Jesus demonstrates that having faith on behalf of others - makes a difference.
Mark 2:1-12 When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the Word to them. 3 Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and take your mat and walk'? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-- he said to the paralytic-- 11 "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home." 12 And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Here is an interesting theological question: "If Jesus could forgive sins prior to his death and resurrection, then why did he have to die?" Now you can spend a lot of time trying to figure it out. You can get hung up on it like the scribes in the story did and fail to see the real story here. You can let the question derail you completely.
But don't. Hear the real story that is unfolding....
These incredible four friends won't take "Jesus is too busy for your gimp buddy" as a final answer. They are willing to climb to the roof with their paralyzed friend in tow, dig through the roof, rig up a way to lower their friend, and then exert all the energy it required to lower the dead weight of his body into the house! Picture these four friends sweating and grunting as they work hard and fast to help their friend. Would you and your friends do this for someone else? If not, why not?
Have you set up boundaries that keep you from putting yourself out for others? Boundaries that keep you from getting your feelings hurt? Are you more concerned with yourself than your friend? Are your three best friends just not that committed? Are you afraid to hold hands and sing Kumbaya? If so, then maybe you have overlooked something important in this story!
In this story, it isn't the man's own faith that moves Jesus to heal him. It says, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven!"
Be the kind of person who has faith that will go all out for others. Seek out the kind of friends who will stand with you to help someone else. Risk the hard work, the slap in the face, the hurt feelings, the grief of rejection, the looking like a fool carrying your gimp friend to the roof! Risk breaking the law and getting sued for damaging someone's house as your break through their roof!
When people tell you that your friend isn't worth it - when your friend has hurt you so much that any reasonable person would give up - when your friend is indifferent to your help, keep on keeping the faith for them anyway. Go all out to carry the dead weight of your friend's body to Jesus.
Mark 2:1-12 When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the Word to them. 3 Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and take your mat and walk'? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-- he said to the paralytic-- 11 "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home." 12 And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Here is an interesting theological question: "If Jesus could forgive sins prior to his death and resurrection, then why did he have to die?" Now you can spend a lot of time trying to figure it out. You can get hung up on it like the scribes in the story did and fail to see the real story here. You can let the question derail you completely.
But don't. Hear the real story that is unfolding....
These incredible four friends won't take "Jesus is too busy for your gimp buddy" as a final answer. They are willing to climb to the roof with their paralyzed friend in tow, dig through the roof, rig up a way to lower their friend, and then exert all the energy it required to lower the dead weight of his body into the house! Picture these four friends sweating and grunting as they work hard and fast to help their friend. Would you and your friends do this for someone else? If not, why not?
Have you set up boundaries that keep you from putting yourself out for others? Boundaries that keep you from getting your feelings hurt? Are you more concerned with yourself than your friend? Are your three best friends just not that committed? Are you afraid to hold hands and sing Kumbaya? If so, then maybe you have overlooked something important in this story!
In this story, it isn't the man's own faith that moves Jesus to heal him. It says, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven!"
Be the kind of person who has faith that will go all out for others. Seek out the kind of friends who will stand with you to help someone else. Risk the hard work, the slap in the face, the hurt feelings, the grief of rejection, the looking like a fool carrying your gimp friend to the roof! Risk breaking the law and getting sued for damaging someone's house as your break through their roof!
When people tell you that your friend isn't worth it - when your friend has hurt you so much that any reasonable person would give up - when your friend is indifferent to your help, keep on keeping the faith for them anyway. Go all out to carry the dead weight of your friend's body to Jesus.
Do we ignore Jesus' demonstration that having faith on behalf of others matters? Who needs you and your friends to lower them through the roof today?
1 comment:
This was hard to read... made me wonder about things I don't want to think about.
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