The Powerful Faith of Faithful Friends

The Powerful Faith of Faithful Friends.

Mark 2: “1And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He (Jesus) was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And He was preaching the Word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, ‘Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—He said to the paralytic— 11 ‘I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.’ 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Friendship is a great thing. In many ways it makes life bearable and enjoyable at times when it could easily be the opposite. A good friend stays by you through thick and thin. In life’s good times and when things aren’t going your way. In today’s passage we see a story of great friendship, we see a story of great faith, we see a story of great determination.

As usual Jesus was about His Father’s business. He was preaching the Word to a packed house, when all of the sudden dirt began to fall from the ceiling. Soon beads of light began to show through that same ceiling. Not long after that there was a gaping hole large enough for a man to fit through. As the people stood in astonishment looking up, they saw a man being lowered through that hole. He needed to be healed and his good friends were determined enough that they were going to stop at nothing until he was face to face with the One Who could heal. These were the type of friends that everybody needs. The type that are going to allow nothing to stand in the way of friendship. These guys were bound and determined.

The stories had spread everywhere about this man Jesus. He had the power to heal, He had compassion for the people, He was a powerful teacher Who spoke with authority like no one else. Everywhere He went the crowds followed to listen to His teachings and to experience a touch of the Master’s Hand. They had heard that if you had faith, you could be healed. They had faith and so on this day they set out to see this Jesus. There was an excitement welling up inside of them as they carried their friend towards the place where Jesus was staying. The excitement quickly diminished as they neared their destination and saw throngs of people were headed in the same direction. When they arrived at the doorway it was jammed full of people.  Every entry, every window was packed. When they tried to get in no one would move for them. They weren’t about to let that stop them. They carried him up the outside stairs to the roof of the home and began to tear away. They agreed that they would repair it when they were done, but for now they will stop at nothing until their friend was face to Face with the Master. Soon they were lowering him through a hole in the roof, soon his mat was at the feet of Jesus, soon the paralyzed man stood to his feet having experience a touch of the Master’s Hand.

But let’s backtrack for a little bit, let’s go back to the friends. We have already looked at their great determination. They were bound and determined to let nothing stand in the way of getting their friend before Jesus. Now that’s friendship. But that brings us to the next question. Why? Why did they go to such great lengths? When I look at this, there are basically two very real possibilities that seem to jump to the forefront of my mind:

1. These men were incredibly ignorant. They would have had to have been ignorant or they would have never torn a hole in the roof of someone’s home. Unless possibility number 2 is true. 

2. These men had amazing faith. Now one of these possibilities makes perfect sense, the other doesn’t. 

Number 2 is the only one that makes any sense at all. That is exactly what happened with this these men. There was no doubt in their minds that Jesus not only could, but that He would heal their friend, or they would’ve never gone to such lengths. That is putting legs to your faith. 

My prayer is that you and I would exhibit this type of faithful friendship, and that we would put legs to our faith. 

Seeking daily to be a good friend and to put legs to my faith,   

Jim Canady  

The Most Dangerous Prayer.

Is today’s “Sinner’s Prayer” the equivalent of the outward sign of circumcision for the Jews?

Romans 2:17-29 “¹⁷But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God ¹⁸and know His will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; ¹⁹and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? ²²You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. ²⁴For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

²⁵For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. ²⁶So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? ²⁷Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. ²⁸For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. ²⁹But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”

While today’s passage is specifically directed to the Jews; it fits well with a lot of things that are present with the modern-day believer. Paul spends a considerable amount of time in these verses talking about circumcision. To the Jew, circumcision was the outward sign of the covenant between God and the Nation of Israel. Jews saw circumcision as a guarantee of God’s favor on them, whether they lived a life that was pleasing to Him or not. It takes very little time in reading through Jewish history, to see the God’s favor was not guaranteed by the outward sign of circumcision. Paul is quick to point out that God’s favor rests not on the Jews were physically circumcised, but on the Jew, who had “circumcision of the heart.” This type of statement should not surprise anyone. God has never been enthralled with what enthralls man. Need proof? Look at God’s conversation with Samuel in 1 Samuel 16. Samuel was at the home of Jesse, looking to anoint the next king of Israel. When Jesse’s oldest son Eliab stood before Samuel, he was certain Eliab was the one. Physically, he fit the prototypical king. Yet God said to Samuel “⁷But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees, man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

For the Jew, it was the outward sign of circumcision, for today’s church, I wonder if the outward sign isn’t the Sinner’s Prayer? We put so much weight into this prayer as if it were a guarantee of God’s favor, even if the life of the one who prayed the prayer remained unchanged. Could it be too many in the church today or trusting in Jesus as their Savior, but turning their backs on Him as their Lord? If so, how does this mess with what Paul writes in Romans 10:9 & 10? “⁹because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

What are your thoughts?