HOST: Michael Whitworth
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.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Faith—that is the word used to describe this paralytic man and those who brought him to Jesus. But their faith did not consist only of a belief that Jesus could heal the man. No, it went far beyond that. Consider all the effort that was involved in getting their friend to Jesus. They had to find their way through the crowds to get to the house, get themselves and their paralyzed friend onto the roof, remove a section of the roof, fashion a means of lowering the man into the house, and accomplish the task of placing the man in the presence of Jesus. The proof of their faith was found in the great effort that they put forth in coming to Jesus. In a similar way, Christ can make us whole and cleanse us of our sins, but we must be willing to put forth the effort to come to Him. The effort itself doesn’t save us, but it does bring us into the presence of the One that can! May God help us to have a faith that puts forth the effort.
What are the things that we do to come to Jesus?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!