The more we dig into the scriptures...

...the more we find this idea of community. Today we are looking at men of this small community who were roof crashers. Luke 5:18-19 (NLT2) “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.” These friends were doing what they were doing because they loved their friend. Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV) “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” This is key to community - True friends get their friends to Jesus!

1. Roof crashers are desperate to get their friends to Jesus. This can be for salvation, deliverance, or healing but holy desperation is necessary to get people to Jesus. Community recognizes that the only hope people have is Jesus. They are so desperate to get to Jesus that they decide nothing was going to get in their way…not even a crowd or a roof. They were motivated by their love for their friend and their trust that Jesus could do something.

2. Roof crashers break through. When was the last time you determined to break thru for a friend or someone in this community who needed a miracle? Communities pray for one another and we fight for one another. May stay up all night praying. Remember if this man does not have these friends he does not get to Jesus, he doesn’t have his sins forgiven, he doesn’t get healed, and he doesn’t have a break through.

3. Roof crashers are committed to community. This paralyzed man had true friends in their small community. Not people who were just friendly but people who are committed to you in a way acquaintances or paid service providers are not. Urie Bronfenbrenner – A family or community is a group which possess and implements an irrational commitment to the wellbeing of its members. Let’s crash some roofs for each other!