The Joy Of Bringing Men To Jesus
Text: Mark 2: 1-5
Intro: The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is more than a lifeless organization. It is a living organism, made up of many parts, all of which are to be energized by Christ Himself, for the purpose of accomplishing God’s work on earth.
The Church consists of many individuals from all walks of life, with differing personalities, talents and abilities, united under a number of common goals. Among these common goals are the worship of God, growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, fellowship with other saints, and the propagation of the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. In essence, the Church does not exist for itself, but for the Lord, and the fulfilling of His purposes.
In the short account given us in Mark chapter two, we find four individuals united in one common goal—getting their friend to Jesus. The characteristics of their efforts on behalf of their friend are the same characteristics that must be true of Christians today, if they are to get men and women to Christ.
I want to examine the characteristics of these men, and the overall situation of this event, to ascertain the qualities needed in our day, as we seek to bring others to Christ. I believe this passage has much in the way of pertinent principles for our use.
Theme: In seeking to bring their friend to Jesus, we notice:
I. THE DETERMINATION OF THE FOUR
A. Notice Their Fellowship.
Mark 2: 3 “And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.”
NOTE: [1] The word “fellowship” means “communion, fellowship, sharing in common” (W.E. Vine, M.A., An Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words, Vol. II, published by Fleming H. Revell Company, Old Tappan, New Jersey; pg. 90).
[2] These men shared some things in common:
2a. They all had the same needy friend.
2b. They all shared the same goal of getting their friend to Jesus, so he could be helped.
2c. They all shared the same attitude—they’d do whatever it took for their friend to be delivered.
[3] Sometimes the Lord allows us to bring someone to Christ alone. But more often than not, it is a concerted effort. The Apostle Paul referred to this when he said, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (I Cor.3: 6). Someone else may eventually lead people to Christ whom you have befriended, and with whom you maintained a good Christian testimony. But without a doubt, your friendship and testimony helped pave the way for those people to be brought to Jesus.
B. Notice Their Faith.
Mark 2: 5a “When Jesus saw their faith…”
NOTE: [1] Everything about this situation points to the faith of these men. They truly believed that if they could get this man to Jesus he would be healed.
[2] These men didn’t let anything keep them from their mission:
2a. The fact that their friend couldn’t walk didn’t stop them from getting him to Jesus—they carried him.
2b. The fact that the crowd blocked their access to Jesus didn’t stop them—they went around them.
2c. The fact that the roof of the house lay between their friend and Jesus didn’t stop them—they removed it.
[3] What we need today is a good dose of spiritual determination to bring people to Christ.
D.L. Moody had a keen memory for names and faces. If one of his children was missing from Sunday school, he knew it, and he would do everything possible to find out why. One day he saw an absentee coming down the street, so he took off after her. She ran down the sidewalk, across the street, and through an alley into a saloon, up the stairs to a back apartment, into the bedroom, and then dived under the bed. Moody went after her, and just as he was claiming his prize, the mother showed up.
Panting from the exertion, Moody simply explained, “I’m Moody,” He said that he had missed the girl and would be happy if all the family could come to the services. Within a few weeks he had every child in the family in his school.
The Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 203.
II. THE DIFFICULTIES THEY FACED
A. There Was A Burden To Carry.
Mark 2: 3b “…bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.”
NOTE: [1] In a very real sense, these four men were willing to bear the physical burden of their friend in order to get him to the One Who could help him. Each of them was willing to do their part—they each carried a corner of his pallet. But folks, don’t miss the point. We too must be willing to bear the burden of our lost friends and loved ones that we might get them to Jesus.
[2] What I’m about to say may seem like an elementary observation, but I believe it needs to be made. Notice that these men didn’t try to get the whole town to Jesus, as admirable as that would have been. They concentrated on one man. My point is this: Don’t try to claim the whole world for Jesus. You don’t have that much faith. Claim the ones God lays on your heart, and ask God to give you a burden for their souls.
Candy Counter Culture
We were on our annual Christmas trek to Chicago. Each year we brought our family to spend time with Grandpa and Grandma and visit the museums. This year we decided to finish our Christmas shopping at suburban Woodfield Mall.
In the midst of all the fun and excitement, one of us noticed that little three-and-a-half-year-old Matthew was gone. Terror immediately struck our hearts. We had heard the horror stories: little children kidnapped in malls, rushed to a restroom, donned in different clothes and altered hairstyle, and then swiftly smuggled out, never to be seen again.
We split up, each taking an assigned location. Mine was the parking lot. I’ll never forget that night—kicking through the newly fallen snow, calling out his name at the top of my lungs. I felt like an abject fool, yet my concern for his safety outweighed all other feelings. Unsuccessful, I trudged back to our meeting point. My wife, Martie, had not found him, nor had my mother. And then my dad appeared, holding little Matthew by the hand.
Our hearts leapt for joy. Interestingly enough, Matthew was untraumatized. He hadn’t been crying. To him, there had been no problem. I asked my father where he had found him. “The candy counter,” he replied. “You should have seen him. His eyes came just about as high as the candy. He held his little hands behind his back and moved his head back and forth, surveying all the luscious options.”
Matthew didn’t look lost. He didn’t know he was lost. He was oblivious to the phenomenal danger he was in. This is a candy-counter culture, where people who don’t look lost and don’t know they’re lost live.
Joseph M. Stowell, Moody Monthly, December, 1989, p. 4
B. There Were Barriers To Circumvent.
1. People prevented them from getting to Jesus.
Mark 2: 1b “…and it was noised that he (Jesus) was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.”
NOTE: [1] One point that can be made from these events is that it was Jesus that drew the crowd. It was no secret that wherever Jesus showed up, miraculous things happened. Folks, our community is going to know that Jesus is in the house by watching your lives. When Jesus is in the house, believe me, the word will get around.
[2] Akin to what I’ve just pointed out, observe the fact that physically speaking, the people already in the house prevented the four men with their sick friend from getting to Jesus. In a spiritual sense, that happens far too often these days. Listen folks, our lives either help bring people to Christ, or drive them away from Him. That’s the reason your testimony is so important.
[3] Frederick the Great once said, “The more I get to know people, the more I love my dog.” When you think about it, dogs are pretty real creatures. What you see is what you get. That’s what a lost world is looking for—realness. If we want to bring people to the saving knowledge of Christ, our life must back up our lip.
2. Problems could have prevented them from getting to Jesus.
Mark 2: 4 “And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.”
NOTE: [1] Get the picture here. Four men attempt to bring a friend to Jesus. But they can’t get him into the house where Jesus is because of those already in the house. Then, on top of that, they had to climb the outside stairs to the roof, with their sick friend in tow. Once on the roof, they had to break up a large portion of the roof so they could lower their friend into the house. All of this took an enormous amount of commitment from these four men. I wonder. Are we this committed to getting people to Christ? Or do we give up too soon?
[2] There is a good principle to be learned from the actions of these four men: Problems are surmountable from above. The problems that seem impossible to us are possible with God. We need to learn to take our problems to God, especially those pertaining to the lost.
III. THE DELIVERANCE THEY FOSTERED
A. Jesus Forgives The Paralytic’s Sins.
Mark 2: 5 “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
NOTE: [1] Jesus’ response seems a little unusual, since this man was brought to Jesus only to be healed of his paralysis. However, as the Great Physician, Jesus knew that this particular man’s sickness had a spiritual cause—sin.
Nobody to Forgive Me
Not long before she died in 1988, in a moment of surprising candor in television, Marghanita Laski, one of our best-known secular humanists and novelists, said, “What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness; I have nobody to forgive me.”
John Stott in The Contemporary Christian
[2] In verses six and seven, the scribes took offence to Christ’s statement that He had forgiven the sick man of his sins, stating that only God could forgive sin. Jesus then proceeded to heal the palsied man in order to prove His deity, and His authority to forgive sin.
B. Jesus Heals The Paralytic’s Sickness.
Mark 2: 10 “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.”
NOTE: [1] In one powerful, authoritative stroke, Jesus not only healed this man of his paralysis, but also literally and figuratively caused him to “walk in newness of life” (Rom.6: 4). So complete was the transaction that the man was able to carry his own bed to his house.
[2] It is interesting to note that the idea from the Greek word translated “amazed” in verse twelve, is “out of their minds” (John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, Editors, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament edition, published by Victor Books, Wheaton, Illinois, pg. 113). Those who observed this miracle were literally beside themselves with astonishment.
Theme: In seeking to bring their friend to Jesus, we notice:
I. THE DETERMINATION OF THE FOUR
II. THE DIFFICULTIES THEY FACED
III. THE DELIVERANCE THEY FOSTERED
Be sure to check out the author’s May 12, 2011 book release entitled, "Meditations of the Heart: Thoughts on the Christian Life" at: http://www.amazon.com/Meditations-Heart-Thoughts-Christian-Life/dp/1453739238
