Two just-like-that moments, and our desire for some of them ourselves
By Dean Collins
Wouldn’t it be great if everything happened just like that? In an instant your problems are solved, your finances are fixed, your illness is healed, your relationship is restored, and your sins are forgiven. The truth is, we want the big things and the little annoyances all to get resolved just like that. Sometimes they do, but often they don’t.
But today’s stories from Scripture stories tell us about two times that’s exactly what happened.
‘Make me clean’
The first is about a man with leprosy who saw Jesus and fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” The man was right. God in the flesh was standing in front of him.
We don’t know where he got his insight. Desperation over his health and the resulting social isolation? Spiritual insight prompted by his observations of Jesus or even just the sheer power of the presence of God? We will never know what drove him to Jesus.
What we do know is that this man with leprosy bowed low and declared that Jesus could change everything in his situation if he was willing. Jesus said: “I will; be clean,” and just like that, the leprosy left him
Hole in the ceiling
A few verses later Luke reports another amazing encounter with Jesus. The master was teaching in a crowded room filled with Pharisees and teachers of the Law who had come from every nearby village and town. There were five more men trying their best to squeeze into the room, four friends carrying the fifth, who was paralyzed. But the room was too full. Luke doesn’t tell us anything about the content Jesus was presenting. But we learn that Jesus, like all good preachers, could read the room. There was commotion from above as the four men created a hole in the ceiling and lowered their friend by ropes on his mat and to the feet of Jesus.
There may be a pattern here. When people are willing to come to the feet of Jesus in humility and desperation their attitude moves the heart of God.
I imagine Jesus smiled and maybe even laughed as the dynamics of the room changed. Some in the crowd may have reacted in shock. Some Pharisee may have felt insult because he was in the middle of a question he was posing for Jesus. Others may have felt annoyed or even angry at the disruption. But my bet is that Jesus was amused and impressed with the faith and determination of the men who had orchestrated this moment.
‘Your sins are forgiven’
Jesus interrupted the hubbub with a simple statement directed toward the man who was paralyzed. “Your sins are forgiven.” But what was eternally transformative for one, created anger for many. The Pharisees quickly verbally pounced on Jesus, declaring blasphemy. They claimed no one but God could forgive sins. They were right, of course. But they failed to understand that God in the flesh was standing in the room with them.
When we are so intent on our opinions of God, we will often miss that he is waiting in the room with us. Jesus was getting nowhere with the scribes and Pharisees who were more upset about Jesus violating their understanding and opinion than they were about the paralyzed man lying at the feet of Jesus. We should probably check ourselves when we find ourselves arguing more about doctrines and theology than caring for people with needs.
In one moment Jesus changed the dynamic in the room and one man’s life forever. “Which is easier to say,” he asked. “Your sins are forgiven, or rise and walk?”
Before they could answer, Jesus made it clear he had the authority to do both. He looked at the man on the floor and spoke to him again. “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
And just like that the man rolled up the mat he had been lying on for years and walked through the crowd. Everyone was amazed, and many said they had all seen extraordinary things that day.
He’s in the room
I suspect you realize that Jesus is in the room every time there is faith to see him. The problem we have is that we get so focused on our solutions, our opinions, who’s right and who’s wrong, that we can’t be quiet or still enough to call his name. But when we do, things can change just like that.
Jesus can and will act just like that for all of his children. He doesn’t have favorites. In fact, his work on the cross was a just-like-that moment in history. His payment for the sins of humanity has been settled. His work of restoration of all things for all time has been settled and continues to be revealed day by day. We will not see our individual situations transformed until we meet Jesus face-to-face in eternity. We will continue to see just-like-that moments of grace and mercy every day when we walk in the Spirit as he has made it possible for us to do.
Not every illness or horrible injustice will be solved in the broken world where we live now. However, every social issue, every illness, and every need will be met when Jesus returns. And one day we will see it unfold just like that.
Your time with God’s Word
Luke 5:12-13, 17-26 ESV
Photo by Kreative Kwame at pexels.com
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