Crazy

5 January 2010

Read Luke 5:17-26

People normally gravitates toward the sensational and dramatic. This story of the paralytic never fails to amaze and amuse me.

In life, it is good to have innovative and crazy friends. These 4 crazy friends were not just crazy because of their outrageous idea; they were actually fanatical enough to carry it out.

I would die for friends like them. Tight friends like these are divine gifts.

In their years together, this might have been their only one dramatic act – to break in through the roof to get to Jesus. I imagine the many years of sitting with their paralytic friend, feeding him tea, carrying him around to places, joking, laughing and crying. What could the paralytic offer? Nothing except himself.

Real friendship is an offer of self and of crazy loyal love.

Question: Do I have friends like these? What kind of a friend am I?

It is interesting that Jesus called the paralytic, ‘friend’ (v.20). Jesus embodies all that a friend should be and could be and immediately the paralytic and his friends knew their crazy act done out of crazy love had found a crazy solution –

The answer to their need – forgiven sins! Crazy answer!!???

Luke 5:22-23
Jesus knew what they (the Pharisees and teachers of the law) were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

Which is easier: to be made whole physically, or be whole in spirit and soul?

One thing is clear - while paralysed, the paralytic may be healthier than the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.

The paralytic was healed in all aspects - spirit, body and soul. To be healed in body is easier than to be complete in spirit.

A crazy group of friends got a crazy answer and the group just went crazy that day.

Who is this Jesus that can forgive sins? What a crazy sight to see a paralytic man coming down in a mat through a roof and getting up his mat and walk!

I would be crazy to rely on outward signs and wonders rather than the solid gospel truth as proclaimed in Christ.

If some think I am crazy, then that's alright.