Bible Verse: Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on… Mark 2:3-4 NIV
Scripture Reading: Mark 2:1-12; Matthew 4:23-25; Luke 6:18; Hebrews 11:6
Jesus was known by the multitudes that followed Him for at least three ministry activities: teaching, preaching, and healing (Matthew 4:23-25).
The word spread fast that He was a miracle worker, and soon, people came from everywhere to hear Him and be healed (Luke 6:18). This is why Jesus often held outdoor meetings where more people could attend.
In Capernaum, He was preaching to a packed house. There was a paralyzed man there who needed a miracle but could not get into the house on his own.
But the man had four friends willing to act courageously and get him in front of Jesus, one way or another.
They chose the “through-the-roof” method.
Typical roofs were not quite as permanent back then, so after some digging, they made a hole in the roof above Jesus and lowered their friend down on a mat—right in front of our Lord. And Jesus healed him instantly. You can’t make this stuff up!
Two main things to see in this miracle story:
- The pivotal moment when the man got his miracle seems to be “when Jesus saw their faith.” Faith is an action word; it’s not passive. You can’t just recline your way to a miracle; you need to let your faith motivate you toward Jesus. When God sees our faith, it pleases Him (Hebrews 11:6). These men acted, and Jesus saw it—and He called it faith.
- Everyone needs at least four crazy “faith friends” like this guy. They helped him get to his miracle when he was helpless on his own. Faith friends won’t even let a nice, thatched roof stop them—they do what it takes to bring you to Jesus.
All of us need help sometimes. Worldly friends will never help you find your way to Jesus. Take time to find the crazy faith friends you need and be that kind of friend for another brother. You need them, and they need you. Sometimes, we need help getting to our miracle.
Prayer: Father, I want to have faith friends in my life—friends who help me glorify You and point me to Jesus. I pray that You send me and show me the kind of friends that help me in my faith when I need miracles. I also pray that I am that kind of friend to other brothers. Show me who needs my encouragement and my support. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection: Have you invested in godly, faith-filled friendships since you found Christ? You need them more than you realize…and other brothers need you, too. Allow your friendships to get an overhaul if needed. Take inventory of your friends and remember it works both ways; you need good faith friends, and they need you to be one. We do what it takes to help bring our brothers closer to Jesus.
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