Post by Woody Williams on Feb 19, 2006 7:24:20 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Mark 2:1-12
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When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that
he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room
for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word
to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralysed man,
carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus
because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after
having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic
lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your
sins are forgiven.' Now some of the scribes were sitting there,
questioning in their hearts, 'Why does this fellow speak in this way?
It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?' At once Jesus
perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions
among themselves; and he said to them, 'Why do you raise such
questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
"Your sins are forgiven", or to say, "Stand up and take 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 say to you, stand
up, take your mat and go to your home.' And he stood up, and
immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that
they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, 'We have never seen
anything like this!'
Devotional
----------
Jesus was not just interested in providing physical cures, even
though he could and did do that. He touches the primary healing that
we all need, the forgiveness of sins. Healing happens from the inside
out. The deepest inner healing is forgiveness. This is why, of all
the acts of Jesus' ministry, the cross is most important. The cross
is our healing through forgiveness that flows from the heart of God.
Prayer
--------------
Help me keep my eyes on your cross, O Lord. Amen
----------
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that
he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room
for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word
to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralysed man,
carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus
because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after
having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic
lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your
sins are forgiven.' Now some of the scribes were sitting there,
questioning in their hearts, 'Why does this fellow speak in this way?
It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?' At once Jesus
perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions
among themselves; and he said to them, 'Why do you raise such
questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
"Your sins are forgiven", or to say, "Stand up and take 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 say to you, stand
up, take your mat and go to your home.' And he stood up, and
immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that
they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, 'We have never seen
anything like this!'
Devotional
----------
Jesus was not just interested in providing physical cures, even
though he could and did do that. He touches the primary healing that
we all need, the forgiveness of sins. Healing happens from the inside
out. The deepest inner healing is forgiveness. This is why, of all
the acts of Jesus' ministry, the cross is most important. The cross
is our healing through forgiveness that flows from the heart of God.
Prayer
--------------
Help me keep my eyes on your cross, O Lord. Amen