I was reading and thinking about the story of the paralytic man in Luke 5. The story starts with Jesus attracting another crowd. People with all kinds of diseases and illnesses followed him around for a chance to touch him or talk to him. This time they were gathered in a small house. The scene would have been pretty chaotic. People were pushing to get in. The house was crowded to the point not one more person could fit in there. Yet somehow, Jesus is there. He’s calm. He’s made a makeshift classroom and he is teaching and healing people.
There was this group of men who decide to try to take their paralyzed friend to see Jesus. Nothing is really said about the paralyzed man except that his only way to get to see Jesus was if his friends took him. We don’t know where they came from. We don’t know how far they had to carry him but when they got to the house it was full. There was no way they were going to get anywhere close to Jesus.
Then the friends have a crazy idea. If we can’t get in from the ground, we’ll get him in through the ceiling. One of the friends probably scaled the house walls to see how hard it would be to get up there. They not only had to get up on the roof but they had to get their paralyzed friend up there, too. It doesn’t say how they did it but perhaps they found a ladder and a rope and hoisted him up.
Now what? How are they going to get him down to see Jesus? They start ripping the roof apart. What do you think the people inside the house thought when they heard noises on the roof and then the roof starts to come apart? Perhaps tiles fell down on the inside. Most likely dust and dirt fell down on the people below. Suddenly, the sun breaks through a hole and shines into the house. The men on the roof are working quickly. They want to get their friend down through the hole before someone stops them from tearing the roof apart. Imagine if you were the home owner!
What do you think Jesus was thinking? If you believe that he knows all things then he knew this event was about to happen. Perhaps he was sitting back smiling and thinking “it’s about time you all got here.” I’m sure he loved their determination and he admired their love for their friend. They were willing to do anything to get their friend in to see Jesus. Perhaps Jesus even chuckled at their efforts. I’m sure the people around Jesus weren’t laughing. They were probably mad. Mad about the disturbance, mad about the noise, mad about the dirt, mad about everything.
Finally the man is lowered through the roof and lands in front of Jesus. I wonder if he had a soft landing or if he kind of got dropped. He was excited and anxious. Would the “mad” people in the house beat him? Would Jesus heal him?
Jesus had already decided he was going to heal the man. In just a couple of seconds, the Great Physician shared a quick dialog with the paralyzed man. He forgives him of his sin and then heals him physically. The muscles in the man’s legs were rejuvenated and the man stood up. His legs might have been a little wobbly at first but he was standing. He was probably grinning ear to ear.
He thanks Jesus. He has been healed. His life has been changed. He leaves praising God.
Are you like one of this man’s friends? Will you stop at nothing for one of your friends to meet Jesus? Are you that determined that no matter what obstacle you encounter, you will not quit. These men refused to be denied and their friend left with his life changed.
What if we come to the place where we understand and believe that Jesus is our only hope? That we must press towards him and not let anything stand in our way. What if we lived out our Christian life with such determination that we wouldn’t even let a roof stand in the way of meeting with Jesus each day?
How about you? What is standing in your way of meeting with Jesus? Or, what is standing in your way of taking your friends to meet Jesus? He’s waiting for you.
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