“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” (Mark 2:3-4 ESV).
What friends these were! Neither the crowds nor the barrier of the small house stopped them from getting their paralytic friend before Jesus. This is probably the same house, which belonged to Peter’s mother-in-law, where Jesus had stayed in Capernaum before. Perhaps Peter reflected back to when he had let Jesus use his boat and how it nearly sank with the huge catch of fish. And now, he was letting Jesus use his house and it was so full of people that they were crashing through the roof!
Jesus commended the faith of the paralytic’s friends, he forgave the man’s sins and healed him. So that the cripple who had been lowered on a mat through the roof, now picked up his own bed and walked out the front door, a new man.
Two application questions:
1) Am I the kind of friend who is willing to overcome every barrier to get them in front of Jesus?
2) Am I willing to let Jesus use my stuff (my house, my car, my possessions) for His kingdom purpose?
I wonder if Jesus later helped repair the roof? He was a carpenter after all.
PRAYER: Dear Father, grow our faith, so that we are like this man’s friends. Help us overcome barriers to bring people to Jesus. Give us faith that brings down the roof. In Jesus’ name, amen.