Sermon on Mark 2:1-12, Theme: Fearless Serving
By Rev. Dr. Terri Driver-Bishop
A woman went with her husband to the doctor's office. After his checkup, the doctor
called the wife into his office alone. He said "Your husband is suffering from a very severe
disease, combined with some horrible stress. You must do everything I say for your husband
to recover.
"Each morning, fix him a healthy breakfast. Be pleasant, and make sure he is in a good
mood. Do the same for lunch and dinner. DON'T burden him with chores, and DON'T discuss
your problems with him. It will only make his stress worse. And MOST importantly, satisfy HIS
every whim. If you can do this for the next year, I think your husband will regain his health
completely."
On the way home, the husband asked his wife: "What did the doctor say to you?" She
replied, “I’m sorry dear. He said you have a severe disease and there is no cure.” Apparently,
it was not easy for this wife to serve her husband. It’s not always easy to serve others, but
today we read a story about some people who do.
We read about some friends who carry a paralyzed friend to see Jesus. We don’t know
exactly how many friends there are, but at least four of them carry the paralyzed man on a
mat. We don’t know how the man became paralyzed – Was it an accident? Was it his fault?
Was it a disease that left him paralyzed? All we know is that he can’t walk the dog, or jog
through the neighborhood, and the most work he can do is beg on the street.
The story takes place in Capernaum, which Jesus has chosen to be his base of
operations. He has two disciples from that town named Peter and Andrew. When Jesus first
came to this town on the beautiful Sea of Galilee, he went to Peter’s home and healed his
mother-in-law who is very ill. No doubt Jesus’ reputation spreads throughout the town.
When Jesus returns to Capernaum from a journey, many people come to hear him speak
about the scriptures. He draws such a crowd that they jam the house and the surrounding
area. There is standing room only. The friends of the paralyzed man cannot get near Jesus
because of all the people.
However, they are determined to get their friend to Jesus. They take the stairs to the roof
and begin to take the roof apart. They are taking a risk that the homeowner will throw them in
jail. They are taking a risk that the crowds will be angered by the commotion, and chase them
away. These friends dig through the roof and lower their paralyzed friend down from the roof
on his mat. And Jesus? Jesus is amazed at the faith of these fearless friends.
What does it mean to be fearless? When I think of a fearless person in the world today, I
think of Malala Yousafzai. In 2009, 12 year old Malala began sharing stories about living
under Taliban rule in northwest Pakistan where she lived. She wrote under a pseudonym for
the BBC. When her identity became known, Malala and her father received death threats in
person, in newspapers, and online.
Despite the dangers, Malala continued to advocate for the education of girls. Three years
later, Malala was riding home from school on the bus, when the Taliban boarded her bus.
They told the students they would shoot them all if they didn’t tell them which one was Malala.
When their frightened eyes revealed her identity, they shot her 3 times. Even though she was
shot at point blank range, she survived.
During her first address to the public after the shooting, she restated her cause: “I want
every girl, every child, to be educated.” Her efforts led to Pakistan’s ratification of the first-ever
Right to Education bill. Last year, Malala became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner ever
– at age 17.
What does it mean to be fearless? Does it mean that we never have fear? No. Fear is a
basic human emotion that God has given us. It is our built-in mechanism to warn us of danger.
Being fearless is not the absence of fear, but the ability to use fear as an energy to overcome
obstacles.
What does it take for people to be fearless in serving? First, you must have a mission
that you are passionate about. It could be feeding hungry people, caring for your children or
parents, or adopting a grandparent in a nursing home. Malala has a mission to make
education available for all children around the world. The fearless friends had a mission to
help their paralyzed friend meet Jesus and be blessed by Him. When your mission is clear,
then you are able to push through many fears and many obstacles.
Secondly, you must persevere. No matter what obstacles get in the way, you keep
moving forward to complete your mission. The Taliban tried to assassinate Malala, but it only
made her more determined to continue her mission. The fearless friends of the paralyzed man
couldn’t get close to Jesus so they devised another way to get Jesus’ attention. People who
are fearless in serving are not deterred by any obstacle. They find ways around them or
through them.
Third, you must join with others to accomplish your mission. Malala had her family and
many friends in Pakistan around the world through her blog. Without them, she could not
continue to pursue her mission. A group of friends brought the paralyzed man to Jesus. It was
something one person could not do alone. Jesus equipped 12 men to carry on his mission
after he was gone. He didn’t just choose one. God’s design is for us to work together to
overcome our fears and the obstacles that we face in life, so that we may carry on the mission
of Jesus.
That’s what the friends in our gospel story do. When the friends bring their paralyzed friend
to Jesus, they don’t know what will happen, but they have faith that Jesus will make a
difference in his life. Moved by their faith, Jesus calls the paralyzed man, “Son.” With this
word of acceptance, Jesus welcomes the man into the family of God.
Jesus says to the man, “Your sins are forgiven.” People in those days thought that any
sickness was a punishment from God. Jesus wanted this man and everyone else to know that
God has forgiven this man’s sins. He is set free. His relationship with God is restored. Jesus
declares to everyone that God is NOT punishing him for his sins by paralyzing him.
Jesus gives the man the greatest gift of all – forgiveness. It is more important than
physical healing. Forgiveness means you no longer have to fear punishment from God for all
the things you did wrong in your past. It means God loves you and will love you forever.
The scribes are upset because Jesus is forgiving people. In their way of thinking, Jesus is
doing something that only the priests of the synagogue can do. He is doing something that
only God can do. But they can’t see that Jesus is God.
Jesus shows them that he has God’s authority to forgive sins. He says to the paralyzed
man, “Stand up, take your mat, and go to your home.” We can only imagine the rejoicing of
the man and his friends that day when he walks home on his own two feet.
Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we can be fearless. As it says in Phil. 4:13, “I can do
all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We believe and we trust in his power to forgive
sins, to heal people, and to change lives forever. So in faith, we can bring our friends to Jesus
for healing and wholeness.
Who are your “paralyzed” friends? Who around you is paralyzed by fear? Paralyzed by
shattered dreams, by loss of loved ones, by depression, by loneliness, by abuse, by disease,
by poverty, by drugs? Let us bring them to Jesus in prayer and ask others to join us on the
prayer chain. Let us help them in whatever ways we can, using our time and our talents to
serve them. Let us empower them to help themselves, by encouraging them or directing them
to helpful resources. And let us be fearless advocates for them by working for changes that
will make a difference in their lives.
At one time or another, Jesus has sent fearless friends to help you and me. At one time
or another, we have all heard Jesus say to us, “Stand up, take your mat, and go home.” And
Christ has released us from our fears and empowered us to overcome obstacles and move
forward in life. This hope is something we can share with others.
Jesus never has enough fearless friends. Be fearless for Jesus this week.