Title: Good Friends (Mark 2:1-5)
Contents
Good friends (Mark 2:1-5)
72 years ago, at Harvard University in the US, “Is there a certain formula for a well-lived life?” In order to answer this question, scholars selected 268 bright and promising students from among the incoming students that year and conducted research for 72 years, and the results were published in the June issue of 'Atlantic Monthly' on the 12th. has been “The key to a successful life (old age) was not intelligence or class, but social aptitude, that is, human relationships. Sibling relationships are also important.
93% of people living well at the age of 65 are people who have had a good relationship with their brothers and sisters before. The most important thing in life is human relationships, and happiness is ultimately love.” ... After all, 'human relationships of love' are the most valuable. Also, 'Paul Tournier' said, "There are two things a person cannot do alone. One is getting married and the other is living as a Christian.” What kind of relationships do you usually develop?
Today's text is about what happened in Capernaum, in the early days of Jesus' ministry. Thousands of people flocked to the Lord after hearing the rumors that He would heal various diseases (Mark 1:28) (Matthew 15:38; John 6:10; Luke 21:1). Even in today’s text, there were so many people that there was no room even in front of the door (Mark 1:33, 45; 2:1-2). There was no more room for them (Mark 2:2), but they do not care and are full of enthusiasm to treat Him even a little closer. However, those who are here before Jesus are clearly divided into two groups.
“Many people were gathered and they couldn’t even stand in front of the door, but Jesus told us the way (Mark 2:2).” When they first heard the rumors about Jesus, they ran ahead of the others and took the front seats and sat around the crowd. I didn't care about the rudeness at all and concentrated on the word. However, the Bible diagnoses them as being a stumbling block for others who must meet Jesus (Mark 2:4). A paralyzed man tries to come to Jesus, but does not clear the way.
First, it takes root in this church and occupies an important front position, and secondly, the love and zeal for the church is sad. However, I have to ask myself whether I am becoming a stumbling block to those who have come after me. This is because, in fact, there are not many people around us who are hurt by our short thoughts and careless actions. Therefore, every word and every action we say is very important (Matthew 23:13). We, who believe in this saying, ‘I couldn’t take him to Jesus because of the crowd,’ must be deeply engraved on us.
“They came to Jesus, carrying a paralytic on four people” (Mark 2:3). The second kind of ‘people’ who appeared after that were also those who had met Jesus first, and they were no different from the first. However, unlike the people in verse 2, they came to Jesus 'together' with a person who needed to meet Jesus. The relationship with the paralytic is unknown, but the moment they see this paralytic, they also see Jesus whom I have met. He brought this paralyzed man to Jesus with the desire to meet him.
There were several obstacles in the process of bringing him. First, it took great courage to approach the paralytic who was disciplined by God (Mark 2:5; John 9:3) (John 4:4). Also, his illness was so serious that it could only be transferred by being on a bed (Mark 2:4; John 11:3, 39). And above all else, the people sitting in front of Jesus and not giving up their seats and the large house standing in front of them were also big obstacles.
But they did not give up in the face of that obstacle. This paralyzed man climbed up to the roof with a desperate heart that he must meet Jesus, tore off the roof, and ran the paralytic in front of Jesus with a bed. ... In someone else's house, in a hole large enough to run down from a bed, soil, wood, and stones fall down from the roof at the serious time Jesus was teaching. Now they are making a fuss and disturbing the worship service. But Jesus commends their actions as “faith” (Mark 2:5). And seeing that faith, He works miracles. … Faith is “together” (Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 25:31). It is about putting what you believe into action and overcoming any obstacles.
Beloved, we are all worshiping at the same place, but we are sitting in the front seat only while we are worshiping at the same place. The people in verse 2 who were in a hurry to get hurt, discouraged, and sit down to find out other people’s weaknesses and faults, as well as those who come to Jesus, but do not come alone, but bring other people “together” with others who must meet Jesus. . God is pleased with those in verse 3. In particular, those who do not turn away from those who are spiritually dying and bring them to the Lord are truly ‘good friends’ (John 15:13-14).
Dear all!
Now the Lord asks us, “Where is your brother Abel?” and asks (Genesis 4:9). Jesus says: “And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold, and I must lead them, and they will hear my voice, and they will become one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16). Not the eldest son who is obedient and obedient (Luke 15:29), but the younger son, the prodigal son, whose stomach cannot be satisfied even with the molasses that pigs eat (Luke 15:20). Our Lord cares more for one stray sheep than for ninety-nine (Luke 15:4).
Next week is finally the day of the ‘Throwing the Lifeline’ festival. In the meantime, for this day, we have been preparing to lead them to the Lord with the birthright in our hearts. For next week, I have to bring a paralytic by my side (2 Kings 5:3). If you are having a hard time on your own, ask for help from those around you and bring them “together”. Obviously there will be obstacles along the way. But the Lord will open the way. So, I hope that it will be a meaningful time to rejoice together while watching the spiritually paralyzed people meet the Lord and be healed (Daniel 12:3).