Through the Roof
Luke 5:17-26
1. People who do whatever it takes to bring others to Jesus
17 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. 18 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, 19 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. Luke 5:17-19 (ESV)
These men showed great care in exhibiting persistent, creative, and sacrificial faith in order to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus.
2. People who question the authority of Jesus.
20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? Luke 5:20-23 (ESV)
Jesus offered visual validation for the more difficult statement to prove both the authority to forgive sin and to heal paralysis.
3. People who are healed by Jesus
24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. Luke 5:24-25 (ESV)
Wiersbe: If leprosy illustrates the corruption and defilement of sin, then palsy is a picture of the paralysis that sin produces in a life.
4. People who Glorify God in Jesus
26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” Luke 5:26 (ESV)
36 . . . For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me . . . John 5:36-37 (ESV)