Whether it is hanging out together at school or at a store, or texting, you know what is going on with your friends pretty much all the time. Back in Jesus’ time, there obviously was not social media or phones, but friends kept close tabs on each other. Just as it is today, true friends took care of one another.
There were four friends that had a fifth friend who was handicapped. This fifth friend was paralyzed and had to be carried everywhere on a mat because there was no other means of transporting him around.
These guys heard that Jesus had come to their village and the rumor was this Jesus could heal people. Suddenly the thought came to at least one of them that if they could get their paralyzed friend to Jesus, maybe Jesus would have time to heal him! This thought inspired the four friends. They anxiously grabbed their paralyzed friend, put him on the mat and hustled over to where Jesus was speaking (Mark 2:1-12).
Hopes were dashed when they arrived and saw an enormous crowd pushing and shoving their way around the house Jesus was in. The crowd was so thick in and outside the house, there was no way they would be able to carry a guy on a mat through the people. Discouragement was seen on the friends’ faces until the thought came that if they got up on the ...
