FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Scripture Reference: Mark 2:1-12

Our Deepest Need – as People

The crowd that gathered around Jesus was made up of two principal groups of people, those friendly toward Him and those troubled by Him. The scribes were outwardly hostile toward Jesus. The rest were friendly toward Him or others simply curious about Him. There is one thing, however, they all, whether hostile or friendly, shared in common.

Why do you suppose people come to church today? There are perhaps many reasons, but I can think of a few of the more common ones. For a few people, there is no other place to be on Sunday but with God’s people in worship. Their love of Christ compels them to gather with God’s people to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord. They long for it and look forward to it.

For others coming to church is a matter of responsibility. They live with a tremendous sense of “obligation” about church attendance. Having made a commitment to Christ and His church, they feel obligated to attend whether they like it or experience much from it.

Since many of us are creatures of habit, I am sure there are some who come as a matter of habit. It’s part of their normal routine like getting up daily and going to work. There may be little thought or preparation about it. They’re so accustomed to coming that little, if any, investment is necessary.

It is hardly conceivable but humanly possible that a few go to church to keep from tarnishing an image or jeopardizing a social standing in the community. It is difficult for me to imagine this as a conscious motivation, but I am certain it must unconsciously motivate some persons to come to church. Sadly, there are some churches that are more social than spiritual.

These are perhaps only a few of the many reasons why people come to church but, I believe, beneath and behind all the possible motivations is the primary motivation, each of us longs to find God or, better still, be found by Him. The truth is, our deepest need is to know God personally. The “something unusual” we long for in worship is Someone whom we call God.

I was thinking back at a time my wife and I gathered at her parents house for a holiday dinner. Hers was a big extended family and there were always a lot of kids around and I loved interacting with them. I was pretty much just a big kid at heart. Since her parents had a big yard, the kids often loved playing “Hide and Seek.” I noticed an interesting thing as we played, however. Every time I was “it” the kids would always hide so they’d be sure I’d have no trouble finding them. If it appeared I was about to run past where they were hiding, they would giggle or clear their throats to make sure I would find them. I kept thinking to myself, Why do they want me to find them so quickly and easily? As I was thinking back, it was a perplexing thought until I remembered the story in Mark’s Gospel and the reason why so many people come to church. The real reason many people come to church is no different than that of the kids playing “Hide and Seek” with me. The children wanted me to find them just as each of us wants God to find us. There is no greater need which any of us have than the need to be found by God. I believe with all my heart that the message of this story is that our need to be found by the Father is met in and through Jesus Christ. Have you been found by Him, yet?

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: Mark 2:1-12

Our Need to Be Useful – the Philanthropists

My imagination is captured by these four nameless friends of the paralytic. When I read this story, I imagine what might happen should one of our worship services be interrupted by latecomers bringing people to Christ from all over the community that our church serves. There are two things which frighten me about such a thought. One is that some church members would be upset or not understand because worship was interrupted. The other is that it is hard to imagine such an occurrence because, the truth is, we so seldom bring people, no matter the state they are in, to the feet Christ. Perhaps this is why these four men are so compelling to me. They represent the mission of the church and our need to be useful to God in carrying out that mission.

In his book Your Other Vocation, Elton Trueblood said:

“Unless we can go to work with God on Monday, we are not likely, in the long run, to have any effective worship of God on Sunday, and if we do engage in the latter, it becomes a sham.” ¹

The four men of this story are remarkable in many ways. For one thing, they’re cooperative in their efforts. What they accomplished cooperatively would have been impossible individually. Fulfilling the mission of the church, which in essence, is bringing people to Jesus, is possible when we are united in our efforts.

Their compassion is commendable. In a world where it was easy not to care about anything or anyone, here was a group of persons who were motivated by love.

They were also creative in their techniques. If I had been one of the four fellows, I would have probably given up at the crowded door and suggested to the others that we return the paralytic to his home.

The most remarkable thing about these four men, however, was the conviction of their hearts. They were convinced that Jesus could make a difference in the paralytic’s life if they could only succeed in bringing him to Christ.

When Jesus looked up at these four men as they lowered their friend to His feet, what do you think Jesus admired most about them? Their cooperation? Their compassion? Their creativity? Perhaps! But, I think what most impressed Him was their belief in His power to change life dramatically and their willingness to do anything to see it happen. The Bible says, “When Jesus saw their faith,” He was moved to help the paralytic. It was their faith in Christ and the difference He could make in their friend’s life which impressed Jesus.

Sometimes, I think it is important for us to ask ourselves what we believe Jesus can do for the people we bring to Him. What do you believe deep down? What difference can He make in the lives of those with whom you work? Can Christ do anything for your neighbor next door? Are you allowing Him to make a difference in your own life? If there’s anything the church needs today, it is a renewal of belief in the power of Christ to change human lives’. And, if there’s anything each individual believer needs, it is fresh commitment to the church’s mission of bringing people to Jesus. We all have a need to be useful. The mission of the church can meet your need. It goes without saying, your enjoyment of worship is unmistakably tied to your involvement in the church’s mission. Worship without witness is a contradiction in living the life of faith.

To Be Continued

¹ Elton Trueblood, Your Other Vocation (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1952)
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: Mark 2:1-12

Our Unspoken Needs – the Paralytic

There’s a sense in which each of us is like the paralytic. We have needs which we may never share with anyone else, but they are nonetheless real.

In the church where I attend and try to serve, we have a place in our order of worship where we ask for prayer requests, like many churches do, and then we pray together for those persons and their needs. I have never lead or joined in prayer in the gathered congregation without reminding myself that all of those attending, and even those missing a particular service, have needs and burdens, too. The truth is, we all have needs of our own, and while no one present may know of those needs unless spoken, they are real nonetheless.

In the story Mark relates, the paralytic represents each of us and our unspoken needs—needs which may be unknown to others, but at the same time, known and understood by Christ.

What do you feel you need right now more than anything else? Sometimes, I think we become a little mixed up about this. For example, there are times we feel what we need is to “fit in” with our peers at school or colleagues at work, when perhaps what we really need is to learn to enjoy our acceptance to Christ. When I was an assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel in Arizona, I counseled a couple once whose marriage was anything but ideal. They decided what their lives needed was to build a new house in a new neighborhood. I felt after hearing them, however, what they really needed was to rediscover the meaning of their love for one another and start construction on a home not a house.

There are times we’re tempted to feel that a more prestigious degree or larger place of service will give us the recognition we deserve when what we really need is the recognition of Christ and the rediscovery of purpose where we are.

The fashion craze of our culture and the crass materialism of our society often blinds us to our real needs. We try to bolster our image by changing our wardrobe. We seek happiness in the fruitless pursuit of things. I think it would help all of us recognize our deeper need to have our values changed by Christ and learn the secret of contentment borne out of a relationship to Christ. Mother Teresa rightly said that you will never know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have. It takes far too long for many of us to learn that simple but profound truth, believe me, I have not been immune to that fact!

I do not know if the paralytic was aware of his unspoken need for forgiveness. The philanthropists who brought him to Jesus were obviously unaware of any need beyond that of physical healing. I do believe, however, that Jesus knows you and me better than we know ourselves, and He has not only the willingness but the power to meet our unspoken needs. Will you permit Him to meet yours? The secret of true worship lies in the acknowledgment of our individual needs. Out-of-the-ordinary things do happen in worship with this basic and fundamental acknowledgment.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: Mark 2:1-12

There are several interesting things about this episode in the life and ministry of Jesus. One is the characters around whom the drama unfolds. You will observe the crowd of people packed tightly in the house, some of whom were friendly toward Jesus, while others were unfriendly . . . namely the scribes.

There is the paralytic himself, helpless and without hope, in whom Jesus performs a miracle of healing. Then, there are the four philanthropists, committed, compassionate, and creative in their efforts at bringing the paralyzed man to Jesus. Any one of these characters or groups of persons: the people, paralytic, or philanthropists, invites careful study.

Before we examine the characters of the story and what each may mean to us, however, take a look at the conversations which took place. You will notice that much of the dialogue is below the surface, so to speak. For example, the philanthropists never say a word but Jesus looks into their hearts and responds to their faith.

The crowd of people in the story say nothing until the end; amazed at the healing of the paralytic, they glorify God saying, “We never say anything like this!” The scribes do speak but not aloud. They complain in their hearts, and Jesus carries on a dialogue with their nonverbal complaints (see verses 6-8). If you think about it, all of the characters and conversations are important to the interpretation and application of the story to our lives. Given that fact, the most significant conversation is the one between Jesus and the paralytic. Again, you will notice the conversation takes place beneath the surface of consciousness. Jesus looked beyond the paralytic’s most obvious need, his need for physical healing, and speaks to the paralytic’s greatest need, the need for spiritual healing. “Son, your sins are forgiven you,” Jesus said.

Both the characters in the story and their conversations with Jesus remind me of how often each of us comes to church, and on the surface, we look as if we have it all together, yet deep down we each have needs . . . needs which may not be so apparent to the casual observer but needs which Christ alone can meet.

To me the whole point of the miracle story is that each of us must let Christ meet our deepest needs and those needs are represented in the three groups of persons found in the story: the paralytic, philanthropists, and people.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: Mark 2:1-12

The service was in progress. The house was full just the way most ministers like it. The guest speaker was Jesus Himself who stood to His feet and started His sermon. No sooner had He made the first point, however, when everyone’s attention was riveted to the ceiling as the noise of footsteps made it seem as if the roof itself would fall on them. Indeed, to their astonishment, a portion of the roof was removed, and as the people below rubbed their eyes of the dusty debris and plucked the fallen pieces of plaster from their hair, they heard one of the nameless intruders say, “Yep, here He is! Let’s lower the stretcher right here!”

The crowd was stunned. In silence, they watched as four men lowered a fifth man to the feet of Jesus. “Son, your sins are forgiven you. Arise, take up your bed and walk.” These words were among the things Jesus said to the helpless man. Within moments, the paralyzed man stood to his feet, folded his pallet, and walked out of the crowded house. The astonished worshipers ended their stunned silence by saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

I can truly understand their astonishment. There are times I come to worship and long for something out of the ordinary to happen. If I’m truly honest with you, at times, my life, including my worship, all too frequently becomes mundane and predictable.

I am reminded of the story told of a little boy who went to live with his grandmother. She was a very devout Christian whose loyalty to her church prohibited her from ever missing a service.

One day the circus came to their community. That would not have been so unusual except that, in this case, the circus was to perform only once, and the performance was to take place during prayer meeting on Wednesday night.

“May I go to the circus?” pleaded the her grandson.

“Of course not!” replied Grandma. “You know that we always go to prayer meeting on Wednesday night.”

“I know, Grandma,” he continued. “But there’s only one performance. May I go just this once? Please? Please?”

Against her better wishes, she consented. “Just this once, but never again!” she instructed.

Later that evening when the boy had returned from the circus and Grandma had returned from church, she asked him, “Well, how did it go?”

He thought for a moment and then confessed, “Well, Grandma, if you ever go to the circus once, you’ll never want to go back to prayer meeting on Wednesday night!”

Do you ever feel that way about worship? The story of the healing of the paralytic reminds us of how the routine of our life and worship may be interrupted and redeemed by Christ. Take a fresh look at this story with me. Who knows how your life may be “surprised by joy,” as C. S. Lewis once put it.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.