R U SOLD OUT 4 JESUS?

One of my favorite miracles that Jesus performs early in His ministry occurs upon his return to his disciples’ hometown of Capernaum. He is probably relaxing at the home of Simon Peter, Matthew or James or John, the brothers of Zebedee.

As is typical, where Jesus went, large crowds followed as we read in Mark 2:1-5.

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by the four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

There are 5 things that we should examine regarding this miracle…..5 “C’s” that led this paralytic to end up in front of Jesus to be healed….

The first C is the CONCERN of the four that brought him to Jesus. These men knew their friend had a need for healing, perhaps both physical and spiritual.

Secondly, they were CONVICTED that Christ alone could meet their friend’s need. They had probably heard of the miraculous healings that were taking place across the region where Christ was ministering and teaching and they took it upon themselves to get him to Jesus.

Thirdly, they had CONSECREATED themselves to the task at hand and to seeing that their friend had an audience with Jesus…they were “sold out” to overcoming anything that might hinder or stand in their way of having Jesus meet the need of this friend…they had sold out to serving their friend unconditionally in seeking Jesus.

The fourth C deals with both their CREATIVITY, as well as their COOPERATION. The door was blocked and no one was leaving. I’m sure that people were peering through the windows and the way in looked insurmountable….so they looked up and decided the roof was their best plan of attack. But without the cooperation of all four men, it would have been impossible to carry their friend to the roof, dig through and then lower him down in front of Jesus….and then the best part of the miracle happens...

Scripture tells us. “When Jesus saw their faith,” he says to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven….” And after, chastising the religious scribes for their cynical and hypocritical hearts, Jesus tells the paralytic to take up his bed and go home.

Yes, the paralytic picked up his bed and the fifth “C” happened. He, and most likely his four friends were CONVERTED…..They knew that they had experienced God first-hand for verse 12 says, “And he rose up immediately, picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

I’m sure that no one was more amazed than the former paralytic and his four friends….they had come expecting to see Jesus and left glorifying God and proclaiming the miracle that God had done in their lives….so the question today is really quite simple.

Do you possess the faith of the friends so that you are sold out for Jesus and are willing to be concerned, convicted, consecrated, creative and cooperative to bring others to Jesus so that they may be converted by the love and the healing touch of Jesus?

What obstacles are standing in your way to being all that you can be for Jesus?

Take a moment today and ask God who can you carry to Jesus….He’s waiting to see your faith in action.

Working to be found a good and faithful servant,

WPQ