Word certainly has gotten out, because their home

[Mary Naeem]

Sermon Mark 2:1-12
By: James Love
Imagine it, Jesus is at home in Capernum. Living at Peter's house; remember after worship they went home, cured Peter's mother-in-law, then cured others and cast out demons.
Word certainly has gotten out, because their home is now packed with people. They are in the kitchen, in the halls, even hanging out the front doors. Folks have heard that Jesus is healing people and they come for obvious reasons. Some are curious, some are sceptical, and some are desperate to have Jesus bring them some peace.
Those of you who've had a loved one sick understand that desperation. You get the diagnosis, and the words of the doctor seem unreal. What do you mean it's life threatening! What do you mean there is no cure. Surely there must be some help somewhere. When doctor's have no additional help people who are sick are vulnerable to all sorts of charlatans which their miracle cures.
And we know that some of them, abusing Jesus name, with hidden actors or hidden cameras, will make a good living off the sick and vulnerable who when they ‘come to the end of their rope' will look for any hope to hang onto. Maybe he can help.
Perhaps we can understand efforts of the four who carry the paralytic man to Jesus. Coming to the house, they see the crowds. Seeing there is no chance in getting him in through the door, the climb the stairs to the roof. And atop the flat mud roofs of Capernum, they dig a hole right in the roof! How creative and how determined their love is.
It makes me wonder who this paralysed man is? As often is the case in the Bible, people are referred to in terms of relationships. "His brother, her father, his daughter, his wife ..." And yet, no names or relationships are given, it doesn't even say if the people carrying him were men or women. Just people with a love willing to break the rules, cause trouble, get there loved one lowered to Jesus and healed.
While their efforts perhaps don't parallel ours, I think this scripture passage speaks to the events of this morning. We, a group of people who not related, have gathered here with thanksgiving, to present Fraser as a newest follower of Jesus, through Baptism. It seems strange to say he is the newest follower of Jesus since he has for many years been following and we certainly recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in his life. Indeed, he has become the chair of the Church council, even though dare I point it out, that was against the rules! And yet, if the text is clear, sometimes we find that God even decides to change the rules.
Fraser has been actively participating for some time, and as we see in other parts of scriptures, sometimes the work of the Holy Spirit follows baptism and sometimes precedes it. Regardless of how it happened, we group of people have the joy of seeing you enter a new relationship with Christ as one of the Baptized. We who mostly are not relatives, and we who come from different cultures and backgrounds, we have committed to be the Church with you. We who were strangers, through Christ, now call you brother.
And that is amazing in itself, because, except for some who's parents make them come, none of us need have cared about being at Fraser's baptism into Christ. We could have done something else, like go golfing, play nintendo, sleep in, or go shopping. And yet, we have chosen to share this time with you, indeed, you need other's present for it to be a baptism.
And I think there truth of why many of us are here with you, is spoken in the text. We have heard of the power of Jesus Christ. We have witnessed the power of Christ to heal the lives of others, or we have experienced that healing ourselves. But there is something deeper at work here and in the text. Did you hear it?
When the paralytic was lowered to Jesus, he forgives his sins because of the faith of those who brought him. For the sake of this small community of fours people which seeks wholeness for their friend, they have brought their friend. But there is something strange, at first Jesus does not heal him, but forgives him.
Now some think this is because at the time people thought illness was a punishment by God for sin. But that is too simplistic. Innocent people get sick and it is a mystery to us. And yes, sometimes people get sick and it is their own fault. And of course, sometimes people who abuse their bodies and don't get sick, it is a mystery.
And yet, what about Jesus actions with the paralytic. They lower him into the house of Jesus in need of healing and the first thing Jesus does is forgive him because of the faith of the others. Not only is this strange, but it is controversial! For you see, the scribes were there. You remember who they are. They are the professors and teachers of religion. We should not be surprised to see them there since all the town was talking about miracle healings. Like today, we have persons who focus their lives on learning the scriptures, so that when false teachers arise or fake healers try to cheat people, they can raise the tough questions.
And today they amongst all the guests in Jesus house seem the most troubled by what Jesus does. For you see, Jesus does not say, "In the name of God, your sins are forgiven." Or "On behalf of God, your sins are forgiven." Instead he forgives them, he says, "Son, your sins are forgiven." And forgiveness can only be proclaimed by God very self.
You can understand their confusion. Have they heard right? Why does this fellow speak this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?
Yet, Jesus response to them is puzzling. He says, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven', or to say, ‘Stand up take your mat and go to your home."
This is puzzling since both are nothing short of miraculous. And yet, when the Church on this side of the resurrection looks at the text, we are drawn toward saying that forgiveness certainly less amazing than a miracle healing. Just think about it, each Sunday, we gather here and Wendy or I, or someone else proclaims that we are a forgiven people. Something incredible happened at Church, "Wow, someone received God's forgiveness today!" However, if this Sunday we carried someone paralysed up front and God healed them from a disease that doctors could not, within a few weeks this Church would be filled and people rightly would be pouring out the front doors. A group might even rip a hole in our roof to lower someone down right there.
And yet, for the scribes, the issue of forgiveness was more shocking. Why? It was more shocking because they knew that only God could proclaim someone forgiven. To proclaim the ability to forgive would be to claim the authority and presence of God's very self. In their understanding of the scriptures, even the coming Messiah could not forgive sins, only God has such authority. Only God could say, "You are right with me now. You are acceptable to me now. With you I am well pleased."
Did you notice that Jesus calls the paralytic "son". I almost missed that. Do you remember at Jesus own baptism, just as he was coming out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him, and a voice from heaven saying, "You are my son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased."
You see, that is what is so amazing, if Jesus has such authority, then God has come near in him. God's kingdom is present in him; the authority, the power, and the presence of God's very self became a human being named Jesus, whom we call the Son.
This is why we describe God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As any good Father, God desires wholeness, healing, and a good relationship with the Son. As Jesus the Son, God is present in this world, and through this relationship the power of the Holy Spirit is present in our world. And the Spirit of God is present, we see healing, restoration of relationship, justice for the poor, and of course forgiveness. In John's Gospel, he says, "When you see the Son, you see the Father." That is why when people ask what God is really like, we say, "Look at Jesus life." And central to Jesus life, is his forgiveness of others, even his enemies.
And perhaps forgiveness is the most important gift of all. For this morning, through Baptism we say Fraser's sins were washed away. To some that might seem like stuffy old church language, but today's text tells us that this language is about Christ's authority given by God. That anyone who is baptised as a follower of Jesus has been united with Christ as the beloved Son. The core truth at the centre of Christianity is enacted in this simple service, and through the most ordinary of material; water.
That God says to Fraser, "You are my son, and with you I am well pleased." He need not earn this relationship through work, or being good enough, or being spiritual enough, or any other way. His worth is secure because the Love of God has come near. And not just internally, lest Christianity be reduced to psychology, but, by faith, we also proclaim that all of him, his mind, his body, and his spirit are secure in his relationship with Jesus Christ. And on the day of resurrection, when he stands before the Judgement seat of God, Christ will stand with him and say, "Acceptable." As Paul said, "If we have been united with him in a death like him, we certainly will be united with him in a resurrection like his." Through our baptism and through the forgiveness of God, we know our lives and our future are secure through Jesus Christ. In this life and in the age to come.
And being united with Christ, means that we are also entrusted and given the authority to be the Church; to be a community who's love for one another is a sign of God's Kingdom in the world, a physical presence of the hospitality and love of God. Whether people are hanging our the doors, or whether just a handful gather, the mission is the same. We have been saved for a purpose, to be the body of Christ shaped by the power of the Holy Spirit, as the agents of God's creative love in the world. And Fraser, we give thanks to God that we are united with you in Christ as that mission