I went to a church conference once to hear one of our Wesleyan Pastors from Celebrate Church in Sioux Falls SD and one thing he said from one of his messages was that Celebrate Church was willing to do anything short of sin to reach the lost! That has always stuck with me. It impressed me at the time because I was just starting out and had read a bunch of leadership books and ‘how to be a pastor books’ and now this guy is basically lifting all the ‘traditional rules and thoughts to a place that I hadn’t considered yet- to do ‘anything’ short of sin to reach people that needed to know Jesus.
Sadly, when many people think of ‘the church’ they don’t automatically think of how loving the people are. They miss how generous and kind and caring the church has been and still is.
Jesus said it plainly: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
According to Jesus, love isn’t optional. Love is evidence that we are His disciples. Love is proof that we are His followers. Love is the proof that we know Jesus. When we read the Gospels—One thing becomes unmistakably clear. Jesus was drawn to people that the religious leaders avoided. God is pleased when his church looks like his Son. Because Jesus didn’t just say He loved people; He showed it.
In Mark chapter 4 Jesus is back in Capernaum. Some time has passed since the last time he was here. As he settled in for a time of rest and to minister in a familiar town, word traveled fast. People wanted to hear Him speak and people were hoping to experience or witness the miracles that Jesus was known for. The house where he was at filled up quickly. (a problem most pastors would love to have!)
And within that context, a crowded, crowded home, (standing room only) people listening and watching and waiting- Jesus reaching out to his old stomping grounds and that’s when LOVE shows up—This the true account of a miracle of healing and the miracle of salvation.
Jesus is home and the house packed. There is no space anywhere! Everyone keeps crowding in shoulder to shoulder and everyone wants something from Him. It’s crazy- and could make someone feel pretty claustrophobic! Look at verse 3. “Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.”
Because these four friends loved their friend; they didn’t just watch from the sidelines. The love they had for their friend is the kind of love that carries the burden. They got involved and put some sweat equity into the miracle. A loving church carries burdens. They carried their friend to the house where Jesus was and discovered there was no way to get him through the door to Jesus. What to do? There decision seems creative and heroic to us, but in those days- they were could be making some enemies- disrupting the rabbi’s teaching, tearing apart someone’s roof and possible livelihood as well as making some people pretty disgruntled having dirt, grass and roof material falling on their heads. But they kept going. They went to the roof- despite all the possible problems because they loved their friend very much!
The love that these 4 people had for the friend wasn’t just a love that pointed people to Jesus it, this love CARRIED THEM to Jesus! This love made a statement- not only to the guy on the mat, but to all that attended that house that day. And this kind of love continues to speak to us as we read and recognize the sacrifice, the faithfulness and the love of these friends. It’s been said: People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Love proves you care when you pick up the burden. When you go the extra mile, when you give without asking for anything in return. Love proves you care when listening and being available, despite your busy schedule. Sometimes love is seen doing the big things and other times love is revealed in the small things. Love is always personal. When people experience the love of God. Lives are changed.
Love breaks the rules. Love chooses to serve people and to save people. Love goes past the unseen boundaries to do what can’t be done.
The crazy thing during this whole event was that Jesus didn’t stop them. Jesus didn’t rebuke them. Jesus didn’t say, make sure you pay the homeowner and clean this mess up. Jesus didn’t tell them to wait outside- he saw their faith and loved them! Jesus understood breaking the rules for love too. Jesus had eaten with sinners and the Pharisees hated that. He forgave prostitutes- scandalous! He touched the lepers and loved the tax collectors. All taboos in His culture of the time! In Mark’s story, Mark writes that Jesus saw something. Not just the roof caving in. Jesus didn’t notice their manners Jesus didn’t focus on their theology. … Jesus saw their faith. How do you see faith? Jesus saw their faith through their actions, expressed through love.
When we love like Jesus—People experience God. When people experience God—Lives are changed.
So, let me ask you—Who do you know? Who is God asking you to carry? Who needs the love of Jesus through your life? Go out this week and love like Jesus!
