Roof Problems
Heritage Church, Sunday, August 19, 2001
(I am using this title and idea that I was challenged to by a really powerful pastor at a conference I attended last year named Heidi Neumark).
A few years ago we had a roof problem in our home. We patched. We sealed. We repaired, but we still had a leak. We eventually had to do what were trying our best to avoid, we just replaced the roof. It was an incredibly frustrating problem because where the leak appeared inside our home was nowhere near where the actual leak was on the roof. I wonder how many of us here have gone through the exact same situation?
Here at Heritage we have had roof problems from day one! We’ve patched our roof over and over but we still have leaks. Folks who know lots more than I do about metal buildings have said to me that it is impossible to build a metal building that doesn’t leak. If that is true, that amazes me!
The Bible tells a story about a roof problem in the days of Jesus’ ministry that I would like for us to study today.
17Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.
20When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
25Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!” Luke 5:17-26 NKJV
Here we have the story of Jesus teaching to a full house. Folks had come from “every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.
He is teaching to a full house and the scripture makes a special note that there was a special presence of the Lord there to heal them.
Things to notice in the story:
1. Jesus is healing and teaching people in a structure that is not big enough.
- Imagine the anxiousness of the crowd as they wait to see what Jesus would “pull out of his hat” this time.
- Consider that there could be a degree of frustration.
- Imagine the uncomfort of being jam-packed into a facility that wasn’t built to accommodate such a crowd.
- Imagine the awkwardness of your personal space being violated.
2. A paralyzed man cannot get to Jesus because of the crowd .
- Here is a man stuck on this mat, in a life that is going nowhere.
- Here is a man with God given potential to rise up and glorify God but instead he remains paralyzed on a mat and there seems to be no way to bring him into the presence of Jesus.
- It is important to notice: Why is there no way to bring this man to Jesus? Because of the crowd that is already there.
3. The crowd is there because they want to be close to Jesus .
- Many churches would be thrilled to see such a crowd gathered to see Jesus.
- Many would feel quite successful with such a crowd and feel satisfied.
- It would be easy for a church with this kind of crowd problem to feel satisfied and successful.
4. Because the crowd was focused in on Jesus , they had their backs to the paralyzed man and his friends.
- This crowd had a Godly desire to pursue truth in the personhood of Jesus Christ.
- As far as they could see, ministry was happening.
- There was no roof problem. The roof was just fine!
- They were basking in their own spiritual experience and didn’t feel the great need and paralysis that was just outside their house.
- The great and compelling need of the outsider was not in their face so they somehow didn’t notice.
- The way the crowd had positioned themselves around Jesus was blocking the way for any others to get to Jesus.
5. This paralyzed man had friends who would stop at nothing to get him to Jesus.
- Vs :19 says that “when they could not find how they might bring him in…”
- This verse tells me that they tried to get in but the crowd wouldn’t allow it.
- The crowd was so focused in on Jesus that they missed this wonderful opportunity for ministry to this precious but hurting man.
- They were so focused on receiving they missed an incredible opportunity to love this their neighbor, as themselves.
- If this man’s friends had decided to go back home to business as usual, that would have been the end of the story. No one in this story would have mourned this missed opportunity for ministry.
- It is likely that we would never have known about this mans need or been witnesses to his wonderful healing but (here is the key) he had friends who would stop at nothing to get him to Jesus.
- He had friends who were so focused on seeing him brought to the love of Jesus that they would fight against the issues of the crowd and structure.
6. These “friends” brought the man to Jesus by changing the structure of the house.
- They went for the roof! Not a window. Not a backdoor. Not a wall. The roof!
- Roofs speak of limitation. We have sayings like: “The roof’s the limit” Or a popular term in our culture is: “Glass ceiling”
- The roof speaks of:
- Limited vision. Smallness of vision.
- Small thinking that doesn’t allow for the opportunity for God to bring the masses of hurting and wounded people to the church to be healed.
- Little minds and small ideas.
- The way things have ALWAYS been done!
- Thus far and no more.
- These friends showed unusual vision, creativity and persistence in removing the limitations on the hope and desire God has for hurting people.
- They busted a hole in the roof! They removed the limitations on the faith, the hope and the love God gives to us.
- They had a “Whatever it takes to get this hurting man to Jesus!” attitude.
- They were willing to dismantle the existing structure to see God work.
7. The result: They saw the glorious and wonderful power of God.
Some considerations for being a church without “roof problems.”
1. Have a prodigal friendly atmosphere.
- Be careful to not be so focused on Jesus meeting our needs that we don’t even notice the broken folks all around us trying to get to Jesus.
- A prodigal friendly atmosphere begins when folks drive on the lot.
- Nobody “owns” his or her seat.
- Come to church to BE a blessing…
- Generations of people have been trained to come to church to GET a blessing.
- Archbishop William Temple once exclaimed that the church is the only society in the world that exists for the sake of those who are not members of it. In the same vein, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, writing from a Nazi prison in 1944, stated:
“The church is the church only when it exists for others...”
- It is for this reason that one of the requirements for membership here is that you help us warmly greet and help make our guests feel welcomed in our Sunday celebration service.
- One of the greatest ways we celebrate our guests here at Heritage is in the wearing of our nametags. This is for the comfort of our guests.
- Some park far away so our guests can park up close.
- We are called to deconstruct the church for ourselves in order to build the church that exists for the hurting, pain-filled and soul-searching outsider.
- We don’t want a church that exists primarily for its members but one that exists for those God wants to bring in.
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2. Have music that is culturally relevant.
- Not too long ago the Wall Street Journal reported that twenty years ago churches bought two hundred and twenty thousand large organs a year to provide music in their sanctuaries. Recent figures show sales down below seventeen thousand a year (and those are in likely in churches struggling to find someone who knows how to play them!).
- Yes, our music here is loud…
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3. Have sermons that are relevant.
- A new generation tires of sermons that are theologically and homiletically correct but boring and irrelevant.
- The messages should push the hearers to confession of known sin and obedience to God.
- They should emphasize the now-ness of the Kingdom of God; that we enter into eternity when eternal life enters into us.
- A prodigal hugging church would use everyday language and avoid so much “Christian-eze.”
- As an outsider I HATED such “brother/sister” talk…
- A prodigal hugging church would encourage the use of contemporary translations of the Bible.
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4. Celebrate what God is doing. (As opposed to continually begging God to bless OUR agenda!)
- One of the greatest ways to be a part of God’s presence and power is to get on His agenda.
- Prayer is so vital because it helps us identify what God is doing so we can join him.
- The key is to recognize what God is doing, follow His lead, and give Him the glory. The church service then becomes a celebration of what God is doing rather than a rally for what the church members will do.
- One thing God is blessing in America: Casual dress (helps destroy class distinctions).
- A church that really cares that hurting and wounded outsiders are ministered to:
- Anticipates and recognizes the presence and power of God.
- Looks for God’s message. They seek the Spirit’s promptings. They bask in His presence.
- Gives God permission to interrupt the service. This in no way suggests a lazy or lackadaisical approach to worship preparation. On the contrary, true spontaneity is birthed from a combination of advanced planning and sensitivity in the moment. Skillful preparation in advance and humble receptivity during the service creates the opportunities for the Holy Spirit to move.
- Reverences the precious opportunity for the moving of God’s Spirit and the hearing of God’s word.
- Bathroom breaks should be minimized.
- My mom MADE me go before church (whether I needed to or not!).
- Reverence: to honor greatly; to greatly respect.
- Pick up any garbage around you.
- If you have a baby: PLEASE BE SENSITIVE TO THOSE AROUND YOU.
- Mom’s have a God given desensitization to their children’s cry.
- Until we can get a good “cry room” use the TV in the lobby.
5. Response:
- If you have been hurt by the church “crowd” allow us to seek your forgiveness.
- Will you give Jesus the opportunity to heal your walk?
- Ask God to help your attitude toward those outside our faith or church family.
