Neighbor Groups: Restore Well-Being预览

Through the Roof

Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and that is a problem many of us can struggle with. When we don’t fully receive God’s love for ourselves, it’s hard to share it with others. Accepting God’s love is key to healthy, thriving well-being.

When we start to receive God’s love for ourselves, we’re then able to take His love to those around us. And a group of friends in the New Testament did just that.

One day, while Jesus was teaching, a great crowd came around Him—which was not uncommon. However, on this occasion, it created a barrier for some men who were trying to get their friend to Jesus. 

Their solution? To lower their friend through the roof and right to the feet of Jesus. In this moment, Jesus healed the paralyzed man because He saw the faith of the friends.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Luke 5:20 NIV

We’ve all been in both parts of the story. Sometimes, we need others to carry us to Jesus. Other times, we need to be a part of carrying others to Him. When we do, we get to see a little more of God’s Kingdom here on earth, which is what Jesus taught us to pray for in the Lord’s prayer. 

So what does this mean for us today as followers of Jesus? We get to bring honor to His name as we walk alongside people who are hurting, rejected, struggling, and oppressed. We get to wipe away tears and help alleviate the circumstances and injustices that cause our neighbors pain.

When we live in this reality—advocating for the well-being and dignity of all image bearers (including ourselves) and bringing glimpses of God’s Kingdom here on earth—we become more like Jesus, and we get a glimpse of heaven right here, right now, on earth.

Pray: Heavenly Father, Thank You for a love that heals, restores, and binds us together to form Your body. Stir in me a passion to bring well-being to my neighbors in my community. Show me how people currently experiencing homelessness, fatherlessness, addiction, illness, and a lack of resources will be treated in heaven. Then, help me make that future a little bit more of a reality in my city. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Challenge: How can you rally around the wellness of those around you? Consider serving with community-based health services, helping medically at-risk individuals, or assisting in the development of resources and relationships for freedom from addiction.

To learn more, start the Neighbor: Empower Communities Bible Plan here, and find the rest of the Neighbor Bible Plans at www.go2.lc/NeighborPlans