Sorry about the late post, it was a crazy morning.
9:2-6 - I find it really interesting that when the paralyzed man's friends bring him before Jesus (Most likely to have him physically healed) - Jesus forgives the man of his sins. The Pharisees balk at this, but Jesus confronts them by saying, "What I just did was so much more important than physical healing! But, so you knuckleheads can understand that I have the authority to forgive sins - ZAP! (Jesus heals the man)" The real miracle was the forgiveness of sins...Jesus did that first because that was what was truly important. I think I lose focus on what is important pretty frequently in my own life - I look to the discomforts and "needs" obsessively and take for granted that I am a sinner that has been forgiven. The worst of this life - sin, guilt and eternal separation from God - have been taken care of, the rest is just a bad nights stay in a cheap hotel as I am passing through the world(I totally ganked that from C.S. Lewis).
9:13 - I am really challenged by this verse, because something in me always wants to earn my salvation. I want to give up and suffer for Christ, and that is not really what it is all about. Am I called to sacrifice - yes. Am I going to suffer in this world - yes. But what I am really called to do is fully realize that it is impossible for me to save myself and accept the mercy of God. In turn, I treat others with the mercy that God has so graciously shown me. The Pharisees didn't get that...and I miss the point pretty frequently myself.
9:17 - The way of Jesus couldn't just be worked into the way of the Pharisees...his way was too huge, too earth-shattering, too powerful to be contained within any man-made system. I think that we in American churches need to understand a little more deeply that Jesus does not fit into our idea of what church is all about...his message and life transcend anything we have ever put out there. We should live our lives and guide our churches to be constantly changing and growing to walk in the insanely huge footsteps of Christ (Luckily we have that awesome mercy thing when we screw it all up - thanks God).
9:36 - I think this verse is so beautiful...he looked at the crowds of people and he didn't see the diseased and broken and sinful and sick and disgusting...he hurt for the sheep that were wandering lost through their lives. It gives me such joy to think that when Christ looks at me with all my flaws and failures...he loves me and he wants to lead me into "the Way". May I chase after that beautiful way, and may I look with compassion and not judgement on the brokenness I see in this world.
*I know I skipped over so much, but this chapter is huge and I am just hitting on the stuff that really jumped out at me. If other verses spoke to you - please, comment...(whispering) "That's what this is all about."
2 comments:
“Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." In those few words in vs. 2, I found mountains of comfort. The One who forgives me – He heals me, accepts me, and saves me – all because He loves me. Doesn’t get much better than that...
I think a lot of times we are like the sick woman – we try to “sneak up” on Jesus, hoping that He won’t notice us and our small disease called sin. We know that if we hold on to Him, we will be ok. But for whatever reasons, we approach from behind – I guess it goes back to that feeling accepted thing or the how could Jesus every love me as messed up as I am. But all the same, He turns to us and tells us to have courage.
I am glad that He takes me as I am – broken, confused, bruised, hurt – the exact same as everyone else in this world – all of us in need of Jesus.
j
What really stands out to me is when Jesus sees the people as "sheep without a shepherd." Two things I gather from this: if you are in leadership, make sure you are stepping up to your role with an honest effort. The Pharisees were not doing their job the way it was supposed to be done. The other thing that I gather from this is do I have the eyes of Jesus? Do I see people as Jesus sees them, or do I glorify myself and then try to help others?
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