Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1071
“And immediately she arose and ministered unto them.” Luke 4:39.
PETER’S wife’s mother had been sick of a great fever and had been restored by the touch of the Savior’s hands and by the power of the Savior’s word. The Grace of God does not secure us from trial. The house of Peter and of Andrew, (for it was common to them both), was a highly favored one. The Grace of God had passed by many other houses and had selected this for its dwelling place and yet in that abode there was great sickness—the wife’s mother lay sick of a fever and was near death. This was no small grief to the household—but that grief was for their lasting benefit.
God loves His chosen too well to let them always live without the rod. If He loved us less He might allow us unalloyed pleasure, but the love of our wise Father is too great to deprive us of the saved benefits of affliction. Sickness came to that house not as an enemy but as a friend, for it was the means whereby Christ’s great power was made manifest to that family and through His power His love. The wife’s mother could never have been so distinguished a subject of the Redeemer’s power if she had not been prostrated with fever. The malaria from the marshes around the city occasioned her being made a trophy of our Lord’s Divine energy.
The worst of ills are often the black horses upon which the very best of blessings ride to us. It was no small honor to Peter that his house became the headquarters of the Savior. The sick thronged the door as the sun went down and the Sabbath was over. The multitude brought persons afflicted with all manner of diseases and panted to reach that favored dwelling to lay them before the Lord. The healing power which had displayed itself within poured forth from the house like a mighty flood and all who drank of it were restored. That house contained the springhead and was beyond measure honored by it. Surely for many a year that house would be one of the most notable in the city—surely it would be called the House of the Great Physician.
Not like that ancient house in Antwerp, detestable because it was the den of the Inquisition, but dear to many of the healed ones and their sons as the Hospital of Mercy, the Palace of Blessing. Peter among the Apostles is singularly honored, for everything about him was in some way or other connected with a miracle. His person—it was by a miracle that he had walked the waters. It was by a miracle that he had been saved from drowning when the Savior stretched out His hand and bade him stand fast upon the liquid wave. There was a miracle in connection with his boat, for it was from that boat that the miraculous draught of fishes had been taken and it was filled so full that it began to sink and Simon knelt down and adored the Savior.
There was a miracle in connection with Peter’s rusty sword—he cut off with it the ear of the high priest’s servant, but the Master healed the wound that his rash defender made. And here, in this case, there was a miracle performed upon his relative—his wife’s mother was restored from a great fever by the almighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every Christian man should be ambitious to have the hand of God connected with everything that he has, so that when he looks upon his house he may see God’s Providence in giving it to him. When he looks upon the garments that he wears he may see them to be the livery of love and may view the food upon his table as the daily gift of Divine charity.
In looking back upon his whole biography, the Believer may see bright spots where the Presence of God flames forth and makes the humblest circumstances to be illustrious—but, above all, it ought to be his prayer that God’s hand should be very conspicuous in connection with his relatives—that of every one of them it might be said, “The Lord restored her,” or, “The Lord gave him spiritual life in answer to my prayer.” May husband, wife, children, servants—all received healing from “the beloved Physician.” May our whole household be, “holiness unto the Lord,” and may all sing for joy because the Lord has done great things for them whereof we are glad!
The occurrence about which we are to speak this morning happened on a Sabbath. Sabbaths were generally Christ’s great chosen field days to break down the superstitiously rigid observance of the Sabbath among the Pharisees and because it seemed as a holy day to be peculiarly adapted for the display of the greatest works of the holy Savior. It was a Sabbath and the poor patient was probably lying there complaining in her soul that she could not go to the synagogue, or mingle with the people where prayer was sure to be made. Perhaps her fever had reduced her to such a state that she was quite unable to remember Christ the Healer, and unable to breathe a prayer to Him.
But Peter and Andrew went to Him and told the case and besought Him to come and heal her. It is a blessing for you, my Friend, even though you are sick in soul, to have saints for your relatives—to have some in the household who will remember you in prayer and speak into the ear of Christ on your behalf. If through despair or depression of spirit you cannot pray for yourself, happy are you that there are compassionate friends who will speak unto the King on your behalf! One Christian in a family may bring a great blessing to it, but here were two, for Simon and his brother Andrew were both here. And if two of you are agreed as touching anything concerning the Master’s kingdom, it shall be done unto you.