Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. (Luke 5:17)
What an interesting truth, the power of the Lord was present to heal them. Sometimes God doesn't allow physical healing to take place. Why? Some things only God knows, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) But when He does allow healing to happen, what a testimony to unbelievers! A perfect example of this is when a former sorcerer, Simon believed based on the teachings he heard from the Apostle Philip, Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. (Acts 8:13)
Well what better audience of unbelievers to be present at this particular time that Jesus was in Capernaum than the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” (Mark 2:2-5; Matthew 9:2; Luke 5:17-20) This is what an intercessor does! If the Word of God can't get to a person, then we take the person to the Word of God! And the Word became flesh... the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) Jesus Christ is the Word of God! And our main purpose in life should be to make sure we introduce Him to everyone we come in contact with. Jesus said, The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) Everyone is looking for love and fulfillment, mostly in the wrong places, but true love and fulfillment can only be found in a relationship with God, through faith in His Son, Christ Jesus!
These men's faith empowered them to do whatever was necessary to make sure their friend got to Jesus. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) For we walk by faith, not by sight. (II Corinthians 5:7) Faith is knowing what God is able and willing to do without even seeing it be done, for He said, I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. (Proverbs 8:17) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Corinthians 2:9) Whether it's for ourselves or someone else, we must pesistently and diligently seek Him. Whether on this side or the other side of eternity, we don't know, but we can rest assured that He will reward us; “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. (Revelations 22:12)
No matter what God does in the life of a person for all to see, there will be those who refuse to believe, and even critisize the blessing instead of giving God the praise He deserves, which is exactly what the religious leaders tried to do: And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” (Mark 2:6-11; Matthew 9:3-8; Luke 5:21-25)
Jesus explained to the religious leaders three very important things: 1. God is more concerned about our spiritual condition than our physical condition, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”; But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 2. Only God can perform miracles, and therefore He was the Son of God, not just the Son of Man, He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”; Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know... (Acts 2:22) 3. God gives us more than enough proof to believe that He is real, How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:3) We all have to believe these three truths for ourselves!
If Jesus had just told the man your sins are forgiven you, what proof or evidence would the people have seen in order to convict them that He was the Son of God. But after He told the man arise, take up your bed, and go to your house, Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (Mark 2:12) And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!” (Luke 5:26) Who could argue with that kind of evidence! No medicines, no surgery, no laying on of hands, just THE WORD OF GOD!
No comments:
Post a Comment