The Roof Fell In!

In Mark's gospel we read in chapter 2 the story of Jesus being visited by the sick through the roof of his house!

What happened was that four pals, who refused to let their friend suffer any longer than necessary, set off to get a cure from Jesus. This story being in the earlier part of Mark's gospel seems to say it was an early incident in the ministry of Jesus. The name of Jesus was spreading everywhere and people came to him in their hundreds. The pals arrived at Jesus' house to find that the way in was totally blocked. They did not waste time wondering what to do. They remembered the old addage, "Where there's a Will There's a Way." They got onto the thatched roof and started dismantling enough of it to pass a stretcher through.

I bet Jesus had a shock when bits of his house roof started to fall on him as he spoke to the assembled people. Looking up he saw the stretcher party lowering their friend to the ground in front of him. He was impressed with the faith they had in doing this. There were no questions asked, just a sick man placed before him. Now that is very plain faith. Don't you wish you had friends like these four men?

Mind you, there was an immediate problem with the way Jesus had cured the man. Sitting there in the front row, looking for a ploy to nail Jesus with was a group of Scribes. Jesus first said to the sick man, "Your sins are forgiven." "Who does he think he is?" said the Scribes to each other. He has no authority to forgive sin - that is blasphemy. Blasphemy was a serious crime which was punishable by stoning to death. They could do nothing about it right now as they were outnumbered by the crowd who would have lynched them if they had tried to do any harm to Jesus.

But Jesus heard what they were saying and put a direct question to them. "Which is easier? to say your sins are forgiven or get up and walk?" The answer was obvious, no one could prove a person was forgiven right away. But to be told to get up and walk was the harder and chancier approach. Thereupon he told the man, "Get up and walk."

So, from then on the scribes were waiting for an oppurtunity to kill him. But what friends the four stretcher bearers turned out to be! From Jesus' point of view there was a value in this incident. Early on in his ministry he was able to show people who he was. Only God could forgive sins and here was this young healer/preacher speaking as if he were God! So this means that, early in his work, Jesus was letting people know who he was and what his power and authority was. That was the way to be recognised! Do something that would get the enemy talking. His fate was sealed.

If you look at John's gospel you find that a very early deed was the driving out of the temple of the money changers. This was another way for Jesus to "present his credentials". If there was to be only three years to do the job then it was essential that certain markers were put down at the very beginning. Early effectiveness was the name of this game.

So, you see, there was a double value in this occurrence. The first was the incredible faith of four friends who took the sick man to Jesus the unorthodox way. Second was the throwing down of the gauntlet in front of the scribes in his own house. This was a story that was destined to go round at a very fast pace. It was what Jesus wanted.

This story reflects today in this way. The Christian church is represented by the four pals who went about getting a cure fro their friend. It is we who are here to help those in need and see that they meet Jesus. So what are your needs? In what way can Jesus help you, today? Come and see us and meet Jesus, your friend and saviour.