(This was the sermon at the 8:30 service. At 10:30 it was broken into several sections with people from the congregation reading each section.)
The gospel reading today is a series of exorcisms and healings of Jesus. These are the first miracles by Jesus we’ve encountered in the story. Whenever we encounter a miracle story we want to ask “Why?”
Why was the miracle performed?
What did it accomplish?
What is being revealed by it?
Miracles could serve a variety of purposes. In the stories today all the exorcisms and healings moved people from brokenness to wholeness of life.
In the synagogue we met a man who had an unclean spirit. Today we would probably call it a mental illness. Apparently the man would have violent fits, and he has one in the synagogue. Jesus drives the demon out without doing the man any harm. He is restored to wholeness of life.
In the house of Simon (who Jesus will later rename Peter) we meet Simon’s mother-in-law. She is in bed with a high fever. Jesus comes, rebukes the fever, and she immediately gets up and begins to serve them. Being a hospitable person was a key part of her life. With the sickness gone she could return to doing what gave her a purpose.
The story then summarizes that people with a number of diseases were brought to Jesus. He laid his hands on them and cured them. In so doing he restored them to fullness of life. That is the ‘why’ of the miracles we read today. In last week’s gospel we heard Jesus’ message. He was proclaiming good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, freedom for the oppressed, and the year of the Lord’s favor. Now we see those words put into action. Jesus was bringing about full and abundant life for everyone.
It would be nice if all of life’s problems would be miraculously solved. But that is not how life works. The miracles Jesus performed did not make those people suddenly live happily ever after. No, the miracles restored them to being able to live whole lives. From there it was up to them live it.
We do not need miracles in order to live a whole life. God has given us all that we need to do it. And the Bible teaches us how to be on that path of life. Here are six things to live by to live in a fulfilled way.
One, recognize that God is God. God created us. God sees us. God knows us. Only God has perfect knowledge. Only God knows what the future holds. When we recognize that we are limited beings – but still deeply loved – then we have the right attitude for everything else. We are simultaneously saints and sinners. That means that no matter how hard we try, and no matter how good we are, we still mess up. We still fall short. Mistakes are made. Our intentions are not pure. But despite our failings God loves us. In fact God delights in us. God made us good. That is a goodness that no one can take away from us. It is secure. God wants to see us flourish. John 10:10 Jesus says, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
The second thing builds from that. In Romans 12:3 Paul writes, “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that has been assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ.”
We should have high self-esteem. We are made in the image of God after all! But that does not mean we become arrogant or cocky. Arrogance and cockiness to not lead to fullness of life. Arrogant people think they are better than others. They build their own sense of worth by tearing others down. You will never know fullness of life if you are building yourself at the expense of another. St. Paul tells the Romans that they all have value, and they need to also recognize the value of each other. A person who is focused on him or herself only is never going to experience fullness of life. Ironically it is in recognizing the full richness, capability, value, and beauty of others that we can also see those things in ourselves.
The third thing that leads to fullness of life can be heard in Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians, “… your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own. For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) If we want to live a fulfilled life we need to make healthy choices. We need to make healthy choices in what we eat and in what we do. A physically healthy body is more capable and feels better than an unhealthy one. If we have lived a lifetime of bad choices there is always time to change to a healthier way. Your body is God’s greatest gift to you. Inasmuch as possible, care for it well.
Fourth is to live with honesty and integrity. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that our “yes” should mean yes and our “no” should mean no. When we tell someone we are going to do something we need to follow through and do it. People need to find us dependable. We also need to be honest about our strengths and about our weaknesses. Many people work hard to hide their weaknesses and insecurities. That makes them annoying. Instead, be honest with yourself about what you can do and what you can’t.
Remember also that God gave you the ability to learn and to grow. If you cannot do something - but it would be important if you could - then strive to do it.
Some people get through life by playing the victim. They manipulate or trick other people into doing tasks they do not want to do.
Some people give up on a task far too soon.
Persistence is essential.
Also, much of life is mundane drudgery. Not every day is exciting. Not all tasks get rewarded. But it is often the most tedious tasks that need to be done -and done well- for the final outcome to be good.
Consider what happens when Habitat for Humanity builds a house. Lots of people want to show up for the exciting things like framing walls or putting on a roof. Few people are interested in sanding drywall joints or pulling electrical wires. These tasks are boring. But they must be done if the house is to be good. Being willing to embrace tedious tasks is important to a whole life.
Fifth is to be resilient. In Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus gives a famous parable, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell – and great was its fall!”
When people hear that parable they forget that both houses endured hardships. The house built on rock was still beaten by wind, rain, and floodwaters. Just because you are a follower of Christ does not make you immune to life’s difficulties. When we fail we need to learn from our mistakes and try again. When unfair things happen we need to stick to it. We need to have grit. If we don’t the needs of the world will overwhelm us.
It is perfectly fine to be upset when bad things happen. It is fine to be angry when an injustice is done to you. But if you want fullness of life you need to counter those things with a spirit of growth and constructiveness. Even if you fail and fail again you will have an attitude that keeps trying.
Sixth, when you have power never lord it over others. Instead, always use power to encourage and inspire others to be their greatest selves. True leaders are never bullies. True leaders equip their followers to succeed. People will like you when you conduct yourself in a way that builds them up. Life is not a popularity contest, but if you build up others they will want to be a part of your life. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 we read, “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.”
If there is a summary in the Bible for how to live a full life it is in Romans 12:
9Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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