Mark 2:1-12: 1 When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. 3 Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5 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 fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk'? 10 But so 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, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” 12 And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

It is as if the entire city is home where Jesus was staying! People pushing and shoving to get a better look, or if not a better look, at least someplace closer so they can hear Jesus preaching the word. Rumors were flying that Jesus had returned home. So the crowds were once again climbing over each other to get as close to Jesus as possible.

Ah, those crowds, always showing up in Mark's gospel wherever Jesus was to be found, in homes, on the street, across the lake, in the marketplace, at the temple, at his trial.

Who were they, these crowds? Curiosity seekers hanging out to see what magic Jesus might perform next? Perhaps opportunists seeking a quick fix to their physical or spiritual problems? Bored men, women, and children looking for any possible interruption to an otherwise uninteresting, uneventful day? Spies, sent by the religious authorities to keep watch on this crowd-pleasing, self-proclaimed messiah? Were they genuine seekers, listening and watching for signs of divinity in what Jesus did or said? Were they followers? Perhaps they were a mix of all of the above.

In our story for today the crowd has jammed inside the home where Jesus is staying, spilling over into the doorway and out into the street. What are they doing? They are listening, our story says, to Jesus speaking the word. We would admire such a crowd, I think, don't you. But quickly our eyes turn away from the crowd toward four people, men we assume, approaching the home, carrying a paralytic on a kind of mat, a thickly woven grass mat, most likely. The crowd, interestingly enough, does not begin to part and make way for the cot carriers to bring the paralytic to Jesus. It would seem they are too concerned about keeping their place near to Jesus so as not to lose their good listening spot: standing in the way of one who can't even stand. Our admiration for the crowd may quickly turn to offense or at least impatience. The crowd doesn't budge, doesn't move! The four people carrying the paralytic do not say a word. That's OK, because we find ourselves saying it for them: “Move! Move!” “Make room for these people!” “What is wrong with you?” “Get out of the way!”

The four carrying the sick one do not delay or become discouraged. No, they keep moving toward Jesus one way or another. If they can't go forward they will go up! Up they go, stairs on the outside walls those days, narrow and steep, stumbling as they go, struggling to keep their friend from falling off the mat, the lower two holding up their end as high as they could to keep things level as they climb the steep stairs. They reach the top of the flat roof, set the paralytic down and with their hands on their knees stop a moment to catch their breath. Now the sweat is running down their foreheads and cheeks. Their backs are wet from their work. But at least now the crowd is below them. All they have to do is dig through the roof! Dig through the roof? Yes, dig through the roof, dig through the sticks and packed dirt and clay, such were the roofs of those days. It seems it was easier to dig through clay than part the crowds if one wanted to get to Jesus that day.

Imagine the scene! Jesus is speaking the word from inside the home. A clamor is heard coming from outside; the sound of footsteps, voices, bodies knocking against the wall. Jesus pauses for a brief moment and, with those inside the house, turns to look in the direction of these sounds. But Jesus continues to speak, a little louder perhaps, and the crowd leans forward a bit in order to hear over the annoying clatter. But then footsteps are heard from the roof top. Dust and dirt loosened by the weight of the five begins falling into the house. A few seconds later larger dirt clumps and small pieces of stick and clay begin falling on Jesus' head. He stops preaching, again, looks up and gets an eye full. Rubbing his eyes he steps back and avoids a larger piece of clay as it falls at his feet.

All eyes inside the home are looking up. No more listening for now, just looking. After a few minutes the small hole has grown to the size of a . . . yes, you were listening, a cot. Sunlight is streaming into the otherwise dimly lit home. Without any warning, through this gaping hole in the roof descends the paralytic, being let down, hand over hand. All those inside are following the paralytic with their eyes; shading their eyes with lifted hands to block out the bright sun. Slowly he descends and with a soft plop lands at Jesus' feet on top of the not-so-small pile of dirt and clay. Now all eyes are on the paralytic, yours and mine as well. But Jesus, it seems, is still looking up at the hole in the roof, circled by four sweaty faces, for so our story reads: “and Jesus seeing their faith.”

Jesus sees their faith. Whose faith? The faith of the four, of course. It is the carrying, climbing, clearing-away-faith of the four that has caught the eye of Jesus. It certainly isn't the faith of the crowd. This man is lying in front of Jesus not because of the crowd, but in spite of it. No packed crowd or packed clay will keep these cot carriers away from Jesus. They will do the extra-ordinary, whatever it takes to place the paralytic at Jesus' feet. The faithfulness of the crowd is questionable at best, not so for these cot-carriers. Jesus, seeing their faith, speaks forgiveness and healing to the paralytic. The paralytic is healed because of the faith of others. Cot carriers, stubborn in faith, bearing to Jesus the paralyzed, of body and perhaps, of spirit. More of these we need today. Where are they?

Jesus sees their faith. Faith is to be seen! Not simply heard! Don't speak to me of your faith, show me! Faith acts. Faith is of the feet, the arms, the hands. No words are spoken by the four or the paralytic in this whole story. They've said nothing, yet they have said it all!

Our story begins with words and ears but ends with actions and eyes. “Let your light so shine before others,” Jesus says elsewhere, “that others may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”  AMEN

-Rev. Dr. Philip Johnson

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