“When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins! Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man[a] has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!." Mark 2:1-12 (NLT)
Have you ever heard someone say, "I've never seen anything like this before!" We read about Jesus teaching and doing miracles. As the miracles increased, so did the crowds. The Son of God had just rescued and delivered a demonized man from his bondage and in Mark 2 we read about Jesus preaching in an overcrowded house. Like sardines in a can, the people were packed in and hungry to hear the words of Jesus and experience mighty miracles!
As more and more people heard that Jesus was in town, they continued to come. Four friends heard the news of Christ's nearness and went to get their friend. They may have encouraged each other that today was the day for their disabled friends' healing.
We don't know how long he had been sick, but many times prolonged illness opens the door to feelings of hopelessness. Sometimes we get so used to the misery and torment that we don't even realize we've partnered with pain and sickness. Infirmity may have become this man's close friend. It was time for an intervention. He didn't know it, but he was about to break-up with this superficial companion and encounter Heaven's True Friend that sticks closer than a brother!
I wonder, did he even want to go see Jesus. He may have said, "I'm never going to be healed. Just leave me alone." His faithful buddies may have replied, "We are taking you whether you want to go or not. Do you want to go in your pajamas or change into other clothes? Either way we're going to see Jesus today."
No barrier was going to prevent these men from getting Christ's attention and a miracle for their friend. No cynicism, no hopelessness, no crowd, no building, no wall, not even the roof was going to hinder them from their objective-healing for their friend!
Can you imagine teaching a crowd and hearing noise on the roof? Then as you look up there's an increasing opening as tiles are being removed? Blinding sunlight pierces through the once enclosed roof. Not only sunlight, but a pallet was being lowered by four determined men! I wonder if his friends even considered how they were going to lift him back up if he was not able to walk out of there. They must have expected a healing!
Four faithful friends demonstrated their trust in Jesus as they intentionally positioned their sick companion right in front of Him. They did for their friend what he could not do for himself. When Jesus looked up, He saw faith in their eyes. The Bible says, "He saw their faith!" They had put feet to their faith, and a whole lot more! When this man, who may have been weak in faith needed true blue friends, they were there to partner with him and as a result encountered Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our Healer and Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness! Many in the crowd probably walked away from that house saying, I've never seen anything like this before!"
Jesus didn't just heal this man's body, He honed in on the paralytic, and the crowds need for forgiveness of sin. I don't believe Jesus was saying that this man's sin caused his paralysis, but that the most important issue is Christ's ability to take care of the sin problem. The Son of God has already chosen to forgive sin and heal every aspect of our lives. He has done everything to make that possible for all mankind. And in the healing of body, soul, and spirit, Jesus is also bringing salvation and full access to our Heavenly Father and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Do others see your faith? James said, "What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” James 2:14-18 (NLT)
We declare and release the heart of God to you today. May you be our Father's “faithful friend” to all those you come in contact with, and as you take steps of faith we declare you will see them healed, healthy, and whole. We declare Jesus and others will see your faith as you carry Kingdom of God love, power, and salvation to those around you.
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