Potent Faith

On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5: 17-20).

While His teaching attracted Pharisees and scribes, the healing power of the Lord attracted the needy and the suffering. We are intrigued that God would manifest His healing power in the midst of a group of religious leaders, intent on a critical review of Christ’s doctrine. The Spirit teaches that this was the Lord’s way of confirming the authority of Christ’s word… “Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22). The healing power of the Lord did even more than this. It attracted the needy and the suffering from the surrounding community. A group of caring men showed up bearing their paralyzed friend on a stretcher. When these men cut a hole in the roof and deposited their suffering friend at the feet of Jesus, He drew the crowd’s attention to their potent faith.

The friends showed faith that pursues the power of the Lord. The word about Jesus’ healing power spread throughout the community. When it reached the ears of a group of compassionate men, they hurried to get their suffering friend to Jesus. They did not come to hear Christ’s teaching. They did not come because there was a crowd. They believed that in the midst, before Jesus, there was power to heal their suffering friend… “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3). If we trust the Lord’s omnipotence, then we believe every trial produces an opportunity to experience the peerless power of Christ.

The friends showed faith that penetrates the presence of the Lord. The house was too full of religious leaders from every village from Galilee all the way to Jerusalem. The walls were thick, the windows were small, and the roof was high, but their friend’s suffering compelled them to find a way into the presence of Jesus. Why do bad things happen to good people? Both the good and bad things of this temporal life are divinely designed to draw us to Jesus Christ… “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).  If the goal of our life is to see and know the Lord better, then we believe every trial creates a pathway into the precious presence of Christ.

The friends showed faith that possesses the provision of the Lord. Jesus did not give the answer that the friends expected. They brought their paralyzed friend to Christ for healing, but His response to their faith was forgiveness. They did not complain. They humbly received Christ’s best answer to their request. They did not see the bigger picture, the teaching moment for Jesus before the house full of Pharisees and scribes. They did not know the deep spiritual need of their friend. But they humbly seized the precious, personal provision of the Lord according to His will… “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).  If our desire is to enjoy every natural and spiritual blessing the Lord wants to give us, then we believe every trial offers a chance to experience the perfect provision of Christ.

As we grow up into Christ, pursing His power, penetrating His presence, and possessing His provision, our faith matures and becomes increasingly more…

Potent Faith.