| “When He saw their faith, He said to them, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” Luke 5:20 Excitement fill the air! Jesus had come to town and was teaching in a home in Capernaum. Quickly the news must of spread of the “Miracle Worker’s” presence. People from all over the city journeyed to the home of the unnamed person…except one…the one who needed a miracle in his life. A paralyzed man, unable to walk, wanted desperately to get to the mega-event, but how? Thank God for friends… The Bible tells us in the 5th chapter of Luke, that the paralyzed man had four friends that decided to assist him to see Jesus. Grabbing the four corners of the blanket the paralyzed man was lying on, his friends carried him to the very house in which Jesus was teaching. However, when they arrived an overflow crowd had gathered and people were even standing in the yard to hear the words of the man that some claimed could heal the sick…and the lame. Seeing the problem did not stop the friends from their appointed chore. Noticing a staircase going up the outside of the house made for an interesting way to make an entrance for the paralyzed man to see Jesus. Arriving at the top of the stairs, the men started to “tear a hole in the roof” of the house so they could let the man down right in front of the teacher. Can you imagine the dust and dirt that started falling on the people below as the hole became larger and larger. First there must have been just a glimmer of light coming from the roof, but soon light flooded through the gaping hole as the friends continued to tear through the roof above Jesus. “What are you doing!? Get off my roof…are you crazy?”, must have been the response of the owner of the house. The words of the man fell on deaf ears as the four men continued to rip apart the roof over the palace where Jesus was sitting. “Idiots! You are ruining my robe with all of that dirt and dust!”, must have been the response of the religious leaders. Undaunted by the cries of the religious ones in the room, the men continued with the demolition of the roof. “Look! That’ s Jake, Rube, Abe, and David. What in the world do they think they are doing?”, must have been the words of the neighbors that recognized the four men. Still, their job was not complete… Finally, after what must have seem like an eternity to those sitting in the falling debris, something marvelous happened. A man; a crippled man, on a blanket, was slowly lowered through the dust filled air and placed at the feet of Jesus. The teaching was over ( at least for the moment). A ruined roof? A dirty robe? Four crazy men? A paralyzed man! What would Jesus do now? As Jesus looked up and saw the four men's silhouetted figures through the dust, He realized that it was not dust at all,..it was “falling love”. The love of the four men for their friend now could be clearly seen by those looking at the event through the eyes of God. Jesus saw the faith of the four friends that had overcome massive obstacles to reach their final destination…a friend at the feet of Jesus. Jesus then said, “Man, your sins are forgiven.” Words the friends had longed to hear for the paralyzed man. But so much more than mere words were heard and seen by the crowd as the paralyzed one stood on his feet and began to walk around . The friends final destination was now realized… …Some time later; on a cross, on a hill, between two thieves, a Man was crucified. His blood was dripping from His body and falling to the ground… “Father, forgive them, they know not what they are doing..” Falling blood? No. Falling love for those who will dare to see the event through the eyes of God…God's final destination was realized.. ."For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved .".." (John 3:16-17) |
Words of Wisdom
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