Scripture reference: Mark 2:1-12
"There is no way we can ask him to come way the heck out here into the middle of nowhere. We simply must take Jesse to him."
Jacob
spoke to his brothers Jason and Saul, and their cousin Matthew, as he
stitched up the leather sleeve a wooden pole would go through. This
would complete one side of the stretcher he was making which he, his
brothers, and thier cousin would use to carry their neighbor, Jesse, to
the Rabbi they had heard of living in Capernaum. Word had come to even
their remote location that this man, named Jesus, can heal all
ailments. Without doubt or question, as soon as Jacob and his brothers
had heard this news, they made the decision to take their friend,
Jesse, to him.
Capernaum is a good half day journey under normal
conditions. Four men carry the weight of another between them would add
difficulty and time to the journey. For that reason they had decided to
set out before dawn of the next day. So Jacob worked quickly at his
task of making the stretcher. Then they would have a meal together
before going to bed to get enough rest for the day ahead.
The
stretcher complete and their bags packed, the four men sat down for the
evening meal. Jacob, the oldest, led them in prayer.
"Heavenly
Father, we thank you for this food, this land, and this home; all of
which we acknowledge are gifts from you. We also thank you for sending
your servant, this Jesus of Caprernaum, to our people. We know by the
things reported of him that he must be from you as another gift to your
children. And for that we are deeply grateful. May we prove ourselves
worthy of the blessing we know you will give to our friend, Jesse. By
your holy name we pray; Amen."
The morning star shown brightly
just above the Western horizon as the men set out on their mission.
Jacob and Jason took the forward positions, while Saul and Matthew held
the rear end of the poles. Their friend, Matthew, lay on his stretcher
softly speaking his morning prayers. Joy and excited filled all of
their hearts. For deep within themselves they knew that today was a
very special day. A day proclaimed by God himself. Today their friend
would be healed of his lameness, and be able to walk. None of them
could explain how or why they knew this with such strong conviction.
They simply knew in their heart's that God would make it so.
Joy
and hope (confident expectation) dominated the minds of the brothers
and cousin as they transported their friend toward Capernaum. They
recited psalms and sang hymns of praise to God as they traveled. The
very Spirit of God gave them strength and made their feet sure so that
they did not stumble. In this manner they happy group made good time,
and arrived at Capernaum at mid-morning. With a few inquires and little
difficulty, the four friends found the house where the Rabbi was
already teaching.
"Oh, man!," explaimed Jacob. "Look at that
crowd! There isn't enough space between those people for a fly to pass.
I see no way we can get through such a great crowd so tightly packed
together. How are we going to get Jesse in there?"
"Look over
there," Jason said as he pointed toward a chicken coop attached to the
South side of the house. "We could climb up onto the roof of that, and
then onto the roof of the house. Then we could tare off some of the
roof tiles, and lower Jesse through the hole. The rabbi would have to
take notice of him. Then, if he is as great as we have heard, surely he
will touch Jesse and make him well."
There was some discussion
of this rather odd idea, but the determination to see their friend
healed decided the matter. And the attention of the crowd was so
captivated by the words they were hearing that no one noticed the men
slowly climbing and pulling their load to the roof of the small house.
Neither did anyone seem to be aware that four men were tarring a hole
in the roof. So it was just a matter of about half an hour before the
friends of Jesse began to lower him down into the house. As it was, he
was descending from the roof right in front of Jesus.
Jesus
became silent, and the crowd began to murmur, as all eyes took notice
of the pallet being slowly lowered from the hole in the roof. Jesus was
not looking at the silent Jesse lying on the bed, but up into the faces
of his four friends. As the eyes are the window to the soul, Jesus saw
the faith in each man; the conviction that what they were doing would
not go unrewarded. And he knew they were not seeking reward for
themselves, but a blessing for their friend. Jesus was touched both by
their faith and their compassion.
Jesus then looked into the face of Jesse and said, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Now
there were some teachers of the law sitting in the front row, and they
were shocked to hear Jesus tell the man that his sins are forgive. They
were thinking, "Who does this character think he is?! Only God can
forgive sins. He commits blasphemy!"
Jesus knew what the haughty
Pharisees were thinking, so he spoke directly to them saying, "Why are
you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralytic,
'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take up your mat and
walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on Earth
to forgive sins..."
Then Jesus once again looked Jesse right in the eyes and said, "I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home."
And
with that, Jesse stood up, rolled up his pallet, held it in his right
hand lying on his right shoulder, and walked toward the door. The
crowd, like the Red Sea before Moses, parted and allowed him to pass.
His faced beamed with the happiness filling his heart as tears of joy
streamed down his face. The eyes of the room followed him while the
voices whispered to each other, "Praise the God of wonders. This is
amazing! We have never seen anything like this!"
Jesse emerged
from the house to the sound of joyful cheers from the crowd and his
friends who had jumped off the roof and were running toward him. They
hugged and kissed and laughed and cried. And then, singing hymns of
praise to God, they set off for home.
May the God of wonders give some amazing blessings and miracles. Praise God! Amen.