Empty Nets & Broken Lives Sample

Loving Others by Bringing them Closer to Jesus

When word got out that Jesus was nearby, the quiet neighborhood swelled with people who came to see and hear what he would do. 

A paralyzed man wanted to be healed, but he had no way of getting to Jesus. Despite his obvious-to-the-world need for physical healing, he bore a heavier weight in his soul. It was the weight of his sin. 

His faithful friends, knowing this was his chance to be healed, ran to his house, grabbed a corner of his palette, and took off in the direction of the gathering crowd. Once there, they hurried up the side staircase and began to execute their bold plan. They started by removing ceiling tiles and digging through the stucco so they could lower their friend right in front of Jesus. 

They knew Jesus had the power to heal, but would he? Were they setting themselves up to see a miracle or be rebuked and leave with a hefty damage bill?

From inside the cramped room below, clumps of mud started to drop from the ceiling, then a beam of sunlight broke through, and then a man was gently lowered into the room. The friends held their breath, as they waited to see what Jesus would do. 

Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven” (Luke 5:20, ESV). Then the paralyzed man stood up on restored legs with a restored soul.  

By offering forgiveness before healing, Jesus acknowledged the paralyzed man’s greater need was to have his sins forgiven. He showed he had the authority to forgive sins (an invisible act), by demonstrating he had the power to heal (with a visible act).  

Thankfully, the paralyzed man had friends who were willing to break social norms in order to help him get what he needed most. Without their help, he would not have been placed, quite literally, in front of Jesus. 

So this begs the question. What kind of friend are you? Is friendship a means to an end to get your relational needs met, or is it a way to actively bring those you love nearer to God? Are you actively placing your friends in front of Jesus through prayer? The best kind of friend is the one who will push, pull, and lower their friends so that they can be nearer to God. Let’s be that kind of friend.