Imagine if someone all of a sudden began banging on the roof. Then a hole opened up. We are being showered with sheetrock and debris. Then, slowly, a cot is let down through the hole in the roof with a man lying on it.
Could you imagine someone so desperate to get to Church that they would open a hole in the roof just to get inside? Wouldn’t that be great?
Have you ever wondered why some people drive miles and miles to church? Sure, a lot of times it’s because they are used to that church, or it is where they grew up, or they are loyal to a denomination.
The truth is that when Jesus is working somewhere, people will be attracted to it. The last half of the first chapter of Mark, which have read during scripture readings the past few weeks, show us several events in the early ministry of Christ where he was working. He was preaching and healing. He was also spending time in prayer. He was teaching with skill that no one had seen up to that point. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law and the leper. He was the talk of the town. Everybody was talking about this Jesus guy. The religious leaders were also very aware of this newcomer to the scene. Word had gotten out that he was on his way back to the city of Capernaum, and the religious leaders dispatched a group of spies to check out this fellow.
That is where our passage picks up the story. Turn to Mark 2
Read Mark 2:1-12.
When Jesus is working, people are attracted.
The crowd filled the house and spilled outside.
Belton Nazarene was like that 10+ years ago.
Why are large churches large? Jesus is at work.
Jesus can heal and forgive.
Jesus was healing and forgiving. This was a controversy with the religious leaders. Sickness and sin were linked. Jesus asks which is easier to say?
Dale was healed.
Jesus stopped the proceedings to offer forgiveness to the man.
Jesus can heal our broken world. There are broken families. There are broken lives. Jesus can heal and forgive.
Let’s bring our friends to Jesus.
Are we excited about what Jesus can do? Are we willing to rip a hole in the roof just to get a friend to the feet of Jesus?
It was fairly easy for them to dig through the roof, but it was still an incredibly bold step for them to take.
Pat Beaven is a friend. All I did was say, “Hi.”
The Corey Rossiter/Max Schuman story is a story of friendship evangelism.
What can we do?
We can pray. Prayer is powerful.
We can serve. Paul, Naaman’s servant, and Jesus offer us examples of service.
We can bring. The four friends brought their friend to Jesus.
