Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Co 1:2). Amen.
“I know.” Those are comforting words. Especially if they come from someone who does know what we need when we are in need.
Like moms. “I know that you are hungry. Here is a bedtime snack for your empty stomach.” (Of course, the point of starvation only hits the moment it is time to hit the hay. Moms know that stall tactic too. But they can’t let their little one go to sleep with their belly touching their backbone.)
Like doctors. “I know that you are hurting. Here is a bigtime antibiotic for your cold symptoms.”
But while that may be the case at times with a parent or a professional, is it that way every time? We wonder if that is true exactly or entirely. Does anyone actually know what I need specifically or definitely?
Jesus does. He knows all things. He makes that plain as he deals with a paralytic.
It was standing room only that day in Capernaum maybe like Super Bowl media day and the reporters join the mob to get at the athletes to ask them those deep, probing questions like, “Do you like the weather in Minnesota?” (They are playing the 52nd annual game inside. It is immaterial.) Those individuals in that city heard that Jesus was back in town and back at home (Mk 2:1).
As it often happened, a huge crowd headed to where Jesus was. The result was: “There was no room left, not even outside the door” (Mk 2:2). (That is going to be an essential detail in a minute.) Jesus didn’t get angry or upset. He took advantage of the situation—in a good way. “He preached the word to them” (Mk 2:2). Jesus met their need. He kept on speaking to them the gospel, the good news—who he was and why he had come. He was the promised Savior from sin.
How critical it is for us to listen to Jesus from the mouths of his messengers or in the pages in print. Open your ears in public worship and your Bibles in private worship. Jesus is talking to you. And listen.
There were four men with strong backs and big muscles as well as strong desires and big hopes. They had to get to Jesus because of love. Because there was a fifth man, their friend, on a cot-like stretcher. His legs didn’t work so he let them lug him to Jesus (Mk 2:3). That is as much as we know about him. A condition from birth? A consequence of wildness? It doesn’t matter. He couldn’t walk. Enough said.
But the entrance was completely blocked. They could they get at or to Jesus. But that didn’t stop them. They got relatively creative and suddenly made the house handicap accessible. Houses back then had flat roofs and perhaps outside stairs leading to the top. I am not a contractor, but there were beams over which were planks (2 x 4s or 2 x5s—whatever it took) and covered with clay or straw. There were no shingles or shakes.
Anyway, they made a hole (Mk 1:4). Picture it while Jesus is talking. First the pitter-patter of feet above followed by the sound of scratching. Then the dust and dirt falling down. And then they “lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on” (Mk 2:4). The interruption did not disturb Jesus. It delighted him. “Jesus saw their faith” (Mk 2:5). That is, the genuine trust of all five of them. Jesus knew what was in their heart.
Take note of that. Jesus knows your faith. He smiles at your persistent, insistent reliance on him. Because it is not misplaced. Jesus knows what is in your heart.
Jesus’ initial statement to this man might seem strange. “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mk 2:5). But it should not be surprising. First the soul—so that he could stand before God. It would be like a surgeon after you have been injured in a skiing accident. He will set the ankle before he stitches your cheek. He takes care of what is primary and then heads to the secondary.
Jesus knew THE need that was troubling him most. “Son (literally child—it was a term of endearment), your sins are sent away.” Gone. Not some or several sins, but all. It was the psalmist whom the choir quoted earlier: “Praise the LORD, O my soul, … who forgives all your sins” (Ps 103:2,3). And then David depicts it: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Ps 103:12). All the rebellion and revolt are long gone. The ruined relationship is restored. Jesus knew THE need of the soul and he took care of it with forgiveness.
It could be when we are lying on our bed at night or driving our car at noon. And then it comes to mind. A recent sin or a reoccurring sin. We had forgotten about it or have been fighting against it. It makes no difference. It haunts us. And it is hard. All of a sudden we are wide awake or wide-eyed. Whether sweating or crying, we are glad that no one knows. Or if they can at least keep it quiet.
But Jesus knows (He 4:13). We can actually be relieved that he does. Because he knows what we need. “Son [or daughter—recall “child.” Who doesn’t want to forgive a child? Jesus does.], your sins are forgiven” (Mk 2:5). And it is as if you are the only one at the moment—son, not sons, daughter, not daughters.
Jesus sends them all off. He does it at the font, in the Supper, in the Word. Not many or most sins, but all. We might think of it this way. We put our garbage out at the curb. When the garbage men come and take it away, we don’t go to the dump to reclaim it. It was God who guaranteed: “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Is 43:25). He wipes them away from our account and wipes them off our record. (It would be nice if a bank would cancel a car loan like that.) Jesus did that by dragging them all to the cross and dying for them there. And he will not bring them back or bring them up ever again. Jesus knows THE need and he did away with it for you and me. To which we reply, “Amen. It is true.” As the apostle Paul reminded us: “And so through him [that is, through Jesus] the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Co 1:20). We add our voice to the psalm writer: “All my inmost being, praise his holy name” (Ps 103:1).
But it was a mixed multitude. Not all there were friendly. There were the foes who were spying and snooping, possibly in their front row seats. Their attitude is inexcusable. “Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ‘Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’” (Mk 2:6,7). These experts in the law were carefully considering the occurrence, turning it over in their minds. It was not complimentary or kind, but disparaging and disapproving. “Who does this one think he is?” He is slandering God—giving him a bad name—by claiming to be equal to God. They were right. God is the only One who can forgive sins. But they were wrong. They didn’t recognize that Jesus was God. Fifty percent is still failing.
Jesus wasted no time in tutoring them. He knew. “Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?” (Mk 2:8). Jesus calls them on their thoughts. That should have frightened them.
And then the two-part question: “Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?” (Mk 2:9). Which of the two required less effort? In a sense, both are difficult and something only God can do..
“Your sins are forgiven” (Mk 2:9). That is hard because there is no demonstration. Just words. No verification or validation.
“Get up, take your mat and walk” (Mk 2:9). That is hard because there has to be a demonstration. A miracle.
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” (Mk 2:10). That is Jesus’ favorite designation for himself—the Son of Man (Da 7:13,14). He is true God, but also true man—identifying with the ones whom he came to rescue, taking on our flesh and blood. As such, he knew the need of the body after THE need of the soul.
Then Jesus breaks off the conversation with them and goes back to the lame man. If Jesus can do one, he can do the other. So Jesus backed up an important affirmation—“ Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mk 9:5)—with an impressive action. Three short commands. “He said to the paralytic, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home’” (Mk 2:10,11). And three short acts. “He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all” (Mk 2:12). It was instantaneous and immediate. He didn’t have to warm up or stretch out his muscles. No Pilates or yoga. He merely walked out in front of them all, hauling his mat with him. He wouldn’t have use for it anymore. I recently got new tires for my bike. Yes. I had them put them on. $8/tire saved me 8 hours of frustration—only to waste the time of heading back to the repair shop to have them mount them anyway. I brought the old ones home. I have no idea why. I don’t plan on using them again.
All this had an effect on the assembly. “This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’” (Mk 2:12). They were beside themselves trying to take this scene all in. It was difficult to put it all together. Perhaps there will be a play in US Bank Stadium where we will have the same reaction (or at least a 5 million dollar, 30-second commercial [That number in itself is hard to grasp.]). But they gave honor where honor was due—to God.
And we do too. We all have our own pains and problems. It may not be paralysis. But it is significant and serious—from the ailing flu to failing health, and everything in between. It could be self-inflicted or sin-inflicted—something that we have brought on ourselves in particular or something that sin brings in general. Jesus knows that need. And as David reminded us: The LORD “heals all your diseases” (Ps 103:3).
What? Really? We get over a sickness. We even go into remission from cancer. But what about what is chronic and constant? That too. If he allows something to linger, he gets us to realize our total dependence on him. He strengthens us with patience and perseverance until the day when he ushers us to our perfect home in heaven where our bodies will be transformed like his glorious body (Php 3:21)—free of disease or death. We long for that as we look to him as he assures us that all things work in harmony for our ultimate good. As Paul penned to the Christians in Corinth: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” (2 Co 1:20). Jesus knows the need after THE need.
What mommies and doctors know in part, Jesus knows perfectly. Jesus knows THE need of our soul—pardon for our sins. And he provides it. He knows the need of our body—his power and presence. And he provides that too. That is calming: Jesus knows. Happy Epiphany.
We read from Mark 2:1-12:
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.
4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?
9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic,
11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Co 13:14). Amen.
February 4, 2018
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