What would you do if you saw someone tearing your roof off and trying to lower some stranger into your house?

Mar 2:4  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. 

Jesus was in a house preaching the word. Many people gathered in the house to hear Jesus preached. It was crowded to the point that no one could get pass the door. Four men arrived at the door carrying their friend who was sick of the palsy. But they could not get inside the house. No one would give way and let them see Jesus.

What options do they have?

1. Wait outside until Jesus comes out of the house.

2. Go home and try another day at some other place.

But their friend was very sick and there was no time to lose; their friend needed Jesus to heal him immediately. One of the four said: “Why don’t we climb up on the roof and let him down where Jesus is standing?” So they climbed up the roof. They tore a hole in the roof, and lowered their friend down to Jesus.

It was probably not their house. What would you do if you saw someone tearing your roof off and trying to lower some stranger into your house? You’ll get mad. You’ll call the police. You’ll ask them to pay for the damage.

What lengths would you go to get close to Jesus? Do you have a blocked door today? Has the devil blocked your door to Jesus?

We meet all kinds of obstacles in our life. A blocked door is an obstacle. The devil doesn’t want us to get near Jesus. He will try all means to block our path to Jesus. What would you do if the door is blocked? What does it take to go through a blocked door?

Follow the example of these four men: go through the roof. When the devil blocks the door, go through the roof.

The devil may block your door, but you can go through the roof. These four men were not men who gave up easily. “Too bad, we tried. Let’s go home.” Faith opens door. And if there is no door, make one yourself.

What it takes is a faith that opens doors. Don’t grieve over blocked doors. God always has a way to get us through, that is, if we have faith. Remember the Red Sea? The children of Israel had left Egypt. Behind them were the Egyptian chariots chasing them. In front was the Red Sea. The Red Sea was the blocked door; it was blocking their path. They cried and complained that Moses had brought them out of Egypt to die in this wilderness. But what did God tell Moses: “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward” (Exodus 14:15). The Red Sea was in front blocking their path of escape but God said: “Go forward.” Just keep moving forward.  

Faith does not stop at a blocked door; faith moves forward. Faith is full of inventions. The house was full, a crowd had blocked the door, but faith found a way of getting to the Lord and placing the palsied man before him.

When we have faith, nothing is impossible. When Jesus’ disciples asked Him why they could not cast our demons, He replied: “Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20).

The faithless says: “No way.” But those who have faith say: “There must be another way.” If we desire a faith that can remove mountains, we need to first clear a blocked door. Yes, start by clearing a blocked door. Faith will think of a way; because faith says: “All things are possible.”

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand

Mar 3:25  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 

Jesus went about casting out devils. The scribes accused Him of being possessed by Beelzebub, that is, Satan. They said "by the prince of the devils he casts out the devils" (Mark 3:22). Jesus responded by saying “How can Satan cast out Satan?  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand" (Mark 3:23–25).

A divided house cannot stand. Satan will not cast out the devils. If Jesus was in league with Satan, or if Satan was somehow working through Jesus, it is unlikely that exorcisms would be a priority. Because Satan would not cast demons out of a person in order to promote Jesus as a powerful and merciful Saviour and Son of God. It makes no sense at all for Satan to do this.

The "house" means a "household" or a family living together beneath one roof. Just like a kingdom in civil war will eventually destroy itself, a household that is "divided against itself" will eventually fall. If there is no harmony and agreement between members of a household, it is impossible for that house to "stand" and be successful.

The church is the household of God (Ephesians 2:19). It is also called the “household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Christians are in the same house. Christians are not to quarrel but to be unified around a common understanding of truth: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).

But, how can we maintain the unity that is required? One thing is certain: it cannot be maintained by legislation. The church cannot have a rule which reads: Unity is compulsory; everyone is to uphold unity. It won’t work. It doesn’t work that way! But unity is maintained in the life of a Christian who walks in the footsteps of the Saviour. Paul wrote: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness” (Colossians 3:12-14).

The word “bond” means “that which binds together, a band, bond; of ligaments by which the members of the human body are united together” (Thayer’s Greet Definition). Love is the cement which ties everything together in unity. It should be abundantly clear to us that if we love one another, discords would be impossible.

It takes a lot of work to keep peace and unity in a home. The devil’s main tactic is to cause divisions. Divisions occur when people stop loving one another. A couple files for divorce because they have stopped loving each other. A house is divided because of a lack of love.

But love brings people together and makes their differences compatible. It does not mean that everyone will enjoy and like the same thing. It does not mean that they are perfect and stop making mistakes. It does mean that they will love in spite of their differences. It’s like an orchestra or band that has many players. Each is playing a different instrument; some are playing the same. But when they play together to make a pleasant sound, it is called music. Music happens when there is harmony. Likewise, love is the song that believers must all play in order to work together in harmony.

If we don’t have love, we are not unified. We are not in one accord. We are falling apart. Some churches are filled with hurting people because they are not bonded together by love. Usually the sin issues that kill love are selfishness, envy, gossip and pride: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? ” (James 4:1).

Let us be bonded by love. A family that is bonded by love will be united and stand forever. Let us have love for one another: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34).

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not

Mar 5:7  And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 

Jesus and the disciples arrived into the country of the Gadarenes. There they met a man possessed with demons. He was sort of a mad man who lived in tombs and he would cry night and day and cutting himself with stones. He was also very strong and would break even the chains which the villagers used to bind him. Seeing Jesus he fell down at His feet and cried: “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not” (Mark 5:7).

What have I to do with thee – This statement means: “What is there to me and thee? What have we in common? What business have you with me? What do you want from me?”

Indeed, Jesus has no business in common with the devil. Jesus wants nothing from the devil except to cast him out forever. And, the devil likewise, wants nothing to do with Jesus. In fact, he is afraid of Jesus because he knows the power of Jesus to punish him in eternal hell fire. Therefore, he pleads: “Torment me not.””

Sadly, very few people living today want anything to do with Jesus. Politicians, governments, criminals, homosexuals, pro-abortionists, casinos owners, nightclubs owners, liars, adulterers, movie makers, and even some Christians; each and every one of them wants nothing to do with Jesus. They all ask the same question as the demons did: “What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God?”

Unlike the devil, and unlike those folks mentioned about, we have business with Jesus. Firstly, He loves us and died for us (Romans 5:8). Secondly, we have sinned and our eternal destination is in torment with the devil (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Thirdly, we need Jesus to escape the eternal damnation and have eternal life: “Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Fourthly, we are Christians. What have we to do with Jesus? Plenty!

What does Jesus want from us? He wants us to be saved (John 3:16). He wants us to have eternal life in heaven. He wants us to be faithful (Revelations 2:10). He wants us to serve Him (Luke 6:46). He wants us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).

But, some want eternal life but not Jesus. “Churches” are filled today with professed “believers” who want eternal life but not Jesus. Attending church service has become an entertainment and not worship. It has become a social gathering and nothing spiritual. Believers want to be free to live however they want; they don’t want Jesus to control their lives. One of the most ridiculous replies I came across from a denomination preacher to a member of his congregation regarding church attendance is this: “You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” You can’t get anything worse than that. What have they got to do with Jesus? NOTHING!

Yet, when they do not want anything to do with Jesus, they have the audacity to request Jesus: “Torment us not.” Unfortunately, those who do not want anything to do with Jesus will be in torment forever. All Christ-rejecters are in the same boat as the demons who await their damnation in Hell (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Revelation 20:11-15).

“What have I to do with thee, Jesus?” I’m going to remain faithful and be always found in worshipping and serving Him all the days of my life. That’s how we ought to do with Jesus. We need to speak like faithful Joshua: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh 24:15b).

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.