Tearing off the roof

Day 49
OT Reading: Leviticus 26-27
NT Reading: Mark 2

I seriously was a bit giddy when I saw that we were finishing Leviticus today. The feeling of which didn't last long, of course, as I realized Numbers would be up next. Say it with me, "skimming is my friend."

The reading today in Mark tells the story of how some men are so desperate to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus. There are many approaches that we could take with this story, and frankly several completely different sermons I could preach (it's not that I'm that good, the story is just that good). So please allow me to just highlight a few random thoughts regarding the passage.

1. The paralytic did not necessarily come to be forgiven...it is a safe bet that he came hoping to be physically healed. Yet when approached with this situation Jesus, impacted by the faith of the man and his friends, offers a spiritual healing before any physical healing ever takes place. While our focus is often on the physical, Jesus understood that the ultimate healing he could offer would come through forgiveness.

2. In verse seven the Pharisees stated, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7, NIV) On one hand they were right. God is the only one who has the power and authority to forgive sins. And Jesus WOULD have been blaspheming, if he were not in fact God himself.

3. The man's friends would not let anything keep them from getting him to Jesus. They did not care about the crowd, the full house, even a roof would not stop them.

And with all that in mind let me ask one question. What lengths are you truly willing to go to, to help get your friends to the One who can offer ultimate healing, even if they may not be looking for it?