Bible Text: Mark 2:5 | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Erich Hun\u00adzi\u00adker | Series: Wel\u00adco\u00adme Home | A para\u00adly\u00adtic expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces heal\u00ading and for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of his sins through Jesus. He comes to this expe\u00adri\u00adence becau\u00adse he has fri\u00adends and neigh\u00adbours who help him. They have a heart for him. They car\u00adry him to Jesus and do not give up despi\u00adte obs\u00adta\u00adcles. They firm\u00adly belie\u00adve that Jesus will help and thus beco\u00adme a bles\u00adsing for the paralytic.<\/p>\n
We want to reflect tog\u00ade\u00adther this mor\u00adning on a sto\u00adry that you pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly all know very well. It is the sto\u00adry of the \u00abheal\u00ading of the para\u00adly\u00adtic in Caper\u00adna\u00adum\u00bb. It is found in the Gos\u00adpel of Mark, chap\u00adter 2. I will read ver\u00adses 1\u201312. I want to place the most important sce\u00adne in this well-known sto\u00adry at the very begin\u00adning of my ser\u00admon. Yes, what is it, the most important sce\u00adne in this story?<\/p>\n
\tIs it the moment when the men lower their para\u00adly\u00adsed fri\u00adend through the roof \u2013 right at Jesus\u00bb feet? That is wit\u00adhout doubt a spe\u00adcial moment. The\u00adre has hard\u00adly ever been any\u00adthing like it befo\u00adre. But that is not the decisi\u00adve sce\u00adne in the sto\u00adry. The\u00adre is one that is more important!
\n\tIs it per\u00adhaps the moment when the para\u00adly\u00adtic gets up at Jesus\u00bb word \u2013 pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly for the very first time in his life \u2013 rolls up his mat, takes it under his arm and goes out in front of the asto\u00adnis\u00adhed crowd that is gathe\u00adred the\u00adre? Inte\u00adres\u00adt\u00ading, by the way: as a sick man, the\u00adre was no way for this man to pass through this crowd \u2013 I will come back to this later \u2013 as a hea\u00adled man, room is obvious\u00adly made for him: \u00abAnd he aro\u00adse, and took up his bed, and imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly went out\u00bb, so it says in the last ver\u00adse of our text.<\/p>\n
The\u00adre is no ques\u00adti\u00adon: The heal\u00ading that is hap\u00adpe\u00adning here is uni\u00adque. It is extra\u00ador\u00addi\u00adna\u00adry. The peo\u00adp\u00adle who wit\u00adness it say it like this: \u00abWe have never seen any\u00adthing like it\u00bb (Mark 2:12). But is this the most important sce\u00adne in histo\u00adry? No! The\u00adre is some\u00adthing that is even more important, much more important:<\/p>\n
\tIt is the moment when the Lord Jesus turns to this para\u00adly\u00adtic and says to him: \u00abMy son, your sins are for\u00adgi\u00adven\u00bb. Some\u00adthing grea\u00adter and more important than this pro\u00admi\u00adse to a human being can\u00adnot actual\u00adly happen.<\/p>\n
It is sin, after all, that ruins our lives, that sever\u00adely dis\u00adturbs our tog\u00ade\u00adther\u00adness and sepa\u00adra\u00adtes us from God and from his eter\u00adnal world. Of cour\u00adse, not ever\u00adyo\u00adne is awa\u00adre of this. The para\u00adly\u00adtic in our sto\u00adry pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly did\u00adn\u2019t rea\u00adli\u00adse it eit\u00adher. It is quite pos\u00adsi\u00adble that the man did not suf\u00adfer from his sin. Per\u00adhaps he had no awa\u00adre\u00adness of sin, as many of our con\u00adtem\u00adpo\u00adr\u00ada\u00adri\u00ades no lon\u00adger do. Sin is no lon\u00adger an issue today, is it? Tho\u00adse who still take sin serious\u00adly are laug\u00adhed at, or pitied, not taken in their stri\u00adde. Today, sin is igno\u00adred, denied, or then play\u00aded down, excu\u00adsed, explai\u00adned, reinter\u00adpre\u00adted, glos\u00adsed over, etc. But no mat\u00adter how we deal with sin, its bru\u00adtal effect remains: it ruins our lives. It bur\u00addens our rela\u00adti\u00adonships and sepa\u00adra\u00adtes us fore\u00adver from God and his eter\u00adnal world, hea\u00adven. That is why the pro\u00admi\u00adse of for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of sins is the very best thing that can hap\u00adpen to us. It opens the door to the sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon of our lives and rela\u00adti\u00adonships. It opens for us the door to hea\u00adven, which remains clo\u00adsed to tho\u00adse who do not have the for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of sins. For\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of sins is the hig\u00adhest good we can recei\u00adve. It is a wealth that com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly pales the mil\u00adli\u00adons or even bil\u00adli\u00adons that the richest of this world may pos\u00adsess. Jesus says, \u00abWhat good would it do a man if he gai\u00adned the who\u00adle world and yet suf\u00adfe\u00adr\u00aded loss of soul? Or what can a man give to rede\u00adem his soul?\u00bb(Matthew 16:26). We can have all the goods of this world. If we do not have for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of sins, we will lite\u00adral\u00adly be emp\u00adty-han\u00added when the supre\u00adme judge, the holy God, sum\u00admons us befo\u00adre his thro\u00adne and calls us to account for our lives. Then all the goods of this world will not be enough to buy us free from the jud\u00adge\u00adment that will befall us when we have to stand befo\u00adre God with unf\u00ador\u00adgi\u00adven guilt. Do you have for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of your sins, or do you not have it? This is the all-important ques\u00adti\u00adon: Do you have for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of your sins, or do you not have it?
\nIt is so important that we have this pro\u00admi\u00adse from Jesus \u2013 now and also when we stand befo\u00adre the jud\u00adge\u00adment thro\u00adne of God: \u00abYour sins are for\u00adgi\u00adven! The para\u00adly\u00adtic in our sto\u00adry gets it from Jesus: \u00abMy son, your sins are for\u00adgi\u00adven.\u00bb Won\u00adderful. He pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly does\u00adn\u2019t even under\u00adstand what that means at the moment. He has been brought to Jesus to be freed from his para\u00adly\u00adsis. But the for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of his sins is the very best thing that could have hap\u00adpen\u00aded to him. The phy\u00adsi\u00adcal heal\u00ading that he sub\u00adse\u00adquent\u00adly expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces is \u00abonly\u00bb the con\u00adfir\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon, the tan\u00adgi\u00adble pro\u00adof that Jesus\u00bb pro\u00admi\u00adse is not just smo\u00adke and mir\u00adrors, but truth and rea\u00adli\u00adty. A gre\u00adat sto\u00adry. Someone is for\u00adgi\u00adven of his sins. Now we want to ask tog\u00ade\u00adther how the para\u00adly\u00adtic comes to this uni\u00adque expe\u00adri\u00adence with Jesus. How does he come to this encoun\u00adter with Jesus, in which this hig\u00adhest good, for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of sins, is gran\u00adted to him? The ans\u00adwer is clear: he has peo\u00adp\u00adle, fri\u00adends, neigh\u00adbours who help him to have this encoun\u00adter with Jesus. That\u2019s what you want too \u2013 per\u00adso\u00adnal\u00adly and as a con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon: to help other peo\u00adp\u00adle to have this sal\u00advi\u00adfic encoun\u00adter with Jesus. After all, that is our mis\u00adsi\u00adon, our cal\u00adling. The para\u00adly\u00adtic in the sto\u00adry of Mark 2 has peo\u00adp\u00adle who are his fri\u00adends or neigh\u00adbours and who help him to have this decisi\u00adve encoun\u00adter with Jesus. What kind of peo\u00adp\u00adle are they? What cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adses them? That is the ques\u00adti\u00adon we want to explo\u00adre tog\u00ade\u00adther. The\u00adre are five \u00abcha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adristics\u00bb that I obser\u00adve in the\u00adse fri\u00adends of the para\u00adly\u00adsed man and which I would like to brief\u00adly deve\u00adlop here:<\/p>\n
\tThey are peo\u00adp\u00adle who have an eye and a heart for the weak
\n\tThey are peo\u00adp\u00adle who wear
\n\tThey are peo\u00adp\u00adle who lead to Jesus
\n\tThey are peo\u00adp\u00adle who do not give up
\n\tThey are peo\u00adp\u00adle who believe.<\/p>\n
The\u00adse are the five points that cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adse the fri\u00adends or the neigh\u00adbours in this story:<\/p>\n
\tThey have an eye and a heart for the weak.
\n\tThey are rea\u00addy to bear.
\n\tThey have the firm con\u00advic\u00adtion that the para\u00adly\u00adtic must come to Jesus.
\n\tThey do not give up.
\n\tThey belie\u00adve that Jesus helps.<\/p>\n
Befo\u00adre I go into detail about the\u00adse cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adristics, I want to brief\u00adly point out a state\u00adment at the begin\u00adning of this sto\u00adry that I stumb\u00adled over while rea\u00adding the text. It says: \u00abAnd after some days he \u2013 Jesus \u2013 went again to Caper\u00adna\u00adum; and it was known that he was in the house\u00bb Caper\u00adna\u00adum was con\u00adside\u00adred \u00abhis city\u00bb, the city of Jesus. That\u2019s whe\u00adre he had his home. That\u2019s whe\u00adre he lived \u2013 pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly in Peter\u2019s house. \u00abIt beca\u00adme known that he was in the house.\u00bb \u00abWord spread quick\u00adly that he was back home,\u00bb \u00abHope for All\u00bb trans\u00adla\u00adtes this pas\u00adsa\u00adge. And this vil\u00adla\u00adge talk \u00abJesus is in the house\u00bb led peo\u00adp\u00adle to gather the\u00adre. That\u2019s why they came in dro\u00adves: Jesus was in the house! It was not the osten\u00adta\u00adtious buil\u00adding that attrac\u00adted the peo\u00adp\u00adle, not the gre\u00adat sur\u00adroun\u00addings, not the beau\u00adtiful\u00adly desi\u00adgned mee\u00adting room with uphols\u00adte\u00adred arm\u00adchairs, stage and light organs, not the impo\u00adsing church tower, not even the invi\u00adting rin\u00adging of bells\u2026 It was sole\u00adly the pre\u00adsence of Jesus that brought the peo\u00adp\u00adle here. \u00abIt beca\u00adme known that he was in the house. And many were gathe\u00adred tog\u00ade\u00adther\u2026\u00bb Oh could that be said over the hou\u00adses, over the churches and cha\u00adpels whe\u00adre we Chris\u00adti\u00adans gather, \u00abHey, Jesus is in the house! Jesus is in the house!\u00bb May\u00adbe peo\u00adp\u00adle would come soo\u00adner. Per\u00adhaps they would be less inhi\u00adbi\u00adted to enter our churches and cha\u00adpels if they knew: Jesus is in the house! As belie\u00advers we are the body of Christ, are\u00adn\u2019t we? That is what the Apost\u00adle Paul tea\u00adches. Sin\u00adce Ascen\u00adsi\u00adon and Pen\u00adte\u00adcost, we are his repre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adti\u00adves in this world. Peo\u00adp\u00adle should see Jesus in us, in our lives, in our tog\u00ade\u00adther\u00adness. Unfort\u00adu\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly, they often see so many things other than him. Dear sis\u00adters and brot\u00adhers here in the see\u00adtal chi\u00adle: How do peo\u00adp\u00adle talk about the house at Chrisch\u00ado\u00adna\u00adweg 2 in Seon? It would be gre\u00adat if this house beca\u00adme the address whe\u00adre peo\u00adp\u00adle say: Jesus is at home! But now to the cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adristics or qua\u00adli\u00adties that make up being a fri\u00adend or neigh\u00adbour in this story:
\n1. being a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour means having an eye and a heart for the weak
\nOf the peo\u00adp\u00adle who bring the para\u00adly\u00adtic to Jesus in our sto\u00adry, we don\u2019t real\u00adly know who they are: Are they fami\u00adly mem\u00adbers? Are they neigh\u00adbours? Are they per\u00adhaps mem\u00adbers of the Sama\u00adri\u00adtan or Inva\u00adlids\u00bb Asso\u00adcia\u00adti\u00adon? Are they sim\u00adply peo\u00adp\u00adle from his cir\u00adcle of acquain\u00adtances? We don\u2019t know. But we do know one thing: they have an eye and a heart for this para\u00adly\u00adsed man. They are not indif\u00adfe\u00adrent to him. They suf\u00adfer with him. His para\u00adly\u00adsis tou\u00adch\u00ades their hearts. And they want not\u00adhing more than for him to be hel\u00adped. The weak and the low\u00adly do not have a high sta\u00adtus in our socie\u00adty. That was alre\u00ada\u00addy the case back then. I recall the well-known sto\u00adry of Blind Bart\u00adimae\u00adus, which illus\u00adtra\u00adtes this in a dra\u00adma\u00adtic way: How unkind\u00adly and heart\u00adless\u00adly the peo\u00adp\u00adle the\u00adre reac\u00adted when the blind man cal\u00adled out to Jesus and asked him for mer\u00adcy: \u00abMany told him to be quiet\u2026\u00bb (Mark 10:48) \u00abShut up!\u00bb the peo\u00adp\u00adle shou\u00adted angri\u00adly. This is how \u00abHope for All\u00bb descri\u00adbes the reac\u00adtion of the peo\u00adp\u00adle the\u00adre. \u00abShut up!\u00bb Do not dis\u00adturb us! Don\u2019t stop the Lord Jesus! He has more important things to do than to take care of wret\u00adched crea\u00adtures like you.
\nEven the clo\u00adsest disci\u00adples of Jesus react in a simi\u00adlar way when child\u00adren are brought to Jesus expec\u00adting him to lay his hands on them and pray for them: \u00abThe disci\u00adples dro\u00adve at them \u2013 the par\u00adents\u00bb, we read about them (Matthew 19:13; Mark 10:13 etc.). Child\u00adren, or even old, weak, sick, dis\u00adab\u00adled peo\u00adp\u00adle are not\u00adhing for Jesus. The Mes\u00adsiah needs young, healt\u00adhy, strong peo\u00adp\u00adle to build his won\u00adderful king\u00addom. That was the con\u00advic\u00adtion of the disci\u00adples. But Jesus rebu\u00adked them: \u00abYou are total\u00adly wrong! No, I do not build my king\u00addom with the gre\u00adat, not with the influ\u00aden\u00adti\u00adal and strong, I build my king\u00addom with peo\u00adp\u00adle who live from my strength and from my grace. Paul also thought that he had to be strong in order to ser\u00adve Jesus effec\u00adtively. That is why he wan\u00adted to get rid of his weak\u00adne\u00adss and pray\u00aded pas\u00adsio\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly for it. And Jesus tells him, \u00abBe con\u00adtent with my grace, for my power is migh\u00adty in the weak.\u00bb (2 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 12:9). \u00abSuf\u00adfer the litt\u00adle child\u00adren to come unto me, and for\u00adbid them not: for unto such belon\u00adgeth the king\u00addom of God.\u00bb So Jesus tea\u00adches his peo\u00adp\u00adle. And how does the sto\u00adry of blind Bart\u00adimae\u00adus con\u00adti\u00adnue, whom Jesus\u00bb com\u00adpa\u00adn\u00adions want to silence? Jesus stops and calls him to him (Mark 10:49). He takes care of him and helps him. And he makes it clear: I am the\u00adre for such peo\u00adp\u00adle. \u00abThe healt\u00adhy have no need of a phy\u00adsi\u00adci\u00adan, but the sick\u2026\u00bb(Luke 5:31). Dear sis\u00adters and brot\u00adhers, have we unders\u00adtood and inter\u00adna\u00adli\u00adsed this? Jesus has an eye and a heart for the weak. Do we, who want to fol\u00adlow him, have it too? Do we have an eye for the weak, hel\u00adp\u00adless and power\u00adless peo\u00adp\u00adle around us? Do we have a heart for them? Or do we per\u00adhaps rather look for the healt\u00adhy and the gre\u00adat and the strong and the rich? Being a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour means having an eye and a heart for the weak.
\n2. to be a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour is to carry
\nThis is what impres\u00adses me about the peo\u00adp\u00adle who bring the para\u00adly\u00adtic to Jesus. They are hel\u00adping. They do not just watch. They don\u2019t just feel sor\u00adry for him. They are not just expres\u00adsing their sym\u00adpa\u00adthy and com\u00adpas\u00adsi\u00adon. They do not try to com\u00adfort him. They do not give him good advice. They don\u2019t tell him: You have to\u2026 You should\u2026 No! They tack\u00adle him. They take him on their should\u00aders and car\u00adry him. And they car\u00adry him until he is with Jesus. That\u2019s what being a fri\u00adend is all about: Car\u00adry\u00ading the weak. Lif\u00adting ones\u00adelf under his bur\u00adden. Making his need your own need \u2013 until it is aver\u00adted. This is what Paul tea\u00adches in his let\u00adter to the Gala\u00adti\u00adans when he wri\u00adtes: \u00abBear one another\u2019s bur\u00addens, and you will ful\u00adfil the law of Christ\u00bb (Gala\u00adti\u00adans 6:2). To be a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour means to car\u00adry. And this can\u00adnot be done alo\u00adne. It takes a com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty of bea\u00adrers. A sin\u00adgle per\u00adson would be over\u00adbur\u00adden\u00aded. In our sto\u00adry we are told that the para\u00adly\u00adtic is car\u00adri\u00aded by four. Do you under\u00adstand? It is not one. Nor is it just two. It is four who car\u00adry the para\u00adly\u00adtic. And the text sug\u00adgests that the\u00adre were others: \u00abAnd some came to him, brin\u00adging a para\u00adly\u00adtic bor\u00adne by four.\u00bb The\u00adre are obvious\u00adly more who bring the para\u00adly\u00adtic than just the four who are car\u00adry\u00ading him. The\u00adre is a com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty of bea\u00adrers, peo\u00adp\u00adle who can take turns car\u00adry\u00ading him. To be a fri\u00adend is to car\u00adry. And this car\u00adry\u00ading is not done alo\u00adne, but tog\u00ade\u00adther with others. An indi\u00advi\u00addu\u00adal would be over\u00adbur\u00adden\u00aded and would soo\u00adner or later col\u00adlap\u00adse under the load he is car\u00adry\u00ading. Dear sis\u00adters and brot\u00adhers here in Seon, you not only have the mis\u00adsi\u00adon, but also the strength, the poten\u00adti\u00adal, to car\u00adry peo\u00adp\u00adle tog\u00ade\u00adther who are weak. Do it!
\n3. being a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour means brin\u00adging peo\u00adp\u00adle to Jesus
\nThat seems to me to be a cru\u00adcial point here. Peo\u00adp\u00adle don\u2019t car\u00adry the para\u00adly\u00adsed man any\u00adwhe\u00adre. They don\u2019t car\u00adry him to their club\u00adhouse. They don\u2019t car\u00adry him to a club mee\u00adting, to a neigh\u00adbour\u00adhood or fami\u00adly gathe\u00adring. They don\u2019t car\u00adry him to an exci\u00adting lec\u00adtu\u00adre, con\u00adcert or enter\u00adtain\u00adment event. Fri\u00adends do all that, of cour\u00adse. And some\u00adti\u00admes it is good and important to take weak peo\u00adp\u00adle to places whe\u00adre they can be dis\u00adtrac\u00adted from their mise\u00adry. But the peo\u00adp\u00adle here in the sto\u00adry are not drag\u00adging the para\u00adly\u00adtic just any\u00adwhe\u00adre. They car\u00adry him to Jesus becau\u00adse they are deep\u00adly con\u00advin\u00adced that this man needs Jesus abo\u00adve all others. This con\u00adcern burns in their hearts: this man must come to Jesus. He must meet Jesus. That is why they do not take him any\u00adwhe\u00adre but to Jesus. This obser\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon is so important to me becau\u00adse I know from my own expe\u00adri\u00adence as a pre\u00ada\u00adcher of many years how gre\u00adat the tempt\u00ada\u00adti\u00adon is for us as Chris\u00adti\u00adan con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adons to be inte\u00adres\u00adted in other peo\u00adp\u00adle only becau\u00adse we are loo\u00adking for growth for the con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon. We want to grow. We want to beco\u00adme big\u00adger. And then we invi\u00adte peo\u00adp\u00adle to our church events \u2013 not becau\u00adse we want peo\u00adp\u00adle to know Jesus, but becau\u00adse we want the church to grow. And then when they come to the ser\u00advice, we are alre\u00ada\u00addy satis\u00adfied. And we don\u2019t even ask whe\u00adther they expe\u00adri\u00adence Jesus, whe\u00adther they expe\u00adri\u00adence for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of their sins and recei\u00adve new life, or not. The main thing is that they are the\u00adre, in the con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon! And this tempt\u00ada\u00adti\u00adon is espe\u00adci\u00adal\u00adly gre\u00adat for small con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adons, for con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adons that have to fight for sur\u00advi\u00adval. I know what I am tal\u00adking about. The Chrisch\u00ado\u00adna con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon of Egg, whe\u00adre I was sta\u00adtio\u00adned as a pre\u00ada\u00adcher for the last 9 years of my minis\u00adtry, was a very small con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon. The\u00adre this strugg\u00adle for sur\u00advi\u00adval was very real. And I noti\u00adced it again and again: Sud\u00adden\u00adly it\u2019s no lon\u00adger pri\u00adma\u00adri\u00adly about brin\u00adging peo\u00adp\u00adle to Jesus, but to win them for one\u2019s own \u00abclub\u00bb, for the con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon\u2026 But if that beco\u00admes the moti\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon for evan\u00adge\u00adlism, then it has alre\u00ada\u00addy fai\u00adled. Becau\u00adse peo\u00adp\u00adle noti\u00adce that very quick\u00adly. They noti\u00adce very quick\u00adly whe\u00adther we are con\u00adcer\u00adned about them\u00adsel\u00adves, or about us, about our club, about new mem\u00adbers. And that makes them reluc\u00adtant and also sus\u00adpi\u00adcious. This call to win peo\u00adp\u00adle for our\u00adsel\u00adves, for our Chris\u00adti\u00adan asso\u00adcia\u00adti\u00adons, is also some\u00adthing that sticks to us evan\u00adge\u00adli\u00adcal churches \u2013 some\u00adti\u00admes not enti\u00adre\u00adly unju\u00ads\u00adti\u00adfia\u00adbly\u2026 Being a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour means brin\u00adging peo\u00adp\u00adle to Jesus \u2013 not to the church! To be a fri\u00adend means to rejoice when they expe\u00adri\u00adence Jesus, when they come to belie\u00adve in him and expe\u00adri\u00adence hope and new life through faith in Jesus \u2013 even if they do not join \u00abour\u00bb church. It is remar\u00adkab\u00adle in our sto\u00adry that Jesus does not say to the para\u00adly\u00adtic, \u00abGet up, take up your bed and join us!\u00bb He tells him, \u00abGet up, take up your bed and go home!\u00bb Being a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour means brin\u00adging peo\u00adp\u00adle to Jesus.
\n4. to be a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour is not to give up
\nThe peo\u00adp\u00adle in our sto\u00adry who have it on their hearts to bring the para\u00adly\u00adtic to Jesus learn that it is not so easy. The\u00adre is a gre\u00adat obs\u00adta\u00adcle on the way to Jesus. And this obs\u00adta\u00adcle is actual\u00adly tra\u00adgic: it is the peo\u00adp\u00adle who are inte\u00adres\u00adted in Jesus, who want to be espe\u00adci\u00adal\u00adly clo\u00adse to him. They stand in the way of the \u00abdis\u00adab\u00adled trans\u00adport\u00bb. They do not let the men with the para\u00adly\u00adsed man through. They do not make room. How obs\u00adtruc\u00adti\u00adve, how blo\u00adcking for the nee\u00addy, pious peo\u00adp\u00adle can beco\u00adme when they lose sight and heart for the weak. Then they sud\u00adden\u00adly stand in the way. They stand in the way of tho\u00adse who should be brought to Jesus becau\u00adse they despera\u00adte\u00adly need him. That is the sho\u00adcking thing about this sto\u00adry, which is gre\u00adat in its\u00adelf: the grea\u00adtest obs\u00adta\u00adcle for the peo\u00adp\u00adle with their para\u00adly\u00adsed fri\u00adend are tho\u00adse who want to be very clo\u00adse to Jesus\u2026 May this sto\u00adry beco\u00adme a mer\u00adciful mir\u00adror for us, if it should also be the case that we as pious peo\u00adp\u00adle are more of an obs\u00adta\u00adcle for others than a gui\u00adde and hel\u00adper to Jesus. The good thing about this sto\u00adry is that the men car\u00adry\u00ading the para\u00adly\u00adtic do not give up. They could resign and say: \u00abSor\u00adry, we tried, but it did\u00adn\u2019t work. We wan\u00adted with all our hearts for this para\u00adly\u00adsed man to come to Jesus, but unfort\u00adu\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly it was not pos\u00adsi\u00adble. They could have given up and car\u00adri\u00aded the sick per\u00adson home again. But they don\u2019t. They do not give up. They take an uncon\u00adven\u00adtio\u00adnal, even com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly cra\u00adzy way to reach their goal: they climb onto the roof of the house and break it open. It says here: \u00abThey made a hole\u2026\u00bb (Mark 2:4). They make a hole in the roof! And this was not a tiled roof as we know it today, which could be unco\u00adver\u00aded and then sim\u00adply clo\u00adsed up again. It was pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly a mud roof, and it was not so easy to get it sea\u00adled again. The\u00adse men risk being char\u00adged with dama\u00adge to pro\u00adper\u00adty. They punc\u00adtu\u00adre the roof of the house whe\u00adre Jesus is and let the para\u00adly\u00adtic down through this hole in the roof \u2013 right at Jesus\u00bb feet. Dear sis\u00adters and brot\u00adhers, how much are we wil\u00adling to invest and also to risk when it comes to peo\u00adp\u00adle being able to meet Jesus? I have the impres\u00adsi\u00adon that we some\u00adti\u00admes give up far too quick\u00adly, that we capi\u00adtu\u00adla\u00adte far too quick\u00adly when the\u00adre are dif\u00adfi\u00adcul\u00adties. Being a fri\u00adend does not mean giving up. Being a neigh\u00adbour means sti\u00adcking with it \u2013 even when the\u00adre are obs\u00adta\u00adcles on the way to Jesus.
\n5. to be a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour is to belie\u00adve for the other.
\nThis is some\u00adthing that always fasci\u00adna\u00adtes me about this well-known sto\u00adry when I read or hear it. It says: \u00abWhen Jesus the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre saw their faith \u2013 the faith of their fri\u00adends \u2013 he said to the para\u00adly\u00adtic, \u00abMy son, your sins are for\u00adgi\u00adven you.\u00bb \u00bb We read not\u00adhing in the who\u00adle sto\u00adry about the faith of the para\u00adly\u00adtic. May\u00adbe he did\u00adn\u2019t belie\u00adve at all. May\u00adbe he was full of doubt. May\u00adbe he just let his fri\u00adends drag him to this Jesus. May\u00adbe he thought: \u00abIf it\u2019s no use, it\u2019s no use! In any case, Jesus does not see the faith of the para\u00adly\u00adtic here, but that of his bea\u00adrers. \u00abWhen Jesus the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre saw their faith, he said unto the para\u00adly\u00adtic, Son, thy sins be for\u00adgi\u00adven thee.\u00bb Appar\u00adent\u00adly the\u00adre is such a thing as \u00abinter\u00adces\u00adso\u00adry faith\u00bb, a faith that we can have vica\u00adrious\u00adly for the weak. Per\u00adso\u00adnal\u00adly, I belie\u00adve that the\u00adre are situa\u00adtions and ways of life in which peo\u00adp\u00adle no lon\u00adger have the strength and abili\u00adty to belie\u00adve. And in such situa\u00adtions, appeals like: You just have to belie\u00adve! You must not doubt! etc. are of no use at all. On the con\u00adtra\u00adry, they only increase the mise\u00adry of the weak. The\u00adre are situa\u00adtions and ways of life whe\u00adre sub\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtio\u00adna\u00adry faith is cal\u00adled for, the inter\u00adces\u00adso\u00adry faith of peo\u00adp\u00adle who are strong. And our sto\u00adry shows that Jesus respects such inter\u00adces\u00adso\u00adry faith and bles\u00adses the weak per\u00adson who is belie\u00adved for. To be a fri\u00adend and neigh\u00adbour is to belie\u00adve for the other.
\nDear sis\u00adters and brot\u00adhers here in the see\u00adtal chi\u00adle: From the bot\u00adtom of my heart I wish you all to have such fri\u00adends as they are descri\u00adbed here in this sto\u00adry of the para\u00adly\u00adsed man. But even more I wish you all to be or beco\u00adme such fri\u00adends \u2013 to bless the para\u00adly\u00adsed, the sick, the weak and the nee\u00addy. I would like to clo\u00adse with a refe\u00adrence to the para\u00adble of the Good Sama\u00adri\u00adtan. You know why Jesus tells this para\u00adble? He tells it becau\u00adse someone \u2013 a scri\u00adbe \u2013 comes to him and asks, \u00abWho is my neigh\u00adbour?\u00bb (Luke 10:29). And then Jesus tells this sto\u00adry of the man who was atta\u00adcked, and the pious peo\u00adp\u00adle, the priest and the Levi\u00adte pass him by care\u00adless\u00adly. And then the Sama\u00adri\u00adtan, this \u2019stran\u00adger\u00bb, comes and helps the woun\u00added man. He looks after his wounds and cares for him. Do you also remem\u00adber how Jesus con\u00adcludes this para\u00adble? He does it with the ques\u00adti\u00adon: \u00abWhich of the\u00adse three do you think was next to him who fell among the rob\u00adbers?\u00bb (Luke 10:36). The scri\u00adbe asks Jesus who his neigh\u00adbour is. And Jesus ans\u00adwers him: \u00abThe ques\u00adti\u00adon is not who is your neigh\u00adbour. The ques\u00adti\u00adon is to whom you are a neigh\u00adbour. To be a fri\u00adend is to be a neigh\u00adbour. And being a neigh\u00adbour means ser\u00adving the one who needs help. To be a neigh\u00adbour means to see him, to car\u00adry him, to bring him to Jesus, to per\u00adse\u00adve\u00adre for him and to belie\u00adve for him who can\u00adnot, or can\u00adnot yet, do this hims\u00adelf. May the Lord Jesus help us all to beco\u00adme such peo\u00adp\u00adle, fri\u00adends and neigh\u00adbours who are the\u00adre for others and help them to encoun\u00adter Him.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bible Text: Mark 2:5 | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Erich Hun\u00adzi\u00adker | Series: Wel\u00adco\u00adme Home | A para\u00adly\u00adtic expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces heal\u00ading and for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of his sins through Jesus. He comes to this expe\u00adri\u00adence becau\u00adse he has fri\u00adends and neigh\u00adbours who help him. They have a heart for him. They car\u00adry him to Jesus and do not give up despi\u00adte obstacles.\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[58],"wpfc_sermon_series":[53],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-erich-hunziker","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-willkommen-daheim","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-2344","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"hentry","10":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t