Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man – The Power of Faith in Action
Faith. It’s a word we hear often as Christians—but how often do we live it out? Jesus tells us in Matthew 17:20 that even faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains:
“And He said to them, ‘Because of your meager faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’”
Throughout His ministry, Jesus performed many miracles—healing the sick, calming storms, feeding crowds. And, He passed on that power to Peter and the Apostles after the transfiguration. But there’s something incredibly special about the time Jesus healed a paralyzed man. It wasn’t just the man’s faith that made it happen—it was the faith of his friends.
Let’s take a look at this powerful Bible story from Luke and see what it teaches us about faith, friendship, and boldness.
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man – Luke 5:17-26
“One day He was teaching, and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the Law sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.
And some men were carrying a man on a stretcher who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him.
But when they did not find any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.
And seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”
The scribes and the Pharisees began thinking of the implications, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, except God alone?”
But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, responded and said to them, “Why are you thinking this way in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
But so 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, get up, and pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
And immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.
And they were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God. They were also filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today!” – Luke 5:17-26
A House of Straw and Faith
The homes during Jesus’ time were often built with stone walls and thatched roofs—simple structures, sometimes held together with mud. And many had stairs leading up to the roof.
Imagine this moment: the paralyzed man’s friends couldn’t get through the crowd. But they didn’t stop. They climbed the stairs, dug through the roof, and lowered their friend directly in front of Jesus. That’s what bold, active faith looks like.
The Faith of Friends
Why go to all that trouble? Why risk damaging someone’s house, or interrupting a teacher surrounded by a crowd?
Because they believed. These friends were convinced that Jesus could heal their paralyzed friend. Their faith led to action. And that action got Jesus’ attention.
Whose Faith Moved Jesus?
The Scripture is clear—it was the faith of the friends that moved Jesus to respond. He saw their effort. He saw their belief. And because of that, He forgave the man’s sins and healed his body.
What About Our Faith?
We all say we have faith. But do we live it out in a way that brings others to Jesus?
- Do we pray boldly for others?
- Are we willing to speak up about Christ, even when it’s uncomfortable?
- Are we ready to step in and help carry someone else when they can’t move forward on their own?
Just like the paralyzed man, there are people around us who need healing—emotionally, spiritually, even physically. And sometimes, our faith can be the bridge that leads them to Jesus.
We don’t know how much faith the paralyzed man himself had. But we do know this: he experienced the power of Jesus because of the faith of others. He saw love in action. He witnessed that faith is more than a word—it’s a verb.
Are We Willing to Be That Bold?
This Bible lesson challenges us to be bold. To act on our faith. To do whatever it takes to help someone meet Jesus.
The question is: When someone needs to be carried to Christ, will we be the ones to lift them up?
Love in Christ
– Bob
If you have never made the commitment to receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to Read John 3:16 to learn how.