"A TREMENDOUS EXAMPLE!"

MARK 2:1-12

During WWII, Josefina Guerrero, nicknamed Joey, was a supporter of the Allied troops in Manila. When the Japanese forces invaded the Philippines difficult times came and Joey joined with her friends to help U.S. prisoners of war. She saw a need and determined to do something about it. She cared about her own people and she cared about the Allied defenders. Joey wanted to do everything in her power to be of assistance. How like the men who brought their friend to Jesus. They, too, when they saw a need decided to do something to help. Both Joey and these stretcher bearers set a tremendous example for us all.

• THEY CARED:
• Their friend was a paralytic and his need evoked a compassion on their part. They wanted to do what they could to alleviate his distress.
• Their response was uncommon. The characteristic mind-set of that day was:
• If a person is suffering it is a sign that they are sinners and God is punishing them.
• If God is punishing them, to alleviate their suffering would almost be blasphemous; at the very least it would be to oppose God.
• If it is wrong to help one God is punishing, then we'd better leave them in their misery.
• We may not reason like that but often we get so caught up in our own concerns, our own pain, our own joys even, that when we are confronted with some need:
• We may be tempted to say, "Ask me if I care."
• We may feel like saying, "Here's 35. Go call somebody who gives a rip."
• We might echo Cain, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
• We may find it easy to say, "Good luck. I hope things turn out okay, but it's not my problem."
• We might say, "Better them than me!"
• Far better:
• To say, and mean, "May I help?'
• To show by active concern, "Your problem is truly my concern."
• To be like the boy who was carrying his crippled brother on his back and said to a concerned man, "He ain't heavy, Mister. He's my brother."
• To be like another little boy who was seen shining a ray of light up into a window of an apartment building. Someone asked if he was sending a code message. He said, "No, sir. My brother is in that room and he's been sick a long time. The sun doesn't hit that window, so I'm just sending him a little sunlight."

Joey cared enough to do something. What she did was a very risky thing. She prowled restricted areas and recorded what she saw. She mapped the waterfront areas and carried back vital information to the U.S. military. From her drawings U.S. planes were able to pinpoint targets. While what the stretcher bearers did wasn't a life-threatening proposition, they still showed a lot of grit; a lot of daring. They were not turned away by the crowd. They were not daunted by the difficulty. They cared and:

• THEY DARED:
• They were faced with a real obstacle. The crowd wouldn't make room for them. They refused to come only to give up easily. They wouldn't just leave their friend hoping that Jesus might sooner or later notice him. They were daring men who were willing to do a pretty audacious thing. They dared to risk facing:
• The disapproval of the crowd who had come to hear Jesus.
• The anger of the homeowner whose roof they dismantled.
• The indignation of Jesus Whose sermon they interrupted.
• But they may have reasoned, "There is too much to lose if we don't take the risk and too much to gain not to take it."
• Think of others who dared to take a risk:
• Moses who returned, albeit somewhat unwillingly, to Egypt to confront Pharaoh though he could have been a dead man for that.
• Rahab who hid the Jewish spies from the citizens of Jericho though she would have perished if her plot was discovered.
• Jonathan who informed David of King Saul's murderous intentions though it might have meant his own death if he were found out.
• Nathan who rebuked King David for his sin with Bathsheba, though David could have had him instantly slain.
• Esther who, for the sake of the Jews, went into the presence of King Ahasuerus when not bidden, thus exposing herself to death if he disapproved of her coming.
• The Good Samaritan who helped the victim by the road though the man may have been a robber in disguise waiting a hapless victim.
• What are we willing to risk when confronted by a genuine and obvious need? Dare we risk:
• Being inconvenienced?
• Incurring some expense on behalf of someone else?
• Sacrificing something we'd like to have for ourselves in order to help another?
• Being ridiculed and losing some status because we befriend an outcast or so-called "reject?"

Joey cared and she dared to do a hazardous task. She put her life at jeopardy. She further showed her concern by sneaking food, clothing and medicine to the prisoners of war. She was an encouragement to those she touched. She shared with them what they could not get for themselves. Just so, the friends of the paralytic translated their concern to activity; they put meaning to their caring. They cared, they dared and:

• THEY SHARED:
• They had useful feet, their friend had none. They'd share theirs. They could walk, he couldn't. They'd share their mobility. Their friend had no real life. Theirs was fuller. They'd share theirs. They shared their time, their energy and their love with a friend in real need.
• The spirit of generosity is a Christlike, commendable spirit. The Bible says,
• Proverbs 11:25 "The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered."
• Proverbs 22:9 "He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor."
• Luke 3:11 "Let the man who has two tunics share with him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise."
• Ephesians 4:28 "Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need."
• Concerning the rich of the world Paul wrote, "Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share" 1 Timothy 6:18.
• The men did what they could. They couldn't heal the paralytic, but they could get him to the healer. We can't do everything, we can't meet every need, we can't feed all the hungry or clothe all the naked. But let's do what we can do:
• Share a word of encouragement with the downcast.
• Share our time with the lonely.
• Share some of our goods with the needy.
• Share our abilities and our energies to help someone.
• Share our transportation to take someone shopping, to the doctor or to church services.
• Share a family trip to the coast with a child who doesn't get to do things like that.
• During a missionary service in a church, the adults were asked to contribute money to help feed some starving children in India who had been placed in a Christian hospital. The boys and girls in the congregation were urged to give a favorite toy. When the time came for the offering, one little girl began crying as though her heart would break. In her arms she clasped a well- worn doll. Everyone could see that she was having quite a struggle in parting with her cherished possession. Then all at once a smile broke through her tears as she almost ran down the aisle to the front. Holding up the doll, she said, "I'm sorry I cried, Mr. Missionary. I forgot for a while-it's all for Jesus!" She had a real heart to share.

Joey, too, had a spirit for sharing. For 3 years, until the war ended, Joey continued her clandestine operation and was never apprehended. She was questioned several times by suspicious Japanese soldiers, but was never touched. But, you see, Joey had a secret weapon. She had leprosy. None of the Japanese wanted to be near her so they basically left her alone. She used her isolation, her rejection, the fact that others wanted to stay away from her to advantage. God used her weakness as her strength. He will use us, too, if we are available. It isn't by our might or power or riches, not by our ability or intelligence or capacities. It is by our willingness to be used, weaknesses, lacks and all. Who will follow the example of Joey? Who will follow the example of the stretcher bearers? Who will be a load-lifter and a helper to others? It can be any of you if you are willing to care, to dare, and to share. Jesus calls us to that kind of Christian lives. He who set the prime example of loving, giving, and serving, calls us to follow Him. As we sing our hymn this morning, will you decide to follow? Would you be more like Jesus?

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