Category: Bible (Page 419 of 420)

As a twelve year-old boy, Jesus is left behind in Jerusalem. Sort of like Home Alone, but the opposite direction. We read about this example of inattentive parenting in Luke 2:41-52. Jesus’ parents are leaving Jerusalem after a religious holiday, mixed in with large crowds of people headed home. They think Jesus is in the entourage somewhere and when they realize he’s not, they head back panicked.

They finally find Jesus in the temple (after three days of looking), where he’s discussing religious topics and answering questions with the top scholars of the day. You might say he was conducting a seminar with the top professors in the field. Everyone who heard him was “amazed at his understanding and his answers.” Jesus was a prodigy, like Mozart or Pascal.

Memories are long, especially in a religious culture hungry for a messiah. I wonder who in the crowd of teachers remembered this Q&A time with the young wunderkind when Jesus began his public ministry eighteen years later? Surely, someone would have put this together. How about Nicodemas, who came to Jesus at night (see John 3)? Had stories circulated over the years? Rumors about the boy with all the answers who’s making furniture somewhere out in the sticks?

Just one of many questions I have. His mother also had questions, but she kept them to herself. We’re told that Jesus went home obediently and grew up “in favor with God and man,” waiting for future, more contentious meetings with the religious leaders in Jerusalem.

Four guys, buddies, brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus to get Jesus to heal him. Their friend couldn’t walk, or hobble or hop. He lay flat on his back and these guys carried him, no telling how far, to Jesus, the only person who could help. The place they found Jesus was packed. When Jesus began healing people and doing miracles in public, crowds exploded. They couldn’t get anywhere close and besides, there were lots of other people in need of healing gathered in and around the building. No chance to push through, and no chance for their buddy to walk unless they could get him in front of Jesus.

What to do? They were desperate – this was their only chance! They climbed on the roof, hoisted their friend up, cut a hole in the roof right over Jesus and then lowered their friend down on ropes. These guys were undaunted. These guys were good friends. What was Jesus thinking when the dust and pieces of roof began to fall around him and he looked up to see four determined faces looking down?

First, Jesus forgives the paralyzed man’s sins. When the religious teachers object and question his authority to do so, Jesus goes ahead and totally heals the man, who stands up, grabs his mat and walks out the door. Jesus kicks it up a notch!

The crowd is amazed and exclaims, “We’ve never seen anything like this!” The paralyzed man, now fully ambulatory, helps his friends off the roof and they head home. Probably running, skipping, jumping, high-fiving, shouting and generally creating a scene.

With Jesus in the mix, anything is possible. With Jesus in the mix, you see things you’ve never seen before. Jesus is not predictable, just ask the religious teachers in this story, but Jesus is unforgettable. The man walking home with his four friends will swear to that (Mark 2:1-12).