This beautiful account teaches us so much...--It is a message about missions - the four men bringing their friend to Jesus. He cannot get there himself. They carry him. They bring him to the door. But, they can-t get in. Then, they get bold. They will not be denied. They climb up on the roof and begin to dig through the roof. They get him to Jesus.----It is a message about our greatest human need. To be known fully - better than we know ourselves - and to be loved in spite of all that is known. To be loved by God. To be called His son, His daughter. To be loved with a love that will not let you go. Nothing is needed more than that. Not even walking.----It is a message about the reality of sin. Martyn Lloyd Jones, describing this reality, said that sin is the only real problem that God has had to deal with in creation. He writes- -Such is the problem with which we are confronted. There is in us, in man, this terrible, mighty power called -sin- which alienates us from God and leads us to hate Him, and at the same time debases us and leads us to conduct which can only be described as disgusting.-----It is a message about compassion and grace. How is it that this man-s sins are forgiven- Nowhere do we find the doctrine of sins being forgiven without repentance. There is no cry from the man to have mercy. No spoken confession. No cry of repentance.The answer must be that Jesus also knew, in the heart of this poor creature lowered into His presence, that there was repentance, that there was a desire to be cleansed of his sins. Probably not well-developed or thoroughly thought through. But, it must be there. Be encouraged- Jesus stands ready to forgive.