February 6, 2000

Pastor David G. Mullen

Mark 1: 29-39

Today let’s talk about mothers-in-law. How many mothers-in-law are here this morning (raise your hands). Well, this is your day. I’m not joking! This is a day when we’re going to think about how maybe the mission of the church can be framed as being like a mother-in-law to the world. Given all the mother-in-law jokes (none of which I’ll share), this might seem to be a reach. But wait and see. Because I’m talking about mothers-in-law like mine–and no doubt like you are, you mothers-in-law here this morning–concerned about the extended family and its wellbeing, and always ready to serve a great meal.

Our adventure begins with Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. I don’t know, maybe she had a case of the flu--something perhaps like what’s been going around lately and made so many of us sick. You know, that flu where you ache down to the bones and your head throbs and you run a fever of about 103 or 104 and you worry that you’re going to die. That’s why the emergency rooms all fill up. People with the flu feels they’re so sick they’re going to die.

Whatever it was Simon Peter’s mother-in-law is so sick she is unable to lavish typical mid-Eastern hospitality on the important guest. What a thing! She’s stuck in her sick bed, wouldn’t you know, at the very time when her son-in-law, Simon is bringing the exciting young rabbi, Jesus, over for dinner. It’s her thing: this is her family, Simon and his buddies are her boys, so to speak and she wants to serve the big meal. But she didn’t really need to worry.

Jesus went to her. He took hold of her hand and helped her up. The fever left her, and she served them a meal. "And she served them a meal": Mark doesn’t want us to miss that. She gets to perform her hearts desire. However, that phrase is almost an over-translation of the Greek word. The Greek word is diakonia, from which comes the deacon, in the church most often used to describe those who are called to serve others. Back at verse 13 in the wilderness temptation story it’s that exact same word that is used by Mark to describe the work of the angels as they came and took care of Jesus. Diakonia does not exclude the idea of serving meal, but is certainly much bigger than that. Simon’s mother-in-law, the nameless one, becomes not only first person physically healed by the Lord, but, to begin to make my point now, a good mother-in-law is the first person in the gospel to act as a sign and symbol of the work God wants to the church to do. It is, Mark suggests, like the work of angels.

Wow! This is not only quite a striking view of the best sort of mother-in-law, it is, shall we say, a powerful affirmation of women. In fact, some scholars believe that the Christian community reflected by Mark’s gospel must have contained strong women leaders and role models, since the gospel itself so clearly uses women characters to show a proper response of faithfulness and service in the cause of Jesus. Though they are not included in the inner group of the twelve disciples, most of the women who appear in Mark’s gospel story consistently outshine the dim-witted disciples in understanding Jesus, and the needs of the gospel mission.

This brings to mind another take on the story of the Wise Men coming with the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to offer to baby Jesus (why would anyone think Jesus needed those things, anyway). "You do know what would have happened if it had been three wise women instead of men, don't you? They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and for gifts, brought diapers."

Diakonia: hospitable, compassionate, and appropriate service to others for the sake of the gospel.

Now, after miracle, maybe Simon and his brother Andrew and those two Zebedee boys, James and John were thinking to themselves, hey this thing of following Jesus is going to be all right! Look here, he cures the mother-in-law, so she can get up and serve us a good meal. Can’t beat that! But next thing you know, it’s sundown and somebody is insistently pounding on the front door. And guess what! The whole town is gathered around the door–all who were sick or had demons in them. Imagine the Simon Peter going to front door and seeing that! Maybe now being a disciple doesn’t look so cool. All those people, clamoring for attention, for healing, for something. Simon turns to look to Jesus for answers, but Jesus is too busy healing, and then Jesus is gone–off to wilderness all by himself to pray.

I was a rebellious teenager. My father saw a lot of potential in me, but he worried I was going to waste my life on foolishness. In his tough, stern ways he tried everything he could think of to keep me on the straight and narrow, but nothing worked. I nearly broke my father’s heart. So, my mother told me later, he prayed for me in the late at night, pouring out his worries to his heavenly father. Were his prayers answered? Well, look where I am today! Rio Linda! No, I don’t mean Rio Linda, I mean the ordained ministry.

Now imagine Jesus facing all those needy, messed up, rebellious people, knowing that God sent him into the world to save them all. No wonder, as Mark shows us, Jesus goes out in the countryside praying at night. The night, the darkness, is a sign of the overwhelming neediness of humanity. Not even Jesus can handle the load without prayer. He prays for power, and prays for the vision. He cannot heal everyone. And he knows that one he heals will still have to die. And he knows that as much as people want health, what they need even more is a God and a reason to live. And all the people on earth need that. That’s why He cannot stay and be a chaplain just for the town of Capernaum. God’s plan and the world’s need is bigger than that!

And so, in the healing miracles and in his prayer, Jesus is planting the seeds for his church. He sees the human potential: he knows his Church can change the world especially if the faithful quit acting like foolish guys who think they know everything when they really don’t. No, his church will need to be a humbled and healed like Simon’s mother-in-law, a community of diakonia, hospitable, compassionate, and appropriate service to others for the sake of the gospel. Were his prayers answered?

Well, the Church as been around for nearly two thousand years caring for people, spreading the good news of God. Our gathering here today is, all cynicism aside, a sign of miracles and answered prayer. Through baptism Christ has taken us by our hand, and healed us of the fever of sin. We are rising up from ancient sickness to enter into Jesus’ vision of things. Everyone needs a welcome at the door and a good meal. Everyone is kin to care for. That’s the church as good mother-in-law to the world. Are you getting what I mean?

I mean diakonia: the church, serving the Lord and his people like angels. Amen.