Friends
A man was crippled, and only Jesus could heal him. But more importantly, he was lost and only Jesus could save Him. How does a man who doesn’t know he is lost find the Savior? Especially if he is crippled and cannot walk? Well, it’s not easy, but it can happen. If he has friends who will do whatever it takes to bring him to Jesus.
Jesus was in the area. He was teaching at a house not far away. Four guys got together and decided to carry their friend to Jesus. The house was surrounded by people trying to catch a glimpse of the Messiah. They were unable to get to the door, so they took their friend to the roof. After tearing a hole in the roof, they used ropes to let him down right in front of Jesus.
Jesus looked up to see four heads sticking over the edge of a hole in the roof. He grinned up at them and then healed their crippled friend. More importantly, He forgave the man of his sins and welcomed him into the Family of God.
There was another man whom Jesus had healed. Because of what Jesus had done, the man wanted to serve Him. So, Jesus said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”
Because that is what friends do.
Friends bring friends to Jesus, just as Andrew brought his brother Simon and Philip introduced Nathanael. Peter brought many, like Aeneas, to Jesus, and Paul led Lydia to faith. When you have good news, you don’t keep it to yourself—you share it with your friends. Jesus is the greatest news you could ever share.
So go and be somebody’s best friend by bringing them to Jesus.
From the Bible
“He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.
Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God
Mark 2:1-12 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mrk.2.1-12.NKJV
Douglas and Deborah Huff
From Down Where the Pavement Ends
email-douglas@pavementendsministry.com
Jesus said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”
Mark 5:19 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mrk.5.19.NKJV
