While the Lord taught in a crowded house, four men dug a hole and lowered a paralyzed man on a pallet through the roof (Mark 2:1-4). Jesus commended their faith and healed the sick man. Before the Lord healed him of his physical sickness, He cured his spiritual sickness (Mark 2:5). He took away his sins before his paralysis!
Since we all have been infected with the disease of sin (Romans 3:23), let’s consider some critical things that Jesus teaches about forgiveness.
Forgiveness matters most (Mark 2:5).
- This is seen in how Jesus healed the sick man’s soul before his physical body. He could be saved possessing a sick body, but not a sick soul! Physical healing benefits a person in this life but not in the life to come.
- If the paralyzed man had only been healed physically, he would have left the house still sick. He would have still been infected with the soul-destroying disease of sin.
- Do we understand the importance of being forgiven?
- Do we humbly pursue forgiveness?
- Do we pray that others will humbly pursue and receive it?
- Do we teach our children to humbly pursue it?
- Do we emphasize its importance when in our evangelistic efforts?
Forgiveness comes from God (Mark 2:6-8).
- The scribes and Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy. They knew that only God had the authority to forgive sins.
- Jesus performs two acts of divinity. He reads the hearts of these men and cures the sick man’s paralysis. The healing verified Jesus ‘claim to be God (Mark 2:10-11). It proved that He did possess the authority to forgive sins on earth.
- Jesus can do something for us that no ordinary man can!
Forgiveness involves faith (Mark 2:9-11).
- We can’t see God’s forgiveness. God doesn’t put a red dot on someone’s head once they are baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). There is no tangible evidence to prove the promise of Psalm 103:12.
- When we trust and obey the Lord in faith, we can have confidence that God has forgiven and changed our spiritual status (1 John 1:9)
- The Ethiopian eunuch had faith in God’s ability to keep His promise (Acts 8:35-39; 2:38).
Forgiveness provokes a response (Mark 2:12).
- It should provoke the forgiven sinner to rejoice and celebrate God’s forgiveness.
- It should also provoke the people who by faith, witness others receive forgiveness. It should compel them to rejoice with angels and glorify God (Luke 15:8-10; Mark 2:12).
- The scribes and Pharisees grumbled and complained about Jesus forgiving sinners.
Conclusion:
Do you need spiritual healing from the Lord?