Meeting On The Mat

One of the common themes throughout the Gospels and Early Church time period were people on mats in busy places begging for money. There art so many stories where Jesus healed them and forgave their sins. I especially love the story where these friends carried their friend on his mat to Jesus. When they couldn’t get to Him, they ripped off the roof and lowered him to Jesus. As I think about all those people on the mats, I realize we are all like them in some way. These mats weren’t just what the invalid people laid on. They represent the place where our limitations meet divine intervention. They remind me that all of us are in need of a savior and that we must come to that place where we ask Jesus for help. It’s when we realize we are on these mats that Jesus sees beyond our initial need and takes care of our other hidden needs to. The mat is a meeting place where true healing takes place, but we have to become humble enough to know we need it.

Here are some Bible verses where Jesus met people on mats:

1. Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly.

Acts of the Apostles 9:32, 34 NLT

2. The people recognized Jesus at once, and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Mark 6:54-56 NLT

3. As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

Acts of the Apostles 5:15-16 NLT

4. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!

John 5:6-9 NLT

5. 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.” …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 5:18-20, 24-26 NLT

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