Hanging Out with Jesus VII: Damage to Peter's House

Hanging Out with Jesus VII: Damage to Peter's House

Mark 2:1-12

The four men who carried their paralysed friend in need through the roof to take him to Jesus in a house offer many lessons. They teach the unstoppable power of determination, friendship, love, team work/cooperation, shared goal, common attitude/faith, united action and intercession.  They bring a challenge - will you spur one another as friends toward love and good deeds. Will you cut a hole in the roof of a house and lower people down to the Lord in prayer? Will you cut the hole in the roof and lower people to the Lord for salvation? Paralysis today could be anger, despair, sickness, alcohol, nicotine, drugs, and promiscuous sexual activity, etc.

Jesus returned ‘home’ to Capernaum - most probably the house of Peter (Mark 1:29). This town was fast serving as the northern base for his ministry. In the previous visit Jesus full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38) entered the town and announced the good news of the arrival of  the Kingdom of God and demonstrated his great power. He spoke with authority, cast out demons, cleansed lepers and healed diseases of every sort.  Things were happening not only at special places but also in homes, on the wayside, at the seashore, in the wilderness as in synagogues. They happened wherever there was faith. On that occasion  the whole city was at the door waiting for him. Therefore, when he returned, word went round  and people flocked to the house. Amazing things happen when Jesus is in the house.

The four men who carried their paralysed friend to Jesus for a miracle stood out  from the crowd.  Is it possible they were healed on previous occasions and their friend was left out when the whole town had been healed (Mark 1:32)?

The Men’s Determination

They were determined he would not miss out this time. What did they have to overcome?

>> A burden to carry. “…bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.” Mark 2: 3b. It is not easy to carry a person who is so lifeless to help himself or herself. I once helped carry an uncle who was in what seemed to be a coma into an ambulance. It was difficult for three men.  We recovered in days and we did not have to carry him. Burdens are lifted at Calvary. When you carry them to him you won't need to carry them again.

>>Barriers to overcome.  “And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press” Mark 2: 4

>> The crowd. Because Jesus was in the house, the house was filled with people. The needy, the curious and the critics were all gathered in one place. Revival was in progress. The crowds came to be healed but also came to see him and to see what he would do. There was no room left not even by the door. The house was filled with anticipation. Everyone wondered what he would do next.  Many wondered if this was the political messiah would free Israel from occupation by the Romans. But for the four men it was not business as usual. They may have asked for access and were denied until they decided that extreme situations demanded extreme measures. The ones outside were more hungry for a miracle than the ones inside. The worst conditions were shut out by the ones inside.  In a hospital the worst cases, the babies and the old often jump the queue.

>> The covering. The roof needed to be uncovered. Going by the practice in those days, the house was most probably constructed with a flat roof and a set of stairs on the side of the house to access the roof. The roofing material would include timber, tree branches and thick layer of clay and mud pressed very hard to be rain proof.  Therefore, they had to dig until they made an opening large enough to lower their friend into the house.

>>The consequences. They must have wondered what would happen afterwards.  They dared to do the risky and costly. What if they were arrested? What if their reputation was damaged? Imagine the preaching is on and suddenly the sound of digging is heard on the roof. Before long dry mud and wood begin to fall on the crowd exposing the sky. Then a man is lowered into the room. What did the crowd think? What did Peter think? His house was being damaged before his very eyes. They might have had to pay for the cost of the repairs to Peter’s roof.

>> Barricades inside their own minds and attitudes. They had to overcome doubt and fear. They had to agree and cooperate with one another. They overcame selfishness and personal pride about appearing awkward by doing something unusual. They were willing to think outside the box.

The Response of Jesus

We know how Jesus responded. To Jesus, houses, pigs, sabaths and laws were made for people and not people for them. People were made for God alone. Whatever cannot be sacrificed to save lives is an idol. 

>> He was tender to him.  He saw nothing else but faith and probably smiled. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” (Mark 2: 5). Jesus sees faith before anything else. Faith is rejection of sin. That is why it pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).  Faith redefined his relationship.  He addressed him as ‘son’.  You cannot believe so much as to pull down a roof and still hold on to sin. He welcomed him into the family.

Ref to Luke 15 and 2 Samuel 9.

>> He brought attention to the root cause of suffering. He was already preaching the word to them – on faith and repentance. His priority was to communicate the message of the kingdom not just to do miracles. His heart was on solving the basic need.  Many focused on miracles and missed the message. They snatched the bait and survived the hook. The man was brought to Jesus for healing but Jesus dealt with his sins. Jesus’ priority was to deal with sin. He is light that drives away darkness.  The greatest need in life is not a physical need but a spiritual one. Capernaum missed this truth. It was here that he displayed great healing power. It was here that he preached in power. It was here that he made his public claims to be the messiah. Yet later despite all the miracles performed in this city Jesus pronounced a curse upon the city (Luke 10:13-15). They enjoyed the miracles and missed the message.  The message is so important that rather you go to heaven maimed than to die able bodied unsaved. Do not be like the people of Capernaum. Rather you go to hell from anywhere else other than from the pews of a bible believing church.

>> He baffled sceptics and critics (Mark 2: 6-10). He forgave sin. He taught the Pharisees that it was not just about knowing the law but also about life and sound relationship with God. He confronted his critics with truth. They focus on effects or symptoms while he addressed root causes. What you think in your heart can interfere with your prayer and relationship with God.  “some teachers of the law were sitting there thinking to themselves, why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (v. 6 -7).  He had authority on Earth to forgive sins. Jesus healed the man to demonstrate he had power to forgive sin. He used the physical to prove the spiritual. For all the physical benefits from God there are spiritual lessons you cannot afford to miss.

>> He amazed all. He amazed everybody by healing the paralytic. “Insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.” Mark 2:12.  Jesus was associated with amazement not amusement.  He amazed everyone and baffled his critics.  Are you amazed, amused or baffled on your journey with Jesus?  May you never stop to be amazed.

Message by Dr. Kurai Chitima.

Faith Ministries – Johannesburg Faith Life Center.

Ground and First Floors Sunset Bay Building,

204B Bram Fischer drive,

Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa