“就上了房顶，从瓦间把他连褥子缒到当中，正在耶稣面前。” - 路 5:19

耶稣无论走到哪里，总有一大群人跟着衪，因为群众渴慕听衪的教导，但也有很多人主要是想看衪行神迹或为自己求一个神迹而来。

得不到医疗服务的人，极其盼望得医治。我们可以想像到，在听到这位能行神迹的耶稣之前，瘫子的生命是没有什么希望的，幸而有几个邻居朋友合力抬他去见耶稣。

到了那里，他们发现没法进到屋里，因为聚集的人实在太多了，他们便抬着瘫痪的朋友上了房顶，把他缒下，“正在耶稣面前。”

耶稣没有令他们失望。衪首先满足了瘫子灵命上最深的需要，就是赦免他的罪；耶稣随后也满足了那人肉身得医治的需要，就是叫他能行走。那人便“回家去，归荣耀与神。”

大约七年之前，一位亲爱的同工因癌病末期进了医院。他的四个朋友，包括我在内，受到这个故事的激励，我们便到他的病房探望他，用轮椅推他到露台，在基督里与他分享圣经的话语，一起祷告。

尽管耶稣并没有在那天医好他的癌病，然而衪已经赦免了我们这位朋友的罪。几个星期之后，这位朋友便“回（天）家去、归荣耀与神”，直到永永远远了。

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祷告

天上的父，我们见到邻舍有需要，但又往往感到无助。求你提醒我们，使我们可以对他们彰显你的慈心和仁爱、在你里面与他们一起祷告。奉耶稣大能的名祈求，阿们。

路加福音 5:17-26

17有一天，耶稣教训人，有法利赛人和教法师在旁边坐着，他们是从加利利各乡村和犹太并耶路撒冷来的。主的能力与耶稣同在，使他能医治病人。
18有人用褥子抬着一个瘫子，要抬进去放在耶稣面前，
19却因人多，寻不出法子抬进去，就上了房顶，从瓦间把他连褥子缒到当中，正在耶稣面前。
20耶稣见他们的信心，就对瘫子说：“你的罪赦了！”
21文士和法利赛人就议论说：“这说僭妄话的是谁？除了神以外，谁能赦罪呢？”
22耶稣知道他们所议论的，就说：“你们心里议论的是什么呢？
23或说‘你的罪赦了’，或说‘你起来行走’，哪一样容易呢？
24但要叫你们知道，人子在地上有赦罪的权柄。”就对瘫子说：“我吩咐你，起来，拿你的褥子回家去吧！”
25那人当众人面前立刻起来，拿着他所躺卧的褥子回家去，归荣耀于神。
26众人都惊奇，也归荣耀于神，并且满心惧怕，说：“我们今日看见非常的事了！”

Bringing My Neighbor To Jesus

“They went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. ” - Luke 5:19

Large crowds were following Jesus wherever he went. People were hungry for his teaching. Many people came mainly to see his miracles or to ask for one for themselves.

Hope for healing could be huge for people who had no medical care. We can imagine the paralyzed man living without hope, until he heard about Jesus the miracle worker. Some neighbors got together and carried this man to Jesus.

When they arrived and saw that they could not get into the house because the crowd was so big, they hoisted their friend to the roof and lowered him “right in front of Jesus.”

Jesus did not disappoint. First he met the man’s deepest spiritual need, forgiving his sins. Then Jesus met the man’s physical need, making him able to walk again. The man “went home praising God.”

About seven years ago, a dear colleague was hospitalized with terminal cancer. Inspired by this story, four of us who were friends of his met him in his room, wheeled him out to a patio, and shared Scripture and prayer with him in the presence of Jesus.

Jesus did not heal his cancer that day. But Jesus had already forgiven our friend’s sins. And some weeks later, our friend “went home praising God” for all eternity.

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Prayer

Father in heaven, we often see neighbors in need and feel helpless. Remind us that we can show your love and kindness, praying with them in your presence, in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.