Healing A Paralytic
Preaching
Preaching The Miracles
Series III, Cycle B
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and take your mat and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic -- "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home." And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Background Material
When Christ began his ministry of preaching and healing, his fame spread, until he was well known throughout a large area. He intended to make clear the message of repentance and salvation from sin, but the news of his astounding miracles was something people immediately grasped, and they spread the information everywhere. As a result, throngs sought Jesus in order to have him cure the victims of ill health within their family circle. To avoid huge crowds, Jesus would sometimes go out into the wilderness, but even there masses of people followed.
In this miracle, Jesus had returned to Capernaum, and it was not long before news spread about his being there preaching. Quickly so great a mass of people assembled that the house where he was conducting a service was jammed, while an overflow surrounded the house. This created a problem for a quartet of men who were carrying a badly crippled friend, expecting to put him down before Christ in the hope of a cure. But those who bore the pallet were not to be thwarted by the crowd. They possessed two qualities: persistence and ingenuity.
The houses of that day were one-story buildings with a flat roof. There would be stairs on the outside of the house, leading to the roof. This made it possible for the inhabitants to escape the heat of the house on a warm summer night and to enjoy the night breezes as they slept on the roof. The presence of a stairway outside the house would lead the bearers to think about another way to enter the building. They began to consider reaching Christ by another way since crowds of people blocked the ordinary entrance.
One might still wonder how entry could be gained through the roof. But in that day houses were constructed differently. Modern roofing material was unknown. A roof would be constructed by laying tree branches side by side and in crisscross arrangement. Soft clay was spread over this network and in the hot sun it dried to become almost like tile, and water could not seep through. The four men would have little difficulty in tearing through such construction and creating a hole large enough to lower a pallet.
Jesus must have been startled, but he was deeply impressed by the faith that was involved in this act. First, the paralytic wanted to be brought to Jesus because he believed that Christ could heal him. Secondly, the four men who brought him were persistent in their efforts because they had the same faith. Seeing such strong faith, Jesus applied his power of healing by saying to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven." Perhaps it seems strange to us today to hear Jesus say this as a cure for the unfortunate man. But to the people of Christ's day there was a direct connection between sin and sickness. If someone was suffering, it was believed that he must have sinned. Even the disciples once asked Jesus, concerning a man blind from his birth whom they met along the way, whether it was the sin of this man or the sin of his father that had caused the blindness. Jesus answered that in this case the blindness was not the result of sin. Sin can sometimes cause illness, as in the case of syphilis or gonorrhea. With AIDS it can be either the result of sin or come about through impure blood transfusions or needle injections where the victim is innocent of any wrongdoing. One dare not generalize about such afflictions.
In this instance, the man could have felt that sin had caused his problem. He needed reassurance that his problem had been dealt with. His need was to be reassured by Christ that his problem had been properly treated. How wonderful it is for all of us to be assured by Christ, the Son of God, that we have nothing to fear, for God forgives the penitent one. All can be made well again, for Christ is God's answer to sin.
When Jesus healed this man there was great praise from many voices. But not all who were present were pleased. Sitting in the front row where they could carefully watch whatever happened, and hear whatever was spoken, were a few scribes. Scribes were a group of highly educated secretaries to the religious leaders. As such, they were well-versed in Jewish law. Their chief occupation was to serve Jewish law and keep alive its traditions. They were considered people of importance and were even given seats in the Sanhedrin, whose religious decisions carried great weight. The scribes who witnessed the miracle immediately turned on Christ, criticizing his statement to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven." They said among themselves that this was blasphemy, for only God could forgive sins. Their statement carried its own explanation. Only God can forgive sins, and since Jesus was God he could do so. He had come into the world as divine Savior, to pay the penalty for our sins, and to offer salvation to all who would place their trust in him.
The scripture passage closes with a description of the effect the miracle had on the throng of people who filled the house. It says, "They were all amazed, and glorified God." Do we do the same, glorifying God for all his mighty works and for all the blessings he lavishes upon us?
Sermon Material
Bringing Others To Christ
The paralytic was fortunate to have such good friends. They were willing to go to all ends in order to see that their friend might be healed. Not only did they carry him some distance, they had the ingenuity and persistence to overcome the obstacle of a crowd which filled the house where Christ was. So when there was a barrier between them and the Lord they overcame it. As a result, their friend DID reach Christ and he received the wonderful blessing of a cure.
Christ has blessings to bestow on anyone who comes to him. Unfortunately, many people need some encouragement, even prodding, to decide to meet the Master. Some may not even know of the blessings he would be glad to bestow. Those who know of Christ and his wonderful gifts need to tell others. They need to be good enough friends to pave the way for their friends to meet Christ. That is a gift all of us can bestow on others. We can prove our friendship by seeing that they know about our Lord, and extend a cordial invitation in his name. Asking someone to join us in church, where we meet the Lord, is an easy and wonderful way to prove the depth of our caring friendship.
The Omniscience Of Christ
Christ is God, and all the attributes of God are his as well. Among them are omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. The scribes did not confront Jesus with their criticism and their belief that he had committed blasphemy. No words were spoken. But Jesus "perceived in his spirit" their critical attitude and he confronted them with it. We worship an all-knowing Christ. He knows our every thought. We can hide nothing from him. This brings added importance to what we harbor in our mind. It leads us to ask, "Am I filling my mind with things that are acceptable to Christ?" Someone once said, "It doesn't matter so much what I think, but what I think of what I think." This gives us a good standard of measurement, because modern advertising can fill our minds with a wide variety of material; we must judge what is worthy.
Forgiveness Of Sins
The scribes, in their criticism of Jesus, declared that God alone can forgive sins. That is true. When we are guilty of maltreatment of another, we can ask for their forgiveness, and it is in their power to grant or to withhold it. But sin is the term reserved for wrongs against God, and he alone can grant forgiveness. He has provided us with mercy and forgiveness through Christ who came as Savior of the world. He is God. Perhaps it is confusing to some parishioners who hear their pastor declare in a Sunday morning worship service that their sins are forgiven. The key word is "declare." The pastor is not forgiving sins when he says this, but he is declaring that in Christ we are granted such forgiveness.
Prejudice
Much of the world's social trouble is caused by the evil of prejudice. The word "prejudice" means to prejudge, to form judgment before the facts are in. It leads some people to lump together all people of a certain type as objects of scorn. All those of a certain religion or nationality or color of skin are cast aside. The fact that some individuals are worthy of respect for their individual attainment is completely overlooked. The weakness is conveyed in the phrase, "I've made up my mind; don't confuse me with the facts." As a result, hatred and renunciation of others, along with a desire actually to do them harm when possible, rise in the heart of the prejudiced one.
The scribes were unmoved by Christ's miracles. They were out to catch him doing something for which they could condemn him. It mattered not to them that his miracles revealed his divine Sonship. They were out to get him, and everything that stood in the way of this attitude was to be ignored. Jesus once told the story of Dives and Lazarus, which concluded with a statement concerning those who rejected the Lord. Christ says that such people would not change their minds even if confronted by someone who had risen from the dead. Prejudice must be avoided at all costs. The Christian spirit is one of love for all, and a realization of the worth of everyone.
Criticism
It is so easy to criticize. Before we heap scorn on the scribes for their criticism of the good Christ was doing, we need to look at ourselves. Occasionally, criticism is worthwhile, even necessary to correct a fault. But often it is the product of self-pride, of a desire to tear someone down because we are jealous; or we criticize simply to build on our own ego, believing ourselves capable of judging. But criticism must be handled carefully. Otherwise we can unintentionally become critics of the acts of God. Be careful in criticizing the church, or its pastors, or its people. They are trying to fulfill God's will. They need support and encouragement, not the superfluous judgment of "Monday morning quarterbacks."
Illustrations
Prejudice Following Compassion
In some ways we have made progress in overcoming prejudice toward the homeless. This is indicated in the desire to take pity on the unfortunate. The wandering tramp, or hobo, has practically disappeared from our daily experience, and only older people remember them. They would appear at the back door of homes with a polite request for something to eat. Sometimes they were immediately turned away by those who feared them. After all, they were strangers, and they were unkempt. But sometimes pity for them would stir in the heart of a housewife and she would give them food. But sometimes this act of kindness was followed by what, today, seems like a strange action. When the hobo finished and the plate or coffee cup was returned, the housewife would go to the sink and break the utensils, tossing them into the trash. No one in the family should use that which he had used. Washing in soapy, hot water was not enough. He had left some form of contamination. Such reaction was the result of deep-seated prejudice. The prejudice was stronger than the desire to help an unfortunate human being.
Prejudice Backfires
A prejudiced, high-society woman was planning a garden party in her impressive yard. She was pleasantly surprised on the evening before the big party by a telephone call from her only son, a soldier serving overseas. For some reason she had not heard from him for some time, and was highly pleased to know that he was in New York on his way home. She told him excitedly about the big garden party she was giving, and said she was glad that he would be home to enjoy it.
Then the son informed her that he had an army buddy with him whom he would like to bring along. But this buddy had been badly wounded in fighting for his country. He had lost a leg, an arm, and was badly disfigured from the loss of an eye. When asked whether it would be all right to bring this wounded soldier along, the mother was dismayed. She told her son that the wounded soldier could be a damper on the party, and it would be best if he were not there.
The next day the mother received a notice from the War Department, informing her that her son had committed suicide the evening before. He had been easily identified by his war wounds. He had suffered the amputation of a leg, an arm, and had lost an eye. The pitiful young man had simply wanted to find out if his family would accept him in this condition.
Persistence Pays
The men carrying their sick friend did not let the crowd which blocked their way deter them from getting their friend to Christ. Persistence of this sort is a well-known custom in the East. If a favor cannot be obtained in any other way, then the person or persons seeking it will set to crying and making a disturbing noise around the person whose attention they are seeking. It is hoped that this will catch the ear of the one whose favor is sought, or even wear down his opposition. Thus it is common practice for such a means to be employed by farmers who want their taxes lowered after a year of failed crops. The same means is used when they wish to appeal against the actions of a tyrannical governor. It is said that crowds will gather outside the Shah's palace and there set up a continual howling. They refuse to be silent, or to leave when threatened by guards, until they have had the opportunity to air their grievances. They are known even to surround the Shah's car when he is out driving. Often it works, for the Shah will grant their request, not from his love of justice, but because he wishes to be freed of their annoyance.
Truly Wanting Christ's Blessings
Perhaps it was the cripple himself who urged his friends on, or maybe it was the friends who possessed the indomitable will to see that their friend reached Christ. Our Lord taught that we must have a strong desire, an overwhelming urge, to receive his blessings or we will probably become disheartened and fail to receive what he offers. Christ told of a woman who wanted a judge to hear her plea. But he refused. Instead of giving up she kept repeating her request until the judge was worn out with her pestering and so listened to her case. Another time he told of a man who would not get out of bed late at night to give his neighbor a loaf of bread with which to entertain an unexpected visitor. But the man finally relented and did get up in order to stop the neighbor's persistent pleading.
From the life of Buddha there is the story about a man who came to the great religious leader to obtain a blessing. Buddha asked the man to step down with him into a nearby stream. When they were in the water Buddha suddenly grasped the man and pushed him under the water. In spite of his struggles Buddha kept him beneath the surface. Finally, as he was about to drown he was released and came up, sputtering for air. Then Buddha asked him, "When you thought you were drowning, what was it that you wanted far more than anything else?" "Air," the man replied. Then Buddha said, "When you want a spiritual blessing as much as you wanted air, you will receive it."
"Your Sins Are Forgiven"
As a young pastor I was concerned for the owner of a small hotel who was a member of my congregation but who never came to church. One day I dared to confront him. His story to my query about his lack of church attendance was rather basic. He said that when he was confirmed he learned that it is not what we do that saves us unto eternal life. Salvation is a free gift of Christ who died for our sins. He said that since he was already saved he did not feel the need to go to church. He thought he had understood the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith. But he was only partly right. There is a second part to the doctrine. He was overlooking this part. When we are justified by Christ's death we are no longer driven by the impossible demands of the law to live perfect lives in obedience to that law. But we are now impelled by gratitude to God for his gift of salvation to strive to please him in every way possible. Legal demands have been replaced by loving obedience.
Caring For Others
The story of four men bringing their paralyzed friend to Jesus in the hope of a healing should serve as an example for Christians. We are admonished by Christ to care for our fellow human beings. Fortunate are those who receive help from people moved to charity because of Christian impulse.
Among the works of Thomas Carlyle is the story of a widow. She lived in Edinburgh with her three children who were dependent upon her for their support. When she fell ill with typhus she made a desperate appeal to her community. She said that she was dying and in much need of help. In her plea she said, "I am your sister; one God made us. You must help me." But they rejected her call for help and refused to think of her as their sister. Carlyle states that before she died she infected seventeen others with the terrible typhus. He states that she thus proved that she was, indeed, their sister, whom they should have rallied to help.
All of us share a common bond. We are all part of humanity, and no one lives apart from all the others in our human race. How much it behooves us, therefore, in the spirit of Christ, to help our fellow human beings whenever a great need arises.
Caring About Others
The miracle about the man healed because others brought him to Christ is an example of how we should be concerned about the needs of others and what we can do to help. Perhaps we shrug off many opportunities for doing good by not realizing what we can do, or thinking that our little bit will not help very much.
Such was not the case of the poor working girl who firmly believed in God. She had to work seven days each week and therefore could not volunteer for service anywhere, or even attend church on Sunday. Someone pitied her for her lack of any opportunity to do good. But she surprised them. She said that each day she took the newspaper and prayed for people mentioned there. She said she read the column on birth announcements and prayed that each baby would live a good Christian life. She would read the obituary column and pray for God to comfort the bereaved. She read the wedding announcements and prayed that each couple would enjoy many years of happy married life. She shows us how anyone has the opportunity to be supportive and helpful if we care to do so. Don't forget that selfishness must be thrown off and the welfare of others must play a large part in our life.
Background Material
When Christ began his ministry of preaching and healing, his fame spread, until he was well known throughout a large area. He intended to make clear the message of repentance and salvation from sin, but the news of his astounding miracles was something people immediately grasped, and they spread the information everywhere. As a result, throngs sought Jesus in order to have him cure the victims of ill health within their family circle. To avoid huge crowds, Jesus would sometimes go out into the wilderness, but even there masses of people followed.
In this miracle, Jesus had returned to Capernaum, and it was not long before news spread about his being there preaching. Quickly so great a mass of people assembled that the house where he was conducting a service was jammed, while an overflow surrounded the house. This created a problem for a quartet of men who were carrying a badly crippled friend, expecting to put him down before Christ in the hope of a cure. But those who bore the pallet were not to be thwarted by the crowd. They possessed two qualities: persistence and ingenuity.
The houses of that day were one-story buildings with a flat roof. There would be stairs on the outside of the house, leading to the roof. This made it possible for the inhabitants to escape the heat of the house on a warm summer night and to enjoy the night breezes as they slept on the roof. The presence of a stairway outside the house would lead the bearers to think about another way to enter the building. They began to consider reaching Christ by another way since crowds of people blocked the ordinary entrance.
One might still wonder how entry could be gained through the roof. But in that day houses were constructed differently. Modern roofing material was unknown. A roof would be constructed by laying tree branches side by side and in crisscross arrangement. Soft clay was spread over this network and in the hot sun it dried to become almost like tile, and water could not seep through. The four men would have little difficulty in tearing through such construction and creating a hole large enough to lower a pallet.
Jesus must have been startled, but he was deeply impressed by the faith that was involved in this act. First, the paralytic wanted to be brought to Jesus because he believed that Christ could heal him. Secondly, the four men who brought him were persistent in their efforts because they had the same faith. Seeing such strong faith, Jesus applied his power of healing by saying to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven." Perhaps it seems strange to us today to hear Jesus say this as a cure for the unfortunate man. But to the people of Christ's day there was a direct connection between sin and sickness. If someone was suffering, it was believed that he must have sinned. Even the disciples once asked Jesus, concerning a man blind from his birth whom they met along the way, whether it was the sin of this man or the sin of his father that had caused the blindness. Jesus answered that in this case the blindness was not the result of sin. Sin can sometimes cause illness, as in the case of syphilis or gonorrhea. With AIDS it can be either the result of sin or come about through impure blood transfusions or needle injections where the victim is innocent of any wrongdoing. One dare not generalize about such afflictions.
In this instance, the man could have felt that sin had caused his problem. He needed reassurance that his problem had been dealt with. His need was to be reassured by Christ that his problem had been properly treated. How wonderful it is for all of us to be assured by Christ, the Son of God, that we have nothing to fear, for God forgives the penitent one. All can be made well again, for Christ is God's answer to sin.
When Jesus healed this man there was great praise from many voices. But not all who were present were pleased. Sitting in the front row where they could carefully watch whatever happened, and hear whatever was spoken, were a few scribes. Scribes were a group of highly educated secretaries to the religious leaders. As such, they were well-versed in Jewish law. Their chief occupation was to serve Jewish law and keep alive its traditions. They were considered people of importance and were even given seats in the Sanhedrin, whose religious decisions carried great weight. The scribes who witnessed the miracle immediately turned on Christ, criticizing his statement to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven." They said among themselves that this was blasphemy, for only God could forgive sins. Their statement carried its own explanation. Only God can forgive sins, and since Jesus was God he could do so. He had come into the world as divine Savior, to pay the penalty for our sins, and to offer salvation to all who would place their trust in him.
The scripture passage closes with a description of the effect the miracle had on the throng of people who filled the house. It says, "They were all amazed, and glorified God." Do we do the same, glorifying God for all his mighty works and for all the blessings he lavishes upon us?
Sermon Material
Bringing Others To Christ
The paralytic was fortunate to have such good friends. They were willing to go to all ends in order to see that their friend might be healed. Not only did they carry him some distance, they had the ingenuity and persistence to overcome the obstacle of a crowd which filled the house where Christ was. So when there was a barrier between them and the Lord they overcame it. As a result, their friend DID reach Christ and he received the wonderful blessing of a cure.
Christ has blessings to bestow on anyone who comes to him. Unfortunately, many people need some encouragement, even prodding, to decide to meet the Master. Some may not even know of the blessings he would be glad to bestow. Those who know of Christ and his wonderful gifts need to tell others. They need to be good enough friends to pave the way for their friends to meet Christ. That is a gift all of us can bestow on others. We can prove our friendship by seeing that they know about our Lord, and extend a cordial invitation in his name. Asking someone to join us in church, where we meet the Lord, is an easy and wonderful way to prove the depth of our caring friendship.
The Omniscience Of Christ
Christ is God, and all the attributes of God are his as well. Among them are omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. The scribes did not confront Jesus with their criticism and their belief that he had committed blasphemy. No words were spoken. But Jesus "perceived in his spirit" their critical attitude and he confronted them with it. We worship an all-knowing Christ. He knows our every thought. We can hide nothing from him. This brings added importance to what we harbor in our mind. It leads us to ask, "Am I filling my mind with things that are acceptable to Christ?" Someone once said, "It doesn't matter so much what I think, but what I think of what I think." This gives us a good standard of measurement, because modern advertising can fill our minds with a wide variety of material; we must judge what is worthy.
Forgiveness Of Sins
The scribes, in their criticism of Jesus, declared that God alone can forgive sins. That is true. When we are guilty of maltreatment of another, we can ask for their forgiveness, and it is in their power to grant or to withhold it. But sin is the term reserved for wrongs against God, and he alone can grant forgiveness. He has provided us with mercy and forgiveness through Christ who came as Savior of the world. He is God. Perhaps it is confusing to some parishioners who hear their pastor declare in a Sunday morning worship service that their sins are forgiven. The key word is "declare." The pastor is not forgiving sins when he says this, but he is declaring that in Christ we are granted such forgiveness.
Prejudice
Much of the world's social trouble is caused by the evil of prejudice. The word "prejudice" means to prejudge, to form judgment before the facts are in. It leads some people to lump together all people of a certain type as objects of scorn. All those of a certain religion or nationality or color of skin are cast aside. The fact that some individuals are worthy of respect for their individual attainment is completely overlooked. The weakness is conveyed in the phrase, "I've made up my mind; don't confuse me with the facts." As a result, hatred and renunciation of others, along with a desire actually to do them harm when possible, rise in the heart of the prejudiced one.
The scribes were unmoved by Christ's miracles. They were out to catch him doing something for which they could condemn him. It mattered not to them that his miracles revealed his divine Sonship. They were out to get him, and everything that stood in the way of this attitude was to be ignored. Jesus once told the story of Dives and Lazarus, which concluded with a statement concerning those who rejected the Lord. Christ says that such people would not change their minds even if confronted by someone who had risen from the dead. Prejudice must be avoided at all costs. The Christian spirit is one of love for all, and a realization of the worth of everyone.
Criticism
It is so easy to criticize. Before we heap scorn on the scribes for their criticism of the good Christ was doing, we need to look at ourselves. Occasionally, criticism is worthwhile, even necessary to correct a fault. But often it is the product of self-pride, of a desire to tear someone down because we are jealous; or we criticize simply to build on our own ego, believing ourselves capable of judging. But criticism must be handled carefully. Otherwise we can unintentionally become critics of the acts of God. Be careful in criticizing the church, or its pastors, or its people. They are trying to fulfill God's will. They need support and encouragement, not the superfluous judgment of "Monday morning quarterbacks."
Illustrations
Prejudice Following Compassion
In some ways we have made progress in overcoming prejudice toward the homeless. This is indicated in the desire to take pity on the unfortunate. The wandering tramp, or hobo, has practically disappeared from our daily experience, and only older people remember them. They would appear at the back door of homes with a polite request for something to eat. Sometimes they were immediately turned away by those who feared them. After all, they were strangers, and they were unkempt. But sometimes pity for them would stir in the heart of a housewife and she would give them food. But sometimes this act of kindness was followed by what, today, seems like a strange action. When the hobo finished and the plate or coffee cup was returned, the housewife would go to the sink and break the utensils, tossing them into the trash. No one in the family should use that which he had used. Washing in soapy, hot water was not enough. He had left some form of contamination. Such reaction was the result of deep-seated prejudice. The prejudice was stronger than the desire to help an unfortunate human being.
Prejudice Backfires
A prejudiced, high-society woman was planning a garden party in her impressive yard. She was pleasantly surprised on the evening before the big party by a telephone call from her only son, a soldier serving overseas. For some reason she had not heard from him for some time, and was highly pleased to know that he was in New York on his way home. She told him excitedly about the big garden party she was giving, and said she was glad that he would be home to enjoy it.
Then the son informed her that he had an army buddy with him whom he would like to bring along. But this buddy had been badly wounded in fighting for his country. He had lost a leg, an arm, and was badly disfigured from the loss of an eye. When asked whether it would be all right to bring this wounded soldier along, the mother was dismayed. She told her son that the wounded soldier could be a damper on the party, and it would be best if he were not there.
The next day the mother received a notice from the War Department, informing her that her son had committed suicide the evening before. He had been easily identified by his war wounds. He had suffered the amputation of a leg, an arm, and had lost an eye. The pitiful young man had simply wanted to find out if his family would accept him in this condition.
Persistence Pays
The men carrying their sick friend did not let the crowd which blocked their way deter them from getting their friend to Christ. Persistence of this sort is a well-known custom in the East. If a favor cannot be obtained in any other way, then the person or persons seeking it will set to crying and making a disturbing noise around the person whose attention they are seeking. It is hoped that this will catch the ear of the one whose favor is sought, or even wear down his opposition. Thus it is common practice for such a means to be employed by farmers who want their taxes lowered after a year of failed crops. The same means is used when they wish to appeal against the actions of a tyrannical governor. It is said that crowds will gather outside the Shah's palace and there set up a continual howling. They refuse to be silent, or to leave when threatened by guards, until they have had the opportunity to air their grievances. They are known even to surround the Shah's car when he is out driving. Often it works, for the Shah will grant their request, not from his love of justice, but because he wishes to be freed of their annoyance.
Truly Wanting Christ's Blessings
Perhaps it was the cripple himself who urged his friends on, or maybe it was the friends who possessed the indomitable will to see that their friend reached Christ. Our Lord taught that we must have a strong desire, an overwhelming urge, to receive his blessings or we will probably become disheartened and fail to receive what he offers. Christ told of a woman who wanted a judge to hear her plea. But he refused. Instead of giving up she kept repeating her request until the judge was worn out with her pestering and so listened to her case. Another time he told of a man who would not get out of bed late at night to give his neighbor a loaf of bread with which to entertain an unexpected visitor. But the man finally relented and did get up in order to stop the neighbor's persistent pleading.
From the life of Buddha there is the story about a man who came to the great religious leader to obtain a blessing. Buddha asked the man to step down with him into a nearby stream. When they were in the water Buddha suddenly grasped the man and pushed him under the water. In spite of his struggles Buddha kept him beneath the surface. Finally, as he was about to drown he was released and came up, sputtering for air. Then Buddha asked him, "When you thought you were drowning, what was it that you wanted far more than anything else?" "Air," the man replied. Then Buddha said, "When you want a spiritual blessing as much as you wanted air, you will receive it."
"Your Sins Are Forgiven"
As a young pastor I was concerned for the owner of a small hotel who was a member of my congregation but who never came to church. One day I dared to confront him. His story to my query about his lack of church attendance was rather basic. He said that when he was confirmed he learned that it is not what we do that saves us unto eternal life. Salvation is a free gift of Christ who died for our sins. He said that since he was already saved he did not feel the need to go to church. He thought he had understood the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith. But he was only partly right. There is a second part to the doctrine. He was overlooking this part. When we are justified by Christ's death we are no longer driven by the impossible demands of the law to live perfect lives in obedience to that law. But we are now impelled by gratitude to God for his gift of salvation to strive to please him in every way possible. Legal demands have been replaced by loving obedience.
Caring For Others
The story of four men bringing their paralyzed friend to Jesus in the hope of a healing should serve as an example for Christians. We are admonished by Christ to care for our fellow human beings. Fortunate are those who receive help from people moved to charity because of Christian impulse.
Among the works of Thomas Carlyle is the story of a widow. She lived in Edinburgh with her three children who were dependent upon her for their support. When she fell ill with typhus she made a desperate appeal to her community. She said that she was dying and in much need of help. In her plea she said, "I am your sister; one God made us. You must help me." But they rejected her call for help and refused to think of her as their sister. Carlyle states that before she died she infected seventeen others with the terrible typhus. He states that she thus proved that she was, indeed, their sister, whom they should have rallied to help.
All of us share a common bond. We are all part of humanity, and no one lives apart from all the others in our human race. How much it behooves us, therefore, in the spirit of Christ, to help our fellow human beings whenever a great need arises.
Caring About Others
The miracle about the man healed because others brought him to Christ is an example of how we should be concerned about the needs of others and what we can do to help. Perhaps we shrug off many opportunities for doing good by not realizing what we can do, or thinking that our little bit will not help very much.
Such was not the case of the poor working girl who firmly believed in God. She had to work seven days each week and therefore could not volunteer for service anywhere, or even attend church on Sunday. Someone pitied her for her lack of any opportunity to do good. But she surprised them. She said that each day she took the newspaper and prayed for people mentioned there. She said she read the column on birth announcements and prayed that each baby would live a good Christian life. She would read the obituary column and pray for God to comfort the bereaved. She read the wedding announcements and prayed that each couple would enjoy many years of happy married life. She shows us how anyone has the opportunity to be supportive and helpful if we care to do so. Don't forget that selfishness must be thrown off and the welfare of others must play a large part in our life.
