Luke 5:18 “And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.”
The story of a palsied man being healed in Luke 5 illustrates the truth that we are laborers together with God. Within the story, we find three elements that were involved in bringing healing to the man. Let’s look at each of them briefly, and I will draw your attention to one in particular.
The first element we find is power. Verse 17 says that “the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” It was the power of God that healed this man! The Lord Jesus Christ relied upon the power of God in His earthly ministry, and as Christians we have access to the same power. We are told in Acts 1:8, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” The power present in Luke 5-and the power available to us today-was Christ’s, not man’s.
The second element we find is faith. Verse 20 says, “And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.” The faith of the four friends was evident to everyone there-they only had to look up through the roof! They were trying to get to Jesus because He was the only One who could help! Notice that their faith was in a Person-faith in Christ.
The third element, and the one I would like to draw attention to, is means. Verses 18-19 tell us that the friends “sought means” and “could not find by what way,” so they “let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.” Did the friends have faith, or did they have means? The answer is, Yes! The reason they had means was because of their faith. Their faith in Christ’s power was the very reason they used the means available.
Were these friends trusting their work (means) to heal this man? No! They were trusting Christ, and that is precisely what motivated their work. Today, if our faith is in Christ, then we need to find a way. The word resilience comes to my mind. Resilience means stubbornness, but it also means flexibility. Do you think everyone in the crowd appreciated these men and their work? I’m sure at least the homeowner was thinking of his destroyed roof! But in their resilience, they also needed flexibility. Their initial plan was foiled, but they did not let that stop them.
Faith in Christ and His power should produce in us a resilience-a flexible stubborness. In your life, are you following the example of Luke 5 in your faith and your resilience? God is the only One who has the power to do what needs to be done. That fact merits your faith and your means today.
Prayer Requests:
1. Bill Rice Ranch Elementary Retreat 1 this weekend
2. Revival services tonight in Lafayette, CO