“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the paralytic— ‘I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.’” – Mark 2:10-11
Once again, the miracles of Jesus serve the purpose of authenticating the message of Jesus. Jesus had already told this man that because of his faith, his sins had been forgiven. However, people rightly questioned the power of Jesus to forgive sins. So, Jesus did what they thought impossible, instantly healing the man’s paralysis. Why? To prove by his physical healing that Jesus had already performed the more important spiritual healing he desperately needed. Through faith in Jesus, his sins had indeed been forgiven.
Jesus was crystal clear – His earthly mission was to seek and save the lost, to rescue sinful mankind from the consequences of our sin and reconcile us to our Creator as a gift of grace. To experience that rescue, people must take the words of Jesus seriously. They must hear and accept His invitation to repent of their sins, believe in Him, and follow Him as Lord. The miracles authenticated this message.
As you go through life, hopefully loving and blessing everyone you encounter, are you sharing the words of life with them? Are you inviting others to have their sins forgiven through faith in Jesus? If not, you’re missing the point of so much of what Jesus did, taught, and has now given responsibility for to His followers. Whose spiritual healing are you praying for today? Who do you hope to introduce to Jesus this week? #FollowJesus