Paul Email -13July2013- Mark 2

How you doin? Stacey had some serious insight on spirit, soul, and body this morning based on Mark 2:8. If you have the chance, ask her about it. We love Jesus. He's really AWESOME!!!!!! Mark 2 speaks of 3 things I find fascinating- 1) forgiveness> authority> healing, 2) new wine & new wine skins, 3) the sabbath. The 1st of these stood out the most today.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

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? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  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 2:5-12)

I've read this story several times and today it was new. I heard it as a response to faith, a claim of authority, and rebuke of accusations. Jesus healed everyone that God brought to Him. The healing in this story seems minor. The teachers of the law accused Jesus of blasphemy and claim

ed that

God alone forgives. Jesus goes on to claim His authority here on earth. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the connection of healing and forgiveness. Forgiveness = healing on every level. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!! Jesus has the authority of heaven here on earth. Jesus gives us that same authority. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!