4 Friends

Mark 2:1-5

1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately [a] many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

This is an event many of us have heard often, but there are always timeless truths in the ministry of Jesus that is revealed throughout Scripture. One thing that grabbed my attention as I look at what is going on as these men know that Jesus can and will heal their friend, not only does Jesus heal the man, but He forgives him for his sins.

It’s obvious there was a conversation between the man and Christ but that is not recorded. What is recorded is this miracle. Also, that these men cared enough to bring the man to Jesus. Who were these men? Did it start with one man who was concerned for his friend and then two and then three and then the fourth? The thought that these men came together to bring their friend to Jesus only shows us how much friends are needed to come alongside one another to continue to pray for one another and most importantly bring them to the feet of our Savior.

I can only imagine that maybe it was one friend who said, “you need Jesus” and so on to the fourth friend until he gave in or they picked him up and brought regardless. I am so encouraged because I know at Arrowhead there are friends like these who would not give up on me, who would get others to pray for me, to encourage me, and come along side me to bring me to Christ, to bring you to Christ.

We are in this together. We need each other and I believe when Christ see’s the heart of the community help lowering the one who is sick, the one who needs to be forgiven – He is always willing to say, “son, your sins are forgiven you.”