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Get Up & Walk
By Tyler Barnett
As your loved one lies in the fetal position on his bed, wincing in pain, eyes shut tightly around a flood of tears, grasping the source of pain as if he could squeeze the hurt right out, wondering where and why his pain has come…you begin to pray. Why? Maybe it is out of fear or desperation, perhaps because it is what your parents did for you when you were in a similar situation. Maybe you simply do not have a remedy to the pain that has befallen your loved one. Examine for a moment how the reality of your faith, in this very situation, is able to heal your friend. Your prayers and the faith they are rooted in, are the catalyst for healing. What a powerful gift: your faith can heal! Not only can the faith of believers heal others, more importantly, it is the driving force of their own salvation.
Consider the story of the paralytic that Jesus healed in Luke 5:17-20. Luke writes about Jesus’ travels from town to town around the Sea of Galilee, which was comprised of humble farming communities and fishing villages. By this time Jesus had developed a following with certain hopes and expectations. Naturally the sick flocked (as best they could) to Jesus and begged He might heal them, as was rumored. The Pharisees followed to learn as well as challenge His actions. Jesus targeted the poor, prisoners, oppressed, and the blind (Luke 4:18-19). He was well known for his teachings but the people were most impressed by His miracles.
As Jesus taught the Pharisees, teachers of the law, and a crowd from all over the area, a group of men brought their paralyzed friend to be healed. They tried to push their way through the crowd but were unsuccessful. Imagine coming late to class, a lecture hall full of 300 students intently listening to a Nobel Prize winning professor. The only open seat is in the second row, right in front of this great teacher. You are determined to get right up front so you will not miss any more. You squeeze your way over knees and between backpacks, when you decide it is impossible and have to think of another way. Your new plan is to rappel in from the roof! Now do it with your paralyzed buddy on your back, like the men in Luke 5. The men were unable to push through the crowd with their friend on his mat so they decided to lower him in from the roof. This is an incredible illustration of determination. So great was their faith to present their comrade in front of Jesus to be healed that they too received an unexpected blessing.
Jesus told them, “Friend, your sins are forgiven” (Luke 5:20). What a blessing in disguise. Their faith in the power of God actually caused their sins to be forgiven. The wisdom of Jesus is apparent as He recognizes the men as not only determined and faithful for their friend’s sake, but also as sinners in need of mercy. It would seem the paralytic to be the one in need where in actuality all of the men were in need of forgiveness that only Christ could give. Often times it is the determination and faith of those around us that allows us to come before Christ individually and receive forgiveness. Some are able to make a “leap of faith” while others may require a gentle “nudge.”
The Pharisees picked up on this dichotomy of healing and sin forgiveness and were quick to challenge. “Who is this fellow that speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Luke 5:21). YES! “Who can forgive sins but GOD alone,” Pharisees? You are so right! The Pharisees were wise, seeing that only God could do such a thing, and yet still unable to make the connection that Christ is God. They had not realized that they pointed out a discrepancy in their own beliefs. They had seen Jesus heal others in that evening and curiously did not confront Him. His teachings were obviously inspired and yet they did not dispute Him. Once Christ forgave the sins of the men He bridged the gap between Jesus the Miracle Worker and Jesus the Son of Man. Jesus seized the opportunity to not only heal a paralyzed man but also do as He was sent to do: bring forgiveness.
Prayer and Faith, in combination with a little determination and support from friends and family are the elemental forces that will drive your walk with Christ. Have courage that you have a support structure surrounding you allowing you the ability to stand up from your mat and walk off your paralysis. Your prayers for your friend in pain exercised the duality of this message: the power of prayer to heal and the power of your faithfulness, through which you may receive forgiveness. Remember the determination of others that brought you to Christ and continue to show your faith to those around you in hopes that your faith will lead others to healing and ultimately forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
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