FIRST GOOD SAMARITAN BAPTIST CHURCH
The Caring Church, Preparing the World by Sharing the Word

WEEKLY WORD

AIN’T NO STOPPING US NOW!
[PART II]

3Four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. 4They couldn’t get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head and lowered the sick man on his stretcher, right down in front of Jesus.

Mark 2:3, 4
The Living Bible Paraphrase

Last week, we were introduced to four men who were on a mission to get a paralyzed man to Jesus. It is in their first attempt to make a connection with Christ because of the crowd. Sometimes the Christ following crowd can become a distraction that keeps us from getting close.

This teaches us that when all you see is the crowd then you need to raise your level of faith. This means we need to have a faith that is ABOVE SEE level. Sometimes we must see beyond what is before us in order to get to Jesus. When this happens, then these four men decide to eliminate the crowd by elevation. Sometimes you must rise above the crowd to get close to Christ.

In part 2 of our series, there is another challenge that is represented by the roof. Our featured text highlights one of the materials in the roof that was the clay. Anytime you see clay mentioned in scriptures, it can reference the flesh of humanity.

Biblical Reference: Job 10:9

9 Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay. And will You turn me into dust again?

The lesson of part 2 suggests to us that in order to get close to Christ, then you need to get the clay out of the way. The bible says that, “…flesh cannot please God.” When it comes to the flesh, it impedes our faith, but these men were willing to get the clay out of the way that required faith.

It was because of this action of these 4 men that Mark records that Jesus saw their faith. The understanding here is that everything that was done to get close to Jesus required faith. The bible reminds us that, “faith without works is dead.” The point is that A FAITH THAT WORKS IS A FAITH AT WORK.

There are times in life were getting close to Jesus can be complicated by the crowd and the clay but we have to develop a FAITH THAT WORKS and willing to continue despite the chaos.

Dr. James A. Simmons, Senior Pastor