Mark 2:1-5
On this day in 430 AD, Augustine of Hippo passed away. Augustine was born in North Africa (modern-day Algeria). His mother, Monica, was a devout believer but his father was a staunch pagan. Needless to say, this caused a tremendous strain on Augustine’s developmental years. Augustine was an ardent student. He mastered anything he studied. He traveled to Carthage to be educated and there his professors declared him to be of the utmost academic brilliance. He would later go on to teach Rhetoric and would be rewarded with a chance to teach it at a premier university in Milan. He was considered to be the best Latin and Rhetoric professor of his time. It was while he was teaching in Milan that he encountered a man named Ambrose. In many ways Ambrose was the polar opposite of Augustine. Ambrose was serving as the Bishop of Milan and is considered to be one of the most important early church fathers. He adamantly stood against heretical teaching all while loving sharing the Gospel with everyone. Augustine was an intellectual leader but was battling many inner demons. Augustine was also a follower of a religion known as Manichaeism, which was an ancient cult at that time. Augustine would later write in his confessions how vital his friendship with Ambrose was. Ambrose would challenge Augustine to seek out Christ. Finally, at the age of 33, Augustine surrendered to Jesus for salvation. Augustine and his son were also baptized by Ambrose. Shortly after he entered school to study the Scriptures and would later become the Bishop of Hippo. It is estimated that he preached nearly 10,000 sermons while serving in Hippo. Augustine felt that the primary goal of each sermon should be to ensure the salvation of those that listened. He worked tirelessly for decades to win the people of Hippo. As a student of the Scripture, he pushed for the teaching of original sin and that man is inherently unable to save himself.
In his confessions, Augustine would write of Ambrose “To him was I unknowing led by Thee, that by him I
might knowingly be led to Thee. That man of God received me as a father, and
showed me an Episcopal kindness on my coming.” Ambrose understood the huge importance that
each believer has, to bring their friends to Christ as Savior. This reminds me of a story in Mark chapter
2. Jesus was teaching in Capernaum and
the house was filled to capacity. There
was no room for anyone to enter. A group
of four friends brought their paralyzed friend to meet Jesus. The crowd would not allow them to enter, but
that did not discourage them. They
climbed to the roof, removed the roof tiles away, and lowered the man down
before the feet of Jesus. When Jesus saw
this He said “And Jesus, seeing THEIR FAITH said to the paralytic, Son, your
sin are forgiven (Mark 2:5).” These men
were determined to get their friend to Jesus Christ. We should be equally burdened to get our
friends to Jesus. A pastor one time said
that a friend brings their friends to meet their best friend named Jesus! I couldn’t agree more! We need to build relationships that lead to redemption. We need to cultivate purposeful, intentional
relationships with unsaved people that will positively influence them to come
to Christ. What Augustine is in our
life? Who works on the other side of the
cubicle? Who lives on the other side of
the white picket fence? What parent at
your kid’s school needs you to come alongside them? Pray that God would give you people to bring
to Jesus.
