25 February 2010
Psalm 50; Gen. 39:1-23; 1 Cor. 2:14-3:15; Mark 2:1-12

The Lord was with Joseph in Egypt in all that he did. He was taken captive and yet ended up landing on his feet as the head of Potiphar’s household and all that he did prospered until the day that Potiphar’s wife decided that she wanted a dalliance with him. The day that he fled her presence and left his garment behind in her hand she knew she had to cook up a story to explain things before Joseph had to explain them. The result is that he is thrown into prison (which in itself is interesting because Potiphar could have had him killed if he fully believed his wife’s story, suggesting that perhaps he had some doubts) and the Lord continued to bless him and prosper him even in prison. Again, we have no idea what he thought of the situation or his prayer life in the prison, only the facts of the story. It certainly looks as though the Lord isn’t with him, Joseph seems to be spending all his life enriching others during this time while nothing except his stature among men.

This is a beautiful story of true friendship, bringing your friend to Jesus. More than that though, it is the first time there is opposition to Jesus and He provokes it. Instead of simply healing the man He forgives his sins. I don’t believe that Jesus said this in order to provoke the scribes (who were typically Pharisees). I believe that He said it as part of the healing. We don’t know what brought on the paralysis, but I believe that the most important thing Jesus could say to the man at that moment was the proclamation of the forgiveness of sins and that the proclamation made the healing possible and complete. It seems most likely that the paralysis was a result of sin and the sin was the part that had to be dealt with first. The scribes don’t like it because the nature of sin is that it is against God and He alone can forgive sin and for Jesus to speak this word it far out of line for them.

If jealousy and quarreling are indicator of immaturity, God help the church. We struggle with these issues too often rather than the church being about mission. From the beginning issues of power and position have preoccupied the church, both clergy and laity alike. The religious leaders struggled with Jesus because he threatened their position (see particularly John 11 and 12). Jerusalem often struggled with Paul over his work as the center of the church was moved away from Jerusalem by his mission activity. Paul says that we need to get back to the basics and build from there. The church today is not doing a good job of establishing the foundation and we are paying a price, many who consider themselves Christian don’t believe in the Jesus of the creeds, the one who insisted that no one comes to the Father but through Him. We are worried about fleshly things rather than spiritual things and when we do we become stagnant pools.

The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge!