Good News & Servant Leadership – Mark 1:29-39

A text – Mark 1:29-39

1:29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
1:30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.
1:31 He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
1:32 That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.
1:33 And the whole city was gathered around the door.
1:34 And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
1:35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.
1:36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him.
1:37 When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.”
1:38 He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.”
1:39 And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

A reflection:

Our passage from Mark today appears to pick up directly from last week’s passage, when Jesus had taught in the synagogue and cast out from a man a demon who had recognized Jesus as the Christ. In this passage, right after Jesus and his friends had left the synagogue full of amazed worshipers, they went to Simon and Andrew’s house. Simon was married, and his mother-in-law was there, but sick with a fever. Jesus went to see her, he took her hand and lifted her up, and she was cured of the fever. The word had spread that Jesus could cast out demons, and so people began bringing their sick and possessed friends and relatives to him. From sunset until almost sunrise, Jesus healed people. When he cast out the demons, he never allowed them to speak, because they knew who he was.

This story reminds me to consider what Jesus may have been dealing with in those first days of his ministry. He had been baptized and received the blessing of God when the heavens were opened .He had overcome Satan’s temptations in the wilderness. He had called some fishermen to be his followers. And then on one big day he had taught in the synagogue, been identified by a demon as Christ Jesus before he cast him out, healed a woman with a fever, healed many more of the townspeople, and gone off exhausted to pray. He had been successful in his mission.

Jesus was sent by God to proclaim the good news and heal people. But it was not the time in his ministry to tell people his identity as God’s son, the Messiah. He had served so many people that it was no wonder he went off to pray, to rest, to be with God who had given him this job and who was with him when he used his power. He remained a servant to these people, not yet publicly their Messiah. And a day like that one wore him out and also fulfilled him. He was the very incarnation of the servant leader, or the slave to humanity.

We have the same assignment from God: to proclaim the Good News of God’s love and faithfulness, to serve the poor and the ignored, and to remain always a servant or slave, never boastful or prideful. What does that posture feel like for you and me? Perhaps like a good listener who does the best we can do to meet the true needs of our neighbor.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for sending Jesus into the world to bring you into our lives and to help us with our needs. Help us to see people around us who need you and your help and be there for them. Help us to stay out of the way and let them encounter your love.  Amen.