There is a lot going on in each chapter of Luke and now that we are in the fifth chapter we have a couple of calling the disciples stories, and a couple of healing stories. There is also the conflict with the Pharisees, who thought they knew better than anyone how religious life should be. Let me give you an example.
Jesus healed a man of leprosy, which in the eyes of the Pharisees, was God's punishment for some sin and the person deserved it. So for Jesus to heal him seemed like interfering with the laws of God. Jesus even took a step further with his next miracle. When you were discovered with the skin disease, you had to leave your home, your family, your community and go live outside the village, sometimes in caves or little huts or with other leprosy sufferers. When you are healed, you are clean and allowed to move back home, to be with family, to be with friends, to participate in life. Jesus was giving the sick man his whole life back. A true reason to be grateful. When Jesus heals us our whole lives can be transformed, everything will be different.
Jesus was at home, teaching, when four friends brought their paralyzed buddy to be healed. Because the crowd was so large, and they couldn't get to the door, they decided to climb up on the roof, hoist their friend up there, rip a hole in the roof big enough to lower their friend down to place him right in front of Jesus. This is an incredible act of love and friendship and one we are invited to consider, when we know friends, family, loved ones, who need to be healed by Jesus. We can bring them and do whatever it takes to get them there.
Jesus is so special, he didn't blow a gasket because they were tearing a hole in his roof, he was impressed by their care for their friend. He announced that his sins were forgiven, so he would know he was completely healed. Now the Pharisees went crazy again and reminded everyone that only God could forgive sins. They weren't interested in the poor man being healed, but about their attitude about rules and laws of their faith. We can get that way sometimes about the things we think are so special. We are seeing a lot of that criticism played out on religious radio and others, dividing up sides about some feelings about some topic.
But Jesus says, to show you that he had the power to forgive sins, he forgave the man on the stretcher and invited him to pick up his mat and go home. He did. Jesus explained a little further in Luke's gospel in this chapter, that the well don't need a doctor, the sick do, and he had come to heal the sick. Perhaps we need to see in this story, that Jesus comes to help us, to heal, to forgive, to lift us up from our stretchers and limits, and walk home set free. Ask Jesus to heal you, to forgive you, and to set you free. He loves to do that.
We have a couple of lessons we can take away from this story. Friends who care for those who need help are very important at bringing friends to Jesus. So when ever you pray for a friend, co-worker, or member of your family, you are symbolically bringing them to Jesus. When you mention them in Joys and Concerns in worship or in small groups, you are bringing them to Jesus. Asking for prayer and our praying for them, is like helping to carry them together, so we can get them to Jesus.
So, think about friends who need to have a new life, a new perspective on faith and practice, who seem trapped and need forgiveness and healing, and pray for them. Share the story of what Jesus does because he has the power to forgive sins. His death on the cross was to make sure that happens for all of us. As he reminds us when we take part in Holy Communion, this is a New Covenant poured out in my blood for the forgiveness of sins. Drink this and remember these blessings.
Good news for your journey, blessings on you, I'll share more later
Pastor Jeff
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