Great Faith, Greater Need
Read Mark 2:1-17.
Yesterday, I spent a good part of the day power washing our house with my dad. We had this build-up of green algae mostly on the north side of the house (a thing that's common in our area, I've learned), so part of the ongoing saga of home ownership is taking a day to power wash your house. And scrub. And sweat. And be in pain the next day. We take pride in our home. We love our home. And I can't imagine what I would do if someone dug a hole in my roof.
Yet, that's what happens to the house Jesus is in while he's at Capernaum. The home probably belongs to Peter; that's where Jesus stayed when he was "home." And Jesus is teaching, speaking, preaching...when suddenly, little pieces of the roof fall on his head, then his beard. A shovel sticks through the ceiling, and a large chunk is removed, letting in the light from outside. Jesus looks up, only to see some men staring back at him. The next thing he knows, a paralyzed man is lowered down in front of him, someone else for him to heal.
Now, what most impresses Jesus here? Remember, he's not wanting to be known as a healer only. He's here to share the kingdom of God, to call people to repentance. What impresses Jesus, according to Mark, is not the men's stubbornness or their ability to destroy a roof. What impresses him is the faith of the friends (2:5)—not even the faith of the paralyzed man! It's entirely possible the paralyzed man is an unwilling participant in this whole drama. It's possible the friends have picked him up and brought him to Jesus for healing—whether he wanted to be healed or not!
But their faith does not cause Jesus to heal the man. Not right away. Their faith calls Jesus back to his original mission: he pronounces the man forgiven (even though he didn't ask for it—which really messes with our theologies!). Not healed. Not up and walking. Forgiven. Why does he do that? Because forgiveness is the man's greater need. He may want (or even need) to be healed (and Jesus will do that, to make a point to the religious leaders), but his greater need is to know he is forgiven, that he, too, can become part of the kingdom Jesus came to bring.
The same thing is true of Levi and his friends, the ones whom Jesus goes to eat with, the dinner that so upsets the religious leaders again. (Didn't they ever get tired of being upset with Jesus?) We don't hear anything hear about anyone's faith, just Jesus' willingness to eat with anyone if it might give him a chance to invite them into the kingdom. After all, he tells them, he came to call sinners, those who know they need this kingdom, not the "righteous" who have no need of him (as far as they are concerned). He came to issue an invitation that will meet the greatest need we all have: to come into the kingdom by experiencing forgiveness from Jesus.
Have you let him meet your greatest need?
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| Ruins of Peter's house in Capernaum |
Yet, that's what happens to the house Jesus is in while he's at Capernaum. The home probably belongs to Peter; that's where Jesus stayed when he was "home." And Jesus is teaching, speaking, preaching...when suddenly, little pieces of the roof fall on his head, then his beard. A shovel sticks through the ceiling, and a large chunk is removed, letting in the light from outside. Jesus looks up, only to see some men staring back at him. The next thing he knows, a paralyzed man is lowered down in front of him, someone else for him to heal.
Now, what most impresses Jesus here? Remember, he's not wanting to be known as a healer only. He's here to share the kingdom of God, to call people to repentance. What impresses Jesus, according to Mark, is not the men's stubbornness or their ability to destroy a roof. What impresses him is the faith of the friends (2:5)—not even the faith of the paralyzed man! It's entirely possible the paralyzed man is an unwilling participant in this whole drama. It's possible the friends have picked him up and brought him to Jesus for healing—whether he wanted to be healed or not!
But their faith does not cause Jesus to heal the man. Not right away. Their faith calls Jesus back to his original mission: he pronounces the man forgiven (even though he didn't ask for it—which really messes with our theologies!). Not healed. Not up and walking. Forgiven. Why does he do that? Because forgiveness is the man's greater need. He may want (or even need) to be healed (and Jesus will do that, to make a point to the religious leaders), but his greater need is to know he is forgiven, that he, too, can become part of the kingdom Jesus came to bring.
The same thing is true of Levi and his friends, the ones whom Jesus goes to eat with, the dinner that so upsets the religious leaders again. (Didn't they ever get tired of being upset with Jesus?) We don't hear anything hear about anyone's faith, just Jesus' willingness to eat with anyone if it might give him a chance to invite them into the kingdom. After all, he tells them, he came to call sinners, those who know they need this kingdom, not the "righteous" who have no need of him (as far as they are concerned). He came to issue an invitation that will meet the greatest need we all have: to come into the kingdom by experiencing forgiveness from Jesus.
Have you let him meet your greatest need?
Wouldn't that be the best thing ever? To have Jesus, in the flesh, right there with you. Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled to have him with me ALL the time now, but I'd love to have been present then, just for Him.
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