Through the Roof

 

 One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.  Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.  Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”   But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts?  Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?  So, I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”  And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God.  Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”  Luke 5:17-26

This man’s friends knew Jesus could heal their friend.  In their faith they removed the ceiling to get their friend into the presence of Jesus.  Jesus first forgave the man’s sins and then healed his body.   Jesus demonstrated His authority over both the man’s spiritual and physical condition.  Jesus healed the entire man, not just his physical state.

When Jesus gave His life, was resurrected and ascended to heaven He not only defeated sin and death He removed the ceiling to heaven.  When we accept Jesus as our Savior we receive the gift of salvation but we also are restored as sons and daughters of God.  Jesus removed the ceiling tiles of our sinful existence and gave us an open heaven to receive our inheritance as children of God.

For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.   Ephesians 2:6 NLT 

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.  Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.  And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.  Colossians 3:1-4

I don’t know about you but there is a desperation in my heart to see God face to face.   Daily there is a longing for more of who He is and a desire for His embrace.   Though we do not see with our physical sight, God has given us spiritual sight through Holy Spirit.  We in reality are in heavenly realms with Him even though our physical being remains on this earth.  We can come to God’s throne to receive all that we need.  We come with our emptiness to be filled by Him.  We come for fire for the altar of our life.  When we approach God’s realm we never come away empty. 

“Through the Roof” is a song about the open heaven we have through our Lord, Jesus Christ.  We no longer descend through wood and clay roof as the paralyzed man did but we can ascend into God’s realm because Jesus has broken the ceiling of sin and death.  He has given us a seat in heavenly places because He is in us and we are in Him.