Break Up Some Roof Shingles Today

“Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark 11:4-5

We read the two verses above as part of the story of the four men who brought their friend to Jesus.

We know the miraculous ending but what if we stopped for a moment and put ourselves in the shoes of those four men.

Desperation for their friend drove them to do what they did but at the time they had no way of knowing the final outcome.

Yet they did what few others would consider doing.

They dug through the roof above Jesus!

They didn’t, perhaps couldn’t, push through the crowd with the cot their friend was lying on poking people out of the way with one of its’ corners.

Maybe they understood there were other desperate people in that crowd who were not about to give up their spot to anyone.

Think about the debris that may have fallen on Jesus and the others as they worked to dig that hole in the rough.

Talk about distractions during a sermon!

Maybe, just maybe, one or more of them wondered out loud...

“Do you think Jesus will be mad at us for making such a scene!”

It is probably safe to say that some in that room and overflow crowd would be.

Yet they had to get their friend to Jesus.

How hard do you push to come into His presence?

I am not talking about any barriers God might put up.

He actually removed the barriers when His Son died on the cross.

I am speaking of how easily we are often dissuaded.

“I’m busy right now!”

“I don’t think He like me!”

“I know others have more pressing needs!”

The list goes on and on...

Let’s break up some roof shingles today to come into His presence, shall we?

Will you?