Our paragraph topic is: (A paralytic at Capharnaum) Part 1.
After dealing with the villagers in Gerasa, Christ boards the boat and goes to the other side of the sea. He ends up in his town where the townspeople brought to him a paralytic lying on a pallet. The news of Christ has traveled by word of mouth and by now everyone in Judea has heard of him. So the villagers, knowing of his miracles, brought to him someone that they wanted to be cured. This must have been a small village, a small town where everyone knows everyone, where everyone knows everyone's business. But above all of this there must have been some compassion for the person that was brought to Christ. Either he was a person of some well known family or he was a person that brought compassion from those who knew him. The villagers brought him to Christ. The villagers knew of his illness. The villagers wanted him to be cured. The villagers loved him. The villagers believed that Christ was the one to restore him to health.
And so it was that Christ saw their faith. Christ saw their love for the paralytic. Christ saw their belief in the desire that he be cured. And Christ said to the paralytic: " Take courage son; thy sins are forgiven thee." For it was not courage that he saw in the paralytic. It was not courage that he faced. It was not courage that filled the heart of the paralytic.
Often times when one is faced with the prognosis of an injury with the expectation of good news, the news that comes destroys. The news that comes is not expected. The news that comes lets down. The news that comes often times brings sadness and depression. These may have been the emotions that the paralytic faced as he was brought before Christ, wondering what his outcome would be. He knew that he wanted to be whole. He knew that he wanted to be well. He knew that he wanted to walk again. He knew that he wanted to be filled with joy, and hope, and happiness. He just did not know which of these to take. And Christ said, "Take Courage", instead of any of the other emotions he faced.
Christ knew of the struggles that he faced within. He knew of the trials that he had faced before coming to him, having gone to all of the local healers in an attempt to restore his health. Christ knew of the thoughts that were going through the paralytic's mind. Thought of frustration, thoughts of doubt, thoughts of fear, thoughts of anger, must have all been there in his mind whispering to him. Yet the villagers brought him to Christ. The news had come to the villagers of the miracles that Christ performed. The news had come to the village that Christ had arrived in their town. The news had come to the village that Christ was the one that performed extraordinary things that no one else had done before. And the village was a buzz with talk. The village was alive with the news. Everyone was talking. Hope flowed like a fresh stream through the village. And the belief in miracles was present like the mist on an early morning. And the villagers brought him, the paralytic.
Oh, what a wonderful day that must have been. Christ was amongst them. Christ was in their village. Christ was with them. Oh, what a treacherous day it must have been for the demons. Oh, what a fearful day it must have been for the devils to run. The demons were leaving this town. The demons were hiding in dark corners for fear of being cast out. They were hiding for fear of being expelled from their homes in men. And Christ was in their midst. Take courage Christ told the paralytic. Take courage Christ tells us today. Be not afraid. Be not fearful. Be not depressed. For the kingdom of God is in our midst. Do you take courage today?
After dealing with the villagers in Gerasa, Christ boards the boat and goes to the other side of the sea. He ends up in his town where the townspeople brought to him a paralytic lying on a pallet. The news of Christ has traveled by word of mouth and by now everyone in Judea has heard of him. So the villagers, knowing of his miracles, brought to him someone that they wanted to be cured. This must have been a small village, a small town where everyone knows everyone, where everyone knows everyone's business. But above all of this there must have been some compassion for the person that was brought to Christ. Either he was a person of some well known family or he was a person that brought compassion from those who knew him. The villagers brought him to Christ. The villagers knew of his illness. The villagers wanted him to be cured. The villagers loved him. The villagers believed that Christ was the one to restore him to health.
And so it was that Christ saw their faith. Christ saw their love for the paralytic. Christ saw their belief in the desire that he be cured. And Christ said to the paralytic: " Take courage son; thy sins are forgiven thee." For it was not courage that he saw in the paralytic. It was not courage that he faced. It was not courage that filled the heart of the paralytic.
Often times when one is faced with the prognosis of an injury with the expectation of good news, the news that comes destroys. The news that comes is not expected. The news that comes lets down. The news that comes often times brings sadness and depression. These may have been the emotions that the paralytic faced as he was brought before Christ, wondering what his outcome would be. He knew that he wanted to be whole. He knew that he wanted to be well. He knew that he wanted to walk again. He knew that he wanted to be filled with joy, and hope, and happiness. He just did not know which of these to take. And Christ said, "Take Courage", instead of any of the other emotions he faced.
Christ knew of the struggles that he faced within. He knew of the trials that he had faced before coming to him, having gone to all of the local healers in an attempt to restore his health. Christ knew of the thoughts that were going through the paralytic's mind. Thought of frustration, thoughts of doubt, thoughts of fear, thoughts of anger, must have all been there in his mind whispering to him. Yet the villagers brought him to Christ. The news had come to the villagers of the miracles that Christ performed. The news had come to the village that Christ had arrived in their town. The news had come to the village that Christ was the one that performed extraordinary things that no one else had done before. And the village was a buzz with talk. The village was alive with the news. Everyone was talking. Hope flowed like a fresh stream through the village. And the belief in miracles was present like the mist on an early morning. And the villagers brought him, the paralytic.
Oh, what a wonderful day that must have been. Christ was amongst them. Christ was in their village. Christ was with them. Oh, what a treacherous day it must have been for the demons. Oh, what a fearful day it must have been for the devils to run. The demons were leaving this town. The demons were hiding in dark corners for fear of being cast out. They were hiding for fear of being expelled from their homes in men. And Christ was in their midst. Take courage Christ told the paralytic. Take courage Christ tells us today. Be not afraid. Be not fearful. Be not depressed. For the kingdom of God is in our midst. Do you take courage today?
