Grace and peace to you from God the Father and Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rebecca Pippert relates a story about a famous physicist who confided in her and said:

I'm a scientist, you know, a rational person. I've never seen much need for God. All my life I've felt in charge and in control. I've been extremely successful and made it to the top. If there's a problem at work, I call a meeting or write a note to my secretary, and it is quickly resolved.

Yet nothing is simple or easily resolved at home. My children don't relate to me easily …. They accuse me of trying to control their lives. When I walk into the same room as my son, he starts to stammer. What hurts is that they can't seem to appreciate how much I care and that I'm doing all of this for them.

But I'll tell you one lesson I've learned. I always said that since I had my children's best interests at heart, they'd be glad for my direction …. My children have taught me the hardest lesson of my life-that I'm not in control over what matters to me most. It's funny, but it's now when I see I'm not God that I see I need some help. The question of whether there is a God has finally started to matter.

Oddly enough whether we grow up in the church or have been unchurched everyone at some point questions whether there is a God. How often have any of us wondered how God could let things happen the way they do. How can God let an earthquake kill thousands and destroy a country like Haiti. How can He allow a tsunami to cause so much devastation in Japan and in the countries around the Indian Ocean. How can He let a baby die of exposure on the doorstep of a suburban DC home? If these things are happening is there really a God?

I can give you the pat answer for why these things happen; there is a God and these things happen because of sin, because Adam disobeyed. Great theological answer, but try telling that to the family that just lost a loved one in a tragic accident. I'm sure that will be received as a comforting commentary on the world and their situation. Sometimes a hug is better than trying to offer words, especially an ill conceived attempt to explain why.

No matter how hard we try to explain God's intentions we can't do it. Anyone that tells you they have all the answers is a liar. God's ways are unfathomable.

There is sin we accept that to be true. If we are honest we know that many of our problems are self-inflected. And further we should readily admit the things we did to get ourselves into scrapes were a result of direct disobedience to God. Yet defying all human logic God's plan to forgive us was to sacrifice someone who never disobeyed. But not just anyone His very own Son incarnate in flesh. And not only did He live among us Jesus experienced all of the temptations we experience, yet did not bow to them. If it makes sense that God took that route rather than some other means please help me understand. Again I can tell you the explanation but its not logical. None of us would sacrifice their son.

In the gospel reading today there are some interesting things going on surrounding words and physical contact. Last week Jesus wowed the people with His authoritative teaching which exposed a demon-possessed person. Today we read that Jesus also cast out demons and healed peoples illnesses that same evening. However the healing of Peter's mother-in-law is singled out. Jesus and the disciples go from the synagogue to Peter's house for the evening meal. At dusk the sabbath ended and it was common to end the sabbath with a festive meal. When they arrived at the house things were not so festive. Peter's mother-in-law was very ill with a fever. She planned to help serve the meal but was to weak to help.

Jesus went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

The humanity and divinity of Jesus are demonstrated so clearly in this passage. To reach out and hold her hand is so human. Jesus demonstrates the desire we have to comfort someone we care about in simple touch. Sometimes that means more than any words can possibly convey. Notice Jesus didn't say anything to her. Raising her up from the bed wasn't a show of human strength, it was a show of His divinity. The fever was gone and she was able to get up and attend to the guests. A person with a high fever is very weak yet the touch of Jesus restored her to health enabling her to attend to her tasks.

His divinity, working though His humanity, renewed Peter's mother-in-law.

Now if you were reading this verse in your Interlinear Greek New Testament last night you probably noticed that the Greek word translated "left", in the phrase, "the fever left her", is the same verb for forgive. Jesus forgave our sins and in this case sin represented in the fever was forgiven and was no more.

The physicist was brought to the point to think about the possibility of God's existence through his inability to control the thing he loved the most, his family. The fact that we don't have power and authority over all things frustrates us and humbles us. Divinity was shown through the humanity he experienced.

We question, yet deep in our hearts we know God exists. And if we think long and hard we may even realize that He has demonstrated His divinity through the humanity of someone He has brought into our life.

Yes, there is a God. I see him as a loving God that did things that were beyond my understanding to forgive me and call me His own through the work of Jesus Christ. You may also have that same feeling about our loving triune God.

In the big picture Jesus didn't stay at Capernaum to heal people there and build his audience. The last two verses tell His mission was to go preach the good news in other places not just in Capernaum. He gave all of His disciples the same mission down through the centuries. That mission sometimes results in numbers worshiping in a congregation as a result of the mission. More often though we don't don't see the full extent of our efforts. Sometimes we lose sight of the real mission, to build up the Kingdom. In our culture especially its difficult to exert effort without seeing a personal benefit.

Jesus has handed us the authority to go out to reach a hurting world with the good news. The message of His divinity is shared through our humanity. Sometimes it really is as simple as a human touch.

In the name of our risen Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.