Faith That Jesus Can See
June 24, 2001
Morning Star MBC
Mark 2:1-12
Dauntless Determination
Prayer
Recognize – Pastor, Pulpit, Deacons, Choir, any friends, Congregation
Ice Breaker – Who Pushed Me?
Read Scripture – Mark 2:1-12
Dauntless Determination
Today my brothers and sisters the writer of this awesome text… John-Mark the writer of this powerful drama writes with the intent of showing Jesus the Christ as the servant. And you’ll notice that he always sets out to show Jesus busy. Mark over and over again uses the word “straightway” because he is more concerned with the works of Jesus rather than the words of Jesus. Mark is concerned about showing Jesus actively involved with kingdom building and kingdom business.
It is here that Mark say that Jesus has just concluded what can be considered a productive day of healing the sick and the lame as well as casting out devils when Mark says that He runs across a unknown and unnamed man with leprosy. Jesus is moved with so much compassion that He heals the man but tells him not to tell anybody. Well, that’s kind of like telling us not to tell anybody. I have heard it suggested that a secret really is between one person, not two. And so Jesus says to this fella, “as you go, don’t tell anybody.” But Mark says in that latter verse of that first chapter that this man went everywhere publishing how good that the Lord has been to him. And may I suggest this morning that if the Lord has been good to you, you ought to not be able to hold it. You ought to publish it everywhere. If He has ever done anything for you… If He has made a way out of no way, you ought to agree with the song writer that said I wasn’t gonna tell nobody, but I just can’t keep it to myself.
And it is on the heels of this that Jesus makes His way to this city called Capernaum. And He goes to a house that Mark calls “the house” and other writer call “a house.” It’s not really important whose house it was, some have suggested that it was Peter’s house; others have suggested that it was a friend’s house; some have gone as far as to suggest that it was Jesus’ house. But it is not important whose house it was but what is important is what was going on in the house. The writer say that it was straightway after he had gotten into Capernaum it was some days later that the word got out that Jesus was in town. Well, wherever Jesus is, the word ought to get out. You know Rev. Foy I wish the gospel would travel as fast as gossip. I said when Jesus is in town somebody ought to be talking about what He’s doing. And so the writer says that it was noised or it was reported. This suggested that it spread like wildfire that the Master had arrived in Capernaum. These individuals around the city of Capernaum and around the outskirts of the city after they had heard that Jesus was in town made their way to this abode. And they crowded it out so much that there was no room in the house. Oh my brothers and sisters that is how it ought to be when Jesus is in town. You know we often make excuses for houses that are not full. I have often heard people say where two or three are gathered – that ain’t even talking about crowded houses. That suggests that wherever two or three are He’ll be in the midst. But wherever the Master is and wherever He is operating and wherever miracles are being wrought and wherever lives are being changed and wherever minds are being regulated and wherever peoples’ hearts are being lifted up and wherever joys are being restored, it ought to fill the house.
You’ll notice that what Jesus did in the house was important. Mark said that Jesus preached unto them. Now many people followed Jesus for His miracles but there were not many that followed him for his preaching. As a matter of fact he had to tell the fellas one day “y’all are just following me for bread and I am the bread of life.” On another occasion He said “all y’all want to see is some signs.” He even told Thomas one day, He said Thomas, “blessed are those that believe and see not, all you wanna do is see.” But the Master understood that preaching and the Word of God being brought forth… that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It was His preaching. The writer said with a full house, Jesus preached. May I suggest that you ought to not waste a crowd, help here somebody! Some preaching ought to be done when you can get a crowd together. The Master, He fills up this house and the writer says that He preached the Word unto them.
In this crowd there were first of all the curious. And every crowd is made up of those who are just curious. On Sunday morning, our congregations are made up of curious. But not only was the crowd made up of curious it was made up of converts, people who had actually been changed by the Master and the preaching of the gospel. Not only were there the curious and not only were there converts but there were also critics. And there are some critics in every crowd. Oh I wish that I could tell you this morning that there are not some critics here but there are some critics in the crowd. In every crowd somebody’s there to just make light of what’s going on. Somebody will leave here this afternoon and say “yeah them kids sang but they sang too long.” Crowds are made up of critics! Some will say “yeah that preacher, he did alright but I’ve heard better!” There is always some critics in the crowd! Some will say, “yeah they started on time but they got out too late.” There is always some critics in the crowd.
You’ll notice that in the 2nd chapter of the book of Mark the winds of criticism are blowing against Jesus. In verses 1-12, they criticize His claim. In verses 13-22 they criticize His conduct. In verses 23-28 they criticize His companions. I said in versee 1-12 they criticize His claim, they said “who in the world are you, who are you to forgive sins?” In verses 13-22 they criticize His conduct, “you know He’s eating with those publicans and those sinners.” In verses 23-28 they criticize His companions because they plucked corn on the Sabbath. Jesus said the Sabbath was not made for man, man was made for the Sabbath not the Sabbath for man.
And Satan has used criticism and he is still using criticism to immobilize the church and the community. You know criticism will keep people miserable. It keeps them fighting. You know criticism will keep the church operating at a snail-like pace when it ought to be up and running. Criticism is used by Satan to destroy choirs and usher boards, you know criticism will do that? Criticism has rocked havoc in families, has caused churches to split up! Criticism will tear a choir up, will cause deacons to fight each other, will cause mothers to become mean, ushers to become ornery, trustees to become tricky. I am talking about criticism now and everyone of us at one time or another has been criticized and we’ve got to learn how to handle criticism. Criticism will destroy, it’ll distort the words, the works, and the will of God. It destroys relationships! Criticism destroys fellowships! Criticism destroys friendships!
The Scribes and the Pharisees, they were there but they were there with their critical eye. These spiritual heavyweights with their investigative team had been sent from all over the place. While everybody else was standing, Mark says they were sitting. They were waiting for the Master to make one wrong statement. They were waiting for Him to teach one wrong doctrine. They were wishing that He would speak against the government so that they could charge Him for blasphemy or being an insurrectionist.
Well my brother preachers you’d be surprised at just how many people on Sunday morning are just sitting, just waiting for you to quote one Scripture wrong. Just waiting for you to turn 1 Corinthians 12:2 around to 1 Corinthians 2:13. They are just waiting for you to say something wrong or appear to be wrong and they won’t come to you they’ll get out in the crowd and say “that preacher didn’t know what he was talking about. You ought to get a tape; you see there he didn’t even know what that Scripture was.” That is because there are a lot of critical people in the church!
These Pharisee. These Scribes. These Heavyweights. Matthew said they were lawyers. They are sitting around to see what this new fella is teaching in town when all of a sudden we get word that they brought somebody that was sick of the palsy. Now the writer says that when Jesus saw their faith… and that is where I want to drop anchor. Jesus seeing their faith. Now all of us are familiar with the fact that without faith it is impossible to please God. When Jesus saw their faith. We are also familiar with the fact that the just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17). The writer has suggested that if we have faith the size of a grain of a mustard seed, we can tell mountains to get out of the way and nothing that we desire will be impossible. I said I want to drop anchor around the fact that Jesus saw their faith. And so I believe today that faith that moves mountains, faith that pleases God and make all things possible is a faith that Jesus can see.
May I suggest that there are three things in the text that you have got to look at. First of all faith MINIMIZES EXCUSES, second of all faith that Jesus can see MAINTAINS EAGERNESS, and then thirdly faith that Jesus can see MAXIMIZES ENERGY.
I said first of all faith that Jesus can see minimizes excuses. (Read v. 3 and 4) This man with the palsy, he had a serious sickness. It can be seen in the fact that five times in verses 1-12 we are told that he had the palsy. In verse 3, 4, 5, 9, 10. For the Master is concerned that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was something wrong with this man. The word that we got our word paralytic from; it means to be loosed on one side. It indicates that because of some malfunction in the motor system of his brain or spine that his nerves had collapsed and his muscles were incapacitated. This man was a cripple and Jesus’ word to him in verse five “son” indicates that this man was a young man.
Now he had to be carried. And may I suggest to us this afternoon that people don’t mind carrying you a little ways but they don’t want to carry you too far. Some of you can admit this morning that when you got sick it was no trouble to get people to come over the first few days but the longer you lay there, nobody wanted to be bothered with you. So it is the writer says that when he was carried… And so I need to tell you this afternoon that faith that Jesus can see never makes up excuses! Why I can’t! Why I shouldn’t! Why I don’t! Faith that that Jesus can see always says “I can do all things through Christ that strengthened me!” Faith that Jesus can see never makes up excuses, it always finds ways to get things done. Men of faith don’t make up excuses, they make up plans. This man had paralysis and had to be carried by four, he could not walk. Well my problem with the text is who’s gonna carry him? Somebody could have said well, I don’t have time but faith that Jesus can see never makes up excuses. Somebody could have said “well, I don’t have time today,” but the man was brought to Jesus, by the writer’s account, bore by four.”
And do you know that finding four men that felt the same way about the man could have brought some excuses. Finding four men that believed enough in Jesus could have brought some excuses. Finding four men that would want to travel the same distance could have created some excuses! But they brought him to Jesus without any excuses, they understood what many of us don’t… Some people will never get to Jesus unless we bring them. And some people will never get there unless they are carried.
Not only are they challenged by the man’s palsy, they are met by the press. None of them said “let’s go home” or “we picked a bad day!” None of them said we are out of luck, let’s come back tomorrow. None of them said “I told you before we left we were not going to be successful.” For faith that Jesus can see never makes excuses.
Well what excuse have you made lately? You’ve talked about your faith but what excuses have you made lately? You’ve talked about how you have faith in Him but have you ever wondered how much faith He has in you? I’ve heard you talk about I can depend on God but can God depend on (gone feel a little better) can he depend on you? The faith that the Master can see, it never makes up excuses.
Not only must you notice the man with the palsy, and not only must you notice that they are confronted with the press, but you must also notice that they are confronted with preaching. For the writer does say that Jesus was preaching. Now a lot of people will stay awake when there’s singing, they’ll go to sleep when there’s preaching. I have seen musicians in churches, as long as the choir is singing, they’ll stay right in church but as soon as the choir stops, they’ll make their way out of church. I have seen quartet singers shout a church happy on their singing and when they get through singing they’ve got to go outside for that favorite smoke. You’re praying aren’t you? There are not many people that like preaching. And so when they are not willing to make an excuse, because of this man with the palsy, because they are not willing to make an excuse because of the press, and because they are not willing to make an excuse because of preaching, they had faith that Jesus could see. I don’t know about here but at many churches people don’t get into worship. And how in the world can we expect someone to become spiritual if they ain’t heard no preaching.
I tell you that preaching does make a difference. Yea, preaching will make a difference. Preaching will lighten your load. Preaching will make you feel a little better. Have you ever known that when you leave home and you don’t feel very well, if you can just get around some preaching it does make you feel a little better.
Well not only does it minimize excuses the second thing that it does is it maintains eagerness. Now Luke 5:18 the corresponding story tells us that they sought means to bring him in and to lay him before Jesus. They sought means to bring Him in and to lay him before Jesus. You know they had already gone through a great deal to bring the man to Jesus and they determined that they had come too far with him and we’re not gonna turn around. You notice their concern, their compassion, and their commitment had caused them to bring him there in the first place and they are not about to take “no” for an answer.
A faith that Jesus can see never takes “no” for an answer. You know when we fail in one way we ought to get back up. When we are set back in one way we ought to start over again. Have you ever been knocked down? You don’t stay down! You ought to always get back up. When we are floored, we ought to shake it off and get back up again! Because a faith that Jesus can see never takes “no” for an answer.
If you were to ask Zacchaeus he’d tell you, you might have to do some strange things, but it never says “no.” You might have to climb a sycamore tree but faith that Jesus can see maintains eagerness. If you were to ask that woman with the issue of blood, she’d say you might not have to climb a tree, you might have to get on your knees but whatever the case may be you ought keep on until you are successful at what you are trying to do.
You see Satan is strange, he’ll make you give up before it is time. Many of us can attest to the fact that we have some scrapes; we still have some bruises from that first bicycle experience. But we didn’t take “no” for an answer, we got back up. Now notice their priority. No matter what else they had to do, that day they concentrated on getting that man to Jesus. There are sometimes that you have to change your priorities.
Notice their patience. They could have dropped the man off. They could have said “we’ve carried him this far, let somebody else get him in the house.” But cannot you see their patience? Their patience is commendable to carry a man all of the way and stay with him until they could get him to Jesus.
But not only their priority, and not only their patience, notice their persistence, they had an eagerness to get the job done. And when you have priorities and when you have patience and when you have persistence, difficulties usually do not cause discouragement. You usually are able to take obstacle and turn them into opportunities.
These men, they worked together. These men, they planned together. These men, they stayed together until the job was completed. What if we could say the same thing in the church? These men, they worked together. These men, they planned together. These men, they stayed together until they got the work accomplished. Faith that Jesus can see unleashes power. This faith of theirs’ wouldn’t let them see obstacles, they saw opportunities.
The man’s paralysis, the men’s persistence, and the mass’ press combined with the unleashed power of the Master. They looked and they looked, they cried out for the crowd Luke says over and over again for them to let this man in the house. They tried to get him in through the door – no avail. They tried to get him in through the window – no avail. But the people that need Him the most are usually on the outside.
They had a man that needed Jesus. And may I suggest that it is not always easy to get men, women, boys, and girls to Jesus that need Him the most. Somebody right here today can testify, “I’ve been trying to get my daughter here all week long.” Don’t give up on them. Somebody can say, “I’ve been trying to get my husband converted – don’t give up on them. Some have said, “my children have been giving me trouble and I have been trying to get them in church – don’t give up on them! Somebody here right now you are a product of somebody not giving up on you. You need to turn to somebody and tell’em “they didn’t give up on me.” Sometimes you’ve got to carry them until they are able to walk on their own. All of your plans may seem like they have failed but just keep on trying. Don’t lose your eagerness, don’t lose your determination, don’t lose your persistence, don’t let Satan rob you of your reason, keep on trying. Somebody will show you how to get them in the house. Somebody said there, there’s a roof! Now we don’t know who showed them the roof but thank God somebody said there’s a new way of doing old things.
These men, they are not doubtful, they are not discouraged, they are not despondent for their faith saw a way when there was no way. So may I suggest that a faith that Jesus can see maximizes energy. For the writer says that when they saw that roof, 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.
This tile roof tells us this morning that faith that the Master can see maximizes energy. What is reflected in the text? First of all it reflects the idea of creativity. They had to find a new way to do old things, you see all they really wanted to do was get in the house. And every now and then you have got to find a new way to do old things. But not only does it reflect the idea of creativity, it reflects removal of the fear of cost. This was not their house that they are tearing the roof off of. Now that’s disturbing in the least for the question would be raised, who’s going to pay for the other man’s roof. But when you have something on your mind, cost does not become an issue. Have you ever noticed that we get what we want? Have you ever noticed that we pay for whatever it is that we desire? Have you ever noticed that we spend a lot of money on whatever we want? And most of the time it is what we want. Have you ever noticed that we don’t spend time on maybe what other folks want? But we get what we want? It makes no difference if that car costs 40, 50, $60K that’s what we want. Some of you today are wearing $500 and $600 dollar dresses and suits because that’s what we want. But faith that the Master can see never ask how much is this gonna cost.
These fellas were willing to tear off someone else’s roof just to get this man to Jesus. Well what have you done lately that costs? What have you done that was sacrificial? Have you removed any roofs lately? They had to come up with a new way to do old things just to get into the house. I think that you would agree that this is a difficult thing. It’s an out of the ordinary thing. It really an irregular thing. It wasn’t traditional to say the least to tear another man’s roof off. But thank God these men were not ordinary men. And every time something has been done that is extraordinary, the Lord has had to put more power in His men. Moses was standing at the Red Sea one day just an ordinary man but it was going to take some extraordinary power to get across the Red Sea. Joshua was just an ordinary man but it was going to take something extraordinary for the walls of Jericho to come tumbling down. Noah, yeah, y’all remember him don’t you? He was an ordinary man but the building of the ark it was something extraordinary. And so these men had to do something out of the ordinary. And so may I suggest to you right now that faith that Jesus can see never sees limitations. It always sees possibility. It always believes in God. They had faith that broke through barriers. They had faith that overcame difficulty, they had faith that climbed over obstacles, they knew what was important and it surely wasn’t a roof. It was the man who was sick of the palsy.
I stopped by this morning to tell you that the writer said, “and when Jesus saw their faith.” Oh, I’ve heard you sing “I’m gonna trust in the Lord,” I wanna know can He trust in you. I’ve heard you sing “I can depend on God,” and what I wanna know is can God depend on you? I’ve heard you talk about “I have faith in God,” but should God have faith in you?
I wanna be able to sing, “Lord count on me for true heart is service glad and free!” I want the Lord to not only see my words, I want Him to see my works for I heard James said that “faith without works is dead.” I don’t know how you feel about it but I believe that faith without works is dead. You’ve got to have faith but you’ve got to have works also. I heard Hebrews 10:39 say the just shall live by faith. I heard somebody say “now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Grandma couldn’t say all of that she simply said, “baby, I don’t know where it’s coming from but I do know it’s on its way.
When you look at Hebrews 11 you’ll always noticed that it is “by faith” or “through faith.”
In verse 4 by faith it was Abel
In verse 5 it was by faith Enoch
Verse 6 without faith it is impossible to please God.
In verse 7, it’s by faith Noah
In verse 8 it’s by faith Abraham
In verse 11 it’s through faith Sarah
In verse 20, it’s by faith Isaac
In verse 21 it’s by faith Jacob
In verse 22 it’s by faith Joseph
In verse 23 it’s by faith Moses
In verse 30 it’s by faith Joshua
In verse 31 it’s by faith Rahab
In verse 32 it’s by faith Gideon Barak and Samson Jephthah and David Samuel and the other prophets
I don’t know what you want but when my hour comes I want somebody to say by faith Browder, and by faith Jordan, and by faith Foy
In my hour, I want somebody to say it was by faith
It was by faith these men brought this man to Jesus
They let him down through the roof and Jesus said unto him “rise up take up your bed and walk!”