Be the "Jesus" the world has never seen or experienced.
Mark 2:1-5, 11, 12
"1. ...He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5. When Jesus saw their faith, He said the the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven you.'
...11." 'I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.' 12. Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God..."
This story from the gospel of Mark is the third telling of the same miracle performed by Jesus. You can also find it in Matthew 9:1-8, and in Luke 5:17-26. The same event from three different perspectives, yet one thing is consistent, one thing each gospel writer agreed upon, that was what Jesus Himself attributed this miracle to, and that was 'their faith'.
We are not specifically told about the paralyzed mans faith. No, not whether he had no faith, little faith, lost faith, or great faith, the emphasis is on the faith of his friends. And, I call them friends because it would take great friends with much love and compassion to go through all this trouble for him who could not do it for himself.
As Christians our deepest desire is to put people in touch with the Master, at least it should be. God desires to use us, you and me, as His agents of love and hope. Then we experience again, the joy of our Christian faith, that we can be to others what Jesus has been to us. To be in Christ means to be in ministry.
So let's paint the entire picture here. Jesus arrives by boat in Capernaum several days after His sermon on the mount message. By this time His healing ministry has been made known throughout the land and crowds of people were following him from every village of Galilee, Judea, and from Jerusalem.
He had returned to His home base of ministry and it didn't take long for the people to hear that He was in the house, and gathered to hear Him speak. So many people gathered in fact, that there was no more room inside the house. People were standing outside the door and windows listening as Jesus spoke to them The Word.
Now somewhere else in town were four men deciding how they were going to get their paralyzed friend to see the healer. They each grabbed a corner of his bed and set out to gain an audience with Jesus, believing in their hearts that He would be able to heal their friend - 'their faith' - grew feet.
They walked him through the streets of the town following the crowd and looking for the house that surely would be surrounded with people looking for a healing of some kind. They found the house but then realized, because the throng of people was so great they would never be able to get their buddy into the house where Jesus was.
They had a few choices, they could turn around and go home, and try again tomorrow or another day, or they could wait outside at the edge of the crowd and hope that Jesus would eventually come out and pass by their way, or they could force their way through the people and make a way in to see Jesus.
I believe it was their great love for this friend coupled with their great faith in Jesus healing power that compelled them to go forward. I picture in my mind these four determined men, pushing their way through until they reached the door to the house, and then seeing the house completely full they had the idea of going up on the roof, so they did just that. The scripture tell us "they uncovered the roof where He was,... they had broken through, ...they let down the bed". Visualize with me, these four men, as they're breaking through the dried mud and thatch roof pulling up the wood stave's that made up the roof to this house.
Did you ever wonder what was going on inside the house at this very moment? The owner of the house was probably saying "what in the world is going on up there? You know you're going to pay for that roof!!" The gospel said they were above where Jesus was standing. So again picture with me Jesus standing there as this dust begins to fall on and around Him. Then the dust turns into dirt, and grass, and leaves, and finally sunlight. as Jesus looks up He sees these four smiling faces looking down into the room elated that they had found a way in, no made a way in, to see the Master.
Now back on the roof, as they break through and look down into the room, they make sure they're in the right spot and proceed to enlarge the hole so that it's large enough to fit their friend and his bed. Next problem, how do we get him down there? "We can't just drop him in there! I got an idea, lets use our belts, tie one to each corner of the bed and lower him into the room, right smack in front of Jesus, yes, that will work." So that's what they did, they lowered their paralyzed friend to Jesus feet, and Jesus was moved with compassion. All three accounts of this incident in the gospels tell us "when Jesus saw their faith" He healed the man.
This story is an account of a paralyzed man fortunate enough to have four loving, compassionate friends who were also men of great faith. They acted upon their faith and carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus. "When Jesus saw their faith" - the faith of the four friends - He acted on "their faith" and healed their crippled friend on the spot.
I believe every miracle in the Bible is there to teach us a concept of the Christian faith. If we understand the concept behind the teaching of the miracle, then the miracle or concept can take place in our lives too.
The paralytic truly needed his determined friends to carry him and his problem to the feet of Jesus. The healing took place because of the faith, encouragement and support of the man's four devoted friends.
This particular story deals with physical illness, yet people can be in a state of paralysis for a number of reasons: physical illness, social dysfunction, financial burdens, spiritual turmoil or even emotional illness, and fear. We need to be prepared for that time when God may call us to lift someones bed, and carry them to Jesus.
No one wants to suffer alone! To hurt is bad enough, but to hurt alone destroys people, physically, mentally and spiritually.
Remember also, each one of us at any moment in life can suddenly be put on our backs and feel paralyzed, unable to effectively deal with our problems alone. In such moments, we will need to have friends, people sharing their gift of encouragement and support with us. But first, you must be that kind of friend.
So be encouraged church, we have been called to be that friend who carries another to Jesus. We have been called to be that "stream in the desert", that "flow of refreshing in the wilderness."
And it will be your faith that makes it happen.
We will reach the lost, forgotten, and fatherless.
We will call forth the healing of addictions, afflictions and disease.
And none of it will happen by our own power, no, it will be by our faith and the power of the Holy Spirit.
In Closing:
Mark 2:12b says "...all were amazed and glorified God, saying, 'We never saw anything like this!"
Let God use you in the life of hurting people. Let Him take you out of your comfort zone and be a friend to those who need a friend. And let the world be amazed and give God glory for that which He can do through a humble and loving servant. YOU!
God Bless and Press On!
Larry
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