After Jesus had completed his tour of the synagogues he returned to Capernaum to rest for a few days. The news got out quickly that he had arrived and soon the house was filled to overflowing with people and people even spilled out into the streets.

Into this crowd came four men carrying on a stretcher a friend of theirs who was paralyzed. So jammed was the narrow street that they could not get through. But they were as resourceful as they were determined. Thus, we read, that they climbed on top of the house and cut a hole through the roof of the house and lowered this cripple down.

For a few moments this morning I would like for us to examine the dynamics of this story by taking a look at the principle characters involved.

1. The first thing I would note would be the intercession of his friends.
2. The second personality in the story was the crowd 
3. The third personality in the story is the cripple