Jesus Heals a Paralytic
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 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. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 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. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there questioning in their hearts, “Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 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? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, stand up, take your mat, and go to your home.” 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!”
~ Mark 2:1-12 (NRSVUE)
Friends, I don’t know about you, but I loved hearing Jesus’ healing stories as a child. There was something about them that fanned the flame of faith that I carried within me. Because when Jesus healed someone, it wasn’t mundane and every day. No, there was surprise, excitement, possibility, and the mystery of something unexpected and unexplainable happening. But somehow, when I was younger, I don’t ever remember hearing today’s story about the four people who brought their friend to Jesus. And maybe that was on purpose because today’s story could be one of those dangerous stories that you just don’t tell your kids. After all, if you’re not careful, it might open their minds to new ideas and crazy creative possibilities.
Had I heard today’s story as a child, I think it might have helped me to understand that faith is not just about quietly folding your hands and sitting up straight in worship. It’s not about saying the right words and wearing the right clothes. It’s not all about rules and laws and doing things the “right way.”
Sometimes, my friends, especially when we find ourselves in situations like the four friends in today’s story, faith is about pushing beyond the boundaries and stepping out into the unknown. It’s about following your heart, hoping with every inch of your being, and truly believing that if God calls you to do something, God will always be there to get you through, no matter how crazy it might sound.
Folks, though I don’t remember hearing this story as a child, I do clearly remember hearing it in seminary. It’s been one of my favorite scripture stories ever since then because it’s a story filled with utter faith, courage, creativity, and imagination, let alone fortitude, friendship, kindness, and innovation–all things that I believe our faith should be overflowing with! But as we all know, everyone hears, processes, and interprets scripture differently because we each carry with us our own personal understanding of faith, our own life experiences, and the one-of-a-kind human lens through which we look at the world around us.
So, while I love this story and applaud the four friends for their abundant faith and creative courage, I am sure that there are people out there who hear today’s reading and think, “How rude and inconsiderate those people were that pushed their way through the crowd, removing the roof from someone else’s house and lowering their friend down in front of everyone! Can you get any more impolite or self-centered than that? Didn’t they realize that Jesus was teaching? And everyone else was there first?”
Friends, the truth is that we all look at our faith and the world around us through our own lens. And that lens is shaped by our life experiences, our family of origin, the places we’ve lived and played and worked and worshiped, our own opinions, and those of our family and friends. And what we believe is important and true.
Last week, we celebrated our church’s 312th birthday, and we talked about how, throughout those 312 years, there have been good times and bad times, times of plenty and times of want, times when our pews and our offering plates have been filled to overflowing and times when our bank account and membership list was almost empty. But the light of hope that our founders brought here in 1712 has never gone out completely.
Folks, though we love our history and we love to tell our Oldtown story, the truth is, nothing here in Oldtown has stayed the same. No, far from it! Because every generation has had to find a way to make Oldtown their own to make the hopes and the dreams of our founders relevant in our ever-changing society and world. And every generation does their best, in their own way, to be the Body of Christ here in Oldtown, always looking to the scriptures for guidance, listening for God’s still-speaking voice, and being the best followers of Jesus and disciples of Christ that they can be.
Friends, as Oldtowners, we all love our church. This is a place where we feel welcomed and safe, a place where we are filled with hope and inspired to go out into the world to share God’s love with others. But the truth is, not every person who walks through our doors feels the same way, and that’s okay. As I often say, there are many different kinds of churches to meet the many different needs of the Body of Christ.
Some families look for intergenerational worship where the whole family can worship together, while others look for a nursery with a paid staff person so that parents can get some quiet time of reflection in worship. Some churches have professionally trained choirs and paid soloists, while other churches have members and friends who share their gifts and passions as best as they are able. Some churches have elaborate liturgies and deep theological study, while others are more relaxed, searching for simple ways to inspire people to go out into the world and live out their faith.
Friends, every church is a little different, but if you think about it, as children of God, we are each created to be unique and one-of-a-kind, too! And I believe that is just one more sign of God’s amazing grace and the way that the divine works in and through each and every person. What an awesome gift, huh? Each of us can find a place where we fit, a place to call home where we are surrounded by others who may not look or act or think like us but who long to walk the journey together.
Folks, this is a sacred and special place where we ALL work together to support our church and one another and where we strive to reach out to our community and to the world with love. And because of that, I give thanks for this church and for each and every one of you who helps make this the place that it is. But–and there is always a “but,” isn’t there–there are lots of people outside of our church who are searching for a warm welcome, a safe place to call home, where they can come to be fed and filled, and where they can truly be who God created them to be.
Folks, we have two important things that we need to do as a church family, and they are kind of tied together. Though I’m not expecting us to finish all of this work today, I do want us to think about both of these things over the next few days, weeks, and months.
The first is our Oldtown welcome. Every Sunday, as a part of our gathering, we say, “Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are always welcome here.” And we truly mean that don’t we? It doesn’t matter your age or your income, where you grew up or if you finished school. It doesn’t matter if you were raised Catholic or Protestant, Jewish or Hindu, or with no faith at all. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, who you love or how you vote, what you do on Saturday nights, or what you had for breakfast this morning. If you are here, you are welcome! Because the most important lesson that Jesus teaches us is to LOVE FIRST, no questions asked! But friends, though WE know that in Oldtown, we LOVE FIRST, and all are welcome, not everyone else outside of our doors knows that. And there are lots of people searching for a safe and loving place just like this.
Sometimes, I think that Oldtown is one of those hidden treasures that, if you find it, you are truly blessed. But some people search forever, turning over rocks and trying different churches, and they never find a church to call home. So, we need to work on a welcome statement, a few lines that we can share with the world to let them know who we are and what it is that God is calling us to do. Actually, that’s the second part. First, we need to figure out what it is that God is calling our generation to be and to do here in Oldtown.
Folks, I want people to understand that we are more than just that pretty little historical church on Old Post Road. We are more than a thrift shop, church suppers, pet clinics, yard sales, and fairs. We’re more than a parking lot for police cars to sit in and buses to turn around in. We are more than third-grade tours and a home for AA and scout meetings. Sure, we are all of those things, but we are also a family of faith that longs to be curious and learn more, a community that welcomes all and encourages every person to be who God created them to be. If you’re looking for a place of perfection, we’re not it. But we are a safe sanctuary when the world feels like it’s spinning too fast. And like the ragtag group of disciples that followed Jesus, we’re an intergenerational group of real live human beings who make mistakes and sometimes say things that we shouldn’t, but who also do our best to listen for God’s still-speaking voice to guide us and inspire us to make the world a better place.
So, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, as you go out into your busy week ahead, I would encourage you to think about who we are as a church, what God might be calling us to be and to do, and how we share that information with our community and the world. And folks, remember, it takes each and every one of us to make this church what it is. We don’t have fancy boards and paid staff, we don’t have a marketing dept or a professional dream team, but that’s okay because we’ve got something far better. We’ve got a faith community that loves and cares for this church and for one another, a community that listens for God’s still-speaking voice and asks curious and creative questions. We’ve got people of all ages who wonder, dream, and inspire us to try new things. We’ve got the Holy Spirit that often blows through and changes our plans altogether. And most importantly, we’ve got love because when we learn to love first, we can do just about anything!
My friends, may it be so. Thanks be to God.
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