02-13-12 "Faith: God's Pathway to Victory" Luke 5:17-26

The passage I read was Luke 5:17-26

You can find that passage here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+5%3A17-26&version=NIV

The verse that most stood out to me:

 ¹⁹ When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

As I reflect:

I look at today’s passage from a friends stand point.  This paralyzed man was being carried by friends.  I think this is an important part of the study.  Those carrying the man had nothing to gain from their efforts.  They were being selfless and also exercising great faith to bring their friend to Jesus.  I think we also need to do this today.  I think we know people that we care about and may even call friends and we are called to bring them to Jesus.  And yet too often we claim our love for each other, but never share the gospel with those we love most.  Be it from fear or from some other excuse the enemy has given us to detour us from our calling.  If you truly love someone, you don’t watch them on fire while you hold the fire extinguisher.  You help them.  We need to have the faith of these men that we would reach out and bring others to Jesus leaving it up to Jesus to do the work with them from there. 

As we continue reading we see that there is an obstacle in the way of these men of faith.  But men of faith 

don’t give up when there is an obstacle.  We also have these obstacles every day in our own live.  But we have to make conscious choice to go around, over, or through the obstacles that try to keep us from God.  We have to make time for prayer, make time for reading the Word, make time to help those in need.  These things should become priority to us, but far too often our favorite tv show or going to the movies becomes our obstacle to bringing others to Christ.  These men didn’t stop at the obstacle; they went on and found another way to get the job done.  Their faith guided them to continue.  And so ought our faith when hardship arise or threaten to stand between us and God.  We need to remember that by faith nothing can separate us from Him.  Let’s go the extra mile. 

The men brought the paralytic onto the roof and then had to remove tiles.  These tiles are yet another obstacle in the paralytic man’s journey to Jesus.  We ought to be caring enough friends to take the time and put in the effort to remove tiles that stop our friends, colleagues, and even complete strangers (our neighbors) from reaching Jesus.  When you are witnessing and come across an argument from a neighbor who has simply been lied to and fed into the lie… Don’t give up.  That’s just a crowd in their way so that they can’t see Jesus.  Have the faith to carry them to the roof and remove tiles so that they might see the glory of our Lord. 

Now I’m not saying to argue or shove God down anyone’s throat.  I am saying to not give up and remember that you too were once blind but now you see.  Our faith isn’t for us alone.  Let us share our faith, and lift one another up both the believer and the nonbeliever; both the Jew and the Gentile.   Do this, and watch Jesus say,  “Your sins are forgiven, Get up, take your mat and go home.”

My response to the Lord:

Lord, I confess I am not the friend I should be.  I have unsaved people in my life that I have not gone the extra mile for.  I witness to them lightly but never carry them to you removing crowds and tiles along the way.  I feel as though I am often a lazy witness and I ask you to forgive me and empower me to do more for you.  Work through me Lord.  Prepare hearts and speak when I open my mouth.  Convict and move through me and in those I befriend that they may see and believe.  In Jesus’ name.