Student Leaders
CONVINCED AND CLEAR
by Pastor Don Nagy
When I read the account of the four friends who brought the paralyzed man on a mat to Jesus (Mark 2:1-4), I am amazed at the extraordinary effort and commitment that these guys showed in connecting their friend with Jesus.
Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. (Mark 2:4)
The house in which Jesus was preaching was so crowded that, not only could they not get in, they could not even get close to the door to see Him. So, they had to get creative. The four men went up onto the roof, ripped open a hole, and lowered their friend to Jesus.
Scripture is not clear about the extent of his disease; but the unusual actions of his friends tell us that they recognized that his situation was desperate. His future held nothing but a life full of begging. As a result, the love, concern, and care of his friends moved them to an extraordinary action.
Sometimes, bringing people to Jesus takes some extraordinary methods.
Their friend was sick, hopeless, and helpless. His situation was desperate and these four men were convinced that Jesus had the power to change things and to bring healing. And they were determined that they would connect their friend with Jesus at any cost.
And it did cost them. It cost them the time to carry him to the house. It cost them the effort to carry him onto the roof of the house. It cost them the trouble to tear up the roof and let him down. It cost them the favor of the people on whose heads the rubble was dropping as they ripped up the roof. And it probably cost them the money to pay for the roof to repair it.
But they didn't let any of that stop them because they were very clear and very convinced about two things:
1. They were very clear about the hopeless, helpless, desperate condition of their friend.
2. They were convinced that the answer to their friend's dilemma was only found in Jesus Christ. That Jesus alone was his only hope!
Convinced of these two things, these four men didn't let anything keep them from their mission! The fact that their friend couldn't walk didn't stop them from getting him to Jesus-they carried him. The fact that the crowd blocked their access to Jesus didn't stop them-they went around them. The fact that the roof of the house lay between their friend and Jesus didn't stop them-they removed it.
When you are truly clear about your friends' needs, and when you are totally convinced that Jesus is the only answer to those needs, you will experience a new level of spiritual determination to connect your friends to Christ. How convinced and clear are you about both of these things today?