Extraordinary Events
by The Roving Reporter
Capernaum, Galilee – Yesterday
as soon as the Sabbath ended, I attended a meeting in a house in the town of
Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee. I had traveled there with the hope of seeing
Jesus of Nazareth whose fame as a teacher and healer has been spreading like
wildfire. Many others had the same idea, including dignitaries from as far away
as Jerusalem—Pharisees and teachers of the Law. Jesus healed many people of
various diseases and spoke about the Kingdom of God.
Suddenly, dust came down on
our heads, and we shielded our eyes as we looked up to see a hole appearing in
the roof! Some men lowered a man right between the roof beams, landing him
directly in front of Jesus. I later learned they had resorted to this plan
because the crowd was too dense to bring him in through the door, but they were
convinced that this Jesus could heal their friend who suffered from a paralyzing
palsy. I will now share my exclusive interview with that man.
Roving Reporter: What was
your reaction when your friends hatched the idea of lowering you through the
roof to get to Jesus?
Paralyzed Man: I was terrified!
They were planning on wrapping ropes around my mat and dangling me in the air!
I could fall and have worse problems than I already have. It takes a great deal
of trust to allow them to carry me in the first place, let alone, suspend me
from heights!
RR: What convinced you to
let them do it?
PM: I had faith in the man
of miracles, Jesus, because stories of Him had been repeated to me by people
who had followed His exploits. My wonderful friends thought of me when they
heard He was teaching in a house nearby. I was eager to throw off the
limitations of my palsied earth-suit.
RR: What was it like, being
lowered through the roof?
PM: Trepidatious, exhilarating,
and uncomfortable. It placed me in an extremely vulnerable position with all
eyes on me. I don’t like people staring
at my crippled earth-suit.
RR: What did Jesus say when
you landed at His feet?
PM: I was expecting Jesus to
address the issues with my earth-suit, transforming it into soundness. However,
He praised our faith, and said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”
RR: That must have been disappointing!
PM: Surprisingly, it was
actually liberating. I recognized that a weight had been lifted off my soul
that I had not fully realized I had been carrying. I knew I had been set free from
my sin which was much more vital than my physical healing could ever be. My
spirit and soul were made whole in that moment.
RR: Wow! That is some testimony.
However, you are standing
before me as able-bodied as I am, carrying a mat. Explain how that happened.
PM: Jesus addressed the Pharisees
who had apparently been thinking He did not have the authority to forgive me.
Jesus directed His attention toward them and said, “Why are you turning over
such thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier to say? ‘Your sins are forgiven
you’? or ‘Get up and walk’? But look! I
will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”
RR: Jesus had the nerve to
call out the Pharisees and Scribes?!
PM: Yes, then Jesus fixed His
gaze on me and commanded me, “I say to you: get up, pick up your mattress and
go home!”
RR: What did you do?
PM: To my joyful amazement,
I was totally empowered to do exactly what Jesus ordered me to do, with no
difficulty at all and a feisty spring in my step!
RR: Unbelievable!
PM: But it is true. Even the
Pharisees had to admit that I was healed.
RR: Thank you for stopping on
your way home to share your good news with me and allowing me to record it for
my readers.
PM: You’re welcome, sir. I plan
on sharing my story with any and every one who will listen. I’m convinced Jesus
of Nazareth is the Messiah promised by the Prophets.
There you have it. Extraordinary
events seem to happen wherever Jesus of Nazareth teaches. Follow this column
for future reports concerning this self-named “Son of Man.”
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