{"id":4683,"date":"2022-01-05T07:39:19","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T14:39:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/?p=4683"},"modified":"2022-01-05T07:42:09","modified_gmt":"2022-01-05T14:42:09","slug":"the-unexpected-miracle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/?p=4683","title":{"rendered":"The Unexpected Miracle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY:<\/strong> \u201c\u2026some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus\u00a0saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,\u00a0\u201cTake heart, my son;\u00a0your sins are forgiven.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Matthew 9:2 ESV<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            It was one of those times when the familiar became alive\nwith new impact and meaning. Pastor Trevor Hindman was sharing from this\npassage during our morning prayer time that is part of the New Year fasting and\nprayer emphasis. His point was receiving the miracle that was unexpected or not\nasked for. We believe we know what we need, but the Lord knows our real need.\nThis allowed me to focus more on the easily overlooked words and lessons in\nthis passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            In this account the man on the mat had an obvious need.\nHe had concerned friends who were focused on getting him to Jesus to heal him.\nBut when Jesus sees the faith of these friends, He responds by first speaking forgiveness.\nIn reading slowly and looking closely at the words, it is important that Jesus\nsays, \u201ctake heart\u201d<\/em> or \u201cbe encouraged.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            When someone is overcome with remorse and is aware of\ntheir failures and sin, it is encouraging to hear the words, \u201cyou are\nforgiven.\u201d<\/em> But in this case the obvious need of the man and the reason his\nfriends went through all the challenges to get him to Jesus was his physical\nneed. Since this is the only passage that I can remember when Jesus speaks forgiveness\nfirst, perhaps the man himself realized his sin and unworthiness as he is in Jesus\u2019\npresence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            It would be interesting to know the thoughts in the minds\nof the people in this story. Was the paralyzed man surprised or relieved? Did\nhis friends think, \u201cthat\u2019s well and good, but let\u2019s get the reason we are\nhere!\u201d<\/em> We know the thoughts of the Scribes. They thought, \u201cwho does this\nguy think He is?! Only God can forgive sins. This man is committing the sin of\nblasphemy, while proclaiming forgiveness of sin!\u201d<\/em> (Verse 3) (my paraphrase)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Jesus then speaks out loud the thoughts of His critics. \u201cWhy do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?\u201d<\/em> (Verse 4) It is one thing to have a thought in your mind. It is another to \u201centertain\u201d that thought in your heart<\/strong>. The heart is the seat of emotions. It is one thing to \u201cthink\u201d Jesus is blaspheming, it is another to allow that judgment to stir up an emotional response. That shuts out any possibility to the truth. It stops conversation. It hinders looking at the facts. It kept the Scribes from responding with the crowd after the healing, \u201c\u2026they were filled with awe and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.\u201d <\/em>[to forgive and to heal] (Verse 8)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Jesus continues, \u201cFor which is easier,\nto say, \u2018Your sins are forgiven,\u2019 or to say, \u2018Rise and walk\u2019?<\/em> But that you may know that the Son of Man has\nauthority on earth to forgive sins\u201d\u2014he then said to the\nparalytic \u2014 \u201cRise, pick up your bed and go home.\u201d<\/em> (Matt. 9:5,6)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The physical healing of the man demonstrated\nJesus\u2019 authority to forgive sins. In doing so we see the priority of the\nspiritual over the physical. Physical healing and health are related to this\nlife. Spiritual wholeness (forgiveness of sin) is related to eternal life. \u201cWhoever\nbelieves in Him (Jesus) shall have eternal life.\u201d <\/em>(John 3:16)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            This gives perspective to the words of the old song, \u201cWhatever\nmy lot, thou hast taught me to say, \u2018It is well with my soul.\u2019\u201d <\/em>When our\nsins are forgiven. When we have spiritual life, we have what we truly need. And\nyes, Jesus is able to heal and answer our prayers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY: \u201c\u2026some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus\u00a0saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,\u00a0\u201cTake heart, my son;\u00a0your sins are forgiven.\u201d\u00a0Matthew 9:2 ESV             It was one of those times when the familiar became alive with new impact and meaning. Pastor Trevor Hindman was sharing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4683"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4685,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4683\/revisions\/4685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}