Through the Barriers                                          Mark 2:1-12

Today’s story takes place shortly after last week’s account of Jesus healing the leper. Last week we saw how we approach Jesus even as he sees our sin and how he is willing to heal us if we are sincere in our request. Today’s account builds on that.

Jesus is in Capernaum and he is teaching in a home. There was such a large crowd that there was hardly any room left for others to come and see him. Verses 3-4, “Some men came bringing a paralyzed man…Since they could not get to him because of the crowd they made an opening in the roof…” Last week the leper represented all mankind infected with the sickness of sin. Today the crippled man is representing the same thing. At the time of Jesus diseases and conditions such as this man being paralyzed meant the person had committed some personal sin or his family had and they were being punished by God.

This man on the mat was unable to do anything for himself. Here is a picture of mankind. Our sin confines us, it cripples us and it prevents us from getting into heaven. And like this man couldn’t do anything for himself we cannot do anything for ourselves as far as getting into heaven. This man like the leper last week knew Jesus was his only hope to change his circumstances.

 I’m sure the physicians tried to help this man, perhaps the Pharisees and priests prayed over this man, maybe he even tried a variety of folk treatments but his circumstances never changed. All men and women need to understand this; trying to live a good life, trying our best to be good, practicing primitive religious beliefs, following new age ideas, none of that will change our circumstances. They will not alter the condition of our lives caused by sin, only Jesus can. He is not our last hope, he is our only hope.

Back to verse 4, “…they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and lowering him through it.” There’s several things layered in this but I’m only going to touch on a few.

These men must have heard Jesus preach or perhaps they heard the leper tell how Jesus healed him. They knew Jesus was their friend’s only hope so they pick him up and carry him to where Jesus is preaching. These men represent the fellowship of believers. We accept Jesus, we know God, the Holy Spirit works in us and we can look around us and see many who still live in sin without Christ in their lives. Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” Because we accept Christ as savior, because we know God, because the Holy Spirit lives within us; therefore we must work for those who are still crippled with sin. We must introduce them to Christ.

If we go all the way back to the Old Testament to Leviticus 19:18, “…love your neighbor as yourself…” This is so important that in Mark 12 Jesus calls it one of the greatest commandments being equal to loving God. How does this apply here?

Usually loving your neighbor is in reference to helping, giving aide. James writes “If one says ‘Go in peace, keep warm and well fed’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:6) One of the last things Jesus says on earth is Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.” Loving your neighbor is giving aide for their needs but loving your neighbor as Jesus tells us to involve sharing the Gospel with them. What if we look at what James wrote a little differently; if one gives another food or clothing and doesn’t share the good news of Christ with them so they are still slaves to sin, what good is it?

Again let’s go back to our readings verse 4. These men put a hole in the home’s roof. Have you ever really given any thought to the roof? Here is a man trying to get to Jesus and the roof is in his way. I’ve known people who’ve said “My family isn’t going to understand if I accept Christ.” When I look back I can see God calling me and realizing how long I avoided his call. Why? There can be a roof between us and Jesus. Some can be put there by others, “What are you doing, you’re going to lose friends if you turn to Jesus.” Some barriers we put up ourselves, “I’m afraid of what will happen if I turn to Jesus.” “I don’t have time for this now.”

I know in my life when Jesus finally said enough I tended to avoid those people who I knew would try to tell me I was being foolish. I don’t think any of us like confrontation so we tend to try and avoid people that may not understand our faith or we avoid talking about it. We try to go around obstacles to our faith. This man went through the roof. Sometimes we need to come up to those obstacles to faith and just go right through them, “You may think I’m wrong, you may think I’m misguided but your opinion doesn’t matter, Christ matters.”

Now we see this man didn’t cut through the roof himself, his friends did it. This man had to get to Jesus. He was crippled without Christ. His friends couldn’t get him through the front door but did they wait around and say we’ll try later, did they say, well we tried, not going to happen today. No, they changed tact and did something unconventional.

We are told to bring others to Christ but many people only try one way, they confront someone, call them a sinner and tell them to repent; they’re confrontational. Do you think being confrontational works? It didn’t with me. Jesus is never confrontational, he just explains about the kingdom of God.

How many want to talk to someone about Christ but say “I’ll do it later.” These men didn’t wait outside for Jesus; we shouldn’t wait to talk to someone about Christ. These men found a different way to get to Jesus; we should look for new ways to reach out for Jesus. This is why we have a Facebook presence and we’re looking into a YouTube channel and possibly Audible. We’re not relying on the traditional; we’re trying to find new ways to reach new people. Let’s not let the roof be a barrier to Jesus.

This whole scene was playing in my mind over and over again. I kept seeing Jesus sitting there in this house as the dust, dirt and thatch started falling around him. I’m sure most of us would have said “Hey, what are you doing, stop it!” Verse 5, “When Jesus saw their faith…”

Jesus saw what the men were doing and he didn’t tell them “Stop, don’t put that mess around me.” When we come to Jesus he sees all the dust and dirt of our sin and he never tells us “Whoa, no, don’t dump that here.” Jesus always sees the faith we approach him with even if that faith is wrapped in desperation, even if we come to faith as a last resort because all else failed in our life. We see that Jesus is never bothered by the dirt and dust of our sin. We see Jesus is always moved by faith.

And again, verse 5, “…Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” As we see, this caused quite a stir.

The Pharisees here were correct when they said only God can forgive sins but they were wrong in there assumption that Jesus was not God. This exchange shows us that Jesus is indeed God on earth but it also shows us something else as well.

Verse 9, “Which is easier to say to this man, your sins are forgiven or get up and walk?” When you come to Jesus and ask him to be your savior, when you believe in him he doesn’t say to you “OK, great. Go live your life and I’ll pray to the Father for you.” Think about this. If Jesus told this man to get up and walk he would be in no better a position with God than he is now. This man may have got up and walked a thousand miles but his life would always be crippled by sin. He would always have wondered where his was in his relationship with God. And that questioning would have hindered real change in his life; externally he may have changed but not internally.

Jesus knows true healing and change begins from within. A transformed and transformative life only happens when our sin is dealt with first. Only then do we know where we stand with God. Only then can we move forward and change without the weight and shame of sin. Only then do we know there is a point to our changing in our attitudes and actions. These are the four most powerful, effective and transformational words in the world; your sins are forgiven.

Today again we see a Biblical description of a physical act is layered with spiritual meaning. When we are at the point that we want to turn to Jesus as our savior don’t let the roof be your barrier. When you come to Jesus don’t worry about what you have done, don’t concern yourself with the dust and dirt, Jesus doesn’t. He only sees the faith and your honest desire to be with him.

When we work for Christ, when we try to reach out to others for him, we should look for new and unconventional ways to do this. Our world is changing, what worked in the past; children born and raised in a particular church, taught about Jesus and then expected to continue there the rest of their lives may not be as successful as it was in past years. People move, there are hundreds of things to interfere with our faith, our world is changing and we must find new ways to reach others, new ways to further the kingdom.

And remember, when you come to Jesus he doesn’t say “I’ll pray for you, go about your life.” When you come to Jesus he forgives your sins with all the authority of God the Father. Our lives are forever removed from our sin. We are transformed and secure in a never ending relationship with Almighty God.

Let us, the forgiven, saved, glorified and redeemed children of God go out and transform the world for him and in his name.

Amen.