The Easiest Miracle
Opening Prayer
Loving Lord, I thank You that You love me with an unconditional, unfailing, unending love in Jesus Christ.
Read Mark 2:1-12
[1] A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. [2] They gathered in such large numbers 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 paralyzed man, 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 by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “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 this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? [10] But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, [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!” Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What got the Pharisees so upset with Jesus?We like to see results, don’t we? In our efforts, for our studies, in the project we’re working on at work, in our kids as we pour our time and love into them. Our whole culture is geared towards measurable results. News reports give us statistical evidence, not just advice, that something will damage our health or delay the aging process. The Pharisees were scandalized because Jesus claimed to forgive sins, something only God has the right to do. In his response, Jesus makes it clear that whether the results are invisible or visible, the key to the miraculous is authority (10). For Jesus, healing the paralytic was easy; it was simply an external, physical problem. His authority in the physical demonstrated his authority in a much more difficult area, the forgiveness of sin. The internal state of our hearts is the trickier transformation. Mark shows us Jesus’ skills not just as a “results man” in the physical world, but also as one who is able to remove the self-inflicted wounds where sin twists and distorts us.
Apply
Spend time with God asking him to take authority over you again today, healing and transforming your body and heart.
Closing prayer
Thank You, Lord, that You have such wonderful power and authority and use it so graciously in my life and others.
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