Bringing People to Jesus

Introduction

In this short study I want to look at some very well known stories from the life of Jesus, but I want us to focus on a particular set of characters who are often overlooked.

The characters we will look at play a vital role in each story, and yet we often skim over them as we look at the miracles or the more fully recorded interactions that others seem to have with Jesus within these accounts.

We will also take a look at some contrasting examples and see how Jesus handles those.

Friends & Family

Let’s start with the story of Jesus healing the paralysed man. This is found in Matthew 9: 1-8, Mark 2: 1-12, and Luke 5: 17-26. Take some time now to read these accounts.

Our second story is also found in all three Synoptic Gospels, it is the story of Jairus’s daughter. This is recorded in Matthew 9: 18-26, Mark 5: 21-43, and Luke 8: 40-56. It is worth reading each of these accounts too.

Let’s start with the story of Jesus healing the paralysed man. Lots has been said about the miracle, about Jesus forgiving sins, and about Jesus’ interaction with the religious leaders who were there. These are not the focus of this study.

I want us to consider the friends in this story. All three accounts include the detail that this paralysed man was brought to Jesus by others. I, like most commentators, am referring to those who are carrying the man as his friends. The passages don’t explicitly call them friends, but I think we can safely conclude that the action and commitment we see here would not be done by strangers.

What do we see from these friends? Well, they have given up their time, this means, most likely, that I have lost wages for the time they are not working. They are using their strength in carrying the man to Jesus. We know that they have heard about Jesus and have realised that He can help their friend. Finally they are determined, and won’t miss this chance.

“Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralysed man was lying on.”

Mark 2: 4

They encounter the crowd, there is no way through, and they don’t give up. Their determination means their friend has a life changing encounter with Jesus. You see, the role friends play is vital. These men brought their friend to Jesus. This is the challenge for all of us who follow Jesus, how can we be like these four, how can we bring our friends to Jesus?

With that question in mind we will turn our attention to the second story we are looking at in this study; Jairus’ daughter.

These passages also include the story of the woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years. This is a counterpoint, in that it shows us that people can come to Jesus on their own. But we will focus on the role of Jairus.

“Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.”

Luke 8: 41

Sometimes it may not be practical to bring someone to Jesus. So, like Jairus, we must bring Jesus to the person who needs Him.

We can easily overlook the vital role Jairus plays here, we can all too quickly move on to the miracle of the healing. But when we pause to consider this man there is a lot we can learn. If he hadn’t gone to Jesus would Jesus have come to his house? It seems unlikely.

What does it look like for us to bring Jesus to people? We know that as followers of Jesus we have Him with us at all times, so wherever we go we go with Jesus.

“We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us his Spirit.”

1 John 4: 13

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”

Ephesians 3: 16-17

In these passages it is clear that we, as followers of Jesus, carry Him with us wherever we go. So, as salt and light in the world (Matthew 5: 13-16) we need to be aware that how people see us is, in some way, how they see Jesus.

There is also a very practical lesson we can learn from Jairus. We can pray for others, present them to Jesus on their behalf. This is what Jairus does for his daughter.

From these two passages we see the role that we are to play for our friends and family. Sometimes we are to bring them to Jesus, perhaps introducing them to our church, or other Christians, maybe offering to pray with them in the moment. Other times we need to bring Jesus to them. This is in our love towards them, and in praying for them. 

What not to do

From these passages it seems clear that Jesus wants us to bring people to Him, and wants us to take Him to others. Let’s now look at the opposite; what does Jesus do when people try to block, or guard access to Him? What does He do when the motivation for bringing someone to Him is wrong? 

There are lots of passages we could look at for this, especially among Jesus’ many interactions with the Pharisees. However, I’d like to focus on just two stories, Matthew 20: 29-34, Mark 10: 46-52, Luke 18: 35-43 (Blind Bartimaeus) and John 8: 1-11 (the woman caught in adultery). Take a moment to read these passages.

Notice how, in the story of Blind Bartimaeus, people try to keep him from Jesus.

“When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!””

Luke 18: 36-39

This man needs a miracle, he needs Jesus. It seems no-one has taken him to Jesus, but Jesus has happened to pass by. As he learns this he starts to shout out for Jesus. Shouting over and over. He won’t be silenced, but silence is what the people with Jesus want.

I wonder how many times we, as people with Jesus, want the equivalent of silence? Do we expect people to come with their lives all sorted out first? Jesus is willing and able to deal with the mess, to meet people where they really are. In this story Jesus stops the commotion, stops the rebuke and has a moment with Bartimaeus that changes his life. If Bartimaeus had been silent when he was rebuked he may well have remained blind, and on the outskirts of society.

The challenge for us is to allow the shouting, allow people to come to Jesus exactly as they are, after all that is how we came to Him. None of us had, or have, our lives sorted out. We all need Jesus to meet us where we really are. Let’s make sure we are not enforcing made up standards on people who are shouting for their moment with the King.

There is also the challenge we read in John 8. A woman is brought to Jesus. In fact a group of scribes and Pharisees bring the woman to Jesus while He is teaching the people. Their motivation is wrong.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.”

John 8: 3-6a

We see here that the scribes and Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus; hoping His compassion would lead Him to teach or act in a way contrary to the law. It also shows that they are bringing the woman to Jesus to have her sin exposed, and punished.

Once again we see Jesus act with love and gentleness. He sets the woman free. Free from her accusers, free from sin, and free from shame.

“At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.””

John 8: 9-11

When we bring people to Jesus we should do so because we know Jesus will love them, not because we think they need to be told off. All of us still need the transforming love and compassion of Jesus. So let’s acknowledge that, give thanks that it is there for us, and bring people to Jesus because we know He can bring freedom.

Conclusion

I think the summary of all this is very simple; let’s bring people to Jesus in prayer, let’s connect them with our church family because we know that Jesus is the love, grace, and compassion that they really need. Then, alongside that, let us work hard to truly welcome those who are seeking Jesus. Let’s make sure we are not putting up false barriers, that we are not blocking peoples' way with made up entry criteria.

Spend some time now praying for friends and family; bringing them to Jesus. Also, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may have put up false barriers that may prevent others from coming to Jesus, and ask Him to help you remove them.