Submitted by
Pastor Tom Beutler
Watson and Hamburg
Baptist Churches
Mark 2: 1-12 “And again He entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that He was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and He preached the word unto them. And they come unto Him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto Him for the press, they uncovered the roof where He was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God only? And immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (He saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.”
This great miracle of Jesus, it is a great picture of our salvation in the healing of this paralyzed man. Look at this passage, we have to get the clay out of the way. These people to get their friend to Jesus, had to open a hole in the clay roof, they had to get the “clay out of the way.” Once they got rid of the clay – the paralyzed man got the Amazing Grace of God – forgiveness of his sins – and was healed – nothing happened until they got rid of the clay. We need to talk about our walk with Jesus but will never be all it can be until we get the clay out of the way in of our lives.
Jeremiah 18: 1-6 “The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold he wrought a work on the wheels. And I the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”
Don’t you get excited thinking of our Father taking just regular clay and making something out of it for His Glory? We have to get the clay out of the way to really see Jesus and what He is doing. The men on the roof – Jesus’ voice was muffled – his face was hidden from view, but when they got rid of the clay – they could see Jesus – nothing hides our Lord from view anymore than our own flesh!
Our attitudes, actions, affections, fears, failures, foolishness, sins and shortcomings are muffling His voice. Our greed, grudges, hurts, hatred, worries and wandering away from His words, these things all stand between us and our seeing Him, in all His Glory!
Nothing stops our walk with God like we do. When the clay of this flesh is uncovered – that is to see it for what it is and when it is broken thru – that is – this flesh is humbled before Him in repentance. Then the wall between God and us comes down and we can see and hear Him! We must be able to see God, to Hear God. When we do He will become visible and more precious to our heart. We have to get the clay out of the way, then we get into His presence. Give Him our burdens! Praise You God! Thank you God!
All in the Name of Jesus! AMEN!