NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS
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Opening Prayer
God, my Father, establish me in the truth of your Word. Help me to make it my mainstay in all I think and do.
Read MARK 2:1—12
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Mark
Mark 2
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.
4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?
9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” He said to the paralytic,
11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Reflect
Have you ever been absolutely desperate? It narrows your focus and concentrates your mind. Were you able to address the issue?Crowd control becomes an issue again. This is one of the most genuinely ridiculous scenes in the Bible! We stand in awe at the determination of the friends of this paralyzed man. Houses were mostly made of mud bricks and had flat roofs, which often had external stair access. Imagine being in that room as the roof cracked and crumbled, the sunlight broke through, and a man on a stretcher was lowered into the crowd. They certainly made room for him. Even Jesus is amazed, not by their inventiveness but by their faith (v. 5).
Notice how Jesus conducts these exchanges. He goes to the core of the man’s need: forgiveness of sin. He also goes straight to the heart of the need of the teachers of the law: blindness. The light that has broken through shines on the fact that this Jesus is the Son of God. Not just a teacher, not just a healer and miracle worker, he has the authority to forgive sins and bring new life.
There has never been anything or anyone like this before!
Apply
What is the most pressing need you are aware of today? It might be personal, church related, a justice issue… God knows about it already. Ask him to work at the heart of the need and be prepared to overcome any obstacles he brings to your attention.
Closing prayer
Thank you, Lord God, that you are more than able to meet my every need, solve any problem, and fix anything that is broken. Help me to put my trust in you.
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