“Your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:5
Mark tells us about a paralyzed man who was determined to get to Jesus. Eventually, he was able to do so with a little help from his four friends who carried him to Jesus.
When they arrived at the place Jesus was staying, it was swarming with people. There were so many people crammed into the house that a crowd had gathered outside waiting to see Him.
These friends could not get in through the front door, so they decided to lower the paralyzed man down through the roof: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’” (2:5).
Wait a minute! Hasn’t Jesus completely missed the point? It’s often said, “You can’t preach to a man who is hungry. You have to meet his immediate need before you can hope to preach the gospel to him.” But Jesus didn’t do that here. This man had come to Jesus because he was paralyzed. But Jesus completely ignored the man’s need and spoke to him about forgiveness.
Maybe you’re struggling with loss, depression, fear, anger, worry, self-esteem, loneliness, money, health, or relationships. So, when you hear about forgiveness, it seems disconnected from the realities of your life.
Many people feel disconnected from the gospel because it doesn’t seem to address the issues that they are most concerned about. But, apparently, forgiveness was a higher priority than any other need in this man’s life. And, as far as Jesus is concerned, forgiveness is a higher priority than any other need in your life too.
What do you think Jesus would say to you about your greatest need today?
