ON YOUR MARK: WEEK 2 DAY 3

MARK 2:6-12

6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

I was once at a really nice steakhouse that had a tomahawked ribeye that was meat perfection, yet the person I was with was more excited for the chicken and brussel sprouts with maple glaze. I was left wondering how they could miss the point of a steakhouse like that?

In this Scripture, Jesus forgave sin, and to validate His claim, He healed a man, and the people were amazed; they praised God because the man walked out. But what about the world altering power in this statement from Jesus: “But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). Right there is the central claim that alters the eternity of everyone on earth. You and I can be forgiven and made new in Christ Jesus. To validate this claim, Jesus healed the outside visible paralysis of a man to display what happens on the inside of us when we believe in Jesus, and when He forgives our sin. Healing our relationship with God was Jesus’ mission, it was the tomahawked ribeye, and the healing was good. We need to be clear, however, that Jesus came here for one reason and that was to forgive sin and bring us back into relationship with God.