When Jesus Is In The House
“And again, He entered after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house” (Mark 2:1). Jesus being there made a significant difference in several ways.
Jesus was there, and people came. They heard “He was in the house,” and “immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door” (Mk. 2:2). The focus was Jesus; people wanted to see Him. Oh, how we want a full house today! No room, not even around the door! We resort to gimmicks to get a crowd. The house in Capernaum was full, but no one came because Peter was there, or John. Put Jesus back in the house. If people will not come because He is there, forget it! We’ll have no crowd. Think for a minute, if Jesus is not in the house, why go?
While He was in the house, he heard the call of the needy. “Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. When they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So, when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying .... He said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go your way to your house.’ Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all” (Mk.2:3-4, 10-12).
Jesus, the one who created the world is the one who is “upholding all things by the word of His power” (Heb.1:2, 3). He who operates this world easily commands a paralyzed man to walk. No problem for Jesus! He who granted strength to the weak limbs of that paralyzed man can also answer any and all prayers. He enabled a paralyzed man to stand; He can enable us to stand spiritually. “Indeed, He will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand” (Rom.14:4). Put Jesus back in the house! If Jesus is not in the house, why pray? Without Jesus in the house, prayers are only a voice bouncing off the ceiling!
Jesus in the house means forgiveness. It is not a matter of “I feel like I’m okay.” It’s not the preacher who says I’m okay, or the church that accepts me-- only Jesus can say, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (v.5). Jesus addresses forgiveness, He says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk.16:16). Jesus alone offers, insures, and guarantees salvation. He alone sets the requirements for salvation. It is Jesus who judges and condemns the one who rejects Him or His terms, “...he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mk.16:16). Then and now, “the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” (v.10). He alone exercises that power! Put Jesus back in the house! Without Him, there is no one who can say with authority “your sins are forgiven”.
Jesus was in the house, “and He preached the word to them” (v.2). His word was the gospel, good news of God’s provisions offered to man. His word was good news announcing God’s Messiah had come to redeem. Disciples after Pentecost learned the lesson well; they “preached Jesus” everywhere. Is it possible we spend an hour assembled on Sunday morning for “worship,” including the Lord’s supper and yet still might not talk, pray, or sing about Jesus? Put Jesus back in the house! Preach Jesus! Remember Jesus!
Jesus glorifies His Father. “... all were amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’” (v.12). When people see Jesus in the house, hear sermons about Him, are forgiven by Him by His sacrifice, then they will without a doubt go away praising and glorifying God. Put Jesus back in the house! Many will likely exclaim today, “we never saw anything like this!” If Jesus is not in the house, there is little reason to expect worship to take place! “And again, He entered after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house” (Mark 2:1). Jesus was present. That was really important; it made a significant difference in several respects.
|
