JUST SHOW UP

Mark 2:3–4 KJV

And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 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.

There are some people who will never get to Jesus unless somebody loves them enough to help carry them.

Mark chapter 2 gives us one of the most beautiful pictures of faith, friendship, burden-bearing, and spiritual determination in all the Gospels.

Jesus has returned to Capernaum, and the news spreads quickly that He is in the house. The Bible says in

Mark 2:2 KJV

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.

The house was full.

The doorway was blocked.

The crowd was pressing.

But outside that house was a man who could not get to Jesus by himself.

He was “sick of the palsy.” The word refers to a paralyzed man.

His legs could not carry him.

His hands may have been weak.

His condition had made him dependent on others.

He could not walk to Jesus.

He could not climb through the crowd.

He could not press his way into the house.

But he had four friends who decided they were going to show up.

They showed up with compassion.

They showed up with commitment.

They showed up with courage.

They showed up with faith.

They showed up when the way was blocked.

They showed up when it was inconvenient.

They showed up when it cost them something.

And because they showed up, a helpless man found himself at the feet of Jesus.

That is the kind of Christianity we need in our day.

We need believers who will not just talk about people who are hurting, but will show up for them.

We need churches that will not just notice the lost, the broken, the addicted, the discouraged, and the wounded, but will help carry them to Christ.

I. SHOW UP WITH A BURDEN

Mark 2:3 “And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.”

The first thing we see is that these men had a burden. They were not coming empty-handed. They were bringing someone to Jesus.

A. They noticed his condition

In the Bible, physical paralysis often gives us a picture of spiritual helplessness.

This man could not raise himself.

He could not move himself.

He could not deliver himself.

And that is exactly where the sinner is apart from the grace of God.

Ephesians 2:1 KJV

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Lost people do not just need advice. They need life.

They do not just need religion. They need regeneration.

They do not just need a better environment. They need Jesus.

This man’s greatest need was not that he could not walk. His greatest need was that he needed forgiveness.

That is why Jesus said in Mark 2:5, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”

Jesus saw beyond the mat.

Jesus saw beyond the paralysis.

Jesus saw beyond the obvious problem.

Jesus saw the soul.

B. They cared about his soul

These four men could have left him where he was.

They could have said, “That is not our problem.”

They could have said, “Somebody else will help him.”

They could have said, “It is too much work.”

But love does not walk away from need.

Galatians 6:2 KJV

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

There are people around us who are spiritually paralyzed by sin, fear, bitterness, addiction, grief, shame, and unbelief.

They may not know how to get to Jesus. They may not even know where to begin.

Somebody needs to care enough to show up for.

A prodigal child.

A hurting friend.

A broken family.

A lost sinner.

C. They did what they could

They could not heal him.

They could not restore his legs.

They could not forgive his sins.

They could not change his life.

But they could carry him.

You may not be able to save anybody, but you can bring them to the Savior.

You may not be able to fix anybody, but you can carry them in prayer.

You may not be able to answer every question, but you can point them to the One who is the answer.

💡 These men could not make the paralyzed man walk, but they could carry the corner of his bed. Sometimes ministry is simply picking up your corner and helping get somebody closer to Jesus.

II. SHOW UP DESPITE THE BARRIER

Mark 2:4 “And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press…”

They came to Jesus, but there was a problem. They could not get near Him because of the crowd.

A. There was no easy access

The door was blocked. The house was full. There was no room.

Most people would have quit right there.

“Well, we tried.”

“It must not be God’s will.”

“We will come back another day.”

“There are too many people in the way.”

But real faith does not quit at the first obstacle.

B. There will always be something in the way

Anytime you decide to bring someone to Jesus, there will be obstacles.

The obstacle of inconvenience.

The obstacle of criticism.

The obstacle of time.

The obstacle of discouragement.

The obstacle of spiritual warfare.

There may be the obstacle of people who do not understand.

The devil does not mind a church having activity as long as nobody is getting to Jesus.

He does not mind religious crowds as long as sinners stay outside the door.

He does not mind us talking about evangelism as long as we never carry anybody to Christ.

But these men refused to let the crowd stop them.

C. The church must never become the barrier

This part ought to search our hearts. God help us never to be the kind of people who gather around Jesus but make it harder for broken people to reach Him.

Our preferences should never block sinners from hearing the Gospel.

Our pride should never block hurting people from finding mercy.

Our traditions should never block the broken from seeing Christ.

Our coldness should never block the discouraged from finding hope.

Jesus said in

Matthew 11:28 KJV

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

III. SHOW UP WITH BOLDNESS

Mark 2:4 “…they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up…”

These men did something bold.

They created a way where there was no way.

In the homes of that day, roofs were commonly flat and accessible by an outside stairway. The roof might be made of beams, branches, packed clay, and tile-like materials.

To open that roof would have taken effort. It would have made noise. It would have interrupted the meeting. It would have created a mess.

*** But desperate faith is not easily embarrassed.*** Desperate faith of Blind Bartimaeus

Mark 10:46–49 KJV

“ blind Bartimaeus…sat by the highway side begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus…he began to cry out…And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still”

A. Bold faith will look unusual to some people

Can you imagine the people inside that house?

Jesus is preaching. The room is packed.

Then suddenly, dirt begins to fall.

People look up.

A hole starts opening in the ceiling.

Hands begin tearing away material.

Light breaks through.

Then a bed begins to lower right in front of Jesus.

Somebody probably thought, “This is out of order.”, “This is too much.”, “Who is going to fix the roof?”

Sometimes faith will make you look foolish to people who do not share your burden.

Noah looked foolish building an ark.

David looked foolish running toward Goliath.

Bartimaeus looked foolish crying out for mercy.

But faith is willing to be misunderstood if Jesus is the goal.

Mark 2:5 KJV

“When Jesus saw their faith…”

That phrase is powerful….. How can faith be seen?

He saw the faith of the men carrying the bed.

He saw the faith that climbed the roof.

He saw the faith that tore through the obstacle.

He saw the faith that lowered the helpless man to His feet.

James 2:18 KJV

“shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

Their faith had hands

Their faith had feet.

Their faith had sweat.

Their faith had determination.

B. Bold faith keeps Jesus at the center

They did not lower this man in front of the disciples.

They did not lower him in front of the scribes.

They did not lower him in front of the crowd.

They lowered him to Jesus.

That is the goal of every sermon, every song, every invitation, every Sunday school class, every visitation, every prayer meeting, and every ministry of the church: get people to Jesus.

IV. SHOW UP WITH FAITH

Mark 2:5 “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”

Jesus responded to visible faith.

A. Their faith was visible

Faith is inward, but real faith eventually shows outwardly.

Jesus did not merely hear their faith. He saw it.

He saw it in their burden.

He saw it in their carrying.

He saw it in their persistence.

He saw it in their roof-tearing determination.

He saw it in their willingness to lower the man to His feet.

Faith is more than saying, “I care.” …. Faith says, “I will carry.”

Faith is more than saying, “I believe Jesus can.” … Faith says, “I am going to bring this need to Him.”

B. Their faith brought a man to forgiveness

Jesus first addressed the man’s deepest need: “forgivneness”

The scribes did not like it.

Mark 2:7 KJV

Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

Their theology was partly right. Only God can forgive sins.

But their conclusion was wrong, because Jesus is God in the flesh.

He is also the Son of God with divine authority.

He has authority over demons, disease, nature, the Sabbath, and here He shows His authority to forgive sins…. That is what the paralyzed man needed most.

If Jesus had healed his legs but left his soul unforgiven, he would have walked into eternity lost.

But Jesus gave him the greater miracle first.

C. Their faith became part of another man’s miracle

This man’s life changed because somebody showed up for him.

That ought to encourage us.

Keep praying

Keep inviting that friend.

Keep teaching that class.

Keep preaching the Gospel.

Keep carrying that burden.

KEEP SHOWING UP

You never know what moment God may use to bring someone to the feet of Jesus.

💡 The man on the bed had a need, but the men on the corners had faith.

Sometimes your faith may help carry someone through a season when they do not have strength to walk for themselves.

V. SHOW UP AND WATCH JESUS WORK

Mark 2:11–12 “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…”

What a moment that must have been.

The man who had been carried in walked out.

The man who had been lowered down stood up.

The man who came on a bed left carrying the bed.

The one who had been helpless became a living testimony.

A. Jesus proved His power

Jesus asked in

Mark 2:9 KJV

Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

The healing became the visible proof of the invisible forgiveness.

Nobody in that room could see forgiveness happen in the man’s heart.

But everybody could see him get up and walk.

Jesus healed the body to prove He had authority to forgive the soul.

B. Jesus changed his testimony

Before he met Jesus, the bed carried him. After he met Jesus, he carried the bed.

That bed had been a symbol of his bondage.

A reminder of his helplessness.

It represented his old life.

But after Jesus spoke, the thing that used to carry him was now carried by him.

That is what Jesus does.

The drunk becomes sober.

The bitter becomes sweet.

The lost becomes saved.

The bound becomes free.

The guilty becomes forgiven.

The broken becomes whole.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

“…if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

C. Jesus received the glory

Mark 2:12 KJV

“… they were all amazed, and glorified God…”

When Jesus works, God gets glory.

That is why we must keep showing up. Not so people will praise us. Not so people will notice our sacrifice. Not so people will admire our faithfulness.

We show up because Jesus is worthy.

Because souls matter.

Because the Gospel still works.

Because grace is still available.

Because Jesus can still forgive sins.

Because Jesus can still make broken people whole.

CONCLUSION: PICK UP YOUR CORNER

This story began with a man who could not get to Jesus on his own.

But four friends picked up the corners of his bed and brought him to Christ.

That is the call of this message.

Just show up.

Show up for the hurting.

Show up for the lost.

Show up for the backslider.

Show up for the discouraged.

Show up in prayer.

Show up with compassion.

Show up with faith.

Show up when there are obstacles.

Show up when it is inconvenient.

Show up when nobody else will.

Somebody needs you to pick up a corner.

You may say, “Preacher, I cannot do much.”

Can you pray?

Can you invite?

Can you encourage?

Can you visit?

Can you witness?

Can you carry a burden?

Can you help get somebody closer to Jesus?

Then pick up your corner.

And if you are the one on the bed today, helpless, broken, bound, lost, discouraged, and unable to fix yourself, the message is still the same: come to Jesus.

Bring Him your sin.

Bring Him your weakness.

Bring Him your burden.

Bring Him your family.

Bring Him your friend.

Bring Him your broken place.