Mark spoke this morning from Luke 5:17-26, where Jesus heals a paralysed man brought to Him by four friends (see also Mk 2:1-12). This amazing miracle prompted awe and astonishment among the people and is a vivid reminder of God’s power. People came from far and wide (from Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem) because Jesus was in the area and they were eager to see the demonstrations of God’s power which accompanied His presence: ‘the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.’ (Luke 5:17) The four friends who brought the paralysed man were determined to bring their friend to Jesus and it was their faith to which Jesus responded.
God is moved by faith. If we want to see God move in the miraculous, in healings and other miracles, we have to approach Him with faith. We are not told if the paralysed man himself had faith, and this is a vivid reminder that sometimes we can be the ones who bring people to God. Even the scribes and Pharisees who were present had not seen anything like this, and despite their scepticism and disdain for Jesus, they could not refute the evidence of their own eyes: the man was lowered down on a mat, but left carrying the mat and glorifying God! We imagine his friends having to run after him, so great was the miracle God did in his life!
Rom 8:11 reminds us that the same Spirit which raised Christ from the dead now dwells in us and is able to bring life to our mortal bodies. We are able to be instruments who carry people to Jesus. We can see healings and miracles as we do so, for God is still in the house, still dwelling in us and using us to reach out to others!
