"A few days later, when
Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door,
and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a
paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to
Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus
and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was
lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son,
your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:1-5)
Observations:
It is so awesome that when Jesus
stepped foot in Capernaum, the news already spread like wildfire about
Jesus coming home. The people heard where Jesus was staying and gathered
there that there was no room left for anyone else to come in, not even
outside the door.
Observations/Interpretations:
It was the loving presence and power of Jesus that drew people to Jesus.
Everyone wanted to see Jesus but not everyone could find the space to
see Jesus. After the people gathered, Jesus could have done many things
but takes it as a witnessing opportunity to preach the Word to them. It
is very interesting that Jesus would spend time right away preaching the
Word right after He comes home emphasizing the importance of the Word
and God's laws. Everyone there could have seen Jesus as their friend and
Jesus did not want to disappoint but give them the Good News.
Engaging in ministry to reach
the souls of the people gathered there did not however stop Jesus from
meeting people's needs. This is evidenced by what eventually happened
while Jesus preached the Word to the crowds.
I asked myself what was
happening as Jesus preached the Word to the crowds!
-
Some men came bringing to him a paralytic.
-
The paralytic was carried by four of them.
-
They made an opening in the roof above
Jesus.
-
They dug through it.
-
They lowered the mat the paralyzed man was
lying on.
Observations/Interpretations
Point 1: Some men came
bringing to him a paralytic.
It is interesting to
know that while Jesus was preaching the Word to the crowds some men came
bringing to Him a paralytic. So many gathered that there was no room
left, even outside the door for the paralytic to reach Jesus. So the men
devised a plan to help the paralytic.
Point 2:
The paralytic was carried by four of them.
I believe even as
they held the paralytic, they did not let the obstacles stop them from
reaching Jesus. So they came up with a blueprint of getting where they
needed to be.
Point 3: They made an opening
in the roof above Jesus.
The first step, they
took was making an opening in the roof above Jesus. This is so
significant because first of all it is not their house. They came
probably to Simon and Andrew’s house and started making an opening in
the roof for the sake of the paralytic.
Imagine you are in a
packed room and there is no space for anyone else to come in. Now
imagine listening to Jesus preaching the Word to you and then suddenly
there is a commotion. You believe it to be coming from the roof. (We
need to realize roofs were not the same as we now have in cities.)
Something else happens!
Point 4:
They dug through it.
You look up and to your amazement see four
people digging through the roof, making dust fill the room, and making
an opening. To your bafflement you see a paralytic on a stretcher being
lowered down. Most of the roof started to crumble down as onlookers
looked ahead. Now there is a huge rectangular hole that is visible. Into
that hole, we see something come through.
Point 5:
They lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
Now after all the work they went through, they
lower the paralytic so Jesus can see him and heal him in front of the
crowds. That was a bold step they took.
Observations:
I asked myself how Jesus
reacted to the situation!
“When Jesus saw their
faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." (Mark
2:5)
We see a cause-effect
relationship here!
Because Jesus saw their faith,
the result was Jesus spoke to the paralytic with these words,
“Son, your sins are forgiven.”
This is so significant because Jesus intervened
after the intercession of the paralytics’ friends. Because of their
faith, Jesus decided to speak to the paralytic.
All I can think about is how much agape love
they must have had for their friend. They knew that Jesus could heal
their friend and they were going to get to Jesus no matter what
obstacles they were facing even if it meant facing ridicule as they
tried to get through the roof. It was a mighty risk to have taken for
their friend just so he could be taken to Jesus for healing.
Implications:
I saw this passage as an example of what true
friendship could look like. If I say that I am somebody’s friend, I
should put myself in a position to be there for them no matter what the
obstacles. That is what the four men did for their friend and it paid
of. Sadly, I have not always been that kind of friend and the Lord has
brought it to my attention as I studied this passage! I depend on the
Lord Jesus Christ to
change with His Helping Hands.
I ask you now dear friend,
what kind of friend are you?
Dear friend, I do not know about you but it
makes me so happy to realize that there are friends out there that do
not mind risking their own lives for their friends. They do not let
obstacles, inconveniences, or hindrances stop them from helping their
friends. I would like to be that type of friend to other people.
Don’t you want that?
When you call someone your friend, I hope you do not let obstacles,
inconveniences; hindrances, danger, etc stop you from reaching out to
that friend who may need help in anything. I hope I can be that type of
friend.
I want
to share with you the example of 4 friends who made such an impact in my
life few years ago. I am proud to call them friends! They are not the
only ones that have affected by life in a positive way but this
situation became special for me.
At one
point, I had such a bad semester because everything that could possibly
go wrong at once seemed to go wrong. I had to move and was doing it on
my own because I did not want to bother anyone for help. I would take
trips in the bus from Shadyside to Squirrel Hill or walk. I knew my
friends were really busy with their classes and decided not to bother
them.
I had
gone to Bible study every Monday night without missing it. One Monday, I
missed it and my small group was concerned. They knew I must be
overwhelmed with all the moving I was doing. As I was making my multiple
trips back from Squirrel Hill to Shadyside, on one trip, I was shocked
to see some of the students from the small group one-by-one.
I did
not recall ever telling them where I lived but they were on a mission
and they found out. They were hiding to surprise me. They cancelled the
Bible study just so they could come help me. I still cannot believe it
even to this day. I call them the 4 musketeers (Sara Witmer (now Sara
Schuster), Jonathan Morton, David Black, and Joshua Steck). I do believe
with the help of the 5th musketeer, Becky McMullen (now Becky Posh),
roommate of Sara they figured out where I lived.
I feel
embarrassed to write this part because my apartment was like it was
ransacked and a cyclone whirled everything out of place. You needed to be a track-field athlete figuratively to jump
from one place to another because there was stuff everywhere. They asked
me how they could help but I did not know where to start so I told them
I really appreciate their help but they should go back to campus. They
were not going to leave until my apartment was clean and I had a way to
move all the stuff.
Sara
decided that she could go back to campus and bring boxes but we found
some in the storage. They took all the initiative, cleaned, and packed
all my stuff for almost 3 hours that night even when they had school
work for the next day.
My
roommate had moved most of his stuff out. When my four friends left, my
roommate who was not a Christian came to me and said, "It was really nice
of your friends to help you like that". He wanted to know how I got to
know them. I told him that they were from 'InterVarsity Christian
Fellowship' of the Pitt chapter.
His
reaction was, "No wonder, they seemed really nice and helpful" My
friends had left an imprint of their Christian faith with my Chinese
roommate.
The next
day Josh asked his brother if he could bring his truck, even though he
lived outside of Pittsburgh. This was so Josh and David could help me
move all my stuff to Squirrel Hill, when his brother came.
Josh
even sacrificed his class that day because he knew I had to be at work
and they took two trips to help me move and then unload the stuff in
Squirrel Hill. In all my life, I have not ever had friends like that.
They made a Mission Impossible situation possible.
I am
still honored to have known them as friends *hugs*.
At
that time, Sara
served as President of InterVarsity, worship coordinator, prayer
coordinator, outreach coordinator, and small group leader.
At that time, Jonathan
served as Vice-President of InterVarsity, Large-group coordinator, and
Administrative coordinator.
Joshua
served on the Worship Team.
David
served as small group leader, publicity coordinator, and Business
Manager.
Becky had served as
Vice-President before Jonathan took over.
Sometimes what our friends do for us can be a big deal depending on our
need! I hope your friends can count on you for help when they need it.
If you call yourself a friend of someone, I hope you can be there to
help them no matter the inconvenience just as the four friends helped
the paralytic and students from InterVarsity graciously offered
unexpected help to me.
I do not know many of you personally but I want
to offer my help in any area of your life that you need if I am capable.
Please do not hesitate to ask if you need help in anything.
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is still very
active at Carnegie Mellon University and they meet on Tuesday nights if
anyone is interested in going. There is also a Pitt chapter that meets
on campus. Please email me if you are interested and
I will get you in touch with their leaders.
Friends don’t always have to be outsiders. Our
best friends can literally be within our own household. I know for me my
mommy is my best friend at home.
Regardless of home life, etc we all can have a
Friend who no earthly friend can even come close to. He loves you as you
are and wants to reach out to you where you are. His Name is Jesus
Christ. Just as Jesus cared for the paralytic, He cares for you too.
Yes, He does friend! You can come to Him as you are and receive His
help. Jesus helps in many ways.
May you turn to the Lord who wants to be your
best Friend everyday! Amen! He will reach you in your deepest needs.
"Friends Reach Instantly,
Encouraging Never-ending Daily Service!" (F.R.I.E.N.D.S)/"What
kind of friend are you?"
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you
that you are the greatest friend we can have. Your love for us is
unconditional. Thank you for the friends you do send our path to put a
smile on our face. Thank you how much you care for us. Thank you for
your Word and how it changes people's lives. Thank you Lord that we can
follow your example. Please Lord help us to be faithful to you and seek
you always. Please help us to lay down our lives for our friends and be
there to help them. Thank you so much Lord Jesus. Thank you for the
small group you had blessed me to be part of. We lift our lives to you and
ask you to take care of us. Thank you so much Jesus! Thank you that you
want to be our Best friend. We are sorry for our sins and turn our lives
to thee. Come Lord Jesus and fill us with your presence in our hearts
today. Make our heart your home and preach to us Jesus. Please work in
our lives. We thank you for covering us with your precious Blood to
atone for our sin. Thank you for being our Lord and Personal Savior!
Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray
Jesus! Amen!
If you would like to invite Jesus
Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can
this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises
for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His
wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to
the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in
your heart.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner Lord.
I am so sorry for my sins. I confess my sins to you. I confess the wrong
things I have done and messed up my own life. I need you Lord right now
and in the years to come. I have gone my own way and have not found what
only you can give me. You alone have the words of Eternal Life. You
alone love me unconditionally for who I am. Thank you Jesus! I turn
myself to you Oh Lord in this Fall of September 2005. Please forgive me of
all my sins and come into my heart. I accept
you Jesus into my heart. Thanks Jesus for coming into my heart. Thanks
for forgiving me of all my sins. Thanks for giving me a new identity in
you. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior as I believe in my
heart that you died and came back to life to save me now and forever. I
give myself to you and ask you to be in control of my life. Thank you
Jesus for the coming days we can do things together. Thanks for being my
Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and
answered me. Thanks Jesus for changing me and helping me through life's
storms and winds. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
Friend, you may feel something
or you may not but this you can be assured that the Lord Jesus has come
into your life and will give you a new beginning! Amen!
Get yourself involved in a
campus Bible study, fellowship, and most of all find a Bible believing
church and be involved to grow in your Christian walk with the Lord.
They all need to be supplements for your own precious time with the Lord
in prayer and meditating on His Word. If you need a Bible, please let me
know!
If you
need anyone to talk to, pray with, or study the Bible with this Fall of
September 2005, you can email me at
reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com or call me at 412-720-4579.
Love in Christ,
Ramesh
Next Devotional:
"Where does P.A.R.A.L.Y.S.I.S take hold of you?"
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