What Jesus Did! 'Only God Can!' — Mark 2:5-7

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven."

But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, "What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"

— Mark 2:5-7 NLT

Key Thought

Yes, the statement is the correct one! "Only God can forgive sins!" This startling statement was made by the religious teachers who opposed Jesus, but it is intended for us as well. While we need to forgive each other, only God can completely forgive sins. That's the point. Jesus is the Christ, God's Son, who came among us. He is God in human skin. If we want to know how God values people, all we have to do is look at Jesus, and we know. Even more important, if we want to know how our sins can be forgiven, we can look to him!

Today's Prayer

Lord God Almighty, I believe that you walked the roads of Galilee and Judea, getting your feet dirty with the dust of our mortality and your robe soiled with the sins of folks like me. Thank you for showing me your incomparable love and grace in Jesus, in whose name I praise and thank you. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

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6 Related Resources by Heartlight

I Will Believe for You Until You Can Believe for Yourself
Article by Phil Ware
During times of cascading badness, friends sometimes need to believe for those caught in the crush of seriously bad stuff. Phil Ware reminds us of Mark's story about Jesus and the four friends who dug a hole in the roof to get their buddy to Jesus.
Kooks
Article by Vann Conwell
Who really wants these folks in church? Jesus, of course! When a mega-pastor says he wants to get rid of the kooks that weigh his church down, Vann is not only shocked, but prays that God sends the kooks to his church.
A Story of Friendship
Article by Sandy Fields
What would you do to help a friend? The best friends bring their friends to Jesus to be blessed and helped.
Can Words Have Authority?
Article by Russ Lawson
Can anyone actually speak with real authority today? Russ Lawson reminds us that while some words are balderdash and came to us through crazy circumstances, Jesus words are the opposite: he speaks with real authority.
See All 6 Related Resources about Mark 2:5-7

Illustration

Illustration of Mark 2:5-7 NLT — "My child, your sins are forgiven." —— "What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"

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About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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