Could we turn in our Bibles this evening to the Gospel of Mark and to the chapter 2. The Gospel of Mark and the chapter 2. While you're finding the place, I'd like to thank the Reverend McClung for the words of welcome. and for the opportunity to be here at the Soul Winners Convention this evening. I'd also like to thank the choir for singing. My heart was stirred and blessed as we heard those messages this evening. And we're also challenged afresh through hearing of the Lord's calling in our brother Andrew's life as well. and we trust you'll remember him. I had the privilege of being in Uganda just over a year ago and I met some of those creatures that he was talking about. For the first few nights you're scared to close your eyes when you go to bed, but when it gets to a certain stage you couldn't care if it was a lion in the room. You just want to sleep and you go to sleep anyway. He was also talking about them licking their finger to see if the white comes off and I can remember sitting out in the sun one day and two little boys crawled up right beside me and while I was reading the scriptures they just sat and rubbed my arm. I didn't know what at first they were doing and then I caught it on. They were rubbing to see if the white came off. But they're lovely people, very, very friendly people. And there's a great challenge, there's a great work to be done. We know that the Lord has called our brother and has given him talents and gifts that are so necessary and essential even there for the work. And we trust that you will remember him and lift him up daily before the throne of grace in prayer. The Gospel of Mark, I want to read some verses. Mark's Gospel in the chapter 2. Mark's Gospel, chapter 2. I'm reading from the beginning of the chapter. And again he entered into Capernaum after some days, and it was noise that he was in the house. In straight way many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them. 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 born 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 leant down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Some 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 may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, He said, for the sake 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. Amen. We know that God will bless the reading of His own precious Word to each of our hearts. Let's just bow together in a word of prayer. Our Father in heaven, we thank Thee for Thy presence with us this evening. We thank You even for the challenge that we have received even this evening already. We thank You, Lord, that the fields are wide unto harvesting. And we thank Thee for those who are willing to go and to reap even in those harvest fields. We pray for our brother tonight, even as he would continue his studies, that you would be with him as he would travel around the countryside taking meetings, that you would give him that help and keep him safe and prepare him even for that work that lies ahead. And Lord, we cry to Thee that even in that land that he might see a great work done for Thee. Help us, O God, ever remember Him before the throne of grace and to seek to support Him in this service for thee. We thank thee that thou hast called all of us, my, to be sole winners even for thee. And we pray, Lord, that thou wouldst make us effective for Thee in these days. We ask that as we turn to Thy Word, Lord, be with us. Bring to our remembrance the things that Thou would have us to say. By Thy Spirit, Lord, write Thy truth upon our hearts. Challenge us. Draw us closer even to Thyself. To this end, we cast ourselves upon Thee. Be Thou our help. For, Lord, we pray in Thy name and for Thy glory. Amen. The Gospel of Mark, chapter 2. I want to just draw your attention to the portion we read together. But we read there in verse 3, "...and they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was born of four." One of the most momentous dates in history is the 31st of October, 1517. On that day, Martin Luther, reacting to the seal of indulgences in Germany, he kneeled his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg. In itself, this was not really an unusual act. because in those days the door of the church was used as the town notice board. However, others taking his thesis and translating it into German, they gave it to the press soon. My thesis became the center of every conversation across the land of Germany. News filtering back to Rome, the Pope becoming enraged. Luther was summoned before the Diet of Worms. Being challenged, he there issued those famous words, Here I stand, I can do no other. News of Istan spreading. The Emperor Charles V called for more diets or parliamentary assemblies. They were held in the ancient town of Spire. In the first diet, which was held in 1526, the Protestant princes being in the majority. Laws were passed giving them equal rights with Roman Catholics. However, in the Second Diet, which was held three years later, it was declared that while Roman Catholics living in Protestant territories were to be given religious liberty, Protestants living in Catholic territories were not to be permitted to practice or even profess their faith. If accepted or implemented, it would have meant that the Reformation had made its last convert. Six princes protesting against this law. Not only was the term Protestant born, but in their protest they were demanding the right the right not only to practice their faith, but to profess their faith, to reach out into their communities, and to bring men and women, boys and girls, to the Saviour. And as we come into this portion of the Word of God, we find four men making their way to hear the Saviour. Beholding a man taken with the palsy they were unable to pass him by. More like these Protestant princes. They couldn't leave him, but we find them reaching out and we find them bringing this man, bringing him to the Saviour. And while the Pharisees in the passage hinder this man, blocking his way to the Saviour, we find these four men reaching out, seeking to bring him to the Lord. And you see in life, we are either helpers or we are hinderers. We're either drawing men to the Saviour or by our lives, by our works, we are driving them from the Saviour. Gandhi was one of the founders of modern India. As a young man, he studied at university in England. And while he was there in university, he met many individuals who professed to be Christians. He said, I would have become a Christian if it had not been for the Christians. And such were the lives of those that he met while he was in university that they turned his heart away from Christ. They turned his heart away from the Gospel. And in life, we are either hinderers or we are helpers. We're either driving men away from the Saviour by our lies, by our attitudes, or we're drawing them to the Saviour. While you might tonight never dream of putting yourself in the camp of those who almost 500 years sought to stop the Protestant Reformation. Yet, by our words, by our works, by our witness, we can also become hinderers, hindering men and women from coming to the Savior. And tonight I want, for a short time, not to consider these hinderers, but I want tonight to consider these helpers, these men who sought to bring this man to the Savior. In so doing, I want you to notice firstly here by the faith that was exemplary. These four men lowering this poor man down through the roof. The Lord's eyes were suddenly lifted by upwards before beholding His frailty, He beheld these four men's faith and commanding them. Notice here the concern they displayed. believing that the Lord was able to do all things. We read in verse 3, And they came unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was born of four. Earlier, hearing how the Lord had healed Peter's mother-in-law, and had driven the demons out of the unclean man. These men were greatly stirred in their heart. Rising up, they were now hastening to hear the Saviour. And yet, despite knowing that bringing this poor man would hinder them in their journey, they were unable to pass him by. You see, they were more concerned about his soul than they were concerned about having a seat in the room there in that place. And you know, as well as seeking food for our souls, there must be a seeking of forgiveness for sinners, a seeking to bring them to the Saviour. Indeed, Philip, hearing the call of God, we read in John chapter 1 and in verse 45, Philip findeth Nathanael and saith unto him, We have found Him of whom Moses and the Law and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And you know, finding the Missavior, Philip was unable to enjoy Him on his own. Coming to Nathanael, we find him reaching out and seeking to bring Nathanael to the Savior. In fact, in the New Testament, we find the Lord healing some 40 individuals. And out of that 40, 34 of them were either brought to the Savior by their neighbors, or their neighbors went and brought the Savior unto them. And you see, as well as feasting our souls on the Savior, there must be that fetching of sinners to the Savior. A seeking to reach out and to bring them to the Lord. You know, following the diet of worms, Luther gave himself to the translation of the Scriptures. During a time of forced confinement, he translated the whole of the New Testament in eleven weeks. Now, that was a phenomenal one and a half thousand words every day. And let me say tonight, it was not an inferior translation. In fact, we owe much of our English Bible to the work that was done by Martin Luther. You see, receiving the Word of God, recognizing that great truth of justification by faith alone, he could not keep it to himself. He wanted Germany. He wanted Europe to hear those glad tidings of the Gospel. And a believer like Luther Having received the truth, we ought not to keep it to ourselves. Like those lepers who discovered the deliverance, and they knew it would not be well for them to keep the news to themselves. It's not well for us to know the truth and to keep it to ourselves. There needs to be that reaching out. That's seeking to win them to the Saviour. And just as this man could not come to the Saviour without bringing this man, my, could I encourage you, even as you come to the house of God, don't pass your neighbours by. My, seek to bring them. Seek to bring them under God's Word. Seek to bring them to my, the Saviour. But not only do we notice the concern they displayed, but I think we notice the courage they displayed, bringing up this sick man. We read in the verse 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, the crowds blocking their path. They were still not deterred, climbing the stairs which ran around the outside of the house. Even the roof could not stop them. using only their bare hands, digging through several layers of heather and clay. They pulled back the rafters, making a large hole in the roof. They then lowered this man gently down before the Saviour. You see, nothing, not even the price of a new roof, not even the murmurings of the Pharisees could stop these men bringing this man to the Lord. And my friend, evangelism requires not only purity, but perseverance. A determination to break through every barrier, every obstacle that would block our path. Indeed, Paul said in Romans chapter 8 and the verse 36, as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. When we go back into the previous verses, we find Him there enlisting seven separate My enemies. And when we go back and we look at it, we find that He refused to let anything, not even tribulation, distress, or even famine, hinder in this work of evangelism. You see, rather than giving up, there must be a getting up. and a going on, a refusal to let any obstacle, any difficulty stop us bringing men and women to the Savior. You know, Martin Luther has been often called one of the greatest preachers that ever lived. And you know, yet in his ministry at times he became greatly downcast and discouraged, and especially discouraged with his own congregation. Despite preaching Sunday after Sunday, now he lamented that they were godless, that they were wicked, that they had little thought at times about God. He said on one occasion, it annoys me to keep preaching to you. In 1530 he actually went on strike. And he refused to preach to them, my, for a short time. However, despite discouragement, my, he quickly picked up the sword and the trowel, and he got back into the work of God. And believer in life, there are many difficulties. There are many things to discourage. There are many things that block our path. But in those times, like Luther, don't give up. Like these men, don't quit. Maybe you've been witnessing to someone about their soul. And no matter what way you approach them, no matter how long you've prayed for them, they seem to be growing harder and harder rather than softer and softer. My friend, don't give up. Go back again. Continue to pray for them. Seek to reach them for the Saviour. Seek to win them for the Lord. Not only the concern they displayed and the course, but notice also here the cooperation they displayed, seeing the doors and windows blocked. We read there in verse 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." That little word, they, is repeated four times over in this one verse. You see, they worked together as a team. One was at every corner of the bed, and one of these men had dropped out, or one of them had refused to cooperate, the bed tilting to one side. they would not have been able to bring him to the Savior. You see, all of these men, they all were needed. And true Christianity is not a spectator sport. It requires the participation and the cooperation of every believer. Indeed, the Spirit of God falling at Pentecost, we read in Acts 4 and 32, And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. They became as one in the work of God. And it was when they were all praying, and they all were witnessing that the Spirit of God falling, that three thousand souls were converted. My friends, are not called to labor, and others called to lace. We're all to be in this work, reaching out, seeking to win souls for the Savior. You know, many years ago a little boy got lost in one of those giant wheat fields in Canada. His father and mother immediately went out and they began to walk through the wheat looking for their boy. They were joined by neighbors. One was walking in this direction and another in that direction. They couldn't find him. Night was coming. The temperature, my, was falling. And someone said, there must be a better way than this. And they're all coming together. joining hands. They walked through the massive fields. And my friend eventually found the little boy. But when they found him, it was too late. He was dead. And immediately the cry went up, why didn't we join our hands together sooner? And you tonight may feel unimportant. You may say, but preacher, what can I do? My friend, you can pray. We're all needed in this work. We all have different gifts and different talents. And there is no such thing as no place for you in the work. We're all needed. We're all needed. Oh, there is a work tonight to be done. These four men seeing the work, they gave themselves to it. And I wonder tonight as you look out and you see the day darkening, men's hearts growing harder, are you ready to meet the challenge? Are you ready to go into the work? But not only do we notice in these words, by the faith that was exemplary, but we notice the function that was essential. Seeing this poor man's life ebbing away and fearing the Lord would soon leave the house, they wasted no time lowering him down through the roof. You notice here the skills they employed bringing him to the house. We read in verse 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. We're told nothing of these four men, except that they were from Capernaum. This city being set on the shores of Galilee, it is most likely that they were fishermen by profession. and why they would have been unlearned, uneducated men and thus unable to argue with the learned, my Pharisees. They were men who were used working with ropes and working with nets and letting down this man with ropes. They were using, my, the skills that they had. And you see, talents are not ornaments to be adored, but gifts. to be used. They're to be pressed into the service of women, the lost. Indeed, the Master in the parable of the talents commissioning His servants, He gave to one five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent. My discernment, who received one talent, failing to use his talent, we read in Matthew 25 and 28, Take, therefore, the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents." And we find that this man, refusing to take up and use the talent that the Master had given, it was then taken from him. You see, rather than seeking new talents, we're to be using the talents we already possess, putting them into service. Can you imagine if you'd have got up tomorrow morning and you said, I can't be bothered standing. I can't be bothered walking. And you sit in that chair in front of the fire, and my, the day goes by. And then, my, the days turn into weeks, and the weeks into months, and the months into years. You sitting there, the muscles in your legs, they will gradually waste away. And there may come a day that you change your mind and you say, I must stand. But my friend standing, and the muscle's wasted away, you'll fall down to the ground. And so it is with the gifts that God has given you. If you don't use the gifts, if you don't use the talents that God has given you, my friend, you take them away. Rather than wasting your life saying, I wish I had the gifts of Luther, or saying, I wish I could preach like Whitefield, or I had the zeal or of Westlake? My friend, use the talents that God has given you. It may not be the talent that my other brother has, but God has given you a talent. God has given you some skill. Press it into service. Has He given you the ability to sing? Then, my, sing for the Lord. Has He given you ability to work with children? Then, seek to gather the little boys and girls around your feet. and teach them the Word of God. Maybe He's given you the ability to bake a cake. Well, you bake that cake. And you take it to that neighbor who has no interest in the Gospel, and you show your concern. And then sometime taking the cake, give them a Gospel tract. My friend, God has given you skills, and I wonder tonight, are you pressing them into service? Just as these men were not educated men, but they used the skills God had given them. Are you using your skills? My, for the Lord. I think not only do we notice the skills they employed, but we notice the sympathy they exhibited. Bringing this man to the Saviour, we read in verse 3, And they came unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was born of four. That word, born, in the original, it expresses great emotion. It carries the idea of sharing in someone else's experience or pain. It would have been easy for these men to have pushed their way through the crowd. However, this man was ill. and pushing through the crowd, twisting his limbs, they would have caused him great pain. And feeling his pain as if it was their own, they went up onto the roof. They broke neither way through the roof. And then with great gentleness and great tenderness, they lowered him down before the Saviour. And you know, in bringing souls to Christ, We not only need clarity of speech, we need compassion of soul. We need to be gentle. I often think of Ebad Melech, and he saw Jeremiah there in a deep pit. and seeking to rescue the servant of God. We read in Jeremiah 38 and verse 12, And Ebad Melech, the Ethiopian, said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast cloaks and rotten rags under thine arm-holes, under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. And here was Ebad Melech in seeking to rescue Jeremiah out of this pit. He just didn't throw down the rope. He threw down old garments to wrap around the rope so that as he would pull them up, they wouldn't cut into him. You see, in seeking to rescue him, he showed great concern and great compassion. And in drawing in the rope of life, we need to do it tenderly. Where there is no compassion, there will be no converts. You know, in 1527, A terrible plague shrugged Wittenberg, and the plague coming. All of Luther's students, they packed up the little belongings they had, and they got out of the town as quick as they could. The Elector or the Prince came to Luther, and he said, Luther, get out of the town. Save yourself. But Luther had the heart of a pastor, and he couldn't leave the town. And he stayed with those people. And he preached to them. He buried the dead. He ministered to the sick and to the dying. And when the plague was over, his house remained in quarantine for some time. You see, my friend, the world doesn't really care how much you know until it knows that you care. And we need to have that compassion that Luther had. We need to have that tenderness When we're dealing with men and women, we need to come alongside of them. We need to treat them not as an enemy, not with hostility, but with gentleness, with care, with compassion. We need to be gentle. And sometimes that's hard. And sometimes people will rub you the wrong way. But we need to be tender. We need to be compassionate. Not only the sympathy, but notice the speed, the exercise. Look at verse 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 sake of the palsy lay. This man's condition worsening. They couldn't wait till the next day. They couldn't wait even till the evening. But rather we find them bracking through the roof, letting him down before the Saviour. They refused. to waste a second. And in bringing souls to Christ, there's no room for delay. Tomorrow may be too late. Over 20 souls every day in this little province pass out into eternity. And my friend, the sad reality is that tomorrow will be too late for some. There's an urgency. How we sit in gospel meetings and we see sinners and we wonder to ourselves, how can they sit in the meeting? Why do they not see the urgency? Why don't they come to Christ tonight? And yet when God burdens our heart for a soul, how often we put off going to them. And we do the very thing that the sinner is doing. We delay. There's an urgency in this work. Wouldn't it be tragic? If next week you see a hearse going down the road and you ask, who's funeral is that? In the name of the person that God has spoken to you about going to witness to. We can leave it too late. We can leave it too late. But lastly, I want you to notice here the forgiveness that was experienced Notice here that going forth, their strivings were effective. Look at verse 5. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. Bringing this man to the Lord, they expended much effort and time and expense. Breaking through the roof would have cost them financially. However, leaving this poor man at the Saviour's feet, they were not disappointed. The Lord touching him, and the Lord healed him. And the service of Christ is not in vain. It brings conversions. The psalmist said, He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. And you know, tonight, if we do not grow weary in well-doing, we shall reap. Martin Luther said, I have had many things in my hand, and have lost them all. But whatever I have been able to place in God's hands, I still possess. You see, my friend, that which is done for Christ is not lost. It's not lost. Our brother is not going on a fruitless errand. When we're involved in the work of God, our service will not be in vain, if our hearts are right. And my, we sow that seed generously. There'll be a harvest. There'll be a harvest. Times is difficult. Times the harvest doesn't come as quick as we would like. But don't lose faith or heart. It'll come. Not only were their strivings effective, but notice their souls were exhilarated. Look at the verse 12 of the chapter, "...and immediately 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." Seeing Him rise up out of the dust of the floor, you can imagine the joy that must have filled these men's hearts. And you know, the service of Christ, it is exacting, but it's also exhilarating. It brings joy. Nicholas Ludwig von Zinderdorf said, Our joy until we die is to win men for the Lord. And my friend, true joy is not found in the slavery of sin. It's found in the work of God. Have you lost your joy? Are you enduring your Christian experience? Then get involved in the work of God. Have you ever perhaps, maybe outreach has been announced, and it's cold, it's wet, it's winter, and the thought of going out round the doors doesn't actually enthuse you. But then you get out, and you knock the door, You speak to man. And my friend, when you come in, your heart's filled with joy. There's joy in the service of Christ. These men, can you imagine their joy? And when we're serving Christ, there's joy. I think also their Savior was exalted. Look at verse 12 again. We're told, "...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 My fashion." The Lord was lifted up and glorified. And when our service is done wholeheartedly and scripturally, it brings glory to Christ. It exalts Him. The charism says, what is man's chief end? Man's chief end is to glorify God. How can you glorify God? I tell you, you glorify God when you're involved in a service. When you're sowing the good seed of the Word of God. How many tonight there are. And my, they're spiritually lame. Spiritually dying. O believer, let's not pass them by. But let us seek by our prayers, by the way we live, by our witness to bring them to the Savior, to bring them to the Lord. And could I say tonight, if you're not saved, that I urge you tonight to come. might have come to the Lord. Has He healed this man? He's able to heal your soul. He's able to give you everlasting life. Oh, I trust tonight, if you know Him not, that you will come to know Him and then, my, seek to win others. Be a soul winner. A soul winner.