Mark 2:1-12--“When Jesus saw their faith...”
Reuben
lay dozing on his mat in the afternoon heat, generally where one would find him
any day or night. Besides the hot, dust-laden breeze, the familiar sounds of
village life drifted in through the open doorway: children’s shouts and
laughter, a rooster crowing, the braying of a donkey. Reuben heard but barely heeded.
It had
been ten years since the accident. Falling twenty-five feet off a rock-faced
cliff while trying to collect birds’ eggs had been the split-second event that
changed his life forever.
A mere
teenager at the time, Reuben had been with four of his friends, who thought it
would be great fun to climb up to where falcons had their nests. His companions
had teased him a bit about being afraid to mount up to the spot where they
could see a very fine hole in the rock with a bird’s nest there. Boys being who
they are, from that it turned into a good-natured dare. At that age, who can
resist?
Reuben,
a sensitive, tentative fifteen-year old, had resolutely swallowed his fear of
heights and proceeded to cautiously climb further up.
Then it
happened. The rock he was clinging to with his bare toes, gave way and crumbled
under him. His hands slipped and he plunged to the ground below, narrowly
escaping with his life, though his neck was broken and his whole body
paralyzed.
This
tragedy marked not only Reuben’s life, but his four friends as well. Their
genuine sorrow and guilt over having egged him on, provoking his effort that
resulted in permanent injury, weighed heavily on them. Consequently, they dealt
with their own consciences by assuming his care—each of them taking turns.
Their devotion was unswerving and determined—year after year.
At
first, it went well. Reuben was grateful and showed remarkable resilience.
Then, as time crept forward, he sank gradually into deep depression and
bitterness. Raging and complaining at life, at his family, at his dedicated
friends, and ultimately, at God, became his mood and outlook. Complications
developed from his inert, prone position, and he experienced constant pain.
His
friends were not detracted from their mission. They WOULD care for him, all his
days, as long as they were able. Each
one became more determined as time went on.
Marcus,
the oldest of the group, was in the marketplace one day, when he saw a crowd of
people tightly clustered around a Man. His curiosity stirred, Marcus edged
closer. With rough, homespun clothing this person looked like any ordinary
Jewish man, but there was something about His face. Marcus was mesmerized. Was it His quiet dignity? No, it was more than that. A look of
authority, of contained-power? Of
gentleness, of mercy? Yes, it was all that. But more—it was the countenance of
a King, a royal Person, clad in unremarkable garb. He learned from a by-stander
that this was Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter.
This
Man was teaching—using common illustrations and stories from the lives,
stories, and livelihood of the Jewish people. His words carried force,
authority, and spoke straight to one’s heart. Marcus felt something stirring at
the deepest level in his own being. For the first time in his life, the strong
Jewish foundations he had acquired from the Rabbis, took on new meaning. The
Torah wasn’t just a book of laws and regulations. This Jesus made it alive: “Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, strength--and thy neighbor as
thyself.” He then proceeded to define who our neighbor was: the downtrodden, the despised--even the
Samaritan.
Tear
slid, unbidden, down Marcus’ face. Something very deep within had been stirred
and changed. The teaching concluded and he turned quickly. “I must tell the
others,” he muttered to himself.
Finding
his three friends, Marcus gathered them at his home and related the story of his
encounter with Jesus. “You must come with me to hear Him. Never a man spoke as
this man does!” he urged them.
The
four companions, knit closely by their circumstances, made their way to the
town square the next day--a Sabbath. They saw Jesus, surrounded by his
followers, sitting under an olive tree. Jesus turned and smiled at the four.
“Welcome, friends,” he said, cheerfully, and gestured for them to draw near. As
the crowd continued to gather, Jesus began to teach. His words about the
hypocrisy of Pharisees and religious leaders were strong and painfully direct;
but He spoke gently to the common people, warning them to be on their guard
against such practices. “The greatest among you will be your servant. For
whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be
exalted.”
The
four friends looked at each other and nodded with agreement. This man’s
teaching was right on! And he wasn’t afraid to confront the religious
hierarchy--this took real courage. Some
of his words made one uncomfortable, as if looking in a mirror and seeing
oneself as one truly looked on the inside. Yet, when Jesus’ dark, brilliant eyes met
yours, you felt he accepted you and forgave the penitent, repenting heart.
Marcus
and his companions were mesmerized, unable to tear themselves away. Nearby, a cluster of Pharisees and scribes
stood, their arms folded, at times whispering among themselves. Marcus heard
one of them say with a sneer, “I wonder if this man dares to perform one of his
so-called miracles on the Sabbath!” Jesus turned and looked directly and
sternly at the Pharisee, then deliberately spoke to a man with a withered hand,
“Stand up, my friend, and come close. Stretch out your hand!” When he did, his
hand became completely normal--exactly as his other hand.
The
crowd was delighted and cheers went up on all sides, as once again, Jesus had
bested and humiliated the religious gentry.
Marcus turned and grinned at his friends: “Round one--Jesus wins;
Religious leaders--zero!” Then, it was as if they all had the same thought, as
their eyes widened and they all seemed to speak to each other at once.
“Reuben!
We must bring him to Jesus!”
Arriving
at Reuben’s home, they found his aged mother bending over him, sponging his
face with cool water. “He’s ill -- a fever has taken hold of him.” She spoke in
terse tones to the men. “It is indeed
the worst I have seen him.”
Reuben,
moaning and mumbling incoherently, seemed unaware of his surroundings. His head, the only appendage he could move,
tossed from side to side.
“We
must take him to Jesus--now! Marcus said urgently. They carried him on his
pallet and headed back to the marketplace. Arriving, they found Jesus and his
disciples had gone; but a woman, sweeping in front of her doorway, said they
had been invited to one of the Pharisee’s homes--“down that street, in front of
the synagogue,” she told them.
When
they reached the house, they found it filled to overflowing with people,
crammed in every corner, hallway, and room, and stretching out into the street.
It would be impossible even for a man, alone, to get through the crowd, much
less four men carrying a stretcher.
One of
the friends pointed to the flat roof-top and the stairs leading to the top
along the side of the house. “Quick!” he
said, “We must try that way!”
A young
boy had followed them up. “Tell us--which room is Jesus in?” Marcus asked. “This
main room, right under here,” the lad answered. The men began to dig with some
tools the boy brought them. Roofs in Palestine were made of reeds, overspread
with mud, and it wasn’t too difficult to make an opening.
In the
room below, Jesus had been preaching, but then people began commenting, as dirt
and chunks of dried mud began to fall on them. Soon, they could see the men’s
hands, then their determined faces, as they created an opening. The home-owner
had begun remonstrating when he saw the action they were taking, but Marcus
called down, “Do not worry--we are honorable men, and we will repair the
damage!”
Jesus
chuckled as he saw what they were about to do. “A fortunate man is this, to
have four friends with such faith!” Soon, the pallet began descending, as the men
lowered their gravely ill companion down to Jesus.
He
gazed at the feverish, pain-ridden man, and saw deep into his sin-sick
soul--the bitterness, the rage, the resentment against his circumstances. “Son,
your sins are forgiven,” Jesus spoke gently.
The
teachers of the law, seated nearby, thought to themselves, “Who does this
upstart think he is! Only God can forgive sin -- he’s a blasphemer!”
Jesus,
turning to look at them, said indignantly, “Why are you thinking those
thoughts? It’s equally easy for me to forgive sin or to make this man walk. And
to prove this,” he said to the Pharisees, “and so you’ll know God has given me
this authority on earth,” he spoke firmly to Reuben, lying on the mat in front
of him, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
The
four friends, crowded around the opening in the roof, held their breath as they
watched what would happen. The crowd was absolutely silent. No one said a word.
Outside in the street, some children were shouting to each other at play.
Inside, in the crowded room, with its heat and odor, it seemed the whole
universe came to a stand-still.
Then, a
split second later, Reuben opened his eyes. The first one he saw was the happy face
of Jesus--such a wonderful face-- strong, manly, yet filled with love,
forgiveness, acceptance, and restoration. The paralytic smiled back, as
wellness flooded his body.
Jesus
reached down and gave him his hand. Reuben took it and sat up--the first time
in ten years. His legs were still shriveled and emaciated, but Jesus pulled him
to his feet. Reuben took a tentative step, as the crowd pushed back to make
room. He began walking slowly, wobbling a bit at first, in a tight circle.
Someone reached out to steady him, as someone else pulled the mat out of the
way. Jesus grinned and gave a thumbs-up at the happy, weeping faces above him in
the opening.
With excitement,
joy, shouts, and applause increasing by the second, the people made way for
Reuben to pass through their midst, carrying his mat on his shoulder. Behind
him were the discomfited, embarrassed religious leaders, a rejoicing crowd, and
a smiling, joyous Jesus.
Ahead
of Reuben was a blessed, new, forgiven, restored life and his four, faithful,
happy friends with whom to enjoy it.
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How
often we need “four friends”--people whose faith and steadfastness will carry us
in prayer, when we are weak, have lost hope, and can’t-see-the-forest-for-the-trees.
Sometimes
I can’t take myself to Jesus. This is when I need the Body of Christ--beloved
sisters and brothers--to lift me into His Presence and believe for miracles. Thank
you for this.
