Evans Akpo

We have never seen anything like this

Mark 2:1-12
DIAMOND ERA

Russell H. Conwell was known for his story “Acres of Diamond.” Many have found his story inspiring and challenging. To others, it has helped explore their untapped talents and gifts; they never knew they had. Funds have been raised to build universities by the way he tells his story. People thought differently after hearing his story, and others created wealth that made a difference in lives within their communities. It was just the way he tells his story. The theme of his story focuses on how the owner of a diamond filled land, ignorantly sold his land in search of diamond in another foreign land. At the end, he died broke, sad, poor and wretched. The new owner of the land ended up being the most wealthy and richest diamond owner in his days. The secret to his wealth was that diamond was discovered in the land he bought from the man who couldn’t discover it. Russell tells his story with so much suspense that keeps his audience spell bound.
GOLD ERA
Similar to the diamond story, Conwell also talked about the California gold rush era.
In 1847, a man own a ranch in California, it was during gold rush. He read there was a huge discovery of gold in southern California. He sold his ranch to Colonel Sutter and started off to hunt for gold. Colonel Sutter put a mill on the little stream in the land, one day, his little girl came home playing around with sand and there was a shining scales – It was gold. The man who wanted the gold had sold his ranch and gone away and never to return. Now, Colonel Sutter is the richest owner because gold was found in the ranch he bought.
GOLD AND DIAMOND IN JESUS WORDS.
As I read this text in the Bible, I can relate to the Russell story, I can imagine friends, families and people that knew something better than gold was around – it was the words of Jesus. Jesus was ultimately presenting timeless truth that was better than diamond. The author, Mark, remarked in verse 2. “And many gathered together so that there was no longer room, not even near the door: and he was speaking the word.”
I had many questions reading this text. What was so powerful about the words Jesus was teaching that would prevent the crowd from creating space for the paralytic man. I also noticed that Jesus responded to their faith. I thought that was very significant. He told the paralytic to get up and pick up his pallet and go home. He did it in the presence of everyone. I can understand explaining in details is beyond the purview of this write-up. I would remind the readers, how much God’s word can transform. At the same time lies the healing power of his word to forgive sins and raise up anyone from sick beds. There is power and truth in the word that should not be traded or sold for anything. Jesus simply spoke to the paralytic man. And he obeyed, because his grace will always take us where his words leads us. Gold and Diamond are important, so is the word. The story present to us how that we have acres of diamond in our mouth, which is the word of God in the text. We do not have to miss out by running around trying to get it. This is similar to what Andrew Womack would say “you’ve already got it, quit trying to get it.” The word is near thee, even the words of faith.” Rom. 10:8.
At the end, the people said: vs. 12. “We have never seen anything like this.” They had been used to the familiar, now the uncommon has set in. Evans “How?” Because speaking of the paralytic man, it states “And he got up and immediately picked up his pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God. They hadn’t seen or heard a story so powerful, and a message so true that would lift them up. Now they did. It was obvious that they had never seen anything like this before, but Jesus did it all for them.