2 Life-Changing Lessons from the Paralytic Man and His Four Friends Matthew 9:2-8 Devotional

In this short Matthew 9:2-8 devotional, we’ll discover how Jesus heals the paralytic man and two important lessons in regards to friendship that will change everything we thought we knew about living the Christian life!

In Matthew Jesus heals the paralytic man. At first glance, this man’s story seems like a sad one. And he doesn’t seem like someone we would want to be like. After all, he must have known a thing or two about facing difficult times. And who wants a life like that?

We love to compare ourselves to the people from the Bible. But it’s usually the strong, noble ones we turn to for inspiration. Like Esther and her unwavering faith in the face of adversity. Or Paul’s resolute attitude about his imprisonment. They did amazing things for the kingdom of God!

And sometimes we are like them, empowered and ready to fight the good fight.

But other times, we. are. weak. And that’s okay.

There are so many Bible characters who went through hard times. People like the paralyzed man healed by Jesus and his friends. And we’re meant to learn from their experiences too.

I know, it would be so easy to skip over this part of the Bible and read something else. But God’s Word is clear… this man and his 4 friends knew something so important we can’t afford to miss it!

So, let’s read their story and learn 2 life-changing lessons from this often-overlooked Bible verse…

Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you.”

And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

But Jesus, knowing what was in their thoughts, said, “Why do think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”- then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house.

Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

                                                                   Matthew 9:2-8

This one passage of scripture has the power to change your life!

In it, we find the simple truth that solves every problem we face. Faith in Jesus!

What was the paralyzed man and his friend’s secret?

They had faith that Jesus would heal him if only they could find a way to get him in front of the Savior.

Because of what happened when Jesus healed the paralyzed man, we see that when we’re weak, having faith in our Savior is what we need most.

And in times of crisis getting an audience with Him is our first priority.

So, how do we do that?

When we take a closer look, the paralyzed man and his friends show us there are two ways to seek Jesus when you need help.

#1 We are like the paralyzed man carried to Jesus

The paralytic man knew he couldn’t get to Jesus on his own. The crowd was too big, and his legs were too weak. A lesser man would have admitted defeat and moved on. But not this man, he had faith that Jesus could and would heal him if only he could find a way to break through the crowd and get in front of Him. He must have been desperate to be healed after a life of pain. So, in his weakness, the paralyzed man’s friends carried him to Jesus.

Just like this man, we all have times of weakness and desperation. It may be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual pain. Whatever the cause, we need a friend (or four) to carry us to the Savior. Because sometimes, we’re simply not strong enough to get to Jesus on our own. In our pain, they are the light that leads us to Jesus, the only One who can truly heal us of our hurt.

#2 We are like the paralyzed man’s 4 friends carrying him to Jesus

I’m sure you’ve heard many quotes for hard times. One of my favorites is an oldie but goodie… When the going gets tough the tough get going.

These men of faith believed Jesus could heal their friend as much as the paralytic man did. So, when getting close to Jesus was tough, they didn’t stand by and wait for the crowd to die down, or for Jesus to come to them. Instead, they devised a brilliant plan to get their friend in front of the One who could heal him no matter what! (Luke 5:18-26) They put their friend on a bed, carried him through a massive hoard of onlookers, cut a hole in the roof of the building where Jesus was teaching, and lowered him down right in front of everyone!

Wow, those are some great friends! They didn’t give up when their friend needed them. And neither should we.

Sometimes our loved ones are weak, and it’s our turn to carry them to Jesus. As much as we want to fix whatever is hurting them, the best thing we can do is point them to Jesus so He can heal their pain.

Are you experiencing hard times? And wondering how can I get Jesus to help me?

The truth is… We’re not always strong, sometimes we’re weak. But that’s okay. Because Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

If we are willing to accept that God can use us even in our weakness, then a whole new world of opportunity opens up to serve in God’s kingdom. We can display the same kind of faith the paralytic man and his 4 friends showed by taking our hurts to Jesus and allowing Him to heal Us. Then, we’ll see… His grace is sufficient!

Still wondering… How do I find Jesus again?

It’s simple! The next time you’re feeling weak, or you find out that a friend is in need, remember Jesus is the only One who can truly heal you. Take your hurt to Him and be healed by His grace and power! With faith in Jesus getting through hard times isn’t so hard after all!

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