Matthew 9:1-8 (NIV)
Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.
Have you ever crossed paths with a person who just seems close to Jesus and said, “I want to be like that person?”
They carry others to Jesus. They get what it means to be the Gospel to other people. They are close to Jesus and want others to know this relationship.
That’s what we’re going to discuss today—the character of those close to Jesus and how they carry others to Him.
In the passage above, we’re witnessing a group of people who get it. They had faith enough in Jesus, the Son of God, to help their paralyzed friend. These people knew of Jesus and had faith in His mission. They were the outsiders in Nazareth.
The paralyzed man had become dependent on the generosity of a few to help him care for himself. However, those people knew he needed something more than the help they could provide. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (NIV). They knew Jesus would be the one to give him what he needed to truly change his life; they had faith, and Jesus recognized that faith.
First, Jesus gave their friend what he needed most: forgiveness of sin. And He also rewarded their faith through the miracle of healing.
A key feature of this story of the now spiritually and physically healed man is the crowd’s reaction. The doubters couldn’t believe that Jesus, Joseph’s son, had any authority to forgive sin. They were so caught up in the rules and “way it should be” that they missed the miracle in front of them. But, those with eye-opening faith praised God for the miracle they just witnessed. When we open the eyes of our hearts to Jesus’ authority, we witness miracles, and we live in awe of what He has done.
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Do you lead people to church or Jesus? Church is great. But Jesus is greater. Do you share how He has transformed your life with those around you? Do you show them the difference your relationship with Christ has made your life?
2. Do you keep good company? Are you good company? The company you keep says a great deal about your spiritual maturity. Do you spend time with people who already have a personal relationship with Christ? Do they share what He’s doing in their lives? Do you share what He’s doing for you with others? You need people in your life with whom to share the good, the bad, and the miraculous moments.
3. Do you have a spiritual mentor? Do you have someone in your life that’s more spiritually mature than you are? Are you sharing your life with this person? Are you seeking to learn more about how they have grown spiritually and what strengthens their faith?
4. Are you living in awe of Jesus’ authority? Where are the eyes of your heart looking? Are we looking at others’ blessings with as much awe as our own?
