"We Have Seen Amazing Things Today!"

My sons have just finished the suspended ceiling downstairs, and now the basement is ready for final inspection. I feel like jumping up and down praising God. It has taken three years to finish our basement.

As I was watching my sons put in the last few tiles of the ceiling, I couldn't help but think of the story in the Bible about some friends who were so motivated by determination, faith, and compassion for a paralyzed man that they came up with an unorthodox plan to gain access to Jesus and His strong healing power. The crowd surrounding Jesus was massive, yet instead of giving up and going home, the friends went up on the roof and took off some tiles. Then, with, I am sure, great difficulty and much thought, the friends carried the handicap man up onto the roof and lowered him down into the crowd right in front of Jesus. This was done without dropping him or having him roll off the mat.

"Some men came carrying

a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat.

They tried to take him inside to Jesus,

but they couldn't reach Him 

because of the crowd.

So they went up to the roof

and took off some tiles.

Then they lowered the sick man on his mat

down into the crowd,

right in front of Jesus."

Luke 5:18-19 (NLT)

One might think Jesus would be perturbed at such an interruption. After all, He, the Son of God, was in the middle of teaching a large class. But he wasn't! In fact, Jesus was pleased when He saw the faith of these men, and He immediately offered the handicap man forgiveness of his sins.

"Seeing their faith,

Jesus said to the man,

'Young man, your sins are forgiven.'"

Luke 5:20 (NLT)

The Pharisees and teachers of the religious law who were watching, however, weren't so pleased. They were outraged at the audacity of Jesus thinking He had the power to forgive a person's sins.

"But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law

said to themselves,

'Who does He think He is?

That's blasphemy!

Only God can forgive sins!'"

Luke 5:21 (NLT)

So, Jesus proved to these Pharisees and religious teachers that He had and has all authority and power on earth. He turned to the paralyzed man and, with the authority of God, told the paralyzed man to stand up, pick up his mat, and go home.

"Jesus knew what they were thinking,

so He asked them,

'Why do you question this in your hearts?

Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,'

or 'Stand up and walk'?

So I will prove to you that the Son of Man

has the authority on earth to forgive sins.'

Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said,

'Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!'"

Luke 5:22-24 (NLT)

The paralyzed man immediately jumped up — not wobbling, or trying to stand with the help of his friends — picked up his mat with the strength and vitality of a healthy man, and went home praising God.

"And immediately, as everyone watched,

the man jumped up,

picked up his mat,

and went home praising God."

Luke 5:25 (NLT)

Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they too praised God.

Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe,

and they praised God, exclaiming,

'We have seen amazing things today!'"

Luke 5:26 (NLT)

This is what our church services should be like today! The authority and healing power of Jesus resides in each of His children who love and desire to serve Him. If we only use the power God has given us, people will leave our church services gripped with great wonder and awe, praising God, exclaiming, "We have seen amazing things today!"

I pray that, as God's people, we will be less concerned about the time and structure of our services and more concerned about doing God's will — loving, helping, serving, and ministering God's amazing power to others who are in need — even if it means we stop what we are doing to do it.