Tearing Through Roofs

Luke 5:17-26

17 One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.

18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, 19 but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”

21 But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

22 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 23 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 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!”

25 And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

New Living Translation

Look at how far these friends went to see their friend healed. They sacrificed their time, to carry him to where Jesus was. And when they saw that there were too many people in front of them for their friend to see Jesus, they did not give up. Instead, they did something incredibly risky. They climbed up on the roof, and began to tear it open.

I'm sure that homeowners in those days were no more likely to be thrilled at having someone rip off their roof than today's homeowners would be. In fact, these men would have known that according to Jewish rules, they would have to reimburse the home's owner not only for the roof, but for three times it's value! They didn't just act rashly, they knew that what they were doing was going to cost them. But if their friend would be healed, it would be worth it all!

It makes me wonder, how much am I willing to risk to see my friends be touched by Jesus? Is it worth giving up my time, or my resources? Am I willing to put my reputation on the line in order to see someone be saved? Lord, give me a passion for the lost souls all around me!

Jesus is willing

Luke 5:12-13

12 In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

13 Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.

New Living Translation

Leprosy was one of the most feared diseases of Jesus's day. Not only did it do terrible damage to the body, it also took a huge toll on a person's psychological health. A leper was unclean. They had to stay outside of the towns, and cry out in a loud voice "Unclean!" whenever there were people around. The shame, and the isolation, would surely take a huge toll on even the most secure individuals.

We don't know how long the man in this story had been suffering with the disease, but we do know that his case was an advanced one. He had most likely been sick for a very long time. As a result, he would have had almost no human contact for a long time. He was desperate.

He was also humble. I love the way he approaches Jesus. He didn't shout, or throw a tantrum. He simply bowed before Jesus, acknowledging His authority and His grace, and said, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."

His actions were full of worship, and submission. It is true that he was begging for mercy, pleading for healing. But he made no demands. He knew he had no right to insist that Jesus do anything. But He did know that Jesus was full of mercy and kindness. So knowing he had no right to anything at all, he humbled himself and asked.

And Jesus's response was so kind and gracious. He said "I am willing," and the man was healed.

No matter how sick we are today, no matter how sinful and how deep our shame is, we too can bow before Jesus and ask for mercy. And His response is the same today as it was two thousand years ago. He is willing. His love and mercy are available to us today, if we will worship Him in humility and submission.

God's Protection

Psalm 18:30-36

30 God’s way is perfect.

All the Lord’s promises prove true.

He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

31 For who is God except the Lord?

Who but our God is a solid rock?

32 God arms me with strength,

and he makes my way perfect.

33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,

enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

34 He trains my hands for battle;

he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.

35 You have given me your shield of victory.

Your right hand supports me;

your help has made me great.

36 You have made a wide path for my feet

to keep them from slipping.

New Living Translation

I am grateful for the many blessings of God. His grace, mercy, and love are amazing. I am in awe of the lengths He went through to ensure not only my salvation, but also my cleansing.

But on a practical basis, the one thing I crave most from God is protection. I have lived most of my life feeling vulnerable and afraid. As a young child, I faced far too many evil situations without a human protector. I grew up doubting that God really protects me. After all, if He was protecting me, it appears He did not do a very good job.

The problem was in my understanding of protection. I have defined it as being kept from all negative situations. As a parent, I have done my best to make sure that nothing bad happens to my children. Of course, I am human, and can't control the universe. God can. So why didn't He stop bad things from happening to me, when I was so young and innocent?

I am not sure I am smart enough to answer this question. If I could, I would be God; I am not. He alone knows why He allows things to happen. He knows all, and owes me no explanation. But still, this leaves me with a desperate need for security, for a protection I know I can always count on.

I am not a child any more. Those situations that appeared unbearable really were not. I did survive. It has taken years of therapy and healing, but the end result is that I am stronger, wiser, and more compassionate than I would have been if I had not lived through such trauma.

And as an adult, I can see that God was protecting me, and still is. His protection does not mean preventing pain. Instead, it is a promise that these things that hurt so much will not destroy me.

In this Psalm, we are given a simple outline of how God protects us.

He gives us strength to endure what we must endure (vs. 32). He won't let us go through more than we can cope with, through His strength. Of course, if we attempt to deal with our crisis situations in our own strength, we are in serious trouble. But if we turn to Him for help, He will always get us through.

He guides our steps, even when the ground is uneven and we are unsure (vs. 33). We often think that if we follow God, everything will work out nicely. But that is not always the case - at least not at first. Moses obeyed God and told Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free. Instead, Pharaoh oppressed the people even more. Paul obeyed the Spirit and went to Jerusalem. He was then thrown into a Roman prison. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness, where He fasted and prayed for 40 days. After that act of obedience, He faced a terrible trial of temptation.

Obeying God doesn't always mean happiness, prosperity and luxury. Sometimes it brings pain and persecution. And in the midst of that we can be tempted to believe that either we made a mistake in interpreting God's will, or God has abandoned us.

The truth is, we are in a spiritual war, and following God puts us on the front lines. In the end, though, God gets us through. It was true for Moses - the Israelites were freed from slavery, and they plundered Egypt in the process. It was true for Paul - though he was in prison, he was full of joy and peace, and he continued to spread the gospel all over the globe. And it was true for Jesus - He resisted the temptation to sin, and lived a sinless life. He eventually faced an even greater trial - crucifixion. He endured this, and in the process provided the means of salvation for all who will believe.

We are told in Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

If we seek His will, with the intent of obeying no matter what, He will guide us. If the path is a difficult one, He will walk it with us, and make sure we make it to then end.

Another aspect of God's protection is that everything we face in life is a preparation for what is to come (vs. 34). There is nothing wasted. Without my previous experience, I wouldn’t have the strength to deal with the challenges I have to deal with now. And what I am going through now will help prepare me for what is to come. It is like a training program for an athlete.

And these experiences not only help me, they help other people. Because of what I have gone through, I can offer compassion, love, support, and hope to others who are hurting.

And finally, God promises that if we will trust Him and endure, we will win the victory (vs. 35). He will support us, and in the end we will see amazing things come out of the deepest struggles.

Being cleansed is better than being disciplined.

Colossians 2:2023

You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

New Living Translation

When Paul wrote this, he was not saying that we should throw all self-discipline out the window. He was a very disciplined man himself, at one point saying that he daily brought his body into submission so when this race of life is over, he wouldn't find himself disqualified for the prize.

Instead, Paul is combating a religious idea that was gaining acceptance in the early church. This was the notion that though you were saved through faith, more was needed. You not only had to be good from now on, but you had to be SUPER good! This concept is called asceticism. It led to extreme practices such as climbing up stone steps on one's knees, to self-flagellation.

Paul's point was very clear. These extreme behaviors will do you no good. In fact, they may harm your spirit instead of help. The reason is that if you are going to such extremes to be accepted by Christ, you have gotten your eyes off of Christ, and are once again firmly focused on yourself and your own efforts. And the whole point of turning to Christ for salvation is that we cannot save ourselves.

So how do we practice self-discipline in a way that is Godly, and not mere self-idolatry? The first step is to realize that no amount of self-control will ever change our desires.

Have you ever gone on a diet? If so, I bet that your efforts at controlling what you eat did not in any way change your appetite. In fact if you are like most dieters, it made you want your delicious treats even more than you did before you began the diet. This illustrates a frustrating truth - self-denial tends to magnify the desires we are trying to control, not squelch them.

The only answer is in Jesus. He promises that when we turn our lives over to Him, He will change us from the inside out. We saw this in yesterday's passage. When we exercise discipline in conjunction with the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit (as Paul did), then discipline becomes our ally, not our downfall.

We can be changed from the inside out

Colossians 2:11-15

When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

New Living Translation

The promises we have in Jesus are far greater than merely being let off the hook for the bad things we've done. Being forgiven for doing something terrible is a great thing, and of course God does that.

But this is no mere pat on the head, telling us it is ok, even though it really isn't. God is just, and sin requires punishment. Jesus took that punishment in full, as He was nailed to the cross. Justice is fulfilled, and we are free of any further condemnation.

Our enemy's name, "Satan", means the accuser. He would like nothing more than to remind us of our shame. But when Jesus died and rose again, He shamed Satan instead. The devil can no longer accuse us of anything before God. The Accuser has no power over us any longer.

In addition to all this, there is another awesome benefit to Christ's salvation offer. He actually changes us from the inside out.

A criminal's penalty could be paid for, but who is to say that once he is released he won't commit another, possibly worse, crime? Sadly this happens all too frequently, as dangerous criminals are released from our prisons.

Being set free, being forgiven, does not mean that we will change. We could be set free to repeat our offenses.

But the gift of God through faith in Jesus goes deeper than forgiveness. The sinful nature, that deep down drive toward sin that compels us to do things we know we should not do, is cut out. I have seen it happen in an instant, and I have seen it happen over a period of time. But one thing is certain - if you have truly accepted Jesus as Your Lord and Savior, it WILL happen! The best thing we can do is to anticipate it, ask for it, and cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit as He gives us the miracle of new life.

Build your life on Jesus

Colossians 2:6-7

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

New Living Translation

There are many times when my husband Keith and I could finish each other's sentences. We've spent so much time together, we know how the other thinks. He has taught me to love Star Trek, and I've helped him learn to enjoy having cats in the house. (He still prefers dogs, but I'm working on it!)

Many years ago when we were first married, we came from separate lives. After a few years, our different backgrounds merged into a new creation, a life that is a blend of the best of both of us.

This is a result of spending many hours together, talking about everything, sharing dreams and fears, and experiencing new things together. Our love for and devotion to each other has grown stronger as a result.

This is similar to how our relationship with Jesus grows. Coming to know Jesus is an awesome thing, but it is only a beginning. We need to spend time with Him in prayer, reading His word, and thinking about Him. As we spend time with Him, He reveals Himself more and more. And the result is a deeper, stronger relationship with Him.

The goal is that we will grow so devoted to Jesus that we will have Him as the foundation of our life. We will do what pleases Him, not what pleases ourselves. We will avoid doing things that we know will displease Him. All we do, we will do with Him in mind.

And the better we know Him, the more we will trust Him. We will have a better understanding of all He has done for us, and all He is going to do. The result will be a deepening of thankfulness, joy, and peace.

Surely all this is worth spending time in prayer and Bible reading!

Jesus is all we need!

Colossians 2:1-5

I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.

New Living Translation

One of the problems plaguing the early church was gnosticism. This belief taught in part that there was some special, secret knowledge required to be saved. This meant that only the elite, those who were "enlightened", were saved.

In this passage, Paul is clearly stating that the "mysterious plan," the secret knowledge needed to be saved is in fact Jesus Himself. If you know Him, you are saved. It is that simple. You don't have to know some secret fact or special formula. You don't have to have some strange insight. You just need to know Jesus. In Him lie all wisdom and knowledge.

Knowing Jesus is not some weird, unattainable concept. Who He is was revealed in Scripture. If when you hear about Him and what He did, you believe it and accept it, then you are saved.

Paul warned the people in his day not to be fooled by well-crafted arguments. We should heed the same warning today. Mysticism, spiritism, and all of the false religions of today won't save us. It is as simple today as it was in the days of the early church. Believe in Jesus, and follow Him. Don't look for some secret knowledge, just look for Jesus. He is all that any of us needs.