20111127
When was the last time you went out of the way to help someone? In the account of Jesus’ healing of the paralytic in Luke 5:17-26, one thing that stood out was what his amazing friends did. The paralytic could have missed the opportunity for spiritual and physical healing if not for the faith, love and perseverance of his friends.
There is no doubt that the paralytic’s friends had great faith in Jesus. However, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). The faith of the men, coupled with their love for their paralytic friend, moved them to want to get their friend to Jesus at all costs. When there is a will, there is a way. If the friends lacked love and perseverance, they could have just waited outside for Jesus to come out and try to reach Him when the meeting is over.
A parallel in today’s context could be that of reaching out to a friend or bringing the friend to an evangelistic event. Do you have great faith and trust that the Holy Spirit will do the work of conversion? Or do you rationalise within your own mind that it is impossible for your friend to know Jesus? Is your love for your friend great enough to overcome your fear or shyness in extending the invitation? Do you go out of the way to make sure your friend does not miss the opportunity to know Jesus?
Another thing we learn is that Jesus first addressed the problem of the paralytic’s sins before He healed him physically. While Jesus did this to show the Pharisees and teachers of the law that He has authority to forgive sins, we know today that to have our sins forgiven and saved from eternal condemnation is of utmost importance. Is this your deep desire for your loved ones and friends who are lost for eternity?
God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name
I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share His love as He told me to
He said: ‘Freely, freely, you have received
Freely, freely give
Go in My name, and because you believe
Others will know that I live.’
May the faith, love and perseverance of the paralytic’s friends spur us on in our personal outreach efforts. Be a friend indeed – it counts for eternity.
