Rise! Take your mat and walk.

2 Kings 5:1-14    Mark 2:1-12

Rise! Take your mat and walk

You will agree with me that we have just heard two very interesting readings, one from the Old Testament and one from the New. 

In the Old Testament, a pagan general by the name of Naaman from Aram, an enemy state, had leprosy. While we are not exactly sure of the nature of this particular biblical disease (and in case you’re wondering, it is not what we know as leprosy today), we do know that it was visible and it was unsightly and the person who had the disease was feared and considered infectious and unclean and usually not allowed to be in contact with the general public. 

This man had an Israelite slave girl working as a domestic worker in his home. This slave girl…who for all intents and purpose would be considered an “insignificant” person (we don’t even know her name), but her witness to the power of her God is key to the whole story. If she had not told this general’s wife about the prophet in Samaria, he would never have been healed. So, right off the bat we learn an important lesson…no one is insignificant in God’s kingdom. Every one of us has a role to play. We must tell others about our great God…

Naaman told his king about what this young slave girl had said, so the king of Aram wrote an introductory letter to the king of Samaria asking him to heal his general of leprosy. Naaman also took gifts with him (340 kgs of silver, 68 kgs of gold, 10 sets of clothing) as in his culture that is what you did when you tried to convince a god to do something for you. Something like a bribe…

But the king of Samaria misunderstood and thought that the king of Aram was trying to pick a fight with him. He tore his royal robes in dismay and said, “Am I God that I can give life and take it away? Why is this man asking me to heal someone with leprosy?”

Here is the second lesson for us who pray. It is not us…it is not about us…it is not our prayers that heal people or help people or save people…it is our God who hears our prayers who heals, helps and saves. In this the king of Samaria was right…he was not God and could not help the general.

But Elisha, the prophet of God, heard what had happened, so he told the king to send the general to him. 

So, Naaman went with his horses and chariots and his gifts and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. But instead of coming out to greet this important man, the prophet sent a messenger with instructions for Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan river. The general was furious. He was expecting some form of hocus pocus at least! A wave of the hand or an elaborate ritual of sorts…incantations…shouting…dancing…singing…something! But not just a message to go and swim in a muddy river!

Herein lies another lesson for us all…God is no respecter of persons regardless of their rank or status or socio-economic standing…in God’s eyes all are equal. But also we learn that effective prayer does not need ritual, incantations, shouting, rolling on the floor, strange languages, or even the repetitive abuse of the name of Jesus as if it were some magic word…some mantra like that used by the Buddhists. More often than not when God healed someone in biblical times, it was a quite simple affair…a word, a touch, or a simple command to wash…and a simple obedient response.

But now we come to the important part of the story for our gathering here today. Naaman in his fury was about to walk away without following through with Elisha’s instructions…but his friends cared enough for him that they reasoned with him. “If the prophet had told you to do something very difficult (spectacular) wouldn’t you have done it? What have you got to lose…go dip yourself in the Jordan.” This is our role as prayer warriors…as intercessors. We stand in the gap as Naaman’s friends stood in the gap. You see, it is often our prayers, our words, our urging, and our helping, that brings people…or even nations…to the place where they might be healed by God. 

As a country, Zimbabwe needs healing…in short Zimbabwe needs God. Indeed, every country needs God as only God can heal our countries…only God can mend the broken…only God can turn hearts and minds. Throughout the world, people tend to put their trust and their faith in humans…we call these particular humans, politicians. But while some of the better politicians have tried, they have failed again and again and again because they are only human. So, the first step in praying for a country or for the world or simply for an individual is to acknowledge that only God can heal…only God can heal our nations…because only God can do the impossible…only God can turn the hearts and minds of humans.

Like the king of Samaria in this story, our leaders also need to tear their clothes and admit that they are not able to do what only God can do! In fact, we all need to confess that we have been blind…that we have placed our faith and trust in mere humans…in human ideas, philosophies, and strategies! We all need to repent and turn back to God…as the Lord says in 2 Chronicles 7:14,  “If my people, (not kings or presidents or prime ministers or senates or parliaments) which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” It is though OUR humility…it is through our prayers…it is through our seeking the face of our God…it is though our repentance, often confessing the sins of our nation as if they were our own (like Daniel), that opens the ear of God. We, dearest beloved people of God…we are the ones who must act if the world is to change.

And we all know the end of the story. Naaman listened to his friends, washed in the river Jordan and was healed. God can do the impossible, so let us strive to obey Him.

Something very similar happened in our New Testament reading. We don’t know how long the man had been paralyzed…none of the authors of the three synoptic Gospels give us that information. But they do tell us that he was brought to Jesus on a mat by his friends. As the entrance to the house where Jesus was staying was blocked by the crowds, they decided to go up on the roof, remove the tiles, and lower their friend before Jesus. These are the kind of friends you want around you all the time!

In a way, this is how prayer works…we simply bring someone (or some situation) to Jesus…not letting anything get in the way…and we don’t stop until we have achieved our purpose. After all, that’s what friends are for, no?

But I want you to note that it is their determination…their faith…their trust…to which Jesus responded. All three Gospels say the same thing: “Seeing THEIR faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’” Remember, IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY NAME…our humbling, our praying, our turning, our confessing…that gets God’s attention.

So, here are three things we need to pay attention to: 

1.     The first is the foundation of all forms of prayer, namely faith. Faith is simply believing and trusting that someone greater than yourself is able and willing to intervene positively on your behalf. In the case of these four men, they truly believed that Jesus was able to heal their friend. But there was more to their action than belief…there was a trust that the effort would be rewarded…otherwise they would not have broken open the roof…which may have gotten them into trouble with the house owner. Plus it is one thing to believe that someone is able to help you…it is quite another to believe that they would be willing. So, there are four components that make up the underlying reasoning for prayer: belief and trust in the ability and willingness of the one petitioned. All four components appear to be present in the action of the four men.

2.     The second is Jesus’ positive response. The rabbis of the day would not have responded with kindness if the man before them was considered inferior for some or other reason, especially if there was some form of sin involved. Most rabbis at that time would have been more concerned with ritual purity and would have condemned the man outright, saying that he deserved what he got…he was sick because he had sinned. But in stark contrast, our Lord responded with kindness and compassion. Note the term of address used by Jesus. “My son” or “My child”. It is a term of endearment. Knowing that Jesus is a friend of sinners is important to us who pray for others…we know that he will welcome them in the same way he welcomed this paralyzed man…with tenderness and love. Please do not misunderstand what I am saying. I am not saying that Jesus downplayed the seriousness of sin. Not one whit. If he did, he would not have died on the cross so that we can be forgiven. His response was not, I’m ok, you’re ok, go along your merry way. No, he addressed sin as something in need of forgiveness. But he did not see sin as an insurmountable barrier to a meaningful relationship with him. He came to overcome sin…to break down the dividing wall…to remove the obstacle between us and our creator. And so, we bring our friends, believers and unbelievers alike, before him knowing that he will welcome them as lost lambs desperately needing to be found. Jesus loves us as we are when we come to him, knowing full well that by ourselves we cannot better ourselves much less save ourselves. BUT He loves us enough not to leave us where we are. He provides forgiveness so that we can be free from sin…

3.     The third is the fact that Jesus is able and willing to forgive sins. This is the great leveler of humanity…the fact that we all need to be forgiven. All have sinned, the Scriptures tell us. All fall short of the glory of God. There are no exceptions. Even the best of us are equally in need of forgiveness. Therefore, Jesus expects us to forgive as we have been forgiven…to do otherwise would be to play the hypocrite…it would be to be wholly unlike God in every way. The ground, my dearest beloved brethren, is level at the foot of the cross…no one stands higher than another. Every one of us need to hear the words, “your sin has been forgiven.”  And so we pray for all…our families, our friends, but also our foes. We are to love our enemies and to do good to those who use us and abuse us. We must bring them to Jesus as they are need of forgiveness as much as we are. It is like one beggar taking another beggar to a place where they can find bread. 

So, like the young slave girl, we tell people where they can find help. Like the friends, we don’t stop until we have brought people in need to His feet. 

The next thing I would like to draw your attention to in this story of the paralyzed man is the fact that there will always be obstacles and opposition. Opposition comes in many forms…it may be our own Christian brothers and sisters who object to what we may be doing or the manner in which we do it. They may question our authority or our ability or our methods…or raise objections with regard to whom we pray for or reach out to. Or the spiritual forces of darkness may oppose us in various ways. But opposition is not just external…opposition may also come in a form of internal discouragement or doubt…we pray and pray and pray and see no results…and so we stop praying. 

Please do not give in to such opposition! We must persist. We must press on. There has to be follow through. Imagine if the friends had not insisted that Naaman dip himself in the Jordan. Imagine if the friends of the paralyzed man had stopped and turned away at the door to the full house. Imagine if Jesus gave in to the objections of the Pharisees that day. The man may not have been healed, right? But he did not stop when others questioned his authority. No, he pressed on. He persisted. He followed through and said to the man, “Rise. Take up your mat and walk.” 

So, when you pray today, reflect on what you have heard about Naaman and the paralyzed man…what led them to the place of healing? Think about the little slave girl…do you think you are insignificant? That your prayers do not matter? Think about the king of Samaria and his confession that God alone can heal. Think about Naaman’s friends and the paralyzed man’s friends. Who can you bring to Jesus for healing? What can you bring to Jesus for healing? The nation of Zimbabwe? Our own nation? The world God loves so much? 

But most of all, think about Jesus. Think about His love…His sacrifice of himself once for all, opening up the way for sins to be forgiven, for walls to be broken down, for healing to be experienced on every level. Think about his kindness and his acceptance of sinners…think about his authority to forgive and cleanse and heal. May the heartbeat of Jesus direct your prayers this day and every day.

Let us pray:

God of amazing compassion and love of our wayward race, you call us to be a blessing for the world: keep us on this holy path, confident in the radiant life you offer; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN.

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2020