Intro

Today’s story is about a paralyzed man and Jesus. Some of us are physically paralyzed and cry out for God’s healing hand. Most of us walked into our TV room to watch the online service (or into the worship service), but we are still paralyzed. How so?

Some of us are spiritually paralyzed. We no longer believe that God is active in our world. God feels so distant. Our prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling. We feel God is paralyzed. Our pleas are like that of the psalmist, “Why are you sleeping, O Lord?”

Some of us are mentally paralyzed.  Anxious, worrisome thoughts fill our minds:  climate change, the fourth wave of COVID-19, financial strain, and so on. We feel helpless. We struggle to pull our thoughts together. Like the psalmist we cry, “Why is my soul in such turmoil”?

Some of us are emotionally paralyzed. Our relationships are strained. Forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing seem so far from us. The relational pressure has left us languishing. Why should we continue to love those who reject us? We cry, “How long, O God”?

What would Jesus say to us who suffer from paralysis in so many ways?

Questions for Reflection:

• If you are suffering from spiritual, mental, emotional, relational or physical paralysis, do you believe Jesus sees you? What would He say to you today?
• Does forgiveness of sin, the eradication of your root problem by Jesus, excite you as much as a story of physical healing? Why or why not?
• With whom do you identify in the story: the paralytic, the crowds, or the scribes?  Why?
• What would it look like for you to rise up and walk today? Place your faith in Jesus. Pray for His healing touch. Ask Him for His healing word.