even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the word to them, some people
brought to him a paralyzed man.
The four men who carried him couldn’t get near Jesus because of the crowd, so they
opened the roof above the room where Jesus was and, through the hole, lowered the
man on his mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralytic,
“My son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now, some teachers of the law, who were sitting there, wondered within themselves,
“How can he speak like this, insulting God? Who can forgive sins except God?”
At once, Jesus knew in his spirit what they were thinking, and asked, “Why do you
wonder? Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say,
‘Rise, take up your mat and walk?’ But now you shall know, that the Son of Man has
authority on earth to forgive sins.”
And he said to the paralytic, “Stand up, take up your mat and go home.” The man
rose and, in the sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out. All of them
were astonished and praised God, saying, “Never have we seen anything like this!”
Reflect
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. That could have been the motto of the paralyzed
man’s friends. They wanted their friend to be healed and they weren’t going to let a
crowded doorway stop them. It’s because of their faith, hope, and love that Jesus
extends his healing power to their friend – not just physical healing, but spiritual
healing as well. Not only could the man walk again, but his sins were forgiven. Contrast
these friends with the teachers of the law who questioned Jesus’ authority even though
they witnessed his miraculous deeds.
Which group do we take after? Are we people who strive to bring our friends to Jesus?
Who admit our own sinfulness and ask God’s forgiveness? Who trust that God’s power
exceeds all our expectations? Who can’t let any obstacle keep us from Jesus? Or do we
follow the teachers of the law, more worried about how things look and what others
expect?
© Copyright Bible Diary 2022