It has been said, “The opportunity of a lifetime is only available during the lifetime of the opportunity.” Opportunities are not always the obvious. Sometimes the critics and character assassins are the opportunity. When God opens a door, no man can shut it!

Entry Ways And Opportunities

In last week’s message, we ended the sermon when the Holy Spirit gave the altar invitation, and so many were blessed around these altars. I love it when the Spirit of God anoints the preacher, but also penetrates the hearts of the hearers of the Word. The Word did not return void, but accomplished the purpose for which God sent it.

At that point, we experienced a fifty pace path to deliverance for a poor wretched leper, who risked it all to bring his issue to the Lord Jesus. His fifty-first step was to kneel at the feet of Jesus, whereupon the Lord touched him and delivered him from his debilitating disease.

Jesus then told him in verse 45 of Mark 1, that he should not talk about his encounter and healing, but he was so overjoyed with his new life, that he blazed abroad the matter till the crowd was so large that Jesus could not enter the city, but dwelt outside the city in a desert place.

Do you not see that Jesus swapped places with the now cleansed leper, and that’s what he did in the story of the Good Samaritan; and taking another’s place is exactly what He did for us at Calvary’s cross.

The purpose for Jesus instructing him not to tell anyone about his cleansing was that Jesus was more preoccupied with healing the lostness of our souls. If the press was so great that He could not get into the city, He would not be able to preach to them about the love of God, and the forgiveness of sins. He even said it is better to enter Heaven without a hand, eye, or foot, or maimed, because the greater concern is getting the disease of sin and all its consequences out of our hearts and lives, or eternal benefit rather than a temporary fix.

Today’s lesson begins with Jesus entering Capernaum after some days have passed, but His popularity was so great that the crowds continued to gather around Him. His attraction was so magnetic that vast numbers of inquiring minds took every opportunity to hear Him speak, hoping for another one of those miraculous healing events to further enhance the validity of His message.

Mark 2
1. And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
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.
5. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7. Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
8. 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?
9. 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?
10. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11. I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12. 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.

I. The Opportunity Of A Lifetime
It has been said, “The opportunity of a lifetime is only available during the lifetime of the opportunity.” Opportunities are not always the obvious!

A. When the fulness of time was come, God sent His Son, but not in an obvious manner. He came as a baby, laid in Bethlehem’s manger.

B. When God moved to deliver Israel from Egypt’s bondage, He called a runaway tending sheep on the backside of Midian. God anointed what he had in his hand, a stick.

C. When He needed a king to replace an arrogant, irreverent Saul, He chose a sheered boy with a sling.

D. When God’s people were starving, He had raised up an unlikely mama’s boy to become a ruler in Egypt.

E. When David sinned with Bathsheba, he could have let the most shameful deed of his life destroy him. Lying there on the ground for seven days and nights. Finally, the child dies and David got up off the ground and said, “I can’t bring that child back to me, but I can go to where that child is.” Another child was born named Solomon, and David’s greatest despair became his greatest opportunity for Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived.

F. When God provides opportunity, its not always obvious. He may choose to work through an insignificant area of your life that has not been discovered to be an opportunity in you. Don’t allow the adversary to persuade you that your prayer is not going to be answered or your promise fulfilled. It may not be obvious, but God is working to complete the work begun in you.

II. Opportunity Requires Responsibility!

A. If we don’t respond to an opportunity with faith and maturity, we usually lose the opportunity. God may be “completing the work He has begun by shaping and molding you for life’s greatest responsibility. He expects you to take advantage of every opportunity to fulfill your destiny. It may not be the most obvious, and probably not the way He works in someone else, but His way of working in you!

1. Jesus, in John 11, heard that His friend Lazarus was sick. Jesus did not go to Bethany right away. When He went, Lazarus was dead. Martha was bothered, the disciples confused. Jesus wanted to take his friends to another level of faith. Resurrection is clothed in death, but Jesus announced, “I am the Resurrection and The Life” and then raised Lazarus from the dead. The voice of the Lord unwrapped death to reveal resurrection!
2. In John 5, Jesus asked a man on a mat at the Pool of Bethesda, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Like us, he made the excuse of what others were doing. Jesus said “Arise take up thy bed and walk!”

B. What’s Holding You Back?

1. The spies returned with a negative report. “We are grasshoppers in our own sight.”
2. Felix and Drucilla: A More Convenient Season
3. King Agrippa: Almost persuaded. Can’t make up my mind.

III. Jesus Was In The House With Four Entrances

A. The Front Entrance Of Disappointment

1. If discouragement will stop you, then you’ll never get in the door!

2. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

2. Maybe that door was not available because it was not their door. You may be upset because you have been banging on a door that’s not for you. Knock, prize, kick, beat all you want, but when you look around for another way other than your own. God will show it to you.

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.

B. They had no way so they made a way. This entrance is for the people who want into His presence, but they can’t get in the normal way. They’re not normal so they can’t go in the way normal people go in. They don’t know the slogans and the language of the redeemend, they have to make a way?

5. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, they sins be forgiven thee.

C. They entry way to salvation

1. We are saved by grace through faith! Ephesians 2:8
2. When Jesus saw their faith! Your testimony to the lost people is important too!
3. Some of God’s greatest opportunities show up in the form of interruptions. Jesus was preaching. He was not in the healing mood, but the preaching mood.

12. 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.

D. The entrance to the rest of his life

1. He took up the bed. He carried out what carried him in.
2. He went forth before them all. He left through the door that people would not let him in.
3. The four were the right four.
4. What the haters thought got him healed.
5. You go out in grace in spite of what haters say.
6. Thank God for the valley, the hardship, and anxiety.
7. If everybody is clapping for you, watch out!
8. Some of us need to write some thank you letters for teaching us to trust God.

Sometimes the critics and character assassins, and slanderers is the opportunity! When God opens a door, no man can shut it!