Four Men Bring One Man to Christ
Luke 5:17-26

What a thrill to see four men so concerned to get one man to Christ. It matters not whether they bring him to be healed physically, as in this event, or for spiritual needs. The problems and solutions are often the same.

In Matthew 9:2 we learn he was "a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed." He was helpless. He could not come to Jesus on his own. Is not this the picture of every person outside Christ? They are helpless. "There is none that seeketh after God" (Rom. 3:11). "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44). This is why the soul winner must go. They cannot come but must be brought to Jesus.

How wonderful that this man had four friends who really cared. It is tragic when a man today can say, "No man cared for my soul" (Ps. 142:4). Often at Moody I say to the students, "If we at the Institute don't care, pray tell me, who will?"
When I was a pastor three women from the church one day came to tell me they were going to see another woman and try to win her to Christ. One stayed home, kept the others' children and prayed. One took care of the woman's baby and prayed while the other witnessed to her. I was not a bit surprised when they phoned an hour later to have this woman tell me that she had received Christ.

How thrilling that "when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude" (v. 19) they did not give up. They went to the roof, tore up the tile and let him down "into the midst before Jesus." You can be sure there will be obstacles. Sometimes it is the crowd who are just looking on. Some would say these men were extreme, tearing up the roof. Not long ago more than one million dollars was spent and even streets were torn up trying to find three missing boys in Hannibal, Missouri. No one called that extreme. The ones doing the least will often criticize the most.

The paralyzed man immediately "rose up before them, ... and departed to his own house, glorifying God" (v. 25). People brought to Christ will "walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4) and glorify God. May it be so in your presence today!