Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
Mark 2:2-12 New Living Translation

Good Friends…Great Blessings

Where would he have been without his four friends? Destined for life on a mat? A life of paralysis? A life without encountering Jesus! Mark 2:1-12, details the story of a paralyzed man and the efforts of his friends, to get him to Jesus. At the end of the story, the paralyzed man receives great blessings of healing and forgiveness. Wow! How awesome it is to have good friends. Proverbs 27:9 declares, “The sweet smell of incense can make you feel good, but true friendship is better still,”(Contemporary English Version). Good Friends…Great Blessings!

The friends of the paralyzed took great efforts to get him to Jesus. Through the process, they were willing to:

• Bear his burdens – When we first see the man in Mark 2, he is being carried on a bed, by his four friends. His friends were willing to bear his burdens. They were willing to carry him when he could not carry himself. Paul instructs us in Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” There are times, we encounter friends, who may be paralyzed physically, financially, emotionally, or even spiritually, and we should prayerfully help them bear their burdens. A burden shared is truly lighter! So let us be like these four friends, as we carry our cross daily, let us seek opportunities to bear the burdens of others!

• Overcome present obstacles – Not only, were the four friends, willing to bear the burdens of their paralytic friend. They were willing to overcome present obstacles. When they approached the house that Jesus was teaching in, it was packed. There was no possible way, they could make their way through the door, of the house. How were they going to get their friend to Jesus, with such obstacles in their way? They could have just figured, “Oh well, we’ve tried.” They could have assumed the man’s plot in life was to be confined to a bed. They could have just gave up. However, they were not intimidated by obstacles. Obstacles were only a inconvenience, not a showstopper. A crowded house, wasn’t enough to stop them, from getting their paralytic friend to the miracle worker!
They were willing to overcome any present obstacles. They were willing to go to extremes. They were willing to be unconventional. They were willing to be radical. They literally tore a hole in the roof of the house, to give their friend access to Jesus! Could you be that bold for a friend in need? As we carry our cross daily, let us not be hindered by obstacles. Let us be bold and overcome present obstacles to help one another!

• Place him in the presence – Not only, were the four friends, willing to overcome present obstacles to help their friend. They didn’t just tear a hole in the roof. They lowered their friend through the roof, and placed him in the presence of Jesus. Good friends will place you in the presence of Jesus. When the paralytic couldn’t make his way to Jesus, he had good friends who placed him in the presence of Jesus. Once he was in the presence of Jesus, Jesus did the rest! Jesus forgave his sins and healed the man of his paralysis. The man was no longer bound to a bed or bound to sin! His good friends were instrumental in him receiving great blessings!

You may have family and/or friends paralyzed by sin, who can’t make their way to Jesus, but you can place them in His presence. You can place them in the presence of Jesus, by faithfully praying for their life and salvation. As we carry our cross daily, let us remember those who are struggling to make it to Jesus. Let’s put them in the presence of Jesus through daily prayer! Once they are in His presence, He is more than capable of doing the rest. Just as healed and forgave the paralyzed man; he can heal, forgive, and deliver those paralyzed by a world of sin.

Today, God may be calling you to carry your cross by being a good friend to someone in need of some great blessings. On the contrary, you may be the one in need of a good friend, and I’m so glad that Jesus is willing to call us friends (John 15:15). Jesus, is without a doubt, a mighty good friend and his friendship is full of great blessings!