Desperate Faith
Today I want to ask you a simple but powerful question:
How desperate are you to get to Jesus?
Not just to know about Him. Not just to be in the same room where His name is spoken. But to truly encounter Him—no matter the cost, no matter the obstacles, no matter what others think.
There’s a song by Brandon Lake called Tear Off the Roof, and one of the lines says:
“Tear off the roof, the King’s in the house. Just get me to Jesus, I don’t care how.”
That’s the kind of faith we need today! A faith that says:
- I don’t care what it takes.
- I don’t care what people think.
- I don’t care how difficult it is—just get me to Jesus!
Are you that desperate for Him? Or have you become comfortable just standing in the crowd?
1. The Story of the Roof-Tearing Faith (Mark 2:1-12)
Let’s go straight to the Word of God. In Mark 2:1-12, we find a powerful story of people who refused to be stuck in the crowd.
Mark 2:1-5 (ESV)
_“And when He returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And He was preaching the word to them.
And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”_
Picture this scene:
- A house is so packed with people that no one else can get in.
- A group of friends is carrying a paralyzed man, desperate to get him to Jesus.
- They can’t get through the front door.
- They could have given up, but they didn’t!
- Instead, they climbed onto the roof, tore it open, and lowered their friend down right in front of Jesus.
And Jesus saw their faith and healed him—spiritually and physically!
This is the kind of faith that refuses to stand in the crowd.
This is the kind of faith that says, “Just get me to Jesus, I don’t care how.”
2. Are You Stuck in the Crowd?
Now, here’s the question for us today:
Are you stuck in the crowd?
The house was full of people who were near Jesus but not truly encountering Him.
- They were listening.
- They were interested.
- They were excited.
But only the ones who were desperate enough to rip off the roof got their miracle.
It’s easy to stand in the crowd.
- It’s easy to go to church on Sundays.
- It’s easy to listen to Christian music.
- It’s easy to say, “I believe in Jesus.”
But proximity to Jesus is not the same as intimacy with Jesus.
Are you satisfied just being around Jesus? Or are you willing to do whatever it takes to truly encounter Him?
3. What’s Standing in Your Way?
The paralyzed man and his friends had a huge obstacle: the crowd.
But instead of letting the obstacle stop them, they found another way.
What’s standing in your way today?
- Is it fear? Are you afraid of what others will think if you go all-in for Jesus?
- Is it doubt? Do you wonder if Jesus will really meet you where you are?
- Is it comfort? Are you stuck in routine Christianity, afraid to step into something deeper?
Sometimes, we let these barriers keep us from a true encounter with God.
But today, I challenge you: tear off the roof!
- Push past the fear.
- Push past the doubt.
- Push past the distractions.
- Push past what’s holding you back!
Whatever it takes—just get to Jesus.
4. Desperate People See Miracles
One of my favorite parts of this story is what Jesus noticed.
Mark 2:5 says:
“And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”
Notice—Jesus saw their faith.
It wasn’t just the faith of the paralyzed man.
It was the faith of his friends that moved Jesus to act.
That tells us two things:
1. Desperate Faith Moves the Heart of God
- If you are desperate for Jesus, He will meet you where you are.
- If you are hungry for Him, He will fill you.
- If you are willing to do whatever it takes, He will show up in power.
Jesus responds to desperate faith!
2. Who Are You Carrying to Jesus?
- These men didn’t just seek Jesus for themselves—they carried their friend to Him.
- Sometimes, faith isn’t just about our breakthrough—it’s about helping others get to Jesus.
Who in your life needs you to tear off the roof for them?
- A friend who’s struggling?
- A family member who’s lost?
- Someone who feels too far gone?
Your faith could be what gets them to Jesus!
5. I Didn’t Come Here to Stand in the Crowd!
One of the later lines in Tear Off the Roof says:
“I didn’t come here to stand in the crowd.”
I love that, because it reminds us of this truth:
Jesus is in the house—but are you just standing in the crowd, or are you pressing in?
Today, I want to challenge you: Don’t settle for standing in the crowd.
- Step out of routine Christianity.
- Push past the obstacles.
- Do whatever it takes to get to Jesus.
Because the ones who get their breakthrough aren’t the ones who stand back—they’re the ones who tear off the roof.
Will You Tear Off the Roof?
As we close, I want you to ask yourself:
- Am I just standing in the crowd, or am I pressing into Jesus?
- What’s keeping me from a real encounter with Him?
- Who do I need to bring with me to Jesus?
Let today be the day you say:
- I don’t care what it takes.
- I don’t care what people think.
- I don’t care how messy it gets.
Don’t just be near Jesus—go after Him with everything you have.
Because when you tear off the roof, you’ll find that the King is in the house—and that’s all that matters.
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