Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

Advent Meditations

December 7, 2020

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God.

Luke 5:25

Read Luke 5:17-26

In my mind’s eye, I can see Jesus grinning as the paralyzed man is lowered through the roof, although I don’t think the homeowner was as amused. As Jesus speaks to the paralyzed man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven” (Luke 5:20), I can also see Jesus offering a knowing wink to his disciples. Jesus knew what was coming next; the Pharisees objected to his audacity in forgiving sins. Jesus’ point here is not that the man’s sins caused him to be paralyzed; his point is that he has the authority to heal broken spirits through the forgiveness of sins, as well as the power to heal broken bodies. The Pharisees missed the point because they were jealous that Jesus was offering the forgiving, healing power of God apart from the Temple and religious establishment. 

Because of their jealousy, the Pharisees could not see how God honors faith.  The paralyzed man desperately needed to come to Jesus, but couldn’t, not on his own. His friends believed God was present in Jesus and were desperate to place their friend in the company of Jesus. Their actions remind me of the words from the praise song, Breathe,

“And I I'm desperate for you; And I I'm lost without you.

(Breathe ©1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing Words and Music by Marie Barnett)

I receive the paralyzed man’s story as an invitation to look deep within myself. Where does my self-sufficiency end? For what am I desperate for God? Where am I lost without God?

My Takeaway: I also see another invitation. The paralyzed man’s friends took huge risks to help their friend who could not help himself. Their friendship demonstrated love that is self-sacrificing, for the good of another. Is there anyone in my life who needs me to love like that? Am I willing to love like that?

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

 

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.