Yesterday we looked at what we need as against what we want and how Jesus always had his priorities right.
The crowd as well as the paralytic man must have been in shock when Jesus said, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven,’ Mark 2:5. Certainly the scribes were taken aback by this, Mark 2: 6-7.
People don’t like being told they are sinners. We like to think we’re as good as the next person and better than some. We’re nice people. After all we don’t murder, or steal or do anything really wrong. Sometimes even Christian leaders shy away from telling their congregations that they are sinners. The bible tells us we are all sinners, Romans 3:23.
But sin is simply disobedience to God. It is thinking we know better than God what is best for us, which was the problem right back in the Garden of Eden. Sin entered the world because Adam and Eve thought they knew better than God what was best for them, Genesis 3:1-6. It was pride on their part and failure to trust God’s character and His wisdom. But how often do you and I know what God’s word says and yet decide we know better what is best for us, so we disobey God. That’s sin. When it comes to what is wrong with our world the problem is sin. And you are I are part of the problem.
The scribes took offence at Jesus. ‘Who does he think he is?’
They failed to recognize Jesus as God. They failed to see that he knew the most important thing the paralytic needed, and then most important thing we need, is forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is always costly. In our case it cost Jesus his life to pay the penalty for your sins and mine, because Jesus knew this was what we needed more than anything, 1 John 2:2, I John 4:10.
Bible verses from the New American Standard Version
Please visit these related blogs
Why We Don’t Need Signs and Wonders
Consequences of Unconfessed Sin