Mark 2-3

The crowds.

Crowds are good things, right? They are strong. They are inclusive. They always know what is right, right? That's how wikipedia works.

Well, I think the crowds aren't great. Not just because I am pro-hipster. Multiple times we see the crowd getting in the way, the crowd keeping people from stepping out in faith, the crowd being passive and just following whatever is trending in the crowd.

In this passage we see the story of the paralytic. His friends knew Jesus was the only one who could heal this, but there was a crowd in the way. And obviously they would have tried to get through the crowd first, right? I mean the alternative was tearing a hole in the roof. >.>

And another time 'the crowd' got in the way you can infer a little from the verse Matt23:13 where Jesus is speaking Woes to the Pharisees for closing the kingdom of heaven in the faces of others when they themselves are not going to enter. The way it was the Pharisees were in command, dictating what the people had to do to come before God, when religion isn't what is required, but humility and a real relationship with the Father through adoption, forgiveness, redemption in Christ.

Are there good crowds then?

My first thought on this question is the church.

The church, is supposed to be a good crowd.

Instead of blocking people from coming to Christ, they'd make a path, even helping the friends carry the paralyzed man.

Instead of hogging Jesus to themselves, they'd go far and wide to tell others about Him.

Instead of standing around and expecting others to do something (bystander effect) they would encourage each other, spur one another on to love and good works reflecting what God did in Christ for us.

In whatever way we can, let's try to be a good crowd. Praying for the work of the Spirit and living as the living sacrifice setting an example in speech, faith, life, love, and purity (1Tim 4:12).