HOLD THE ROPE MARK 2
I remember reading a story one time titled “Lord whose fault?” I want to share with you this article, there was a young couple invited to Sunday school and to morning worship of a certain church.
When they began to visit them there here is a record of their response they got over a period of years. First was “We’re going to start as soon as the baby is old enough to come.” One year later it was “Yes we promised to come but the baby cries awful lot lately, when she gets older… Three years later “I know you think we’re awful, but Julie doesn’t want to go and we hate to make her…11 years later, I’m glad you came by. I want someone to talk to my daughter. She’s running around with a bad crowd. Perhaps the church has something that help make new friends and give her better entertainment… 2 years after that “Well Julie is has finally married a man who can take care of her and give her better things. This is her third husband; I hoped he would be a member of a church. They did go to church once with you all but he got mad at what the preacher was talking about and got up and left. And swore he never go back there again. There must be something wrong with the church or else it would have been a better influence on Julie. Maybe they need to change the preacher, I don’t know.” The article ended by asking a question “Lord, who’s at fault?”
I don’t know about you but I can give an educated guess who was at fault and it ain’t the preacher or the church. Someone forgot to hold the rope. We as Christians are called to hold the rope. We are called to lead people to Christ. I know I’ve preached this many times but that is our purpose, to lead them. To show them a better life. Just like being a parent we are to show our kids the way. We hold their ropes so they won’t make the mistakes we have made in life. Just like those parents who didn’t want to accept responsibility for their child we will have to account in heaven for what we have done here on Earth. I shared before that witnessing/leading others to Christ is like inviting others to a party all you have to do is give them an invitation, when I get to heaven I don’t want any invitations left in my pocket. AMEN!
In Mark chapter 2 we met four incredible guys who refused to let go of the rope. Four men who made sure their sick friend got to Jesus. That should be the mission of the church. To go through anything to get people to Jesus. Go out of our way not just on your way. Our goal should to get people to Jesus.
Now here in this story Jesus was preaching in a crowded sanctuary. People had filled this place up. People in the windows..balconies..doors.. you get the picture. You couldn’t get in the door. These four men were trying to get their friend to Jesus. These men were very remarkable. You see Jews saw sin connected with suffering. If a man was suffering he had sin in his life. To the Jews a sick man was a man God was angry at. Why were these men so moved to get him to Jesus? The Bible doesn’t even give them names. I believe I know what their names are and I want to share them with you.
First of all, I believe one was named Brother Compassion because this man stopped long enough to hurt with this man. Folks that is what compassion is. Compassion is a willingness to hurt with someone, to suffer with them. This man was so concerned he gave up his front row seat to help someone else. Maybe he had a need himself but yet he though of others before himself. He was willing to go get a cot, put him on it and get him to the church. He was concerned with his brother. He hurt with him, he had compassion.
The old prophet Jeremiah had that same compassion when he cried “O that my head were water and my eyes were a fountain of tears that I might weep for Israel.”
Compassion stops cause he can’t do it by himself. No matter how hard he tried he can’t move him. He falls down beside his friend sobbing with him, wanting to get him to Jesus but he just can’t do it by himself. Church we can have all the compassion in the world but compassion won’t do it by itself.
That’s when the second friend comes in. His name is Brother Faith. He is enthusiastic. He says “I know if we an get him to Jesus he will be healed.” He and Brother Compassion take up the cot and try to move him. “Hang on Brother we are going to get you to Jesus.” Do you think we need some faiths in this church? The Bible tells us without faith we cannot please God. You can’t be a Christian without faith. Faith sings in prisons, it sings when the cupboard is empty. Faith is believing God did it yesterday and will do it again today. AMEN!
These two men have cooperation. They realize that if they’re going to get him to Jesus they are going to have to work together. Can’t you just see them? Compassion on one end crying, Faith on the other screaming bless God it will be all right if we can only get him to Jesus. They tried to lift him but again he falls off. They can’t move him. What are they going to do?
The third fellow comes up and his name is Brother Love. By the way the Bible says Love never fails. I love the story of the old man that came up to the preacher after the service and said “I got saved today.” After years of coming I didn’t like your preaching, Billy can’t sing, I just didn’t like your church. But when we walked out your hug you gave me after ever service is what kept bringing me back. Preacher your love kept drawing me back.” You don’t need a big church to bring people in. You don’t need some famous well-known preacher, you just need love. Reach out to them showed you care. Show them they are loved.
Brother Love gets in his place by this guy’s cot trying to get him to Jesus. We still have one empty spot. Who is it? I know you dying to know. His name is Brother Determination. This guy is determined to get his friend to Jesus. He knew Jesus was the only way to get this man healed. It was the realization that caused him to be more intense on getting him to Jesus. I can here him now. “ Fellows we got to get him to Jesus, we can cry all you want but it won’t help him. We got to get him to Jesus. He picks up his cot and says come on. When they saw that crowd I’m sure they wanted to give up but Brother Determination wouldn’t let them. His intensity caused him to do something out of the way. Something so bizarre…these guys had their priorities right. You see they were willing to be different. They were willing to take a risk. All because this man needed Jesus. I would love to see this church to take that stance. Do anything to get them to Jesus.
Now can you imagine the scene in the church that day? When sawdust began to fall all over the place. When the roar of a saw came cutting thru the roof. Everyone looks up and this guy is being lowered down from the roof. Some of you would asking where’s this in the bulletin.J Some was saying these crazy people are wrecking our service. But these men had their priorities right. Jesus didn’t rebuke them. He wasn’t angry that the was being disturbed. Or that the service was interrupted. No he had compassion on them. He saw their faith and he was moved. He said “Thy sins be forgiven, you brother.” What no rebuke…so here we have four men who refused to have a defeated attitude. There were some obstacles but that didn’t stop them. But each one had their reason to help their friend.
We need all of these brothers in our church if we truly want to serve the Lord. If we want to be a church that God would be pleased with. A church that people will say that is a faithful church. We have been talking about revival. Lord yes we need a revival. But it won’t do us any good unless we have these things in order. We’re holding the rope. Yet we are letting it go. Remember the mother in the opening story I shared. She let go of the rope. We are holding the rope to all the lost in this community. Well Scott there are other churches out there that need to do there part. We don’t need to focus on other churches. We need to have the mindset that we are the only church in this community and we’re holding the rope. You have been given a piece of rope tonight. It’s a prayer rope. Leave it in your Bible or wherever you will remember to pray for the lost in our community, our families, our friends. This altar is open like Bro.Steve said it’s not about sins its about praying. Come to this altar and pray for this community or your family. Come and pray for revival. We need a revival, ask god to prepare us for a revival. I remember a line in the movie “Fields of Dreams”…”If you build it , they will come” If we prepare and pray it will come. If you’re here tonight and you want what these men knew about Jesus, that he was the saving grace come and we’ll show you…Are you holding you rope…..
