Sometimes it’s the people you least expect that become your best friend.

It’s a well-known bible story. Vacation Bible School leaders love to build a set, direct promising child actors and brilliantly tell the story of the Paralytic and His Friends. (Mark 2:1-12) I can still hear the friends break through the roof to get to Jesus and the audience gasp as the paralyzed man is healed right before our eyes. It’s a miracle! I never get tired of watching proud parents gather around Broadway bound thespians congratulating them on their performances.

Imagine yourself in this story—you are the players now. Which of them would you want to be: one of the crowd of people from Capernaum, a teacher of the law, one of the four friends, the paralyzed man, Jesus or the home owner? It may make a difference to you now as you consider the characters and their role in the story. The gospel always has a before and after effect on people. Which of the characters were influenced by the miracle? Was there a ‘before and after’ gospel story for one of the participants? Read closely and you may ask yourself what did the faith of the friends have to do with the sins of the paralyzed man? 

Obedience is an essential partner to our faith. Some may say that we cannot actually have faith unless we understand obedience and its role in our maturity. It’s not easy to accept that our disobedience created the worst type of failure and sin ensued. Legalities tried to train us. Judgments, rules and regulations developed as protective barriers against sin’s hard line reality. But, laws couldn’t do what a relationship of grace would do. So, God crashed in. No one ever talks about what it took for the four friends to get the paralyzed man to the house. What was the conversation like? Was it uncomfortable? I think it is tempting to imagine the paralyzed man was joyful and hopeful to get to Jesus and that he wasn’t embarrassed at all about what his ‘friends’ were doing. No one wants to admit what happened was actually quite a stunt. It ruined the homeowner’s roof! Imagine the talk of the town the next day! But the four men didn’t think about all that—they had a mission to achieve. You see, I believe we all need friends like these because we quit too soon. Someone else has to find another way to get us to Jesus!

The four men were on a mission—who or what inspired them to go to the lengths they went? They did what the paralyzed man couldn’t do because there was something the friends would do: bring him into the presence of God. Few could ever be in the presence of God before. Did the four friends bring the paralyzed man to Jesus against his will? Maybe. Did the friends mobilize their mission without thought to cost or consider the damage they might do? Most likely. What did other people…influential people…. religious people…. think about their stunt? Not only was the crowd from Capernaum amazed, the teachers of the law stunned, the man miraculously healed and the home owner blessed…but, faith in Jesus’ ability to forgive sins followed an overt act of courage and obedience. This time, it took a group of four to bring a soul to salvation. 

Faith follows obedience no matter what the cost. Sometimes it is the obedience of others that is the catalyst for salvation—not only for theirs but for our own. Imagine the talk around town…

“We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:1-12 NIV)

Pastor Jen