Scripture: Mark 2:9–129 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and the...  Read More

Scripture: Mark 2:6-86 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 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?Reflection:Love is not always soft. Sometimes love confront...  Read More

Scripture: Mark 2:3-53 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”Reflection:Before Jesus changed the ma...  Read More

ScriptureMark 2:55When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’DevotionalJesus saw their faith.Not just the man on the mat. The faith of the people carrying him mattered. They had no healing power. They could not forgive sin. But they were part of how God chose to move.God still works like that.Sometimes God answers prayer through a conversation. Through ...  Read More

ScriptureMark 2:3–43 Some men came, bringing to Jesus a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.DevotionalThe men in this story did not heal him. They did not fix him. They did not replace Jesus. They just refused to let him ...  Read More

ScriptureMark 2:1–31A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.Genesis 2:18The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a...  Read More