You're Missing the Point

I. Introduction

Have you ever been in a conversation with somebody and, after explaining things to them, it became very clear that they totally missed the point of what you were trying to say?

I once preached on the importance of spreading the Gospel to people....and I had talked about the condition of poor people all over the world and how important it is to try and help those folks....I quoted

Mark 8:36 NASB95

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

And at the end of that, a man said “you know I think you were right preacher....we really need to do more to help poor folks in the world.”....I *sighed*…because while it is nice to help the poor....if we help the poor and never share the Gospel with them…wow…what a disservice right? I thought to myself: this poor dude didn’t listen to a word I said in the past 40 minutes or so.

Well after last week’s look at struggle and the way Jesus handled it, this week I want to look at an incident where those watching totally missed the point too.

a. Scripture: Mark 2:1-3

I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word.

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

II. Major Points

The Wrong Place at the Right Time

A Swing and a Miss

III. Point #1: The Wrong Place at the Right Time

Explanation

So after the events from our study last week where Jesus did all that healing, Mark tells us that several days had passed. And now Jesus is back at the home base of Capernaum…Mark writes he was “home”....but He isn’t in Nazareth....he’s in Capernaum and so he’s probably at Peter’s house.

So Jesus is teaching in this house…and it was evidently packed in there. There was no room. And so there was a man who was paralyzed....and his four friends wanted to find a way to get him to Jesus....why?

Jesus is teaching the word here....He is teaching the people about truth and salvation....and amidst that....this man’s friends want to bring him to Jesus?

Let me ask you something: If your good friend was sick....why would you take Him to....essentially....a Bible study?

I mean this wasn’t some healing service like you see on TV with Benny Hinn or some other phony…this was essentially a Bible study like we have right here in this church on Wednesday evenings.

So....why take him there? Seems an awful lot like the wrong place, doesn’t it?

Illustration

I don’t know if you’ve ever found yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are a lot of movies where that is the plot....

If you’ve ever seen the movie dumb and dumber…first of all, I don’t recommend you do…its crude and silly....but in Dumb and Dumber, Jim Carey plays an incredibly silly limo driver named Lloyd…and Lloyd meets this girl named Mary that he is taking to the airport…and after talking to her about two minutes, he has decided that he is totally in love with her. Little does he know that she isn’t really getting on a flight, but instead is leaving a suitcase with ransom money meant to pay some crooks to get her husband back....

When Lloyd accidentally sees her leave the briefcase for the crooks to pick up, he assumes it was left by accident....and....well this happens:

<show video>

I’M A LIMO DRIVER!

Use that the next time you get pulled over, right? It’s alright officer, I can drive fast, I’m a limo driver!

Poor Lloyd was in the wrong place…at the wrong time.

Application

Church: It appeared that these four friends had brought their friend to the wrong place....but whether it was the wrong place or not…it was definitely God’s timing…so it was the right time.

Mark says that when the friends realized that there was no room at the door to get in....they went to the roof top and made a hole so they could lower him down in front of Jesus....

Now hold on just a minute....I just want to say a couple of things here:

THAT is the kind of friends I want in my life, amen? Yall can’t get me in the front door....so you go to the roof top and cut a HOLE in it and lower me down in there like Tom Cruise on Mission Impossible....give me those kinds of friends, amen? I’ll take em’!

Secondly, can you imagine…<Laugh>…sitting there in the middle of Bible study....and dirt and sticks start falling on your heads and getting in the preacher’s hair while he’s preaching? <laugh>…I mean just imagine…we’re having Bible study and some rednecks are up on the roof with chainsaws to cut a hole up there to lower Billy Bob down here....I mean this had to be a crazy experience!

So he is lowered down....and yeah, this seems to be the wrong place....a Bible study....and He wants healing from being paralyzed....Jesus knew why they came....verse 5 says “he saw their faith”....and He does something that confuses everybody there....Jesus says “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

He was there at the wrong place....and he gets held forever....from His sins. Perhaps the wrong place....but in the right time for sure.

The man received eternal forgiveness.

IV. Point #2: A Swing and a Miss

Explanation

So this man came for healing....and Jesus gave him spiritual healing...”Son,” He said, “your sins are forgiven.”

The reaction of the folks sitting there was predictable…confusion…they called Jesus a blaphemer....”why can forgive sins but God??”....

Immediately, Jesus recognizes that they are confused and agitated....so He says

Mark 2:9 NASB95

“Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’?

In other words: Here are these people who showed up to hear Jesus preach....and they are all about seeing some miracles....but then He does something even greater than a physical healing: Jesus gives an eternal, spiritual healing....He tells this man He is FORGIVEN....

And they are like “woah woah whoah Jesus....we were just fine with you healing people and all your little miracles....but forgiving sin....fella that’s a step too far...”....think about the hypocrisy here.....Here Jesus is teaching them about salvation and forgiveness....and a man comes in needing just that....and He gives it....and they are like “wait a minute! You can’t DO that Jesus!”....they missed the point....a swing and a miss....STRIKE!

Illustration

My Aunt Colleen passed away last year....and though she and I disagreed on a lot of things politically....there was always one special thing I always admired about her: she stood up for the little....always had her entire life. She served many years in the peace corps trying to help people in the struggling countries of Bulgaria and Romania lift themselves out of poverty with education....

Before that, she had been an executive at AT&T....so this lady KNEW phones and phone companies. One day I remember her being on the phone with a phone company....and she was livid because she had discovered that she had been overcharged....and she was demanding that her money be refunded. After they had given her the run around....I learned that she had been overcharged a whopping $10....

I know....

Most of us probably wouldn’t have bothered over $10 would we?

But when my grandpa asked her why she was losing her cool over $10, Colleen said “Wayne…that’s not the point....It’s not the $10…it’s the principle of the thing.....if they can overcharge me $10, what’s to stop them from overcharging some unknowing elderly person by hundreds?”

Everybody saw the $10 and missed the point you see....she just wanted to see things done right. THAT was the point.

Application

You see, Jesus had been teaching these people, probably that very day that the ultimate healing was to be healed eternally…from our sin....and here it is…He did IT! And they were all concerned with why he hadn’t healed the man’s paralysis....and made Him walk again....

a swing and a miss....

Jesus says…you guys have missed the point! I didn’t come here to heal everybody’s little infirmity....I came to heal you from sin so that when you die you can be with me....and you’ll never even SEE a sickness again, much less have one!

He has been teaching them that He was the Messiah…that His power was beyond just healing physical ailments...

Mark 2:10–12 NASB95

“But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.” And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

So Jesus healed the man spiritually....and THEN, because of the man’s faith, He healed Him physically too....

But church listen to me: The problem in our world today....the problem even in much of the church today....is that we totally miss the point.

Some churches are so hung up love and service and wanting to be liked by the community that they never preach the Gospel and people aren’t getting saved....oh they start the most wonderful ministries....soup kitchens....homeless shelters....food banks.....and they help many a helpless soul.....but they never share Jesus with them....now the homeless are clothed....they have a full belly....they have a roof over their heads.....the alcoholics are sober....the jobless are employed....but they are still headed to hell....and when those of us who care try to share the Gospel....the good news.....the truth that Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven....they look at us the same way these men looked at Jesus....with disdain....and disappointment....and they say BLASPHEMY!

But I respond this way: The Son of Man....Jesus. has authority on earth to forgive sins.....and THAT is the Jesus we need to show people....

Let’s not swing and miss here at Morningside....let’s hit it out of the park every time…amen?

V. Conclusion

a. Let me ask you this morning: are you focused on the right things???? Are you interested in spreading the Gospel? It’s not just about treating others nice or good…all that is great....but are you sharing Jesus with them too? Let’s hit it out of the park and not miss the point, amen?

b. Let’s Pray