Changi Chapel

1. Is your faith intellectual or experiential?

In Luke 5:17, we see how “there were Pharisees and teachers of the law” who had come “from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem” present when Jesus was teaching in Capernaum. Apparently a very academic and intellectual group of Pharisees were there, hoping to hear Jesus teach and discourse, so that they could enjoy the intellectual stimulation!

But Jesus was more interested in demonstrating the power of God. Which is why verse 17 says, “the power of the Lord was with him to heal”. Often we can reduce our faith to something merely intellectual. Sometimes it is easier to talk and debate about our faith, rather than live it out in the power of God. In 1 Cor 4:20 we learn “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power”

Is this power at work in our lives or is our faith merely talk?

2. How many caring friends do you have?

The man who was sick with paralysis, was carried by four friends who were determined to get him to Jesus. They refused to give up when the crowd did not allow them passage to carry their friend to bring him to Jesus. They were so determined that they had the audacity to tear open the roof of the house and let their friend down, right in front of Jesus!

How many such friends do we have? Do we have friends whose faith exceeds ours? Will our friends go out of the way for us to experience God’s touch in our lives? This man was blessed with such friends – without whom he would never have experienced this healing.

3. Is there a connection between sin and sickness?

As soon as Jesus saw the sick man, instead of stretching forth his hand to heal him, told him his sins were forgiven. And the Pharisees reacted to this statement with much consternation. But Jesus was also highlighting a spiritual truth that we read about in Psalms 103:3 “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases”.

Often in the Scripture forgiveness of sins precedes healing. We learn about this also in James 5:15 in which in says that “the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.

When we are sick do we spiritually examine ourselves or do we simply run to a doctor?

John B Samuel