MS - Encountering Jesus - Week 3

We’ve spent the last couple weeks talking about what happens when people have an encounter with Jesus. An encounter is an unexpected meeting of at least two people. So far, we’ve learned that when people encounter Jesus, the results are always unexpected. Two weeks ago we learned about a man who had been possessed by demons for a very long time. He was rejected by his friends, his family, and everyone who lived around him. Then Jesus came. And through this encounter, Jesus sent the thousands of demons into a herd of pigs so that this man would be healed. Last week, we looked at not one, but ten people who were healed by Jesus. Today, we'll see some friends who would do anything to help one of their friends have an encounter with Jesus.

Watch http://youtu.be/iokmg2fkL-c and read Luke 5:17-26

  

For this story to make sense, you have to understand the location. Jesus was teaching from someone's home. Most likely a home in Capernaum would have had room for about 50 people standing. So there was definitely a crowd of people filling this home to capacity. You have these men who come bringing their friend - who is paralyzed - to be healed. Sometimes you learn the difference between people who say they are your friends and those who really are true friends. These guys don't give up. The house is full. They can't get to Jesus. Some might have said, "Sorry man. We did the best we could."

Look at Luke 5:19, "So they went up to the roof...” Just stop right there. In most of our homes, this would be crazy. It's hard for a normal person to get on the roof. But somehow get up and drag your paralyzed friend up too? But the homes in Capernaum were different than ours. The homes had flat roofs. You could access the roof from an outside staircase. It could be used like a patio or porch that you might have outside your home today—it’s just that your patio is next to the house instead of on top of it.

So, now the story is strange, but makes more sense. We picture the friends carrying their paralyzed friend on a mat up the staircase to the top of the house. But it wasn't like there was a big screen up there where they could watch and listen to Jesus' teaching. What did they plan to do? The whole point was for Jesus to heal their friend, not just hear Jesus teach. That's where the strange gets stranger and we read about the unexpected happening in the rest of that verse.

"So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles.”  What?! Did you get that? They were removing a person's roof! Can you imagine the distraction for the fifty-plus people in the home while Jesus was teaching as the roof opens up? And that wasn't enough! It wasn't just to see Jesus or get his attention. The friends wanted to get their friend to Jesus and they were persistent and creative enough to find a way. They carried their friend to the roof. They made a hole in the roof.

And again, in verse 19, more unexpected happens: "Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus." I'm super impressed that they found just the right spot to lower their friend right in front of Jesus. But that's not the point here. The friends did whatever they could, even if it was super crazy in the eyes of everyone around them, so their friend could have this encounter—this unexpected meeting—with Jesus.

So what was Jesus’ response? Look at verse 20. "Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, 'Young man, your sins are forgiven." Okay, now I'm impressed and confused. Jesus can see the faith of this man's friends because they went to extraordinary measures to get their friend to Jesus. But wouldn't their goal have been for him to be healed? To be able to walk? And Jesus says, "Your sins are forgiven.” We know that's more important, but not the expected result.

However, the story doesn't end there. (And remember, this is a TRUE STORY!) Now, the next scene is a heated exchange between the religious leaders and Jesus. That's good for another lesson.

But we're going to skip to verse 24. "Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 'Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!'  Wow! So now the friend has been forgiven and healed!

Luke 5:25, "And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up...”

He didn't just get up. He jumped up! Everyone, right where you are, jump up as high as you can on 3.  1, 2, 3! That's what a man did who had been paralyzed! He hadn't been able to walk. Now he jumps! (And remember, this is all recorded by Luke—the doctor!)

Luke 5:25 continues, "...picked up his mat...” That's right. The same mat he had been laying on paralyzed, when his friends carried his weak body up the stairs to the roof of the house, where they made a hole and lowered him down right in front of Jesus—that mat. “(He) picked up his mat, and went home praising God." We know how this man's life was changed from this encounter with Jesus. He was healed and forgiven. No wonder he went home praising God!

But how did this affect those around him who witnessed this? Our last verse for today, Luke 5:26, "Everyone was gripped with great WONDER and AWE, and they PRAISED GOD, exclaiming, "We have seen AMAZING things today!"

Yeah, that nice visit to the house to hear Jesus teach turned into a crazy experience witnessing the faith of some friends and both the healing and forgiving powers of Jesus! Sometimes, life is better when things don't go as planned.  But in your small groups today, let's really focus not so much on the demolition to the house, but on the commitment of the friends and how they truly did everything they could to help their friend meet with Jesus.

Small Group Questions 

• What's the craziest thing you have done for your friends?
• What's the craziest thing your friends have done for you? 

Do any of you read this story and think, "Someone's going to be in big trouble for tearing up that roof?” That's probably true. The friends probably either helped repair it or had to pay to have it repaired. 

• Are you willing to be that kind of friend who helps your friend out, no matter what trouble you might get in or what it might cost you? 

In a number of recent surveys, 8 out of 10 people said they would go to church if someone just invited them. 

• Are you really trying your hardest to make friends with people who don't know Jesus and invite them to church?
• In today's world, there usually won't be property damage with someone getting to know Jesus. However, what kind of challenges or obstacles do you run into trying to get your friends to church? To youth group or student service? Or even to meet Jesus?