Focus Passage: Mark 2:1-12
Jesus had traveled the countryside healing people of various diseases and casting out demons. The people had pushed and shoved to be with Him in the house because they wanted to see this miracle worker.
Yet, there was a greater need than just healing bodies wracked with pain.
He had come to heal the soul with His message.
When a group broke into the house, Jesus had a chance to do more than just heal the body. Let’s read Mark 2:1-12 to see exactly what happened.
- Jesus looked up (v.4).
Jesus’ teaching was interrupted as everyone watched the man being lowered into the room. What Jesus saw was extraordinary faith from four friends who were certain that Jesus could heal their friend and who were letting nothing stop their friend from coming before Jesus.
- Jesus looked down (v.5).
Before Him was a broken man whose body was broken, but so was his spirit. Jesus began by forgiving the man’s sins. The man needed to be at peace with God before any physical healing could be lasting. Jesus began with the deeper need that only He could see.
- Jesus looked around (v.8).
All eyes were on Jesus as they rejected His ability to forgive the man and heal the soul. He addressed their doubt by healing the man before their eyes. He wanted them all to know that He could heal the soul as well as the body.
The greatest miracle that day was not the healing of the body, but the healing of the soul.
Any doctor can help the body, but only Jesus could save the soul with the forgiveness He would win from the cross. We should all help a friend in need with food or shelter, but the greatest gift we often can give is to share the Bible with them or pray with them so that they can have the healing power of Jesus for their soul.
Next week, we will look how Jesus takes a woman from “Desperate to daughter” giving her more than she ever dreamed of.
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