1. The family is the first institution established for man by God (Genesis 1-2). In the very beginning, "God created man in His own image; ... male and female. He created them" (1:27). God Himself performed the first marriage by joining together the first man and the first woman in holy matrimony so that they would "become one flesh" (2:21-24).
2. Jesus Christ approves of his ministers enjoying this relationship.
-- Application: The requirement of a celibate ministry:i. He Himself, the Exemplar, has a wife (Ephesians 5:22-32) and children (John 1:12) which constitute His family (Ephesians 3:15).
ii. His apostles, His foremost New Testament ministers (Ephesians 4:11), were married men – Peter (a.k.a. Cephas) expressly said to have been so (1 Corinthians 9:5).
iii. His bishops must meet requirements regarding wife and family (1 Timothy 3:2,4f; Titus 1:6). iv. He enters the house of one who will become His minister in order to minister therein (text).
i. denies what God has permitted (1 Corinthians 9:5);
ii. opens the door to sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 7:8f);
iii. is a mark of those who "depart from the faith" (1 Timothy 4:1-3).
It therefore should be no surprise to us that the foremost of these apostates, the Roman Catholic Church, has a celibate priesthood notorious for sexual immorality of every sort, including even homosexuality and pedophilia. And this sect dares to claim Peter for its first pope!
II. THE FAMILIES OF MINISTERS ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM
THE TROUBLES AFFLICTING OTHERS.
1. The mother-in-law of Peter was "lying sick with a fever" (v.14). Indeed, it was a "high fever" (Luke 4:38). She perhaps suffered from the malarial fever not uncommon around the marshes at the mouth of the Jordan at Capernaum where she lived.
2. Ministers themselves are often afflicted. Paul spoke of his own "physical
infirmity" (Galatians 4:13). Epaphroditus was at one time "sick almost unto
death" (Philippians 2:25-27). Timothy suffered with gastral problems and
"frequent infirmities" (1 Timothy 5:23). Trophimus was once too "sick" to
travel (2 Timothy 4:20).
-- Application: Do not suppose that your minister and his family are immune to the same afflictions and infirmities common to your own. And recognize that since ministers are leaders of the Lord's people, they are especially the objects of Satan's afflictions (2 Corinthians 12:7).
III. JESUS CHRIST DOES NOT NEGLECT THE FAMILIES
OF HIS MINISTERS WHILE CARING FOR OTHERS.
1. He visited this ailing family-member of His disciple. Having been told of her infirmity (Mark 1:30), the Great Physician made a house call.
2. He touched the hand of this ailing family-member of His disciple. He
thusly proved:
i. He was not afraid to be identified with the sick (see vv.2f);
ii. her healing would come from Himself, not from some other source.
3. He healed this ailing family-member of His disciple – instantly and
completely (Mark 1:31): "immediately the fever left her." As the raging
tempests and billowing waves rebuked by Jesus are instantly and completely
calmed (Matthew 8:23-26), even so does His healing touch instantly and
completely restore this woman to perfect health.
IV. THIS WOMAN, UPON BEING HEALED, IMMEDIATELY AROSE AND SERVED.i. Ministers must not neglect their own churches. And as the friends of this woman told the Lord of her infirmity, so should the afflicted in our churches inform their ministers (James 5:14f): "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."
ii. Ministers must not neglect their own families. Christ was especially mindful of His own.
1. "Then she arose ...." Fever leaves one weak even after it has subsided. Not so when it is healed by Jesus Christ. This woman immediately was restored to full strength.
2. "... and served them." This healed woman shows her gratitude to her
Healer by serving Him and His company. And she was as quick to serve as she
was to arise (Luke 4:39): "immediately she arose and served them."
-- Application: Christ does not save the lost nor heal the afflicted so that they can resort to laziness. All who are the objects of His salvation immediately make Him the object of their service. They thereby fulfill what He said of them in John 15:16: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain."