Gospel

But I Will Show You

by Roland Crim
07/25/19
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But some of the scribes were sitting there and contemplating in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” At once Jesus knew in His spirit that they were thinking this way within themselves. “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” He asked. “Which is easier: to say to a paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:6-12 NIV

Notice that Mark tells us that the scribes had ill thoughts in their hearts. It had moved beyond the mind, into the hearts of these men. They had absolutely no place in their hearts for Christ. Their God was a God that they had molded according to their thinking. These men had no love for their fellow mankind. They were totally caught up in themselves. Jesus knew in His Spirit that which they were thinking.

After speaking words to the scribes, Jesus revealed to them that He did indeed have power to forgive sins on earth. He showed it through the restoration of the paralytic man. We know that the scribes did not believe in Christ, even after this miracle. Their hearts were set in stone….a stone of evil.

Those who witnessed Jesus’ action were amazed. Who could both set one free of their sins, and cure diseases like no one else besides the Lord?

We are like the paralytic in that Jesus has freed us from the mat of slavery to sin. He has let us know that we are forgiven. Do we truly believe this? Do we live in His love and share it with others? I pray the answer is yes for many!