Three Characters
Growing up I was mesmerized by blockbuster movies and pretended to be some of the main characters. One day I was Luke Skywalker, on another, Indiana Jones, and on another day, Marty McFly.
It was fun to ‘be’ these heroes and to replay their adventures, as well as making up my own. I don’t do that anymore, but many do, as Cosplay and Comic-Con events show. There you will find lots of people dressed as their favourite characters – and they look great!
You don’t have to dress up, but when watching or reading a compelling story, you can imagine yourself in it.
In the Bible, there was an occasion when Jesus’ teaching was interrupted when the roof above him was ripped open and a paralyzed man was lowered down by his friends. Jesus stopped what he was saying and healed the man and forgave his sins. The crowd went nuts…
“Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.””
Not everyone was happy though. The Pharisees (the Jewish leaders) were offended that Jesus not only healed the man but also forgave his sins. This was something that only God could do, and they did not believe that Jesus was ‘the son of God’.
Let’s think about three different characters in this story:
Firstly, the paralyzed man, carried by his friends, lowered through the roof then healed and forgiven by Jesus. He was vulnerable and literally in his friends’ hands.
Secondly, the group of friends, who wanted to help their paralyzed buddy so much that they took outrageous steps to get him to Jesus. Presumably they had seen some healings that Jesus had done, and that motivated them to help their friend.
Thirdly, the Pharisees, who took offence at what Jesus did, and where not delighted for the paralysed man who was healed. They could not see past there strict traditions and teachings to see that God was at work.
Which character ‘speaks’ to you:
Are you able to be vulnerable and let others help when you are in need?
Are you willing to do something for a friend in difficulty to get the help they need?
Finally, are you just an observer of other people’s encounters with God? Can you see the goodness of God at work?
God bless you :)
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader