Won't You Be My Neighbor - Week 3

I want to invite you to open your bibles with me to Marks Gospel, and find chapter 2. We’re in week three of our series called, Would you be, our neighbor where so far we have asked, Who is my neighbor and What does neighboring look like. Last week we examined three very important practices about building healthy communities. Today, I want to explore a question that will not only help us set healthy boundaries when caring for others, but it will answer a question that I believe is important when it comes to compassion…

How far do you go in helping others? I have a good friend that began to do something absolutely amazing. He had heard that there was a kid that needed a kidney and for whatever reason, felt compelled to go to the dr.s office to get tested to see if he would be a match for her. He went through all the testing, for months. Kept getting green lights after green lights, but then right towards the end, the committee that overlooked the operation said that they felt it would be better to not approve the donation.

Thankfully, not too long afterwards the lilt girl did finally find a match and had her transplant. Its moments like this where I want to ask… How far is too far in loving your neighbors like yourself? Think of Jesus… When I have a hard time feeling loved. Or believing the God loves me….. I like to think of the time Jesus said, I love you. Did you know that? That Jesus tells you that he loves you?

In his prayer before the cross, we call them the high priestly prayers in Johns gospel. IN John chapter 13, he says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. Jesus loves you. And he calls us to love those around us. And I think of this truth, and I take stories like my friend, and I hear Jesus saying, Love your neighbors as you would love yourself.

And I think of my friend who’s christian walk at the time would be questionable, and I ask, would what they were trying to do for that little girl, wouldn’t that be a great example of loving your neighbor as yourself? I think if you were to ask me what would you want.. and I would say, I want to live. Just as anyone else wants tomorrow live. Is that going to far in loving your neighbor as yourself?

Its really a serious question. I know Alicia and I have helped countless people. We’ve given things, and prayed, and help many people. Theres a lot of people that we have given money to, and food, and given to those in need, and many of them left without a trace. Never to be seen again. And you’ve got to ask.. was we gullible? Was we taken advantage of? Or was we led by the Holy Spirit to plant seeds of hope?

Or was it both? What about Momentum Church? How far are we wiling to go to help those in need? As a church? What are we willing to sacrifice to be known as a church that is compassionate? What does loving your neighbor well look like for us? These are real questions, but they are also questions that need the discernment of the Holy Spirit. In Marks gospel, we begin to find some answers to those hard questions that we’ve asked, lets read Mark chapter 2 together, beginning in verse 1.

When he entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and he was speaking the word to them. 3 They came to him bringing a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they were not able to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after digging through it, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

5 Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts: 7 “Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Right away Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he told the paralytic— 11 “I tell you: get up, take your mat, and go home.” 12 Immediately he got up, took the mat, and went out in front of everyone.

As a result, they were all astounded and gave glory to God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Cappernaum was Jesus’s headquarters. It was one of the places I missed on the Israel tour because I was laying in bed sick form drinking water from a fountain at the place called, the Valley of Armageddon. Or the valley of death.. iu wont be doing that again. Not the best choice from me.

I know. But this moment was at the height of of Jesus’s ministry where the word was getting out about his ministry, and people where flocking around him. Mobbs of crowds were surrounding him. iN this story, 4 men had a friend that was paralyzed and laying on a mat. So they, each grabbed a corner, and began to make their way towards Jesus who was in a house giving a sermon.

Houses in these days were typically one story, but they had these stairs that would go up to the roof where people would hang out in the early morning, or late evening. It was like how in the country without AC, many people would rock on the front porch to let the house cool down form the heat of the day. But think about what these 4 friends did for the paralyzed man.

First, they disrupted public. They made a scene. I think we all would agree, that usually if we’ve got other say something in a crowd, or speak louder than the crowd, I know for myself, I get nervous, and I get that lump in my throat. But to do what they needed to get their friend to Jesus, they had to create a moment where every eye would be on them…

Secondly, They took a risk for those watching to think, they were just going to far, and being extreme. Everyone has an opinion.. if you don’t believe me, get on social media. Because there you will find plenty opinions. But these men took a chance of people looking at them and, well.. being critical. Thirdly, They destroyed someone else property, and would be, by always responsible to repair, fix or compensate the owner in some way.

But the remarkable thing was this… their faith paid off. They went above and beyond for their friend and he ended up getting healed. Thats amazing! But even better, his sins were forgiven and revival broke out because everyone was amazed and praised God, and said, we’ve never seen anything like this before. How far are we wiling to go of our neighbors? How do we love our neighbors in a responsible way that shows great faith?

Well, first, we need to prepare to be uncomfortable. Peter knew what it was like for uncomfortable faith. In Matthews account, in chapter 14, Jesus said to Peter, come. So Peter got out of the boat and walked not he water and came to Jesus. There are times in our faith where Jesus tells us to come. Right.. we believe by faith that God goes before us. Before you arrive in any situation or place, God has already been there.

We call that prevenient grace. If you recall in Deuteronomy chapter 31, the Bible says, The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” God goes before you and He is with you.. but in our generation after the resurrection of Jesus and pentecost, we live int he truth that he also lives within us.

When it comes to loving our neighbor as ourselves, sometimes, maybe often, maybe not, but sometimes, God will call you to come, and for you to get out of the boat and go. It’s a moment where, when we walk by faith, we are walking to a place where we know GOd is already is. We’re walking to a place where he has already prepared for us. All the while, still with us and within us.

He calls us to step out of our comfort zone. I can say, by my own experience, “Faith doesn’t mean comfort, but it can mean peace.” These four friends… If I was one of them.. I know for a fact I would be uncomfortable in what we were going to do… Disrupt public, make a scene, tear up property? Thats not me. I’m usually the one that assess the situation and finds the easiest and most safest way to do it…

I’m the defensive driver kind of guy. Im the guy that drives behind 5 below to go to target because I don’t want to take a chance of getting hit or hitting someone in the front of the strip mall. But often times, faith requires us to become uncomfortable and helping people usually requires us to get out of our comfort zone. The first time I sat with a dying member who died in-front of me, I was scared.

I was terrified. I was called to come visit and as I sat there all I could do was watch someone take their past breath and there was nothing physical I could do for them. Thankfully, God knew I was a new pastor… and he sent a seasoned minster to come and sit with me throughout the situation. Even right now.. I get nervous speaking in public. The bottom line is this..

Loving your neighbor as yourself for most of us means pushing past those awkward feelings and doing the opposite of what feels comfortable. Another way for us to neighbor well is to count the cost before we help. Listen to what Jesus says in Lukes gospel chapter 14, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Luke 14:28 Faith is stepping out into the unknown… thats true. But often times we step out without really counting the cost. How many times have you stepped out by faith to do something, and didn’t get the reaction you expected? Or the love you thought you deserved? How many times have you cared for someone and they blew you off, or didn’t reciprocate the same generosity when you were in need?

Often times, instead of praying, and listening, and preparing, we jump into situation with selfish motives and selfish expectation. I believe we all need to learn patience. And before we jump into helping someone, we need to learn to count the cost before we help. In our story today, the four men didn’t just do this out of a whim. They had plan. And when that plan was blocked by the crowds of people, they improvised by going up to the roof to get the job done.

What we find, is often times, we walk in this life with our emotions as our guide, and not as our Gauge. Our emotions are never to be used to guide us.. They are meant to report the situations around us, not dictate our actions. And thats hard for people like me… I’m an emotional person. Emotions are built into us to help us feel. Emotions like, anger, and delight, and joy, and affection, and even fear, are important to us because they reveal what our heart loves, and trust.

Did you know, You can tell a lot about someone by recognizing what they pleasure in. I’ve once heard it said before, pleasure is the measure of your treasure, because the emotion of pleasure is the gauge that tells others, what you love. Sometimes, we help others as a knee-jerk emotional reaction to the moment. There have been times when I said yes, but I didn’t have all the resources or time, or expertise to meet their need.

I jumped in without praying, or thinking through. When our emotions are used as a gauge, and not as a guide, we learn that helping people in a Responsible way means praying about it, thinking it though, taking the time to really listen to them, and then, if you can, bring others into the situation to help or guide them to others who can help Thats why I love the church community.

We’re called to gather together, lift one another up as a family. Each one of us have a gift, or a season in life that we can testify to.. and most often our testimony of what God has dine in your lives is what another needs to hear to get thorough their moments of doubt, or fear., or even healing. Thirdly, Help others with the goal of them not needing your help anymore.

Listen to what Paul writes to the Thessalonians in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 3, And now, dear brothers and sisters…Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us…We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you…Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 Do you think the plan for these four friends, was to get their friend healed so that they can still carry him around?

When we look at Pauls letter to the thessilonans… there was a major issue. These people believed that Jesus was going to come back soon. And so, there were some people in the church that decided to not do anything anymore. Then there was other people who were still working, and supporting those who decided not to work. Why work? Jesus is coming back and its the end of the world!

Can you imagine that today.. its the end of the world… why work. Why do anything.. wars, and rumor of wars. Famine, disease, fire, earthquakes… lets all just stop working and wait till Jesus comes back.. Can you imagine life today if we did that? And so, Paul writes, yo.. people.. you cant do that. Don’t be idle… you need to contribute. And we need to get you to a place where you can work for yourself.

Your goal should be to help people get to a place where they can help themselves. Its not being harsh, its teaching people to be healthy so they can help their neighbors too. Fourthly, be aware that over helping can hurt. Paul tells the Galatians, Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ… for each one should carry their own load. Galatians 6:2,5 Right off the bat you may think theres a contradiction here.

First he says to carry each others burdens. But then he goes, for each will carry their own load. Which is it? DO I carry other peoples burdens, or should they carry their own. Well, the answer lies in understanding what Paul was saying in the original language. The greek word for burden in verse 2 refers to an eternal significance. Its a character flaw, or a sin that weighs you down, an issue you struggle with.

These kind of burdens are never meant for us to carry alone. A burden is lightened when its carried with others. James tells us, “confess your sins one another.” Think about out the burdens we carry when we don’t forgive each other. Then theres the greek word for load in verse 5. This word in greek refers to a responsibility that are unique to us and must be carried by us alone.

For instance, it is my job to be Alicia’s husband, and its my job to be a father to our kids… its no other mans job. Spiritually, my journey of holiness can not be transferred to another. These are my responsibilities. Lastly, We help the most by bringing people to Jesus. The best gift you can give people is to bring them to Jesus. Most often that means something as simple as praying for them.

Lifting them up before the throne of grace. You may not have the time, the talents or the resources to help them, but you do have prayer. James tells us in chapter 5, that prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. I want to close today with some deep questions for you to pray over. What keeps people from helping more? I think, a lot of people stop helping others in a sacrificial way because they’ve been burned in the past.

How do we let go of past hurts of being burned by others in the past? The answer is found in our story. When the friends lowered him down to Jesus through the roof, Jesus, seeing their faith said to the man, Son, your sins are forgiven. Forgiveness is the real story of this story. You see, the men opened a space of the rood of a house to get to Jesus, but Jesus opened a space in your hear and mine wide enough for forgiveness to be let down into it.

So, if anyone has taken advantage of you, of someone has hurt you when all yo wanted to do was help them, do exactly what Colossians 3:13 says, "Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Dont let a past hurt, of someone taking advantage of you deter you form help[ing others or even holding onto it.

Be graceful when it comes to the faults of others. So, who need your help[ this week? And how can you help your neiughbor in a responsible way? Lets pray. *