All of us have experienced a certain measure of pain in our life, and I doubt that most of us think of it as a blessing.  Additionally, sometimes even just being aware of the pain of others is frustrating.  After all, what can we do about it?

With that in mind, I find it interesting that one of the most important ways that biologists are able to evaluate life is in terms of the capacity to experience pain. The more sensitivity, the more response there is to pain, scientists tell us, the higher the life form. For instance, a worm doesn’t seem to experience pain. There’s no discernable, measurable response. Dogs, on the other hand, not only have physical pain, they even have emotional pain.  You can discern their moods. You can tell when a dog is depressed. A dog can pout. A dog can worry, perhaps even grieve. Scientists say that human beings are at the top of the biological scale because we have the keenest ability to experience pain, even to the point of feeling pain vicariously for others. (1)

And, that’s a blessing. Imagine for a moment that you are desperately ill - to the point of being completely dependent upon the mercy of others.  For instance, put yourself in the place of the paralytic in this morning’s scripture, the man whose spiritual and physical healing was the result of how sincerely his four friends desired his healing, and how determined they were to bring him into the presence Christ, no matter what the obstacles.

The house in which Jesus was teaching was full to overflowing.  There’s no way the four men could approach Jesus carrying their friend, so they by-passed the doors of the crowded house and tore a hole in the roof, letting their friend down into the center of the room, right in front of Jesus.  And when Jesus saw their faith, and how it expressed itself in their devotion to their friend, it touched his heart.

On the lighter side, I’ve heard it said that this story is an early example of how four of a kind beats a full house, (2) but I’m not sure that’s really biblical.  It’s also interesting that Jesus was preaching to a house so full that they couldn’t even get in the door. That’s certainly a testimony to the power of his preaching and teaching, but a full house doesn’t necessarily indicate a full heart. To me the question is, why are all those people there? We know that the four friends are bringing someone to Jesus for a healing, but what about the rest of the crowd?  Are they also in pain? Do they need healing? Do they need forgiveness? Or are they just curious?  Obviously, by extension, we ask ourselves those same questions.  Why are we here?  I have no doubt that Jesus feels our pain.  I think a huge part of what it means for us to be The Body of Christ is that we also feel one another’s pain. 

This story is a powerful testimony to the power of faith and intercessory prayer, but it was more than the faith or the prayers of the paralytic’s friends.  It was that their faith and prayers had legs!  I remember a sermon illustration from my youth.  A house caught fire and two boys began running for help.  After awhile one of them, panting heavily, said, “Let’s stop and pray.”  The other said, “I think we ought to pray while we keep running.”  Faith and prayer both need legs. 

Last week we had a meeting of our Caring Friends committee.  These are the folks who take it upon themselves to call on people to visit, take food and check up on them. You may ask why it takes a committee to do what we should all be doing, and that’s a good question.  But, you know, participating in a ministry of outreach is a discipline. When people are shut in, or absent from worship, too often they get forgotten.  And, it’s not intentional.  It’s just that old human truism, “Out of sight, out of mind.”  And so often when we do make a call we’re tempted to say, “If there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know.”  But it’s hard to ask for help and all too often that’s the end of it. That’s why we need a Caring Friends Committee, a group of people who actually keep a list of who needs help and who discipline  themselves to keep track of those who are out of sight and make sure they’re not out of mind.  I confess that I often feel totally inadequate to the task of keeping up with everyone, and I can’t even begin to tell you how important the Caring Friends are to my ministry, and to the health of this church family.  I am so appreciative of the love of God that you share with one another.  Part of what it means to be The Body of Christ is that we are all Caring Friends, and that our faith and prayers have legs.

Our worship and our bible study are not ends in themselves. There’s another saying, “People won’t care how much we know, until they know how much we care.”  We need to share that which we have received.  The four men, on the legs of faith and prayer, were literally bringing their friend to Christ. The heart of Jesus was touched because he could see their faith in action, he could see the determination of these four friends to bear their brother’s burden. And it’s because of their intercession that the man is healed. Our response to the pain of another can actually be a blessing that has a way of inspiring and empowering us to bear the burden of another.

I see this story as a challenge to ask ourselves: Can my faith be seen? Do my prayers have legs?  Is anyone being brought closer to Christ’s forgiving, healing touch because of what I believe or what I do?  Please join with me in praying:

Amazing God, whose visit among us in Jesus Christ draws us together in worship, look upon us here, for we are all in need of healing.  May your Word minister to us in such a way that we can stand up for what is right and good, and walk courageously where you would have us go, offering healing to a hurting world.  Amen. 

(1)   Brett Blair

(2)   Charles Trout