In The Word
Read: Luke 5:12-26
The Leper and the Paralytic
12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
17 One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and fromJerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.18 And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. 19 But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22 But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But, so 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, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.” 25 Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. 26 They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
As usual, Jesus was working with a large crowd, multitudes if you can imagine. Think about it, you or your child is sick and dying, being told you’ll never be well, but then you hear about miracles being performed by this man Jesus! I’m sure you would travel miles to encounter such an event with the possibility that you could be healed. The crowds numbered in the thousands, people pressing in to hear or be touched. So can you imagine trying to get someone in by stretcher? It would be impossible. Impossible for some maybe, but not these friends; they had to try. With faith and determination, they made a way to get their friend to Jesus. Climbing on someone’s roof, they began pulling it apart to lower their friend into the presence of Jesus. Jesus, seeing “their” faith (Luke 5:20), healed him!
Do you have friends like these, friends that are there for you at all costs? If not, are you a friend as these men were? Would you work that hard to find a way for a friend? I ask that often of those who complain of having no friends. Are you a friend to others? You must be a friend to have friends. Do you share your love for Jesus with them? Do you find yourself embarrassed to mention His name? These men did a great work to have their friend healed. Will you do the same thing to save a friend’s life by sharing Jesus with them? Does their life mean that much to you? Think of a person today, ask the Holy Spirit to make a way, and move through that crowd!