03/14/2026
What do you do when an emergency stands between you and Jesus? In Luke 5:17–26, Luke, a physician and writer, gives us an up close and personal look at the moment when Jesus healed a paralyzed man while teaching in a crowded house. In the audience that day were the religious rulers of the day, the Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village in Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. They were known for carefully enforcing the rules of the law, and thought that if a person was sick or suffering, it was because of their sin.
In this story, they were there because they were watching Jesus closely, hoping to find fault with Him. While Jesus continued to teach, something remarkable happened. Four determined men arrived carrying their friend, a paralyzed man lying on a mat, hoping to get him into the house and place him before Jesus. But the house was so packed with people that there was no room through the front door. Imagine arriving at a house party today where the place is so packed the owners would probably get cited for a fire code violation.
Instead of giving up or turning back, they climbed onto the roof, tore it open, and lowered their friend down right in front of Jesus. And that is when Jesus the Rulebreaker shows up.
Here are three powerful rulebreakers that help us lean into Jesus’ power when facing difficult times or you need a closer walk with Him.
RULEBREAKER #1: Push past your problems to get into Jesus’ presence.
Sometimes obstacles stand between Jesus and us, too. It may not be a crowded house or a roof we have to climb through, but worry, fear, pride, doubt, stress, sin, or difficult circumstances can leave us feeling unable to move forward. Sometimes we need friends who help us move past our own stuff so we can get into the presence of Jesus.
RULEBREAKER #2: Jesus prioritizes spiritual healing over physical healing.
When the paralyzed man was lowered in front of Jesus, the first words He spoke were not about the paralyzed man’s body but his soul. In Luke 5:20, Jesus said: “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” In that moment Jesus reminds us that our greatest need is not just physical healing, but forgiveness of our sins to restore our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
RULEBREAKER #3: Personal healing becomes your public testimony.
After Jesus healed the paralyzed man, the scriptures tell us that he stood up straight, picked up the mat he had been lying on, and went home praising God. This one man who had been carried in by his friends was now carrying the very thing that once carried him. And this still rings true today. When Jesus changes our lives, people take notice, and we have a Jesus story to share with the world, a testimony that points others to Him.
So, what is the bottom line?
Healing happens through faith, forgiveness, and friends. Sometimes we may not be physically paralyzed, but life’s drama keeps us from turning to Jesus. Think about your family and friends who need to get closer to Jesus too. One of the greatest things we can do is be the one friend who helps bring them into His presence even if it means we have to “tear the roof off” to make it happen.
