By Waylon Bailey One of the most exciting stories in the life of Jesus occurred in his home town of Capernaum. As Jesus taught in what may have been the house of Simon Peter, four men carried their paralytic friend to the rooftop, tore the roof away, and lowered their friend right in front of Jesus. You probably know the rest of the story. Jesus forgave the man of his sins and told him to take up his bed and walk. And, he did! What made this exciting event happen? How did God use the four friends to provide the man’s healing and to demonstrate the power of Jesus? First, the four friends planned well. They got together with a plan to take their paralytic friend to see Jesus. They fully expected that the man would be healed. Second, they worked together. These men were a team. Notice that none of them is named. Good teams are made up of people who work together closely and who don’t have to get the credit. Third, they persevered. When the way into the house was blocked and too full for anyone to enter, they didn’t quit. They kept on until they found a way, even the unconventional way of going up to the rooftop and tearing off part of the roof. They adapted their plan. Instead of giving up and quitting, they … [Read more...]