Discipleship Through the Roof

Scripture Reading: Mark 2:1–12; Acts 2:1–4
Reflection: Gospel Discipleship reminds us that following Jesus isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey,
each of us is shaped by the gospel in unique ways, yet all of us are called to grow as disciples who
follow Jesus with urgency, trust, and Spirit-filled faith. The Gospel of Mark moves fast. Things
happen immediately (word used 41 times in Marks Gospel), Jesus calls, heals, teaches, and casts
out demons with urgency. When we reach chapter 2, the scene is almost chaotic, a house so full
that no one else can get in the door. Then in that mess comes four friends carrying a paralyzed
man on a mat. They could have turned away. They could have waited for a quieter day. Instead,
they do something both desperate and creative. They climb the stairs, dig through the roof, and
lower their friend right at Jesus’ feet. It’s not neat. It’s not polite. It’s not how people usually go to
church. But it is faith and it is urgent. When Jesus sees what they’ve done, Scripture says, “He saw
their faith.” Not just the man’s faith, but the faith of his friends who refused to stop until they got
him to Jesus. That messy, urgent act opens the door for healing and forgiveness.
We see the same Spirit at work in Acts 2. The disciples are huddled together, uncertain and
waiting, when suddenly the Spirit rushes in like a mighty wind and tongues of fire. It isn’t a calm,
quiet arrival. It’s disruptive. It spills out into the streets. Ordinary people are filled with God’s Spirit
and empowered to carry the gospel out into the world in ways they could have never managed on
their own. That is what discipleship looks like. Urgent, messy, Spirit-driven. It’s less about being
perfect and more about making space for God to move. Sometimes it looks like tearing through
barriers that stand in the way of Christ. Sometimes it feels like being pushed into places you didn’t
want to go. But it always centers on trust that Jesus is present, powerful, and ready to meet us in
the middle of it all.
Consider This:
 Where do you see barriers in your life or community that keep people from reaching Jesus?
 Have you ever experienced God moving in a disruptive, Spirit-driven way? How did it change
you?
 Who are the “roof-carrying” friends in your life and how can you be that kind of friend?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for being present even in the mess and urgency of life. Thank you for friends
and community who help carry us when we cannot carry ourselves. Teach us not to wait for
perfect conditions, but to act with faith now, trusting your Spirit to guide us. Break through every
barrier that separates us from you, and send us out into the world as Spirit-filled disciples, ready
to love, serve, and proclaim your name. Amen.