Resources/Articles
When Jesus Is In The House
When many cars gather in our driveway or on the street in front of our house, I know people in the neighborhood are asking, “What is going on over at their house?” Never has there been an instance where police calls were made in complaint of “disturbing the peace.” Most often the gatherings involved a Bible study.
Are people drawn to your house? Do they look forward to coming to your house? Can you tell if they are excited to be there? People may know what is at your house and they cannot wait to get there.
If a crowd were to assemble at your house, it is what you do with the crowd that makes the difference.
For Jesus to enter into a person’s house, it became a good opportunity to increase that individual’s popularity and standing in the community, especially in Capernaum. In Mark 2.2, “Many were gathered together…” There is no more room, not even at the door. Prior to this, Jesus had been healing numbers of people from all manner of sickness and disease. People came to this house to see the Lord work more miracles, do the extraordinary, be amazed, or show something spectacular. Jesus’ miracles were the attraction, not his teaching. After any “special miracle,” people were always anxious to talk about the most recent and unusual event Jesus performed.
Jesus First Brings Power To Save
What happens in the house in Mark 2.1-12 with Jesus present is not only a miracle but teaching that the miracle could not accomplish.
In Mark 2.3-4, while the man of palsy was brought to be healed, Jesus wanted to save his soul and those in the house. Everyone in the room and the one lowered into the room needed forgiveness. Jesus’ message of “thy sins are forgiven” was far more important than his miracle of healing that day. Mercy from our Lord would be the most important thing we could ever receive from him. Nothing takes the place of instructions to be forgiven, not even the ability to walk or run.
As a result of the salvation Jesus provides, nothing should be allowed to crowd out our desire to hear the words of Christ. This has a major impact upon bringing souls to Jesus. Our personal hunger and thirst for righteousness will be the first sign to unsaved souls that they too need to be brought to Jesus. When these four men brought their friend to Jesus for healing, they never envisioned what Jesus would provide him and them. That is the value of bringing souls to Jesus. He saves them.
Salvation has Distractions & Oppositions
Offering forgiveness of sins should be enough for anyone to accept. It is not important, though, to those who question their own need to be saved.
When a person has friends or hears certain teachers offer “new” interpretation of the law regarding salvation, some see no need in being saved. People are being offered a “by comparison” means of spiritual condition rather than simply following the truth about salvation revealed in scripture. They view their lives in comparison to others and see no real need to be saved. They fail to grasp Romans 3.23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Jesus confronts these scribes’ question of Jesus’ ability to forgive by asking them in vv. 8-9 which is easier, “…to say to the sick of the palsy, ‘Thy sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up thy bed and walk?’” In v. 10, Jesus uses the physical healing to confirm the spiritual healing of forgiveness. Jesus proves he is worth believing and obeying and can save. Regardless of the numbers of hindrances and distractions to someone’s salvation, there is no power in those influences that has authority greater than Jesus, especially to forgive sin. Never permit the voice of others to distract and prevent you from hearing the voice of God who offers complete forgiveness and salvation.
Salvation Has Responsibilities
When a person does accept, believe, and obey the Lord’s offer to help, heal, and save, next comes responsibility. It was witnessed when Jesus healed this man in Mark 2. It was a process know as GET UP (Arise), TAKE, and WALK. They were all words of action, not indifference. Jesus could have offered healing without this man doing anything. It was not an acceptance in his heart of healing. It was not a prayer of healing. It was not a touch of healing. It was a command of healing. It was not, “Try to build up faith in your heart” or “Focus your thoughts on me.”
At this point, the will of Jesus is being tested with the will of the man with palsy. The moment he agreed to follow the command of “ARISE,” strength came to his muscles and bones and he stood. “Take up thy bed” is a command to take away future need for an old life. Repentance is not leaving your bed there in case you need to come back to it. Repentance is taking away, “getting rid of it,” putting off the old, pouring out the alcohol, throwing away the pills, or saying “No” to ungodliness and its influences. Let people see the new STAND you have, the new man. WALK in Christ! Do not expect to be carried. Establish your faith. Let it grow in the grace and knowledge of God (2 Peter 3.18). The God who saves is the God who keeps you going, not everyone else. If Jesus gave you the power to rise and be forgiven, he will give you power to walk every day (Ephesians 5.8-9). The new life of the one who had palsy is what people amazingly saw because of what Jesus had done to forgive him and heal him. While others may be amazed at your salvation and the difference Jesus has made in your life, provide your life with the qualities of a new creature (2 Corinthians 5.17) and bring souls you know to Jesus - souls who need the same healing you received. Let the Lord make a difference in them.
