The Mission Field at Your Doorstep
What We Can Learn from Jesus Visiting Peter's House
I’ve preached in pulpits, prayed in huts with dogs on dirt floors, and counseled in quiet church offices. But some of the most profound moments of God’s work I’ve witnessed haven’t happened under in our church buildings—they’ve unfolded around kitchen tables, in living rooms, and over backyard fences. The story of Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29–31; Luke 4:38–39; Matthew 8:14–15) reminds us of a truth we often overlook: our homes are mission fields, sacred spaces where Christ’s presence transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
In Mark’s gospel, Jesus has just left the Capernaum synagogue, fresh from teaching with authority and casting out a demon (Mark 1:21–28). The crowd’s still buzzing, but He doesn’t head for a grand stage. Instead, He walks straight into a fisherman's house with Peter, Andrew, James, and John—probably a very modest dwelling. There, Peter’s mother-in-law lies burning with a high fever. The disciples plead for her (Luke 4:38), Jesus touches her hand (Matthew 8:15), and instantly, she’s not just healed—she’s up, serving them supper. That night, the whole city gathers at the door (Mark 1:33). A simple home becomes a palace, a sickbed, a sermon, a meal, a ministry.
What strikes me is how Jesus chooses this domestic stage. Peter’s house wasn’t a synagogue or a temple—it was a home, a place of family, need, and daily grind. Yet Scripture hints it was more. Peter, originally from Bethsaida (John 1:44), had a house in Capernaum, just two miles away. Some suggest he moved there to be near Jesus (C.H. Spurgeon’s conjecture), reorienting his life around the Master’s mission. Whether he did or not, this home became Jesus’ base—where He ate with sinners (Matthew 9:10), taught the curious (Matthew 13:36), and healed the broken (Mark 2:1). It was no accident. Jesus saw the household as a hub of His kingdom.
For us, this is both a challenge and a comfort. Too often, we think ministry happens “out there”—in pews, programs, or distant lands. But Jesus shows us it starts “in here,” where we live. The disciples didn’t hesitate to bring Peter’s mother-in-law to Him; their intercession turned a fever into a testimony. Her immediate, practical service from the heart mirrored their plea. Homes, then and now, are where faith gets feet.
Some of my most powerful moments in ministry have come sitting around a campfire by the barn on our property. We love inviting people over on Sunday evenings. I’ll start a fire and set up some tables and chairs. The women bring food. And we sit there talking about life and spiritual needs. The home can become a healing ground and a launchpad for others.
Spurgeon once said, “True religion displays its greatest marvels around the domestic hearth.” He’s right. Jesus doesn’t need a cathedral to work wonders; He’ll take your kitchen. A fisherman’s hut became a palace because the King walked in. Your apartment, your split-level, your trailer—it’s a palace, too, if He’s there. Where Christ is, spiritual work happens, and service flows.
So, let me encourage you: Look at your doorstep. Who in your household—or congregation — spouse, child, neighbor—needs Jesus’ touch? Pray like the disciples did, bold and specific. Invite Him in—over coffee, through Scripture, in quiet moments. Then serve, not waiting for perfection, but offering what you have, like Peter’s mother-in-law with her meal. Your home’s not just a refuge; it’s a mission field. And when Jesus shows up, the whole city might gather at your door.
What’s one step you can take today to make your home a place where Jesus heals and you serve?
