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The MONSTER got me

 We were without warning, without hope of life continuing as it had been.  We were asleep, getting the deep snooze that only comes an hour or two before the alarm goes off.  But this morning, there would be no alarm.  I heard a creak of the floorboards outside out bedroom.  Ellen stirred.  The door opened slowly, almost silently.  And there it stood in the dark morning light … the MONSTER!  

Moving toward the weaker of us, it went to Ellen first.  She awoke in terror, with it’s foul breath in her face.  She didn’t stand a chance, and succumbed to it’s grasp.  I pretended to not notice, fake-sleeping until my chance to escape.  But i didn’t even make it out of the room before …  

Consider this … though it is outside what many of us believe.  
Jesus may have healed the paralytic because of his buddies’ faith, not just his.  Doesn’t this go against much of what we understand about faith and Jesus?  We read in vs. 5 that Jesus saw their faith and acted.  Plural … they?  There are 2 ways to see this:

1.It could be that Jesus may have only noticed the 4 friends’ faith; the guys who were peeking in from the open ceiling after they dropped their buddy in.  The paralyzed guy’s faith may have been as useless as his limbs, and his buddies decided enough was enough … “Jesus is going to heal you and we’ll make sure of it”.  And Jesus healed him because of their faith, not his.

2.Their faith could have also included all 5 of them.  We don’t know the circumstances, but we know Jesus was moved to act by their faith.  His healing, and ultimately his forgiveness was because of their faith in Jesus.  His buddies became part of the ingredients for the miracle.

And Jesus saw their faith.  Cutting a hole in somebody else roof just to get to lower your buddy down to Jesus … this is ridiculous faith.  They could have waited until the crowd thinned.  They could have asked people to move away from the door.   But they didn’t.  They wanted to seize the moment, and they did.  It wasn’t logical, but it worked because it was raw faith.  Jesus seemed to like it.

Also, it confused the Bible teachers in the room when Jesus forgave the poor guy’s sins.  According to the Bible they knew so well, only God forgives sins … so what’s Jesus implying?  The Bible teachers were ticked.  They relied more on their opinions of the Bible than the actual truths of the Bible.  And since Jesus knows how to read minds, he cut the chitchat to help them figure out who he really was:  “I have authority on earth to forgive and heal.”  If they knew their BIble, and were sensitive to the Spirit of its author, they would have known who sat in front of them: God incarnate.

THINK:

1. In this story, do you identify more with the paralytic, the 4 friends, or the teachers? Why?
2. How would you feel if you were helpless and your friends decided to “drop you in on Jesus” in front of everyone?  Has this ever happened to you?
3. Does anyone notice your faith; are you actively and physically pursuing Jesus?  Are you willing to blow past the hinderances between you and Jesus?
4. Is it possible to have studied the Bible for years and know a lot about God, only to miss what God is doing right in front of you?  Know anyone like this?  Ever feel this way?

Jim Blackshear, the guy who is likely responsible for this new hobby, told me I needed to get Barb at Alaska Leather to suit me up.  I went and told her m

Dad loves 4 wheels touching the ground.

y dilemma, “My dad doesn’t like the fact that I’m old enough to be out of his house … and he really doesn’t like the fact I have bought and will ride a motorcycle on the street.  Considering that, what do you have for me?”

I ended up with a doozy.  She called it HIGH-VIZ GREEN.  Yeah, it had all the bells and waterproof whistles and shoulder pads, pockets, vents and armor.  But it was excruciatingly bright and boxy.  I considered one of the more subtle jackets next to it.  They were cool.  They were like real motorcycle jackets: black, hunky, not violently loud.  Dad’s voice was in the back of my head, “DO WANT TO BE SEEN?  IT DOESN”T MATTER IF YOU LOOK LIKE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!  IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE, MAYBE!”  

In my head, my dad regularly gives insurance/safety/common sense lectures to me, and they are always in bold with exclamation points at the end.  I can’t remember one time growing up when he left a note for me on the counter when it wasn’t in ALL CAPS and with ! at the end of each sentence.    MOW THE YARD!     CLEAN MY TRUCK AFTER YOU USE IT!     WHERE IS MY JIGSAW?!!!

Dad’s not a yeller by any means.  And he wouldn’t even raise his voice if he came home and found that I had burned down the house.  But his eyes spoke simple and clear, like James Earl Jones.  All the time growing up, I got the look that said, “I am disappointed, Bud … and that is enough to straighten you up.”  He’s always called me Bud.  And I always straightened up.  I suddenly remember wanting to be spanked as a child, but I was lectured instead.  It was slow death.  

I suppose this venture into motorcycling is an un-doing of me straightening up, in one category at least. There were 2 other motorcycles in my past; those lovely demons.  One I stole and later returned (with a full tank of gas).  The other I bought while away at college.  I only  rode once before being forced to sell it.  Dad’s eyes spoke over the phone very loudly that day.  I could even sense the CAPS and !!!

That is what I love about my dad.  He’s sensible, and he loves me and my family and even my friends enough to sit you down and tell you why what you’ve done or about to do is not so smart.  His eyes convey that love too.  

Even though his eyes were in Louisiana, his words were in my mind when I bought the Spongebob jacket.

Verse 37 reminds me of my mom wanting quiet time to do her business in the bathroom when suddenly 3 little kids burst in with their issues and complaints that just can’t wait.  Both Jesus and my mom were troopers.  ”I’ll be there in a minute,” carries such promise when you need Jesus … or when you can’t open a pickle jar by yourself.

THINK

1. What do you do when you need to get away?  What about when you need to get away with God?
2. According to vs 38-39, how did Jesus view his mission?
3. Vs. 40.  Why is the leper unsure about Jesus’ desire to help?  (see Leviticus 13)
4. What is significant about Jesus touching the leper prior to healing him?
5. Where do you need Jesus’ special touch this week?  How can you “touch lepers” in your community?

THINK

1. What is most striking about the account between Jesus and the evil spirit?
2. How does Jesus’ healing compare with his exorcism?  What new realm of authority is seen here?
3. Vs 33.  Do you think a crowd would gather today to see this happen?  Why?
4. Does our culture (even those who claim to be Jesus followers) have trouble believing in demons?  Why?

What’s so neat about this leaving that the disciples do is that they all take up a new identity immediately.  Losers no more!  They still don’t have it all together.  They still don’t really get Jesus yet.  But their identity is totally lifted and changed by their relationship with Jesus.  It’s time for us losers to unite, and stand firm in the identity that God has given us.  Peculiar?  We are, and we should love it.

Think:

1. What is the good news?  What practical, “right now” difference does God’s kingdom make?  
2. Why did the disciples decide to follow Jesus?  What seems unusual about their response?
3. Spiritually speaking, are you still preparing the nets?  Thinking about leaving the boat?  Following hard after Jesus?  Feeling left behind?
4. What is it about Jesus that makes you want to follow him?

Background:  

• John is the forerunner of the Messiah … i.e. THE transition from Judaism to Christianity (Mt 11:14).  
• John’s audience is Jewish.
• It is possible that John the Baptist was influenced by the Qumran Community (the people of the Dead Sea Scrolls).  Curious?  Google it … it will only make you more in love with the way God works with his people.

Why did John baptize?    In the Old Testament, people were immersed in water as part of the ritual purification … being restored.  John, and the Qumran community, used this as a sign of re-devoting to God.  LIstening was not enough.  Knowing was not enough, one must act/do.

Why baptize in the muddy Jordan river?  This area of the Jordan was really unsuitable on many counts, but primarily because it was a day’s walk from Jerusalem.  It is still the same today, except, of course, people can ride their Seqways to the river.

On the other hand … it was the very spot the great prophet Elijah had been swept up to heaven in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:4:11).  Ironically, John also looked like Elijah, wild-eyed and wearing a camel-hair garment girded with a leather belt. John intended those who saw him to be reminded of Elijah … the prophet who called God’s people to devote themselves to God again.

There can be no doubt that the word of a new Elijah spread like wildfire.  More on Elijah (1 Kings 17 – 2 Kings 9).

Forcing a decision?  John’s PR move brought “all the country of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem” down to the Jordan to hear John … and make a decision.  Would they begin to follow God again?

John’s location required action on a person’s part before they ever heard him speak.  Were they looking for God or just entertainment?  Were the people willing to travel 2 days (1 to the river and 1 back home) to hear from God?  Would they yield themselves to an ancient purification rite that had always been part of the path to God?  

NOTE:  

• Jesus, our example in life, was baptized.  We ought to, too.  
• Jesus was tempted.  It was not sin, but a plan of Satan.  After a spiritual experience with God, be aware that Satan will be the next to visit you.  Temptation, frustration, confusion and other evil schemes will almost always follow great spiritual highs.

Thoughts for yourself:

1. Who is the wildest preacher you’ve ever heard?  What made them “wild”? How did you respond to his/her message?
2. John the Baptist prepared the way for the Lord in these people’s lives.  Who has prepared the way for God in your life?
3. John told the people to “prepare for the Lord” and to “make straight paths” in their life for God.  How should you prepare yourself for God?  What would it mean for you to make a straight path in yourself for God?
4. When Jesus came out of the water, after being baptized, God spoke audibly.  What would you like to hear God say to you?
5. What would happen if you went away from your normal life to deal with your temptations and issues for 40 days? 

Here’s the link for the adv group:  www.africaridingadventures.com