Ladders or Acorns

On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” (Luke 5:17-26 ESV). Climbing trees is for the young, not merely the young at heart. While doing some cleanup at the back of the property in preparation for construction to begin, I needed to cut a broken limb from the top of one of the trees. It required a 20 foot extension ladder to get up high enough. Of course, we have one in Smyrna (there’s that curse word again)! Kyle and I were surveying the problem and I simply said that if could hand me the saw when I got up to the middle limbs, I could climb the tree and cut the broken limb from there. Of course that thought was immediately vetoed. And, I was questioned as to my sanity as well. So, we asked around the neighborhood and found a ladder to get the job done. In doing so we did receive some very sound advice. One of the neighbors said that the easiest way to get to the top of a tree was to just sit on an acorn. I remarked that I didn’t think my wife would let me wait that long to get the job done. He then said, “Well, I reckon you’re stuck climbing a ladder.” This is something of what was going on in our reading today. Four friends bring their sick friend to see Jesus. When the way is blocked because of the crowd, they climb up onto the roof, tear open a hole, and lower him down to Jesus. Faith always finds the opening that doubt would never have guessed was there. These guys don’t sit on acorns. They are industrious, ingenious, daring. And not too concerned with protocol. Notice that they don’t ask permission. They don’t form a committee to study this matter and report at the next congregational meeting. Their sick friend is going to see Jesus, and that’s that. Isn’t that a picture of the church at its best—a group of folks who bring the needy to Jesus? And isn’t the church at its best when it emulates the resourcefulness and persistence of these four friends? If one way is blocked, try another way. If the conventional approach doesn’t work, try the unconventional. Isn’t the church at its best when it is more interested with redemption than with rules, more interested in people than in property? Let’s not sit on acorns. We’ve got ladders to climb!