Joy and Peace of the King's Healing Forgiveness

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷ “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹ Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, ¹¹ “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:1-12

1. The faith that disrupted the status quo to find healing at any cost.

Jesus desires to heal us from the sufferings and brokenness of the destructive enslaving power of sin even when we can’t do it on our own. 

When we receive and believe Christ as our true and only Savior - Jesus gives us a new identity of acceptance as a son- a new life and freedom from the slavery of destructive sin. 

Jesus breaks through my identity as a slave, calls me a beloved child of God, and brings me to stand in the Father’s holy presence, approved, accepted, and liberated from the guilt of sin and fears that enslave me - because of his healing forgiveness.

Bring your burden, suffering, and sickness to the all-knowing Savior Jesus, don’t conceal it- He knows all our needs and desires before we know and can ask!

2. The unasked questions that resisted Jesus’s identity and claim.

Jesus alone has the power and authority to forgive and heal us from the deceptive power of sin.

 Our self-sufficient knowledge, the next best career, and doing good things we build for our glory never give us true and fulfilling satisfaction. Jesus challenges us to check our heart’s desires to repent because He is the only hope we can master sin that deceives us and blinds us from the truth. In our greatest sin, He moves toward us in gentleness. Without healing the sickness of the heart, it is impossible to be happy with the healing of the body. 

Jesus breaks through my self-seeking ways and hard-heartedness to trust and hold to God’s ways and his rule for my life through his healing forgiveness. 

Bring all your questions, thoughts and desires of your heart to the Lord Jesus! Repent from your self-pleasing ways! He will refine us from what is evil.

3. Praising and Glorifying God for His Perfect and Atoning Work!

Jesus gives us the power to stand up and walk, and meets our deepest longing! 

This is the greatest miracle- that Jesus meets us even in our rebellion, in our greatest sin, when we are stuck and lost and in despair. He is calling you son, look at me- to come and receive the healing and forgiveness of your sins and all your pain and sorrows. When you have him, you have everything you want- you need. As David sings in the Psalms, you can praise the Lord is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing. 

As Christ heals us deeper every time we go to him in our sin and sorrow and suffering, His transforming love changes us to see the true patient love, gentleness and astonishing beauty, and holiness that we will desire and want Him more than anything. This is the healing we all need and that will bring JOY and PEACE and fulfillment to our soul. He has healed us from the greatest sickness of sin- the sting of death!

Jesus breaks through my sin to see God’s beauty and his relentless patient gentle love through his healing forgiveness. 

Bring yourself to the feet of the Lord who delights in His beloved! His love will transform your heart!