay it before the Lord. Was it Hezekiah that laid the letter before the Lord? When I think he was up against Sennacherib, he just laid that letter before the Lord and prayed. Lay your troubles before the Lord and pray. As the song goes, take your burden to the Lord and leave it there. Leave it there. And then notice the gentleness of Christ in verse 31.

He came, and took her by the hand and lifted her up. He lifted, I don't know if I can sing that song. He lifted me up from the, I ain't gonna start singing it, but. Well, that would be a good one. I don't know what I was gonna close with, but I forgot it already, but he lifted me up from the deep miry clay. He lifted her from that bed of fever, that bed of death, that bed of sickness. He lifted her up so gently.

It says in Luke, He rebuked the fever. He rebuked the devil that was in that man. He rebuked the wind and the wave for His disciples. When our Lord rebukes, it has to give way, whatever He's rebuking. It has to. He rebukes their fever. He has complete authority over all sickness, all sickness. His power is never in question. It's a matter of will. It's not a matter of whether He can heal me or not. It's a matter of His will.

Lord if you will we'll see this next week Lord willing the leper Lord if you will you can make me clean you don't have to you don't have to but you can you can if you will you can make me clean now when Christ heals he heals completely and immediately the fever left her HIS HEALING WAS INSTANT. THE FEVER HAD TO COME OUT OF HER SAME AS THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT HAD TO COME OUT OF THAT MAN IN THE SYNAGOGUE. WHEN HE SAID COME OUT HE HAD TO COME OUT. HE SAID TO THAT FEVER COME OUT. AND THAT FEVER HAD TO COME OUT.

AND HER HEALING WAS TOTAL AND WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS. NO SIDE EFFECTS. WHEN CHRIST SAVES Here's the implication, when Christ saves, it is immediate and it's complete. I AM AS SAVED AS I'LL EVER BE. I'LL NEVER BE MORE SAVED THAN I AM. I'M JUST AS SAVED AS EVERY SAINT IN GLORY IS SAVED. I'M JUST AS SAVED AND JUST AS SAFE AS THEY ARE. When Christ saves, it's immediate and it's complete.

And notice the result of the healing. And she ministered unto them. The result of the healing was service. It was service. Her strength was fully restored. When He healed the lame man, he did not get up and walk with a lamp. He walked perfectly. Perfectly. Normally, a great fever leaves us WEAK, doesn't it? If you've been really sick and with a fever, it leaves you WEAK. But not here.

He healed her completely and she rose up and IMMEDIATELY SERVED. Served all those in the house. She ministered to all those in the house. Service is the NATURAL RESPONSE TO GRACE. It's the natural response to grace. My, my, my. In serving, listen, in serving all those in the house, not only just Christ, but all those in the house, she's serving Him.

Remember when he said, I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, naked and you clothed me. And they said, Lord, when did we see you that way? As much as you have done it to the least of these, my brethren, you've done it to me. So every time, every time you are serving one another, you are ministering to Christ. We are his body. We are his body.

And we see here in verse 32 through 34 that Christ's power, His power over all, at the close of the Sabbath, the whole city came to Him. And in verse 33 it says, And all the city was gathered together at the door. Does that jump out at you? Christ is the door. He said, I'm the door. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. They sure was. Most of them didn't know it. If any of them knew it, I don't know. But they were gathered there at the door. Christ said, I'm the door.

If any man enter in, he shall go in and out. Our Lord labored tirelessly. I mean tirelessly. He never wasted a minute. You have to think about that. He never wasted a minute. He never wasted a thought. He never wasted a word. Never. Our Lord was constantly, constantly about His Father's business.

HE HEALED INCURABLE DISEASES AND CAST OUT DEVILS, THESE DISEASES, THEY WEREN'T JUST SOMEBODY HAD A COLD, THERE WAS NOT SOMEONE HAVING A COLD, THESE WERE INCURABLE DISEASES, LIKE THAT WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD, THEY WERE INCURABLE. But not in the face of our Lord, in His presence.

He has power, all power and authority is given to Him over all things. You know, Matthew reminds us of this being a fulfilled prophecy in his same situation, the same narrative over Matthew. He reminds us that Isaiah said this, He took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. Whatever our sins caused, He had to bear in His body on the tree and put them away. And then we have Christ the intercessor. He's not only the healer, not only the friend of sinners, He's the intercessor.

In verse 35, He rose early, went to a solitary place to pray, to intercede. TO HAVE COMMUNION WITH HIS FATHER, AND NO DOUBT TO PRAY FOR US, CONSTANTLY INTERCEDING FOR HIS CHILDREN. OUR LORD IS OUR EXAMPLE WHEN IT COMES TO PRAYER. HE PRAYED. HERE'S A MAN WHO KNEW NO SIN, HE PRAYED. AND HE PRAYED ALL NIGHT AT TIMES. HE'D GET UP EARLY BEFORE ANYONE ELSE AND HE PRAYED.

And the disciples went in search of him. He got up. He didn't say anything to them. He got up and he went to a solitary place where he could be alone. We need to learn this. He could be alone with his Father. We need to learn how to be alone with our Heavenly Father. We need to talk to Him as children.

Don't talk to Him as a theologian. He knows you're not one. He knows you're not one. Talk to him as a child to a father. That's how we talk to him, with respect. But yeah, we just talk, we'd speak to him. You don't have to say the these and the thou. You can just speak to him as your father. It's like you talk to your earthly father and talk to your heavenly father. You cast all your care upon him where he cares for you.

But the disciples, it says, followed after him. This is what it means to follow Christ. It is a continuous pursuit of him. I know the crowd sought Him, but they sought Him for the wrong reasons. They saw the miracles. They saw the miracle. They were drawn to miracles, not truth. But we're not drawn to Him for miracles.

We're drawn to Him because, Lord, You know all things. You know I love You. It's a relationship. That's why we are drawn to Him. It's a relationship. And note the priority here now that our Lord put on preaching they were talking about all men all men are excited they've they've followed you when they found him they said unto him in verse 37 all men that is it reads like this really all seek for thee they were excited everybody's looking for you you know what our lord said He said to them, Let us go to the next town, that I may preach there also. For therefore came I forth." He didn't get caught up in that. He didn't get caught up in that. Crowds did not impress him. He knew the hearts of every one of those in the crowd. Scripture said he knows what's in man. He didn't commit himself to men. He knows what's in them.

HIS MISSION WAS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. IT TELLS US THAT IN ISAIAH 61, I THINK IT'S VERSES 1, 2, AND 3. HE'S ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. AND THAT'S WHAT HE CAME TO DO. HE SAID THAT'S WHAT I CAME TO DO, TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. THAT'S WHAT HE CAME TO DO. AND SO HE CONTINUED TEACHING EVERYWHERE HE WENT.

PREACHING, CASTING OUT DEVILS, HEALING SICKNESS, GOING ABOUT DOING GOOD! Going about doing good. And in closing, this passage shows us the gracious work of our Lord. He's present in the home as well as in the heart where He has done a work of grace. He's present. Our Lord goes with us wherever we go, wherever we go. He's compassionate in suffering.

Hebrews 4.15, For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin he fills us. I used to have a man work for me and I'd say something and he'd say, I feel you, I feel you. Well, he didn't feel me, but the Lord does. He's powerful in healing. He's faithful in prayer. He's faithful to intercede. It's always about his father's business. And as for us, the believer, we will face trouble. But we are never without the Lord Jesus Christ, the great position of our soul. And in Him, in Christ, we have all we need. Isn't that good? All right.

They Tell Him of Her

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about suffering for Christians?

How do we know that God cares for us in our troubles?

Why is it important to have Christ in our homes?

How does God use afflictions for our good?

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About John Chapman

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They Tell Him of Her

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about suffering for Christians?

How do we know that God cares for us in our troubles?

Why is it important to have Christ in our homes?

How does God use afflictions for our good?

Sermon Transcript

About John Chapman

Comments

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