Saturday, November 19
Matthew 9:2-8
Outline
Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Matthew 9:7, NIV
This story of the healing of a paralytic man teaches us some lessons. (1) Forgiveness of sins. Although the paralyzed man was a sinner, one who even bore in his body the punishment (may be) for his sins, Christ pronounced him righteous, saying, lake heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’ (2) Need for relationship with God (affinity). Christ called him “son” and urged him to be of “good spirit.” The paralytic man had a troubled conscience. Sins oppress, accuse and condemns. No man has the power to prevent it without the help and intervention of Christ the mediator. Here, Christ consoled the paralysed man, who was terrified by his sins. He forgave his sins, embraced him with love and finally healed his diseases. (3) The healing power of Jesus. Jesus ordered the paralytic man to take up his bed and go home; this made him whole.
Friend, you may not have physical deformity, but may have spiritual paralyses. Therefore, you need those precious gifts that Jesus gave the paralytic man in the story: forgiveness, healing and sonship with God. Forgiveness is the greatest need of all of us today. We need forgiveness as individuals, as families and as a nation. We must first realise that we are all sinners and we have fallen short of the grace of God and that our first need before all other needs, is for our burden of sins to be removed. For that to happen we need to repent from our rebellious ways, accept Christ and have faith in Him.
source: The Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC)
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