Bringing The Paralyzed To Christ
Preaching
The Miracles Of Jesus And Their Flip Side
Miracle narratives from the Revised Common Lectionary with a fresh look at the other side of the story
A hole-patched Capernaum roof reminded many who saw
one paralyzed with guilt and near bitterness of life,
whom friends willingly transported on invalid's stretcher.
We, too, must give up fault-finding and celebrate healing.
Late that evening, by a Capernaum neon light, no doubt, Peter and his brother, Andrew, had some roof patching to do on their mother-in-law's house. There may have had to be other repairs also, from that crowd jamming the inside and outside to get a look at and hear this new wonder worker of Galilee.
According to the way Peter described it to Mark, who later wrote it down, the action had been mind-boggling, swift, and dramatic. John baptized his cousin, Jesus, in the Jordan; Jesus was tempted and decided his style of ministry; the disciples were enlisted; and demons were driven out in the synagogue. Peter's mother-in-law was healed. Sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus for healing. The crowds got larger and larger until they had to try to hide for some rest ... but were pursued. Then there was this man who had that dreaded leprosy. Jesus healed him also and told him to keep quiet about it. But, understandably, he told it everywhere.
That brings us up to today's wonderful story of guilt, forgiveness, overcoming obstacles and severe criticism while doing the right thing. Then there is the miracle of healing on the basis of someone else's faith.
There was this man in the village who was paralyzed. He had four awfully good friends who loaded him on a stretcher and carried him to where the crowds had once again gathered to hear this new wonder worker. It was a crowded, chaotic scene. They couldn't get close enough even to catch the eye of Jesus, so they went up the outside stairway of the matchbox-like house and on the flat roof. There it wasn't a very big task to remove the mud and stocks between the rafters of the ceiling. They let their paralyzed friend down right in front of Jesus.
Wow! What gumption! What ingenuity! What determination to overcome the unexpected obstacles. Those who look for moral lessons in Jesus' miracles often point to these four who persisted perhaps even over the paralyzed's protest to give up and go home. Almost bordering on stubbornness they prevailed and Jesus rewarded them for it.
There are times in our Christian lives when we, like those same disciples, would fish all night in that nearby lake and catch nothing. But, Jesus says, try again and again. God has not forsaken us and we must not give up.
I'm happy for that man who was made well, but I'm especially happy for those four who learned that day the blessings of bringing people to Jesus even when all kinds of obstacles try to prevent it.
The preacher disappoints us, the governing board makes foolish decision, there are quarrels among congregational members, the national organization makes unpopular pronouncements, and we're tempted to think it's just not worth it to try any longer to bring people here. However, when we continue, God's spirit sees us through and successful, and we know the joy of not giving up or in. There were at least five houses in Capernaum full of celebration that night while Peter and Andrew patched their mother-in-law's roof.
Mark probably told this story and placed it here to prove the power of this Jesus. Right up front he claimed the power to forgive sins. The Old Testament had promised through Isaiah, "See, I am doing a new thing." Then, "... even I am he who blots out your transgressions ... and remembers your sins no more" (Isaiah 43:19, 25). The coming for the new kingdom meant for Mark, above everything else, plenty of free forgiveness. So he told this story here because he no doubt heard Peter preach it many times.
Often in our sophistication we Christians not only neglect to talk about how real sin is and how all pervasive it is in our lives; but we have all but eliminated from our worship the Holy Communion rites of the church to confess and have absolution declared to us. Yet here in this miracle is the clear message Jesus did come to work forgiveness for us as surely as he did to the consternation of the teachers of the law who were to investigate him.
Other well-meaning institutions and individuals can do many things for us humans, but here is the business of the church unique to its purpose and mission. That incident under the gaping hole in the mud roof was the beginning of what eventually sent Jesus to the cross, and going to that cross worked forgiveness, and that forgiveness God has entrusted to us contemporary disciples called the church to give out to all who will receive it.
It seems to me what happened that day may have been a guilt-ridden Galilean who so believed that sin produces illness that he thought himself into a paralysis. Jesus knew what was going on the minute those four resourceful men let him down from the ceiling. He didn't so much need medication or physical therapy. He needed forgiveness. And it's what so many of us still need today. It's what makes the church different from what those other organizations and professionals do. We offer forgiveness, God-riddance for guilt. The opportunity to get up from our crippled, debilitating mat and walk away clean and new. And you don't have to knock a hole in the church roof to have this free forgiveness. "He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven' " (Mark 2:5b). From the cross Jesus forgives still. So, we have relief from the paralysis of guilt for such things as:
-- cheating at our job, on our taxes or a test;
-- being unfaithful to our spouse or a relationship;
-- disappointing our parents or mentors;
-- lying about our qualifications or position;
-- doing a lousy job of parenting;
-- giving in to an addiction;
-- abusing the power we hold over someone else.
When the painful regret and haunting guilt riddle our psyche, we have a cure, confession and forgiveness -- sweet forgiveness, the kind only God can give because of what God did in the person of Jesus on the cross. From the cross Jesus unloads us from that guilt which can paralyze. From the empty tomb he assures us we can start over. And from the Pentecost spirit, we know we have help to believe it all and accept this new equipment for life.
He says to us as he did to this man: " 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.' He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone ..." (Mark 2:11-12). It's an encouraging and comforting story that started with four determined men lowering this incorporated man into a jam-packed room of a humble house on the north shore of Galilee.
Often we can discover a flip side of the miracle stories. Records used to have two sides with one side the popular and better-known themes; if we turned them over there was often a less-known melody. That side was the flip side.
Perhaps the flip side to this miracle is the misery of those who came to find fault, and the wonderful assurance of Jesus in our homes.
Did you notice most everyone that day rejoiced that this paralyzed man had been healed? Mark writes, "This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, 'We have never seen anything like this!' " (Mark 2:12b).
What a contrast! The crowd so happy for their neighbor and these few grumpy, old men criticizing how Jesus did it. The difference seemed to be that the larger group came expecting some great things to happen that day, and they did. On the other hand, there were these few who held power in the synagogue, seeing it challenged, who came very suspicious that this was too good to be true. You would think they would have been so pleased for this man. Instead, they split hairs over who could forgive sins and instead of calling the healing wonderful, they charged Jesus with blasphemy.
It can happen yet today. We can come to worship here expecting great things to happen. Or we can come suspicious and critical of everything and everyone. The former is so much more rewarding and happy a lifestyle than the latter. Fault is not hard to find, either. The fault finders will not only criticize, but will often dampen the efforts of those trying so hard to be faithful in their discipleship.
I wonder if it hurt Jesus that day when the criticism came from the pillars of that synagogue. When you are giving your best to help and then these fellows attack, it does hurt. And that's when the rest of us need to step in and affirm and support each other's imperfect efforts.
There is in this story a nice affirmation of Jesus in our home. Because Peter and Andrew invited him into their home it became a place of healing and forgiveness and comfort. That's the role that our homes ought to fulfill. Jesus teaching in the synagogue down the street is one thing. However, Jesus at home changes how we are and how others are blessed by our homes. Let the symbols be obvious, the prayers frequent, the witness open, that at the center of our homes is still the Christ.
Sometimes our homes can be a place of cruelty. Under our roofs we can forget how Jesus would have us treat each other. All the behaviors we applaud in church ought to be practiced all week long at home with family as well. Turn the other cheek, be kind to one another, pray for those who hurt you, are even more worthwhile and imperative at home.
Notice after the paralytic was healed Jesus told him: "I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home" (Mark 2:11). I hope he went to his home not only rejoicing he had been healed but determined to be a different kind of person there as a response to that gift of health. And because he had been given undeserved forgiveness from Jesus, one would hope he would give it out undeserved to all in his home, family, and neighborhood who would receive it.
Exhausted, but happy, and quietly excited about their new discipleship, Peter and Andrew patched the hole in the roof of their mother-in-law's house late that night, perhaps with some help and supervision from her. They probably replaced the sticks and mud between the beams of the ceiling with overflowing hearts knowing that day in their home undeserved forgiveness had been given, a man paralyzed was cured, there was rejoicing in several other homes of those who had carried him there, and best of all, there was a family blessed whose father and husband had begun a whole new way to live, for Jesus had come home with him.
one paralyzed with guilt and near bitterness of life,
whom friends willingly transported on invalid's stretcher.
We, too, must give up fault-finding and celebrate healing.
Late that evening, by a Capernaum neon light, no doubt, Peter and his brother, Andrew, had some roof patching to do on their mother-in-law's house. There may have had to be other repairs also, from that crowd jamming the inside and outside to get a look at and hear this new wonder worker of Galilee.
According to the way Peter described it to Mark, who later wrote it down, the action had been mind-boggling, swift, and dramatic. John baptized his cousin, Jesus, in the Jordan; Jesus was tempted and decided his style of ministry; the disciples were enlisted; and demons were driven out in the synagogue. Peter's mother-in-law was healed. Sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus for healing. The crowds got larger and larger until they had to try to hide for some rest ... but were pursued. Then there was this man who had that dreaded leprosy. Jesus healed him also and told him to keep quiet about it. But, understandably, he told it everywhere.
That brings us up to today's wonderful story of guilt, forgiveness, overcoming obstacles and severe criticism while doing the right thing. Then there is the miracle of healing on the basis of someone else's faith.
There was this man in the village who was paralyzed. He had four awfully good friends who loaded him on a stretcher and carried him to where the crowds had once again gathered to hear this new wonder worker. It was a crowded, chaotic scene. They couldn't get close enough even to catch the eye of Jesus, so they went up the outside stairway of the matchbox-like house and on the flat roof. There it wasn't a very big task to remove the mud and stocks between the rafters of the ceiling. They let their paralyzed friend down right in front of Jesus.
Wow! What gumption! What ingenuity! What determination to overcome the unexpected obstacles. Those who look for moral lessons in Jesus' miracles often point to these four who persisted perhaps even over the paralyzed's protest to give up and go home. Almost bordering on stubbornness they prevailed and Jesus rewarded them for it.
There are times in our Christian lives when we, like those same disciples, would fish all night in that nearby lake and catch nothing. But, Jesus says, try again and again. God has not forsaken us and we must not give up.
I'm happy for that man who was made well, but I'm especially happy for those four who learned that day the blessings of bringing people to Jesus even when all kinds of obstacles try to prevent it.
The preacher disappoints us, the governing board makes foolish decision, there are quarrels among congregational members, the national organization makes unpopular pronouncements, and we're tempted to think it's just not worth it to try any longer to bring people here. However, when we continue, God's spirit sees us through and successful, and we know the joy of not giving up or in. There were at least five houses in Capernaum full of celebration that night while Peter and Andrew patched their mother-in-law's roof.
Mark probably told this story and placed it here to prove the power of this Jesus. Right up front he claimed the power to forgive sins. The Old Testament had promised through Isaiah, "See, I am doing a new thing." Then, "... even I am he who blots out your transgressions ... and remembers your sins no more" (Isaiah 43:19, 25). The coming for the new kingdom meant for Mark, above everything else, plenty of free forgiveness. So he told this story here because he no doubt heard Peter preach it many times.
Often in our sophistication we Christians not only neglect to talk about how real sin is and how all pervasive it is in our lives; but we have all but eliminated from our worship the Holy Communion rites of the church to confess and have absolution declared to us. Yet here in this miracle is the clear message Jesus did come to work forgiveness for us as surely as he did to the consternation of the teachers of the law who were to investigate him.
Other well-meaning institutions and individuals can do many things for us humans, but here is the business of the church unique to its purpose and mission. That incident under the gaping hole in the mud roof was the beginning of what eventually sent Jesus to the cross, and going to that cross worked forgiveness, and that forgiveness God has entrusted to us contemporary disciples called the church to give out to all who will receive it.
It seems to me what happened that day may have been a guilt-ridden Galilean who so believed that sin produces illness that he thought himself into a paralysis. Jesus knew what was going on the minute those four resourceful men let him down from the ceiling. He didn't so much need medication or physical therapy. He needed forgiveness. And it's what so many of us still need today. It's what makes the church different from what those other organizations and professionals do. We offer forgiveness, God-riddance for guilt. The opportunity to get up from our crippled, debilitating mat and walk away clean and new. And you don't have to knock a hole in the church roof to have this free forgiveness. "He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven' " (Mark 2:5b). From the cross Jesus forgives still. So, we have relief from the paralysis of guilt for such things as:
-- cheating at our job, on our taxes or a test;
-- being unfaithful to our spouse or a relationship;
-- disappointing our parents or mentors;
-- lying about our qualifications or position;
-- doing a lousy job of parenting;
-- giving in to an addiction;
-- abusing the power we hold over someone else.
When the painful regret and haunting guilt riddle our psyche, we have a cure, confession and forgiveness -- sweet forgiveness, the kind only God can give because of what God did in the person of Jesus on the cross. From the cross Jesus unloads us from that guilt which can paralyze. From the empty tomb he assures us we can start over. And from the Pentecost spirit, we know we have help to believe it all and accept this new equipment for life.
He says to us as he did to this man: " 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.' He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone ..." (Mark 2:11-12). It's an encouraging and comforting story that started with four determined men lowering this incorporated man into a jam-packed room of a humble house on the north shore of Galilee.
Often we can discover a flip side of the miracle stories. Records used to have two sides with one side the popular and better-known themes; if we turned them over there was often a less-known melody. That side was the flip side.
Perhaps the flip side to this miracle is the misery of those who came to find fault, and the wonderful assurance of Jesus in our homes.
Did you notice most everyone that day rejoiced that this paralyzed man had been healed? Mark writes, "This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, 'We have never seen anything like this!' " (Mark 2:12b).
What a contrast! The crowd so happy for their neighbor and these few grumpy, old men criticizing how Jesus did it. The difference seemed to be that the larger group came expecting some great things to happen that day, and they did. On the other hand, there were these few who held power in the synagogue, seeing it challenged, who came very suspicious that this was too good to be true. You would think they would have been so pleased for this man. Instead, they split hairs over who could forgive sins and instead of calling the healing wonderful, they charged Jesus with blasphemy.
It can happen yet today. We can come to worship here expecting great things to happen. Or we can come suspicious and critical of everything and everyone. The former is so much more rewarding and happy a lifestyle than the latter. Fault is not hard to find, either. The fault finders will not only criticize, but will often dampen the efforts of those trying so hard to be faithful in their discipleship.
I wonder if it hurt Jesus that day when the criticism came from the pillars of that synagogue. When you are giving your best to help and then these fellows attack, it does hurt. And that's when the rest of us need to step in and affirm and support each other's imperfect efforts.
There is in this story a nice affirmation of Jesus in our home. Because Peter and Andrew invited him into their home it became a place of healing and forgiveness and comfort. That's the role that our homes ought to fulfill. Jesus teaching in the synagogue down the street is one thing. However, Jesus at home changes how we are and how others are blessed by our homes. Let the symbols be obvious, the prayers frequent, the witness open, that at the center of our homes is still the Christ.
Sometimes our homes can be a place of cruelty. Under our roofs we can forget how Jesus would have us treat each other. All the behaviors we applaud in church ought to be practiced all week long at home with family as well. Turn the other cheek, be kind to one another, pray for those who hurt you, are even more worthwhile and imperative at home.
Notice after the paralytic was healed Jesus told him: "I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home" (Mark 2:11). I hope he went to his home not only rejoicing he had been healed but determined to be a different kind of person there as a response to that gift of health. And because he had been given undeserved forgiveness from Jesus, one would hope he would give it out undeserved to all in his home, family, and neighborhood who would receive it.
Exhausted, but happy, and quietly excited about their new discipleship, Peter and Andrew patched the hole in the roof of their mother-in-law's house late that night, perhaps with some help and supervision from her. They probably replaced the sticks and mud between the beams of the ceiling with overflowing hearts knowing that day in their home undeserved forgiveness had been given, a man paralyzed was cured, there was rejoicing in several other homes of those who had carried him there, and best of all, there was a family blessed whose father and husband had begun a whole new way to live, for Jesus had come home with him.
