The Pardon Of God's Servant
"Forgiving Sin"
Book of Mark 2:1-12
We know from last weeks lesson that the fame of Jesus had spread in such a way that it actually sometimes hindered what He had come to do.
Why had the Messiah come?
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus was God in the flesh and He brought the power of God with Him!
Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: [for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise].
Paul wrote it like this:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
So just who can forgive sins?
We must forgive each other but only God can forgive us of our sins against His Word!
Let's look to our lesson today:
*****Mar 2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
The Book of Matthew chapter 9 tells us of many things that Jesus had done in these days since He first left Capernaum.
But, Mark begins chapter 2 by telling of Jesus's return to Capernaum and back to the house of Peter and Andrew.
That word "noised" means the news of His return traveled very fast from house to house, throughout the city!
Wherever Our Lord traveled, great crowds would gather.
If these crowds had been interested in the "gospel message", this would have been a great encouragement to Jesus but sadly most just wanted to see the "Miracle Maker"!
And some were just spies sent from the Pharisee and Sadducees, who only wanted to see if Jesus could be caught in some sin.
*****Mar 2:2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
This time at Capernaum, there was no line so Jesus could lay His hands on the sick.
This time these people would have to hear the message that Jesus had, the "Gospel" message.
"It is always more important to deal with the soul of man than it is to deal with the body"!
"The word" that Jesus preached is best describe by the Apostle John:
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In this chapter of the Book of Mark we will see 3 things that Jesus brings to all who will believe on Him.
1) Forgiveness
2) Fulfillment
3) Freedom
Jesus will always begin with "forgiveness" to those that are sincere!
None of these people had been invited to the house of Peter and his family, they just came!
People were pushing and shoving their way into that house "but" Jesus just keeps on preaching.
And, as always there will be some truly needy people who cannot get close enough to Jesus to get the help they truly need.
*****Mar 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
There are 5 men coming "as one" to this place where Jesus is located.
What ever this thing that is carried by these 4 men it must be light enough for this man to carry himself because he would soon be carrying his own bed.
BUT, it must also be strong enough for these men to carry this one that is paralyzed.
The man himself was at least heavy enough so that it required 4 men to carry him.
BUT, these men also carried more than this one thing that were not shown by this unruly crowd!
They had "Faith"!
They also had a "caring love" for the one that they carried!
It was this mans "suffering and misery" that had brought this group in search of Christ Jesus.
These are the things that every "lost soul" must realize, so this message is directed at all disciples of Christ or Christians.
1.) The "lost" are living a life of misery and suffering.
2.) Some one must have a love and care enough about them to lead them to Jesus.
3.) It then takes "Faith"!
4.) We need to be "determined" that everyone we love will be led to Jesus and we are commanded to even love our enemies.
5.) Jesus Christ, Our Lord, will do the rest because He is Savior and then Healer.
6.) These "fishers of men" would soon cast the "Gospel Net", but only the Lord can sort the catch!
Most of the people of Capernaum may have only seen Jesus one time but they knew "who to come to" because living in Capernaum was a life of misery and suffering for most all of them!
James says:
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
These four men had all the right things and they also had one more important thing.
They had "determination"!
They were determined to get this lost soul in need of healing to Jesus!
*****Mar 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
The Jewish home in 1st century Capernaum was made with mud brick and basalt stone, which is lava rock.
A composition of mortar, tar, ashes and sand were spread upon the roofs to keep out the rain and even grass could grow on these flat roofs.
There would be a battlement installed for safety as God had commanded.
Deu 22:8 When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.
It would not even be odd to see a goat eating on the roof of these homes.
In most cases their was also a trap door to get into the house from the roof but even that would not have been big enough to let down this carried man.
There was almost always access to the roof by an outside stairway.
These four men had carried this paralyzed man as far as they could and because of the crowd they could not get to Jesus.
Jesus could not get out of the house because of the crowd nor could Peter get out of the house to stop what was going on on his roof, so Jesus just continued to preach while He had their attention.
These men then overcame every obstacle in their path, to get this lame man to Jesus.
Luke wrote it like this:
Luk 5:19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
There are some great spiritual lessons that can be learned from this passage.
1.) In most every case before a lost soul is saved, there have been one or more faithful workers who have attempted to lead this soul to the Lord.
This is our main job after we are saved!
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
2.) As these four men had to over come every obstacle before them to get this soul to Jesus, the Church must overcome every obstacle to reach out to the "lost".
We must be determined that our families and our friends and those that cross our paths are led to
Jesus Christ, then it's their own choice.
3.) We must understand that spiritual paralysis lies in the unpardoned sin.
That lost soul must realize that he is a sinner in need of forgiveness and that pardon can only come from Jesus Christ.
Sin paralyzes with despair and this brings with it unbelief!
4.) Christ Jesus can remove the sin and the paralysis at the same time and He does so for "whosoever" calls upon His Name.
Jesus removes the sin that separates us from God, and Jesus removes that "want to" sin from the conscience!
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, "the motions of sins", which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Jesus changes a "used to be" into "a somebody", a child of the Living God!
5.) The change will be noticeable.
If there is no change, then there has been no "rebirth"!
Let's watch as these things take place.
*****Mar 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
We can see here one of the reasons why Jesus had a healing ministry!
By showing He had the power to heal any and all disease then we can trust Him when He says we are forgiven and saved, because only Our Lord can have such power.
Only God can forgive sin and only God can perform miracles!
Jesus says we must have "faith" but He does not expect us to base that "faith" on nothing.
"Justification" is a gift given through the "Grace" of God:
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
That "lost one" can be anywhere on this Earth when this takes place!
Salvation comes at the very moment a lost soul places his "faith" in Christ Jesus:
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
BUT, Our "faith" must be based on the fact that our "justification" came through the death of Our Savior:
Rom 5:9 Much more then, "being now justified by his blood", we shall be saved from wrath "through him".
AND, we are save because He Lives Eternally!
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God "by the death of his Son", much more, being reconciled, "we shall be saved by his life".
Jesus had to die in His "body of flesh".
Jesus also had to resurrect in His "Glorified Body"!
These things are tied together!
That title "Son" means "welcome to the family of God".
Just as the prodigal son, none us are worthy to be called "Son" but when our sin debt is paid and we
recognize it was by our Savior we are welcomed openly back into the family of God.
This is why it is called "Pardoned"!
And there will always those that are watching, listening, waiting and disapproving!
For every child of God, there is a set of eyes looking to see if we will make mistakes and who doubt Salvation!
*****Mar 2:6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Mar 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
These scribes were educated men and scribes played a great role in the Old Testament.
Many of them were leaders of the Jewish nation after the Babylonian captivity.
We should remember Ezra who was called a ready "scribe".
But by the time of Jesus, scribes were considered professional interpreters of the Mosaic Law and a great many of them were also Pharisees.
It was the scribes that determined how the Law was to be applied to the everyday life of the Jew and to all Jewish proselytes.
They were also the authority on historical and doctrinal matters and they became the custodians of the "Oral Law" which was used to add to or sometimes to replace the written Word of God in the days of Jesus.
What a shame!
They had not come to Peter's house for the right reasons and they did not have physical ailments.
Why had they come?
Luk 20:20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, "that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor".
You see, when Jesus is "in the House", Satan will come himself or send some of his own children!
Was Jesus speaking blasphemies?
Blasphemy in many languages means different things but in English, means "the speaking evil of God"!
Blasphemy was punished by stoning, and it would be the charge of "Blasphemy" that would be used to sentence Jesus to death.
Jesus never spoke one blasphemous word!
**This lame man had done nothing to deserve any kind of forgiveness from anyone.
In most all religions only a god had the power to forgive sins but only after some act of repentance or some ritual service had been performed.
The "Gospel Message" is to only have "Faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ!
SO, what is the "omniscience" of God?
Jesus knew what was in the heart of man!
Joh 2:24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, "because he knew all men",
Joh 2:25 And needed not that any should testify of man: "for he knew what was in man".
Omniscience means that God has all knowledge!
God knows all things actual, possible, past, present, and future and He knows all these things all at the same time!
There has never been one moment in time that God did not know what is going on everywhere in His Creation!
There has never been one thing that went on on this Earth that God could not have stopped if He had chosen to do so!
Psa 147:5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
So Christ Jesus responds like this:
*****Mar 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
We may have secrets that we do not share with others but there is nothing that can be kept from God!
Most of the things in our minds are sin, when our hearts are not right with God.
Act 8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Act 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, [if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee].
AND, whatever comes into our minds begin inside our hearts!
Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
We can only get a new heart when we are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit:
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, [and cause you to walk in my statutes], and [ye shall] keep my judgments, and do them.
Those that say they are saved but there has been no change from their old ways and they do not walk obedient to God's Word as best they can, should question their salvation!
*****Mar 2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
1.) First, Jesus ask which one is easier to say?
That answer should have been, they are both easy to say, if you just want to say these things.
It was not in the saying, it is in the doing!
It was just as impossible for men to heal this paralyzed man as it was to forgive him his sin!
There was not one man present, except Jesus, that could do these things!
It is impossible to forgive sin, unless your are God!
We can forgive the things that happen between ourselves and are commanded to do so, but only God can forgive the sin that keeps us separated from Him:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
If we are not forgiving to all others, then God will not forgive our own sin!
2) Second, only God can do both, heal this paralyzed man and forgive him his sin!
To Our Lord, in both these things, all He needed to do was just speak.
God spoke this entire cosmos into existence:
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that [the worlds were framed by the word of God], so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Healing a human being is no harder for God than to create this place we call Earth.
SO, Only God can forgive sin!
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
BUT, God has always done all things through His Son Jesus:
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, [by whom also he made the worlds;]
This is where we must base our "Faith"!
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God "must believe that he is", and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
To these unbelieving scribes Jesus just says "the proof that I can heal, is the same proof that I can forgive sins".
These scribes had witnessed the "faith" of these 4 men as they had carried this man a great distance to get to Christ Jesus.
They had not only carried this man but they had carried him up a stairway and tore up a roof just so they let him down at the feet of Jesus.
They had witnessed the "faith" of this man that Jesus could heal him.
They had witnessed a large crowd that had gathered in the house of Peter, most of them came because
of "faith" that Jesus would do something for them.
None of these things had moved these scribes toward "faith" because "they had rejected" that Jesus was The Christ!
So Jesus just proves He is what He says He is:
*****Mar 2:10 [But that ye may know] that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
Mar 2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
In this verse we see the first time that Jesus calls Himself, "the Son of Man" in the New Testament.
All four of the "Gospels" emphasize the human side of Jesus.
Jesus says He is the Son of God and the Son of Man:
Joh 5:26 For as [the Father] hath life in himself; so hath he given [to the Son] to have life in himself;
Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, [because he is the Son of man].
Daniel prophesied that the Son of Man is from Heaven, Heaven is His Kingdom:
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like [the Son of man] came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
And, it is this human side of God that will suffer and pay our sin debt:
Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 12:34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
It is the Son of Man that receives the Heavenly Glory:
Joh 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter "ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man".
It is the Son of Man that brings everlasting life:
Joh 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, "but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life", which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed
Jesus Christ applied this term to Himself because He had a Heavenly origin, and He possessed all of Heavens Glory!
But at the same time it points us to His, lowliness and His suffering for all mankind.
Jesus is God In The Flesh!
Jesus was saying to these scribes, that if this paralyzed man does not get up and walk away carrying
his own bed then "I am not God"!
We can be sure that all eyes, including those of the future Apostles, but especially these scribes were focused on Our Lord.
Many may claim to be Christ Jesus but there is only one!
*****Mar 2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw it on this fashion".
As Jesus had the power to heal, He has the power to forgive sin!
The reality of that is that if our sins are to be forgiven, it must be while we are yet alive and on this Earth we live on!
It will be too late once we are dead!
The proof:
We can see that this once paralyzed man realized the importance of the situation.
1.) He immediately arose having never walked, a great miracle.
2.) He had been helped all his life by those that had carried his bed, but he now took up his own bed.
3.) All of a sudden a pathway was made and there was room enough for him to walk out of that house, while toting his own bed.
The World had never seen anything like Jesus!
The people glorified God, but these scribes just shook their heads in disgust!
The truth is that every time we question our salvation we should look back to the Word of God, which says when God speaks, things happen!
And, He that has the power to forgive and to save, has the same power to keep us saved!
We can never measure our salvation on what we think Our Lord can do:
**Luk 18:26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
Luk 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Sin is like a sickness, so forgiveness is like having our health restored!
David wrote these words that were to be sung in the House of God:
Psa 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psa 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Psa 103:6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
All those that could get near Peter's house this day had witnessed this happening right before their own eyes!
And they had never seen anything like ever before!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
"Forgiving Sin"
Book of Mark 2:1-12
We know from last weeks lesson that the fame of Jesus had spread in such a way that it actually sometimes hindered what He had come to do.
Why had the Messiah come?
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus was God in the flesh and He brought the power of God with Him!
Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: [for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise].
Paul wrote it like this:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
So just who can forgive sins?
We must forgive each other but only God can forgive us of our sins against His Word!
Let's look to our lesson today:
*****Mar 2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
The Book of Matthew chapter 9 tells us of many things that Jesus had done in these days since He first left Capernaum.
But, Mark begins chapter 2 by telling of Jesus's return to Capernaum and back to the house of Peter and Andrew.
That word "noised" means the news of His return traveled very fast from house to house, throughout the city!
Wherever Our Lord traveled, great crowds would gather.
If these crowds had been interested in the "gospel message", this would have been a great encouragement to Jesus but sadly most just wanted to see the "Miracle Maker"!
And some were just spies sent from the Pharisee and Sadducees, who only wanted to see if Jesus could be caught in some sin.
*****Mar 2:2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
This time at Capernaum, there was no line so Jesus could lay His hands on the sick.
This time these people would have to hear the message that Jesus had, the "Gospel" message.
"It is always more important to deal with the soul of man than it is to deal with the body"!
"The word" that Jesus preached is best describe by the Apostle John:
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In this chapter of the Book of Mark we will see 3 things that Jesus brings to all who will believe on Him.
1) Forgiveness
2) Fulfillment
3) Freedom
Jesus will always begin with "forgiveness" to those that are sincere!
None of these people had been invited to the house of Peter and his family, they just came!
People were pushing and shoving their way into that house "but" Jesus just keeps on preaching.
And, as always there will be some truly needy people who cannot get close enough to Jesus to get the help they truly need.
*****Mar 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
There are 5 men coming "as one" to this place where Jesus is located.
What ever this thing that is carried by these 4 men it must be light enough for this man to carry himself because he would soon be carrying his own bed.
BUT, it must also be strong enough for these men to carry this one that is paralyzed.
The man himself was at least heavy enough so that it required 4 men to carry him.
BUT, these men also carried more than this one thing that were not shown by this unruly crowd!
They had "Faith"!
They also had a "caring love" for the one that they carried!
It was this mans "suffering and misery" that had brought this group in search of Christ Jesus.
These are the things that every "lost soul" must realize, so this message is directed at all disciples of Christ or Christians.
1.) The "lost" are living a life of misery and suffering.
2.) Some one must have a love and care enough about them to lead them to Jesus.
3.) It then takes "Faith"!
4.) We need to be "determined" that everyone we love will be led to Jesus and we are commanded to even love our enemies.
5.) Jesus Christ, Our Lord, will do the rest because He is Savior and then Healer.
6.) These "fishers of men" would soon cast the "Gospel Net", but only the Lord can sort the catch!
Most of the people of Capernaum may have only seen Jesus one time but they knew "who to come to" because living in Capernaum was a life of misery and suffering for most all of them!
James says:
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
These four men had all the right things and they also had one more important thing.
They had "determination"!
They were determined to get this lost soul in need of healing to Jesus!
*****Mar 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
The Jewish home in 1st century Capernaum was made with mud brick and basalt stone, which is lava rock.
A composition of mortar, tar, ashes and sand were spread upon the roofs to keep out the rain and even grass could grow on these flat roofs.
There would be a battlement installed for safety as God had commanded.
Deu 22:8 When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.
It would not even be odd to see a goat eating on the roof of these homes.
In most cases their was also a trap door to get into the house from the roof but even that would not have been big enough to let down this carried man.
There was almost always access to the roof by an outside stairway.
These four men had carried this paralyzed man as far as they could and because of the crowd they could not get to Jesus.
Jesus could not get out of the house because of the crowd nor could Peter get out of the house to stop what was going on on his roof, so Jesus just continued to preach while He had their attention.
These men then overcame every obstacle in their path, to get this lame man to Jesus.
Luke wrote it like this:
Luk 5:19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
There are some great spiritual lessons that can be learned from this passage.
1.) In most every case before a lost soul is saved, there have been one or more faithful workers who have attempted to lead this soul to the Lord.
This is our main job after we are saved!
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
2.) As these four men had to over come every obstacle before them to get this soul to Jesus, the Church must overcome every obstacle to reach out to the "lost".
We must be determined that our families and our friends and those that cross our paths are led to
Jesus Christ, then it's their own choice.
3.) We must understand that spiritual paralysis lies in the unpardoned sin.
That lost soul must realize that he is a sinner in need of forgiveness and that pardon can only come from Jesus Christ.
Sin paralyzes with despair and this brings with it unbelief!
4.) Christ Jesus can remove the sin and the paralysis at the same time and He does so for "whosoever" calls upon His Name.
Jesus removes the sin that separates us from God, and Jesus removes that "want to" sin from the conscience!
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, "the motions of sins", which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Jesus changes a "used to be" into "a somebody", a child of the Living God!
5.) The change will be noticeable.
If there is no change, then there has been no "rebirth"!
Let's watch as these things take place.
*****Mar 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
We can see here one of the reasons why Jesus had a healing ministry!
By showing He had the power to heal any and all disease then we can trust Him when He says we are forgiven and saved, because only Our Lord can have such power.
Only God can forgive sin and only God can perform miracles!
Jesus says we must have "faith" but He does not expect us to base that "faith" on nothing.
"Justification" is a gift given through the "Grace" of God:
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
That "lost one" can be anywhere on this Earth when this takes place!
Salvation comes at the very moment a lost soul places his "faith" in Christ Jesus:
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
BUT, Our "faith" must be based on the fact that our "justification" came through the death of Our Savior:
Rom 5:9 Much more then, "being now justified by his blood", we shall be saved from wrath "through him".
AND, we are save because He Lives Eternally!
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God "by the death of his Son", much more, being reconciled, "we shall be saved by his life".
Jesus had to die in His "body of flesh".
Jesus also had to resurrect in His "Glorified Body"!
These things are tied together!
That title "Son" means "welcome to the family of God".
Just as the prodigal son, none us are worthy to be called "Son" but when our sin debt is paid and we
recognize it was by our Savior we are welcomed openly back into the family of God.
This is why it is called "Pardoned"!
And there will always those that are watching, listening, waiting and disapproving!
For every child of God, there is a set of eyes looking to see if we will make mistakes and who doubt Salvation!
*****Mar 2:6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Mar 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
These scribes were educated men and scribes played a great role in the Old Testament.
Many of them were leaders of the Jewish nation after the Babylonian captivity.
We should remember Ezra who was called a ready "scribe".
But by the time of Jesus, scribes were considered professional interpreters of the Mosaic Law and a great many of them were also Pharisees.
It was the scribes that determined how the Law was to be applied to the everyday life of the Jew and to all Jewish proselytes.
They were also the authority on historical and doctrinal matters and they became the custodians of the "Oral Law" which was used to add to or sometimes to replace the written Word of God in the days of Jesus.
What a shame!
They had not come to Peter's house for the right reasons and they did not have physical ailments.
Why had they come?
Luk 20:20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, "that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor".
You see, when Jesus is "in the House", Satan will come himself or send some of his own children!
Was Jesus speaking blasphemies?
Blasphemy in many languages means different things but in English, means "the speaking evil of God"!
Blasphemy was punished by stoning, and it would be the charge of "Blasphemy" that would be used to sentence Jesus to death.
Jesus never spoke one blasphemous word!
**This lame man had done nothing to deserve any kind of forgiveness from anyone.
In most all religions only a god had the power to forgive sins but only after some act of repentance or some ritual service had been performed.
The "Gospel Message" is to only have "Faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ!
SO, what is the "omniscience" of God?
Jesus knew what was in the heart of man!
Joh 2:24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, "because he knew all men",
Joh 2:25 And needed not that any should testify of man: "for he knew what was in man".
Omniscience means that God has all knowledge!
God knows all things actual, possible, past, present, and future and He knows all these things all at the same time!
There has never been one moment in time that God did not know what is going on everywhere in His Creation!
There has never been one thing that went on on this Earth that God could not have stopped if He had chosen to do so!
Psa 147:5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
So Christ Jesus responds like this:
*****Mar 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
We may have secrets that we do not share with others but there is nothing that can be kept from God!
Most of the things in our minds are sin, when our hearts are not right with God.
Act 8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Act 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, [if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee].
AND, whatever comes into our minds begin inside our hearts!
Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
We can only get a new heart when we are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit:
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, [and cause you to walk in my statutes], and [ye shall] keep my judgments, and do them.
Those that say they are saved but there has been no change from their old ways and they do not walk obedient to God's Word as best they can, should question their salvation!
*****Mar 2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
1.) First, Jesus ask which one is easier to say?
That answer should have been, they are both easy to say, if you just want to say these things.
It was not in the saying, it is in the doing!
It was just as impossible for men to heal this paralyzed man as it was to forgive him his sin!
There was not one man present, except Jesus, that could do these things!
It is impossible to forgive sin, unless your are God!
We can forgive the things that happen between ourselves and are commanded to do so, but only God can forgive the sin that keeps us separated from Him:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
If we are not forgiving to all others, then God will not forgive our own sin!
2) Second, only God can do both, heal this paralyzed man and forgive him his sin!
To Our Lord, in both these things, all He needed to do was just speak.
God spoke this entire cosmos into existence:
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that [the worlds were framed by the word of God], so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Healing a human being is no harder for God than to create this place we call Earth.
SO, Only God can forgive sin!
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
BUT, God has always done all things through His Son Jesus:
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, [by whom also he made the worlds;]
This is where we must base our "Faith"!
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God "must believe that he is", and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
To these unbelieving scribes Jesus just says "the proof that I can heal, is the same proof that I can forgive sins".
These scribes had witnessed the "faith" of these 4 men as they had carried this man a great distance to get to Christ Jesus.
They had not only carried this man but they had carried him up a stairway and tore up a roof just so they let him down at the feet of Jesus.
They had witnessed the "faith" of this man that Jesus could heal him.
They had witnessed a large crowd that had gathered in the house of Peter, most of them came because
of "faith" that Jesus would do something for them.
None of these things had moved these scribes toward "faith" because "they had rejected" that Jesus was The Christ!
So Jesus just proves He is what He says He is:
*****Mar 2:10 [But that ye may know] that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
Mar 2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
In this verse we see the first time that Jesus calls Himself, "the Son of Man" in the New Testament.
All four of the "Gospels" emphasize the human side of Jesus.
Jesus says He is the Son of God and the Son of Man:
Joh 5:26 For as [the Father] hath life in himself; so hath he given [to the Son] to have life in himself;
Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, [because he is the Son of man].
Daniel prophesied that the Son of Man is from Heaven, Heaven is His Kingdom:
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like [the Son of man] came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
And, it is this human side of God that will suffer and pay our sin debt:
Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 12:34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
It is the Son of Man that receives the Heavenly Glory:
Joh 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter "ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man".
It is the Son of Man that brings everlasting life:
Joh 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, "but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life", which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed
Jesus Christ applied this term to Himself because He had a Heavenly origin, and He possessed all of Heavens Glory!
But at the same time it points us to His, lowliness and His suffering for all mankind.
Jesus is God In The Flesh!
Jesus was saying to these scribes, that if this paralyzed man does not get up and walk away carrying
his own bed then "I am not God"!
We can be sure that all eyes, including those of the future Apostles, but especially these scribes were focused on Our Lord.
Many may claim to be Christ Jesus but there is only one!
*****Mar 2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw it on this fashion".
As Jesus had the power to heal, He has the power to forgive sin!
The reality of that is that if our sins are to be forgiven, it must be while we are yet alive and on this Earth we live on!
It will be too late once we are dead!
The proof:
We can see that this once paralyzed man realized the importance of the situation.
1.) He immediately arose having never walked, a great miracle.
2.) He had been helped all his life by those that had carried his bed, but he now took up his own bed.
3.) All of a sudden a pathway was made and there was room enough for him to walk out of that house, while toting his own bed.
The World had never seen anything like Jesus!
The people glorified God, but these scribes just shook their heads in disgust!
The truth is that every time we question our salvation we should look back to the Word of God, which says when God speaks, things happen!
And, He that has the power to forgive and to save, has the same power to keep us saved!
We can never measure our salvation on what we think Our Lord can do:
**Luk 18:26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
Luk 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Sin is like a sickness, so forgiveness is like having our health restored!
David wrote these words that were to be sung in the House of God:
Psa 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psa 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Psa 103:6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
All those that could get near Peter's house this day had witnessed this happening right before their own eyes!
And they had never seen anything like ever before!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
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