I remember reading this story of the paralytic man sitting on a bench in a park near Amsterdam. I was out walking with a tall Dutch friend of mine called Hilda. She and I had been on many walks in that wood over the years and had had many conversations about life and God and her struggles with faith. But this time was different. I was about to go away; we were moving back to England and I wouldn’t be able to see her so easily and to talk so freely. We had shared so much and now I was about to leave her. Perhaps that is why I decided to read this story with her. Perhaps I was a little like those friends who wanted to take their friend to Jesus. The men in the story knew their friend was in need and they also knew the One who could help. This paralysed man, like the one covered in leprosy and like Levi the tax collector, received something from Jesus. Healing, forgiveness, purpose and calling, each received what they needed the most. These are stories of humble dependence and obedience, of perseverance and the breaking down of barriers. They are stories of transformation. But more than this, these stories show us who Jesus is. ‘Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ Publicly and decisively, Jesus forgives, heals and restores all who come to him. He is showing us his true identity as the man who is God. I wanted my friend Hilda to get to know Jesus. He is the one who meets our every need, who gives and gives out of his limitless resources of love and grace and forgiveness. Jesus shows us the radically generous heart of God.
8th June – Adam Priestly – Luke 5
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Adam Priestly (Sheffield)
Sheffield
Who’s the most generous person you know? Maybe you can picture someone, maybe not. After all, what is it that makes a person generous? One marker of generosity could be giving more than is asked of. An example of this comes from an old story about Alexander the Great: One day a beggar by the roadside asked Alexander for alms. The man was very wretched so to the surprise of some Alexander threw the beggar several gold coins. One of those standing nearby was shocked and said to the ruler, “Sir, copper coins would have met that beggar’s need. Why did you give him gold?” Responding in royal fashion Alexander said, “Copper coins would have suited the beggar’s need, but only gold coins suit Alexander’s giving.” Alexander’s giving of more than he needed showed a generous spirit, yet it pales in significance when we see the extra that Jesus gives when we ask for something of Him. This is something that is very clear in our reading. Some friends make a desperate attempt to bring a man with paralysis to Jesus for healing. Jesus responds generously and the man leaves walking on his own two feet. But that’s not all Jesus gives. He generously gives something much more valuable and deeper that suited only His giving and authority. Jesus forgave the man of his sins. So how did the man respond? We’re not told so we simply don’t know. However, it would be strange to think that the man didn’t respond in some positive way to Jesus. I’ve never been paralysed but my story is similar to that of the healed and forgiven man. There was once a time when I kneeled before Jesus and asked Him to change my immediate situation. He did! Yet, what I couldn’t know was that, in His generosity, He would also give me much more; that through His atoning sacrifice He also granted me forgiveness of my sins. As this sank in it became apparent that the only appropriate response to this was to give something back. Not out of duty but out of joy! Generosity is therefore a natural side effect of drinking water from the stream of forgiveness that flows only from Jesus. And naturally this can’t help but include the generosity of yourself, your gifts, your love, your time, your possessions and your finances.