Reflections on Mark 2.1-12

This past summer, Rachel and I had the wonderful privilege of celebrating our anniversary with a night away from the kids. One night. Anything was possible. What did we do? We did what normal married folks who rarely get away from their kids do. We went for a walk trying to figure out what to do. It just so happened that we were at the beach, so we chose to stroll down the boardwalk. We passed by many a t-shirt shop and souvenir emporium. We sashayed by the arcade with its pumping music and arm wrestling games to test your strength. We even passed an art gallery or two. Nothing really was striking our fancy. The t-shirts were too expensive. The arcade with its tests of strength? Far too little of a challenge! The art galleries? Well, we aren’t really fans of beach scenes. So we walked until we got to the end of the boardwalk, and I saw it. The moment my gaze fixed upon it I knew what I wanted to do. More than anything else at that moment I wanted to drop a small fortune for the amazing opportunity of walking through the Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum. What could be more romantic? What says “I love you” more than a leisurely stroll among shrunken heads, pictures of primeval oddities, and stuffed replicas of two-headed chickens? I don’t remember exactly how the events unfolded or what I specifically said but I remember turning to the love of my life and offering to take her on a most exotic and romantic stroll through Ripley’s. To which, my bride made some remark about throwing away our money and time on things that everyone knew were not real. In that moment, feelings of rejection and dejection over the refusal of my romantic overtures were the least of my worries. To be frank, I was more concerned about my bride’s obvious misunderstanding of the wealth of positively verifiable oddities found under the Ripley’s roof. I was concerned how she could refuse to believe what was obviously true. How could anyone doubt what was so clearly displayed before their eyes? After all, isn’t seeing believing?

I suppose that for some, seeing isn’t always believing. Sometimes what we see just seems too fantastic, too out of the ordinary to be true. Sometimes what we see is so outlandish that we dismiss it and move on. I wonder. Just because it seems fantastic and outlandish, does this mean it must not be true? Must everything fit within neat boxes that can be explained? Must everything work in just the way we have defined the world to work? Here’s a case in point. A fellow shows up who claims that the Kingdom of God is coming to town. He makes the audacious claim that God is physically showing up and taking charge. By now your fantastic and outlandish meter ought to be nearing the red zone. Here’s the deal. This fellow didn’t just talk. He put action behind his words. As he moved about things began to happen through him that previously only God could do. The lame walked. The sick became well. The demon possessed experienced freedom. For the most part, people could explain his actions as the charismatic power of some sort of faith healer. But then came the paralyzed man. Paralysis isn’t like sickness or demon possession. It is hard to explain away paralysis. One look at the wretched withered limbs of one long immobile is enough to cause even the strongest to wince in the face of harsh reality. One look at this paralyzed man didn’t cause this fellow to wince. Rather, it led him to blow up ever fantastic and outlandish meter in the room with a simple statement. “Son, your sins are forgiven.” With these words, this fellow struck to the heart of this man’s issue. Sin. Separation from God. The experience of a broken world that leads to a broken life, in this case paralysis. Excuse me?!? Who can forgive sins but God alone? But then this fellow did something amazing, something fantastic. He told the paralyzed man to rise and walk. With a simple word withered limbs long immobile became supple and moved once more. Brokenness became wholeness. Talking about forgiveness, moving one from brokenness to wholeness, is one thing. Acting upon it is something else.

It would be enough for some to see this single act and in seeing they would know that this fellow was someone spectacular. Somehow in this one fellow, Jesus, the person and power of God were deeply woven. Those privileged enough to be present encountered in him both God’s person and power. What amazing to me is that this power and presence are not available only to those where were physically present. God’s power and presence are available to all who wish to encounter it, to all who will simply come before Jesus. There may be some who scoff, but then again, seeing is believing. Let me give you one more case in point. I know a fellow who was once paralyzed, not physically but emotionally. Years of abuse left him huddled, withdrawn, withered with fear and the sting of rejection. Once able to walk, he found his neck broken by those who should have cared for him. One day a few people took this fellow to Jesus. Unable to do anything except hope, this fellow heard Jesus say, “Son, your sins are forgiven. Rise and walk.” This fellow found withered limbs long immobile supple and moving once more. Those that know him best can only say, “We have never before seen such things.” To this fellow, Jesus can be nothing other than God for he has encountered him in all of his fullness. Now, if he can only get his wife to go to Ripley’s.

A fellow traveler,

Blake Shipp

Spiritual Formation Pastor

What is my next step?

I encourage you to consider the following as a way of handing off faith to your family. . .

Pause and encounter Jesus: We acknowledge that Jesus is real and that we can personally encounter him. In our daily and family life, we may do little to act upon this acknowledgement. This month, consider adding times into your family rhythms that provide opportunities to “be with” Jesus personally. This can be a simple activity such as adding an extra place setting at the table each evening for Jesus, or by adding moments of silence in your times of prayer to “sit with” Jesus. Look for ways to slow down and acknowledge that Jesus is present and with your family. In so doing, you provide opportunities for your family to encounter this one in whom we find both God’s person and power.

I encourage you to consider the following as a way of nurturing your own faith. . .

Surrender to God as king: The gospel is the encouraging message that we can personally encounter God and live under his rule and authority through the person of Jesus. Responding to the gospel takes acknowledging that God is truly King. This week, consider responding to God with this simple prayer. “Jesus my king, lead me.” Attempt to speak this prayer as you breathe throughout the day. As you inhale, speak the word “Jesus my king.” As you exhale, offer the words, “lead me.” Do this as you move about your activities and relationships so that this prayer becomes woven into the fabric of your life. If you become distracted, begin again when you recognize your distraction. Do not beat yourself up or fret that you were distracted but be gracious to yourself. Rather, use your distraction as an illustration of your great need for Jesus as your king.