WRECKING THE ROOF
Real change?
Mark 2: 1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ’Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ’Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Our current series over the past weeks is called
Driven by Eternity… (DBE)
We have been asking how we (meaning each of us individually and all of us as a church) can reorganize our lives that we might be DBE.
How can we do that? How can we rethink the way we live our lives… the way we conduct church as we know it… to genuinely reach people?
In the past two weeks we have seen an influx of people and over 50 first time visitors… last week we saw 15-25 people respond to either receive salvation for the first time or to rededicate their lives – at least 10 were first time salvations…
Now what are we doing with that… we are trying desperately to live out our vision as a church.
Our vision is to be real people, living real life, and to experience real change… we are following up with each of these guests and salvations. Several of you today on on your third week here and in the midst of our 4-week challenge…
What can we do to continue to see numbers added daily just as it was in the book of Acts? How can we continue to change that we might be DBE in all we do? So how does one do that within the church? How do we experience real change that leads to kingdom growth?
The truth is – every organization in history that became exclusionary rather than inclusional began a path towards self implosion. When it becomes about naval gazing and focusing on me rather than the greater good – we self implode with selfish greed.
Deitrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian in WWII, wrote from his cell in the Flossenburg concentration camp and said “The church is only the church when it exists for others.”
Again - THE CHURCH IS ONLY THE CHURCH WHEN IT EXISTS FOR OTHERS
The reality of most churches in our nation - Typically most churches are more concerned with self-preservation and keeping people happy then they are about the reality of God’s kingdom and the lost in their own city.
We are more concerned with seeking to be served rather than seeking to serve as Christians… we are more concerned with our own comforts and preferences rather than reaching the lost.
We are more concerned with keeping things in tact rather than restoring lives that are shattered.
That is not our church…
THE CHURCH IS ONLY THE CHURCH WHEN IT EXISTS FOR OTHERS
This morning I want to talk about 3 steps. 3 realities, of what it will take to truly become driven by eternity… to always make sure our centerpoint is not on internal purposes alone – the external reality of heaven and hell – and our call to reach as many as possible for God’s kingdom.
You see one of my values is that the Church should be the most creative and strategic place on the planet. ON the day of Pentecost Peter preaches from the prophet joel and talks about the last days and says the young men will dream dreams, and the older ones will have visions.
He describes the last days church as dreamers and visionaries. And far too often the church looks like managers not dreamers.
My call as your pastor is to be a visionary…
To be more concerned with the mission of God and makign us a missional church (externally focused and DBE) than to maintain systems and keep people happy.
THE CHURCH IS ONLY THE CHURCH WHEN IT EXISTS FOR OTHERS
3 steps. 3 realities, of what it will take to truly become driven by eternity…
1. We have to Wreck the Roof
Mark 2: 1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
Our passage this morning challenges our perspective on how we approach Jesus. Again shifting our centerpoint to be focused on reaching the lost.
Now why is this passage such a powerful passage?
In all three Synoptic Gospels, the healing of the paralytic (Matthew 9:1–8; Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:17–26) is followed immediately by the calling of the tax collector and the Lord’s eating with sinners (Matthew 9:9–13; Mark 2:13–17; Luke 5:27–32). This common sequence of the two narratives probably reflects an early preaching pattern, explained by the fact that both stories deal with the same theme: Jesus’ relationship to sin and sinners. The paralytic was healed, after all, “that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” and the point of the second story is that “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
Thus, the most significant thing about the paralytic is not his paralysis, but his “sins,” so this is what Jesus addresses first. Indeed, even when he heals the paralysis, Jesus does so in order to demonstrate his authority over the man’s sins. In what he does in this scene, then, Jesus inserts himself between God and the man, speaking to the man with God’s authority. It is not without significance that all three versions of the story also include the detail that Jesus could, like God, read his accusers’ inner thoughts.
In each of the three Synoptics, moreover, the Lord’s claim to authority over sin here becomes the first occasion on which his enemies accuse him of blasphemy. This is significant too, because at his judicial process before the Sanhedrin, blasphemy will be the crime of which he is accused. In a sense, then, Jesus’ trial begins with his healing of the paralytic, because this scene is recognized by even his enemies as the occasion on which he forcefully claims divine authority.
This passage refers to what March Bucahanon calls the “roof tile syndrome”
RTS –is the moment when we are so caught up in the preaching and teaching of Jesus (sitting and listening) that we turn our backs to the needs of those still outside the building.
We become barriers not gateways for those seeking Jesus…
Again – a point where we become more enthuzed with keeping things in tact rather than restoring lives that are shattered.
When our comfort takes precedence over the missional focus of God’s word…
My privelege vs. others needs
The truth is that most of us think we know what we need… when in reality we don’t. And the reality is that all of us see the need around us. You see friends, co-workers, and family members all hurting, dying, and in distress. And we don’t know what to do about it.
First pray – that God would help us in word and deed change our centerpoint. That we would be focused on reaching the hurting more than keeping things the way we like it.
Second – pray that He would help us know what roof tiles to break!
3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
This man’s friends were ready to do whatever it took to get their friend to Jesus. This should be our mindset.
THE CHURCH IS ONLY THE CHURCH WHEN IT EXISTS FOR OTHERS
What roof tiles are you willing to break… what are you willing to suffer a loss in for the sake of reaching the thousands of people right outside our doors.
What do we do?
Pray and repent…
I asked the question first – if I were gone would the community miss the way in which I serve it… or only would a talking head be gone from the community…
Then I went deeper and bigger – If our church were gone – would our community notice or care?
I found myself repenting for any time I was more concerned with guarding roof tiles and had become a barricade of backs…
Instead I cried out to God for Him to make us roof-tile breakers – what ever it takers – to reach the lost…
For you what does that mean? What comfort, style, or personal thing you like will you have to give up? Will you allow your center to shift from “how can I be served” to how can I serve?
If you want real change in your life – this step is monumental and a necessity.
THE CHURCH IS ONLY THE CHURCH WHEN IT EXISTS FOR OTHERS
2. Step 2: Recognize the 3rd World in our backyard
Reality – our city is hurting.
o We are 6% above the national average with families below the poverty line.
o We are 6% above the national average for individuals below the poverty line.
o Almost 20% of the population in Vermillion county is below the poverty line.
There are people in our city who have kids sleeping on floors… have no towels in the house, little food, little help, and little education… many have known only how to do enough to barely survive – they work the system because of the lack of training – and we blame them.
20%... that’s like taking this portion of the congregation this morning and saying all of them are below the poverty line… and then the rest of us simply staring and saying were sorry.
The heart of God is moved for the hurting.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
The reality is you don’t have to go far to find a 3rd world country with those in poverty, struggling, and dying… it’s in our backyard and we cannot stay blind to it.
THE CHURCH IS ONLY THE CHURCH WHEN IT EXISTS FOR OTHERS…
How will we respond as a church to the need?
But we have a choice…
How did the religious respond to Jesus’ help for this paralytic…
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ’Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ’Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..."
We can either blame society, or take issue with the color of someones skin… and never choose to be a part of the solution or we can change our focus to be Driven by eternity and live for others… and meet their needs…
Rather than condemning the hurting of a city we should be the visionary church of today and ask what roof tiles we must tear down to get the hurting to Jesus… rahther than our backs to a dying community we must turn around and embrace the lame, the hurting, the poor, the prostitue, the drug addict… we must find a way to stop going to church and be the church. We must rethink all that we do… and be ready for more change for the sake of the cross of Jesus Christ.
I am saved, redeemed, and carry the greatest most glorious message of salvation in our world and I cannot be silent… I must get my hands dirty with the reality of life… a 3rd world nation is outside my door – and I cannot be blind to it.
I believe every teacher in our surrounding area deserves a sincere thank-you. Every cop, every fireman… every pastor deserves a sincered thankyou from us…
Real change – to be DBE.
1. Wreck the roof – tear down the tiles that are in the way.
2. Recognize the need in our community
And Third…
3. Third step to real change: Hear our Rally Cry as a church
A rally cry – A charge or challenge called out to rally the troops!
What is our rally cry as a church…
Love God, Love people – for the CHURCH IS ONLY THE CHURCH WHEN IT EXISTS FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
Keep moving forward and bring people to Jesus…
Do whatever it takes to reach the shattered and the hurting…
Be ready for change – I am fundamental in my beliefs but progressive in my methodology – I am more concerned about the heart of God and His voice for our community then I am about man’s systems of tradition… be ready for change and shift your heart from self-centered focus to being about others…
For what happens when we bring them to Jesus – this is our rally cry!!! What happened to the parapaligic?
Healed, saved, forgiven!
Every person we bring to Jesus – healed, saved, forgiven!
That’s something to be excited about… or you’re dead on the inside and I fear for your soul!
What happens when a church fully embraces the whole Gospel and sees the reality of God move in it, through it, and use it to reach others…
At the end of our passage…
12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
God may we live as a church in such a way that people around us are amazed!
What roof tiles do you need to break?
Hear the rall cry today – [everyone looking at me.]
