Dear Explorer,
Read Matthew 9:1-8
Matthew just records the basics of this event, but Mark and Luke will give us more details.
Read Mark 2:1-12
I remember hearing this story as a child -- where four friends tear up somebody's roof and let their friend down with ropes on a pallet right in front of Jesus. And as a child, I couldn't understand why Jesus approved of this act of vandalism! It seemed very destructive to me. As an adult, I want to know “whose house was it?” I guess it might have been Jesus' house!
Read Luke 5:17-26
So, Jesus used this event as a teachable moment. You see people were recognizing Him as a Great Physician or healer, but Jesus decided it is time to remind the crowd of who He really was. Now, the room was filled with Pharisees and teachers of the Law. They had come from all over Galilee as well as from Judea, so there must have been quite a crowd. When Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven,” He was essentially saying, “I am God.”
What did the Pharisees and teachers of the Law say? (Put it in your own words)
The teachers and Pharisees were exactly right in their response. No one, but God, can forgive your sins!
I believe that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah repeatedly. Here He is saying, because I am God, I can heal physical AND spiritual problems. They are equally easy to do because I AM GOD!
Remember, all we must do is ask and He will forgive our sins and fill us up with Himself.
In His service, dale
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