What a friend we have in Jesus
This week's Gospel reading comes from John 5:17-26.
We all have those friends. The ones who have stuck with us through it all.
Sure, there may have been times when you fell away from each other. Things happen. You may have had a big argument. But, every time, you always come back to each other.
These are the friends you know will have your back ... no matter what. They aren’t biological family, but they are family just the same.
The ones who were with you for every cancer treatment. The ones who were there when you signed your divorce papers. The ones who cried tears of joy with you as your children graduated high school. The ones who would go through hell and high water for you if you were in need.
One of our church members has a sign right outside her house on the lawn that says “Friends are the family you choose.”
Ain’t that the truth!
They are the ones who are there for you, no questions asked. They just do!
In the Bible story for Sunday, there is a paralyzed man laying on a bed. Now, we do not know why this man was paralyzed. We don’t know his background. We don’t know the background of his friends. We just know his friends wanted him to be healed. And they knew Jesus could do it and they were going to do whatever it took to help their friend.
But, Jesus was in a home teaching and crowds of people were surrounding the house. It was extremely hard to get in and out! To many onlookers, it may have seemed impossible. But these friends decided to go on top of the roof and drop their friend in through the ceiling.
Why?
Because that's what friends do! They do whatever it takes to help their friend in need.
When the man is let down into the room, Jesus saw their faith and forgave the sins of the man. After swapping words with the Pharisees, Jesus heals the man from his paralysis.
His friends did not abandon him, and neither did Jesus. Jesus did not throw condemnation at the man. He did not second guess him. He just healed him.
We have a friend in Jesus, and he will not give up on us either. He did whatever it took to show us how to live and love. He would stop at nothing to care for his people. He is the friend who walked all the way to the hill, died on a cross, and rose again on Sunday. What a friend we have in Jesus!
And because of that friendship we have with Jesus — because of the Grace we have from Jesus — we are friends to those around us and they are friends to us.
We love because Jesus first loved us. There is nothing that we would not do to care for our friends because there is nothing that Jesus would not do to care for us.