It's All in the Name

I was interested in what He would do when the four men came up to Him carrying the crippled man.

He had been so totally limp for so long that they had to carry him in a blanket.

They seemed so intent on getting Jesus' attention.

"Jesus," the spokesman said, "Have mercy on this man. He has been crippled since birth. He has hardly moved since he was a child. Not a day has gone by that he has not longed to be able to walk like normal folks. Do you suppose you could find it in your power to heal this one?"

The words had no sooner left his mouth than another bystander shouted from the crowd, "Who do you think you are, just walking up to Jesus like that? He cannot possibly help this man, for his condition is too severe."

"We know He has a reputation for healing," cried out another, "but this is beyond the pale. You are asking too much of Jesus. Go away. Leave Him alone!"

"Don't get us wrong," shouted the first. "We did see Him heal a blind man. But, really, this is too much to ask. Even Jesus can't help this man."

There was another man in the crowd who wanted to be heard.

"I think you four have a lot of nerve bothering Jesus with a man whose condition is so obviously beyond help. Why do you get the poor man's hopes up like that? It is so unkind.

"While it is true that I saw Jesus heal the withered hand of a man not too long ago, this is just ridiculous. This man's condition is so bad that he is beyond hope."

"You know," this was a different voice, "I DID see Him cure a leper once. That was one wretched man! Jesus actually had the nerve to touch him! Yuck! But the man was cured.

"This, though, is way beyond reason.

"In the first place, this man has been this way forever and he will be this way forever.

"Besides, the condition is just too much! He is completely limp.

"There is obviously nothing Jesus can do for him.

"Go away. Leave Jesus alone!"

"Yes! Leave Hm alone. He is too busy to take on such an obviously worthless case." It was the voice of the first man again.

"Go away. There is no reason to expect that Jesus can help this man."

"We say you should all just get back about your business. This man cannot be cured. Such a cure would be too hard, even for Jesus."

It looked to me like the matter was about to be closed.

Most of the people in the crowd seemed to be in agreement with the three who had spoken.

We were pretty much all convinced that there are just some things even Jesus cannot do.

About that time another spoke up.

As he made his way to the front of the group, he seemed confident and poised. He had no stage fright, that's for sure.

"Pardon me," he said in a voice that commanded attention, "Please listen to what I have to say.

"I think you will find it very interesting.

"You seem to think this would be too great of a miracle for Jesus to pull off.

"I don't think so, myself.

"I have great confidence in Jesus ability.

"You see, for me it is great to be alive.

"I have even faced the intense questioning of the Pharasees without fear. Nothing they could do to me would frighten me."

"I can say without fear of contradiction that I have heard the very voice of God.

"My name is Lazarus."