The Bible has a lot to say about Faith. It is one of those words we hear spoken often, yet almost casually as though it is something easy. Yet, when we look at the examples Jesus gave us, we see that people did some very dramatic, even spectacular, things in order to demonstrate their faith. Take the case of the four friends of a paralytic in Mark 2:1-12 who were so strong in their faith that they did something that would be seriously frowned upon by most Christians today. Their faith told them that if they could get their friend to Jesus, then he would be healed. Because their friend was a cripple (and could not walk), they carried him to where Jesus was teaching. They were greeted by a packed house ~ not even standing room! That meant they could not take a bulky stretcher into the meeting. And their faith told them they needed to get their friend to the feet of Jesus! What were they to do? To wait until another time was not in their thinking. Their faith was a “now” faith. One of them suggested doing something unimaginable. “Let us take our friend up on to the roof, make a hole large enough to allow the stretcher through and gently, on ropes, lower him down at the feet of Jesus.” Could you imagine being part of such a preposterous act? What utter destruction of someone else’s roof! They knew there was no room in the meeting for a bulky stretcher with a sick man on it. But their faith was determined to make room! Their faith told them that they needed to get their friend close enough to Jesus to get His attention! So they wrecked the roof by making a large hole in it. What a racket they would have made! What terrible Christians to be interrupting the meeting where Jesus Himself was the Guest! What disgusting behaviour! No respect for people or property these faith people! But they followed the faith that was beating inside their hearts! They knew something that others did not. They lived in the “now” of God and they had a need that only Jesus could answer.

Down through the gaping hole, a bed was slowly lowered, until it touched the floor of the meeting place, right at the feet of Jesus. The Bible says, “Jesus SAW their faith!” He did not scold or rebuke the men. He honoured them by immediately ministering forgiveness of sins to their sick friend. The power of forgiveness was sufficient to release the healing power of Jesus to flow through his twisted body and make him completely whole! What an answer! What reward for such an outlandish act of faith! And Jesus honoured that!

Those religious people gathered inside the meeting that day were more concerned about Jesus forgiving the sick man’s sins than they were about the four men, the house roof being wrecked, or the miracle of the healing! Can you imagine that? They were there to listen to Jesus ~ but they could not accept that He had power to forgive sins!!! Double standards ~ hypocrisy!

In the light of the amazing answer to the four men’s dramatic faith, we need to ask ourselves today, “What kind of faith do I demonstrate? Am I prepared to do something right outside of the ordinary in order to show Jesus how much I love and trust Him?” Bible faith is a faith that always demonstrates itself by an action. If there is no corresponding action, it is not faith that we think we have. “Faith without works is dead” (see James 2:14-26). What is your answer?  ~ Rodney W. Francis.

 Bible  Readings:  Matthew 8:5-13; Matthew 14:22-33; Matthew 15:21-28; Hebrews 11.  

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