9-18-2015

 Good Morning All!!

       Luke 5:18; “And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus”

     It was a typical South Dakota winter.  The snow was fairly deep, the wind was blowing and it was cold.  The forecast was for blowing and drifting snow. Yet in South Dakota, life goes on.  The competition was going to go on; it would have been impossible to reschedule it anyway.  The young girl had a chance to win and with it, a scholarship.  But she had to get there.  So a couple of neighbors pitched in and the task of moving snow so the car could get to town and to the contest began.  It wasn’t too difficult to get it done; but it took help from friends and neighbors.  The young girl did not win but she placed and still received a smaller scholarship but had a memory for life; mostly because a couple of neighbors helped to get her there.

    In most of rural America, helping a neighbor who needs help is almost second nature.  If one farmer gets sick or hurt, or a family member does, it is not uncommon for the neighbors to get together and do the planting or harvesting or, in some situations, both.  They help because that is what you do for a friend or a neighbor.

    Our verse is from a story of some men who brought a paralyzed man to Jesus to be healed.  We don’t know if they were this man’s family or friends and neighbors.  We don’t know if the man was paralyzed from birth or from a disease or from some accident.  There is a lot we don’t know but that is outweighed by what we do know; some people brought a man who needed healing to Jesus.  They had faith that Jesus would heal this man.  They saw this man’s pain and brought him to Jesus.  This is what true friends do; they bring you to Jesus.

    Someone brought you to Jesus.  Someone told you the wonderful news of Jesus and of his sacrifice that freed you from sin and suffering.  Someone spoke of the incredible love that God has for you; of how God forgives you’re past to free up your future.  Someone told you of the hope and comfort that exists when you have faith in Jesus.  Someone told you.  You probably know someone who is hurting and suffering from the pain that sin is causing in their life.  You probably talk to them every day.  You may even listen to them and tell them how sorry you are for their problems.  Next time, be the friend who brings the wounded soul to Jesus.

    Tell them of the comfort and the hope that you have because of what Jesus has done for you.  Tell them that Jesus has already forgiven their sins.  Tell them that they too can know what hope is.  They can know of the comfort that faith will give them.  But someone has to tell them; that someone is you.

Father, lead me to be the friend who brings the hurting and the wounded to know your grace.  Use me to guide them into your love.  Use me to be the one who carries their needs and their fears to you that you will heal them.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret