Get Up and Carry What Once Carried You (Luke 5:17–26)
There are moments when the words of
Jesus break through the silence of our paralysis and release us into a life we
never thought possible. One such moment is captured in Luke 5, where the
paralyzed man, carried by his friends to Jesus, is told:
“I tell you, get up, take your mat
and go home.” (Luke 5:24)
This command was not just about
standing. It was about reclaiming authority over what once held him down. The
mat that had carried him for years—the symbol of his weakness—would now be
lifted by his own renewed strength. That is the transforming power of Christ.
1.
The Atmosphere of Power
Luke tells us, “And the power of
the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.” (v.17)
The house was crowded, packed with Pharisees and teachers, yet it was also
thick with God’s presence. Where Jesus is, there is always power. And the power
of the Lord is not a distant concept; it is present, personal, and purposeful.
Today, the same power is near you.
Not locked in a temple, not reserved for the holy few, but flowing from the
risen Christ who says, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age.” (Matt. 28:20)
2.
Faith That Carries
The paralyzed man could not move on
his own. Yet, his friends refused to let obstacles block the way. They tore
open the roof and lowered him down at the very feet of Jesus. Scripture says, “When
Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’” (v.20)
Faith is not always shown in words
but in actions. Sometimes it is the faith of others that carries us when we
cannot move. Perhaps you feel weary, numb, paralyzed by fear, regret, or shame.
Take courage—there are prayers carrying you, unseen intercessions lifting you,
brothers and sisters who will not give up until you are laid at the feet of
Christ.
And you too are called to be a
faith-carrier for someone else. Whose mat can you help lift today?
3.
Forgiveness Before Healing
When Jesus looked at the man, His
first words were not, “Be healed.” They were, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The greatest healing is not
physical—it is reconciliation with God. Sin is the deepest paralysis. Jesus was
showing that His authority extended beyond sickness into the eternal realm of
the soul. The Pharisees questioned His authority, but Jesus proved that
forgiveness and healing are inseparable in His kingdom.
Beloved, hear this: before your body
rises, your soul must be made whole. Christ came not only to strengthen weak
limbs but to wash away sin, guilt, and condemnation.
4.
The Impossible Command
Then came the impossible: “Get
up, take your mat and go home.”
The man was being asked to do what
his body had never done. Yet the Word of Jesus carried the power to create what
it commanded. The very authority that said, “Let there be light,” now
said, “Rise.”
What once carried him in weakness,
he was now commanded to carry as a testimony. His mat—symbol of pain and
shame—became proof of God’s power. The same will happen for you. The addiction
that once chained you will become the story of freedom you testify about. The
depression that once held you down will become the platform where you declare
God’s joy. The wounds that once broke you will be the scars that show His
healing hand.
5.
Gratitude That Glorifies
The man did not just walk away
quietly. Luke says, “Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he
had been lying on and went home praising God.” (v.25)
Healing without thanksgiving is
incomplete. True restoration bursts into praise. Gratitude transforms a private
miracle into public worship. When God raises you, don’t hide your
testimony—praise Him openly.
6.
A Community in Awe
The miracle did not end with one
man’s healing. “Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled
with awe and said, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.’” (v.26)
When God moves, it shakes more than
just your story—it awakens a whole community. The healed man’s praise became
contagious. The crowd could not deny the glory of God.
This is still God’s desire for His
people—that through your rising, others may see His remarkable works and return
to awe-filled worship.
7. What Does God Expect of You Today?
Jesus healed with a word. He forgave with authority. And everyone was left amazed. But the question remains—what about us who follow Him today?
· What is it for you today?
· How can you bring healing to the weary, the sick, the broken?
· What do you need to become more like Jesus in action?
Beloved, your role is not to perform miracles in your own strength but to become a vessel through which the power and compassion of Jesus can flow. Jesus forgave because He saw faith. He healed because He carried the heart of the Father. His authority was rooted in intimacy with God, in obedience, in a life soaked in prayer.
And now He calls you:
· To carry others by faith, even when they cannot move themselves.
· To speak life-giving words, words that lift rather than crush.
· To pray boldly for the sick, not doubting the power of the Lord who is still present to heal.
· To believe that your touch, your prayer, your intercession can open the door for others to rise.
The question is not whether God can still heal. The question is—will you step into the call to be His hands, His mouth, His servant in a hurting world?
8.
Prophetic Call for Today
Beloved, Jesus still speaks the same
words: “Get up.”
- Get up from spiritual paralysis.
- Get up from the weight of past sin.
- Get up from fear, shame, and failure.
And when you rise, don’t leave your
mat behind. Carry it. What once defined your weakness will now define your
testimony. What once humiliated you will now glorify God. What once carried you
will now be carried by you.
Today can still be a day of
remarkable things.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You who forgive sins and
heal sickness, I come before You with my weakness and paralysis. Speak Your
word over my life. Raise me where I have been lying too long. Give me strength
to carry what once carried me. Let my story become a testimony of Your grace.
And may my life, like the healed man, go forth praising You and drawing others
into awe of Your glory.
Amen.
Whisper
for Today
“What once carried you in weakness,
you will carry in victory.”
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