Kids Blog-Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man
Last week, kids heard a story from the Bible about four friends who worked together to help their friend.
Bible Story: Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man, Mark 2:1-12
Bible verse: When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:5
When Jesus was in Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and Jesus preached the word to them. There were four friends who also heard that Jesus was in town. They heard that Jesus healed people before and performed miracles. They brought their friend who was paralyzed, believing that Jesus had power to help their friend. When they arrived, they could not get through the crowd, so they carried their friend to the roof, made an opening in the roof by digging through it and lowered the mat he was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does he talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 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? Which is easier, to say to this paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." The man got up, took his mat, and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
These four friends carried the man who was paralyzed because they recognized his urgent need to be healed. When Jesus saw the man, He healed him physically so he could get up and walk. But what Jesus did first before this miracle was more powerful. He healed the man spiritually by forgiving his sins! Jesus was going to die to take the punishment for his sins so he would receive eternal life after his physical death. In the same way, Jesus has the power to help us with our present suffering and heal us spiritually by forgiving our sins, which is our greatest need. This week, as we think about this story of healing, let's thank God for sending Jesus to take the punishment for our sins so that we can be healed and let's also pray that God will lead us to others who are paralyzed in their sins and diseases that they may also receive forgiveness and eternal life!
Image: www.lambsongs.co.nz