by Michael W. Couch, D.MIN
Berean Baptist Church
Mark 2:11 (NIV) “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.
Take Up Your Mat and Build.”
Scoop Readers (SR): We must be willing to rise beyond limitations.
Here in our text: this story in Mark 2 is about a paralyzed Black man whose friends carried him to Jesus. They were so determined to see him healed that they tore open the roof and lowered him before Jesus. Jesus, seeing their faith, not only forgave the man’s sins but also healed his body. He told the paralyzed Blackman, “I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home.” This command was not just about physical healing but about empowering this Blackman to take action for his own life. Today, we can draw lessons from this story about taking ownership of our journey, building our communities, and rising together in economic empowerment.
Paul Laurence Dunbar talks about breaking the shackles of limitations; he once wrote, “We wear the mask that grins and lies; it hides our cheeks and shades our eyes.” Dunbar’s words are a powerful reminder of how we often wear the mask of complacency, limitation, and pretending that things are better than they truly are. The paralyzed Blackman in Mark 2 wore a metaphorical mask—he was dependent, defined by his inability to move, and limited by circumstances beyond his control. But his friends, believing in something more significant for him, tore the mask away by tearing the roof apart. They removed the barriers between him and the source of true empowerment.
Many of us are still wearing masks. We wear masks of “Not Enough.” Not enough resources. Not enough education. Not enough opportunities. But Jesus commands us, just as He commanded the Blackman in this story, to “GET UP.” This command is a call to action for all of us to rise above our limitations, take ownership of our destiny, and walk in faith toward a greater future.
SR: We must get up and take action. Jesus said, “Get up.” It wasn’t a suggestion—it was a directive. Often, we wait for circumstances to change or for opportunities to magically appear before we move. But Jesus calls us to get up in the midst of our challenges.
In the book “Believe and Achieve: Your Road to Success,” the author writes, “The greatest barrier to achievement is not the lack of opportunity but the absence of belief.” Jesus didn’t just heal the Black man’s body; He instilled in him the belief that he could do what was previously impossible.
SR: For our Black communities, this is a powerful message. We must rise beyond systemic barriers and understand that true transformation begins with our willingness to act in faith. If we believe in the promise God has for us, we must act on it. It’s time to take up our mats, rise up, and start building the future we want for ourselves and our families. No political party is going to do this.
SR: We must take up our mat. Own your story: Jesus instructed the Blackman to take up his mat. Why take the mat? The mat represented his past—the years of being limited and dependent. Jesus wanted him to carry it as a testimony of what God had done. In our context, taking up our mats means acknowledging our history—the struggles, the oppression, and the injustices that have plagued our Black communities. We carry them not as burdens but as testimonies of resilience and the power of God to bring us through.
SR: In the pursuit of Black economic empowerment, we must own our story. We come from a history of people who, despite systemic oppression, built thriving businesses, communities, and institutions. We must take up that legacy, acknowledge where we’ve been, and use it as motivation to keep moving forward.
SR: We must go home and build your community. Jesus told the Blackman to go home. The Blackman didn’t just rise for himself–he rose for his Black community. He was a living witness of what faith and determination could achieve. Similarly, our empowerment isn’t just about individual success. It’s about community upliftment. When we rise, we must go back and lift others, build our Black communities, invest in Black businesses, mentor Black young people, and advocate for policies that create opportunities for everyone.
SR: Black economic empowerment is a crucial part of this journey. It means using our resources to build wealth within our community, to support one another, and to create systems that allow us to flourish independently of structures that have historically marginalized us. By pooling our resources and knowledge, we can establish businesses, buy properties, and create opportunities that will benefit generations to come.
SR: We are called to rise together for Black economic empowerment, which is not just about financial success; it’s about the power to make decisions that affect our lives and our communities. Imagine the Black man in Mark 2 after he was healed—no longer dependent on the system, he could now contribute to his household and community. In the same way, when we achieve Black economic empowerment, we can determine the future of our neighborhoods, our education systems, and our livelihoods.
We must take action collectively. Just as the Black man’s friends tore off the roof to get him to Jesus, we must remove the barriers that prevent our community from accessing economic opportunities. We must invest in Black-owned banks, support Black-owned businesses, and create mentorship opportunities that prepare our Black youth for success.
Paul Laurence Dunbar spoke of the masks we wear, but Jesus calls us to remove the mask, get up, and walk in our purpose. We have the power, through faith, to break through the ceilings that have held us back and to empower our community to thrive.
SR: Get Up, Take Up, and Go. Today, Jesus, the crucified one, the one who was buried, and the one who was resurrected with all power, is telling us the same thing He told the paralyzed Blackman: “Get up, take your mat, and go home.” He is calling on us to rise above the limitations placed upon us, to own our story, and to walk boldly into the future He has prepared for us. We are called to action, to take up the challenges of our community, and to build a future where we all can thrive. Let us no longer wear the mask of limitation. Let us rise, build, and empower one another, knowing that with God, all things are possible. The time for change is now. Get up, take up your mat, and let’s go home and build a future of prosperity and purpose.
Closing Prayer: Father God, we thank You for the power of transformation. Help us to believe in Your word and rise beyond our circumstances. Empower us as individuals and as a Black community to build a future that reflects Your kingdom, where we can thrive spiritually, economically, and in every way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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