Responding To A Good Offer
Wednesday January 22, 2014
RESPONDING TO A GOOD OFFER
We’ve been thinking about this story of four friends who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing. They were willing to do whatever it took to give their friend an opportunity to encounter Jesus. They carried him to Jesus. They tore up the roof of the house where Jesus was. They got ropes and lowered the man so he was right in front of Jesus. They did everything they could. Now it’s all about how the paralyzed man responds to Jesus. People are kind to us. They assist us as we pick up the pieces of our broken lives and seek to make a new start after a time in addictive and destructive life habits. They tell us about Jesus. They pray for us. They show us good news about Jesus in God’s word, The Bible. However, then the rest is up to us. What will we do with what Jesus offers us?
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” (Mark 2:5-12 NLT)
Jesus offered forgiveness of sin and physical healing to the man on the mat. He was lying on that mat paralyzed when Jesus told him to stand up, pick up his mat, and go home. What courage and faith it took to move muscles that hadn’t moved and were probably withered away from years of non-use. However, the paralyzed man did just what Jesus said. He believed and he received. He acted according to Jesus’ instruction and to his amazement, and the amazement of everyone around him, he was able to walk and jump, and move about freely.
What are we doing today with the forgiveness Jesus is offering us? What are we doing today with the guidance and direction He shows us in the Bible? What are we doing today with the strength to overcome fear and seemingly impossible obstacles? Are we going to lie around in fear and failure based on our history of brokenness and inability to stay the course, or, are we going to stand up and see the power of God brought to life in our circumstances? Will we seriously, take the word of God seriously?
“Because you’re not yet taking God seriously,” said Jesus. “The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.” (Matthew 17:20 MSG)
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