DAY #96: Luke 5:12-26

"Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." Philippians 4:13 (MB)

Jesus meets a man with a grave need - this man had leprosy. Leprosy was a feared disease because there was no known cure for it, and some forms of it were highly contagious. Leprosy had a similar emotional impact and terror associated with it, as AIDS does today. This man with leprosy had an advanced case, so he undoubtedly had lost much bodily tissue. The man believed that Jesus could heal every trace of the disease; he only wondered if Jesus would want to.

Jesus reached out and touched the man who was covered with leprosy, assuring him that he did want to heal him. Then he spoke the words, “Be healed!” Most likely no one had touched this man in years. Jesus’ touch showed great compassion. When Jesus spoke the words, instantly the leprosy disappeared.

Mark recorded that the man disobeyed Jesus’ warning not to tell anyone. Thus, the report of Jesus’ power spread even faster. The healed man’s disobedience to Jesus’ command, even if from good motives, hindered Jesus’ work because the publicity Jesus received severely hampered his ministry in the synagogues. Vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases; Jesus’ notoriety as a healer made it impossible for him to teach and speak because people pressed on him, seeking special favors. Instead of enjoying his newfound fame and success (at least according to the world’s standards), Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Next, we see Jesus in Capernaum. Jesus was teaching and the building where he was teaching was filled to capacity with people standing outside. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They wanted to gain access to Jesus. When they could not get in, they went up to the roof. These men carried their friend up the stairs to the roof where they took apart a portion of the roof and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his mat, right in front of Jesus.

Jesus saw their faith acted out in their determination—the faith of all the men who came, but he spoke directly to the paralyzed man, saying, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” When the Pharisees and teachers of religious law heard Jesus tell the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven, they were shocked. “Who does this man think he is?” they asked incredulously. “This is blasphemy!”

Forgiveness of sins was a sign that the messianic age had come (Isaiah 40:2; Joel 2:32; Micah 7:18-19; Zechariah 13:1), and these lifetime students of God’s word should have known this. In labeling Jesus’ claim to forgive sins as blasphemous, the religious leaders showed they did not understand that Jesus is God and that he has God’s power to heal both the body and the soul. Because only God can forgive sins, Jesus was claiming to be God. Unfortunately, these religious leaders’ reaction was anger and hatred, instead of honestly considering that perhaps this man was indeed their Messiah.

Turning back to the paralyzed man still lying on the mat in front of him, Jesus said, “Stand up, take your mat, and go on home, because you are healed!” Immediately he jumped to his feet and did as Jesus said. The religious leaders who had questioned Jesus’ ability to forgive sins saw the formerly paralyzed man get up and walk. Such a healing would have been impossible apart from God’s power. There could be no mistaking the connection—Jesus had the power to make the paralyzed man walk; thus, he also had the authority to forgive his sins. As a result, the people praised God.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

Lord, we all need healing from you. For many of us, it is the healing of a memory or a past hurt. We need healing in our minds and hearts. For some of us, we need healing in the way we think about ourselves. Our self-image needs healing. Our self-esteem needs healing. For some, we have anger and bitterness built up in our lives and we need healing in that area of our life. We need to meta-noia. (change the way we think) We need our minds renewed.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Bottom line; we need to start seeing ourselves like God sees us. Then and only then can we become the people He has created us to become. How does God see you? Who am I in Christ?

I am the salt of the earth. Matthew 5:13
I am the light of the world. Matthew 5:14
I am a child of God. John 1:12
I am Christ’s friend. John 15:15
I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear His fruit. John 15:16
I am a Son of God; God is spiritually my father. Romans 8:14,15; Galatians 3:26; 4:6
I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him. Romans 8:17
I am a temple- a dwelling place of God. His Spirit and His life dwells in me. 1 Cor. 3: 16; 6:19
I am united to the Lord and am one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17
I am a member of Christ’s body. 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 5:30
I am a new creation 2 Corinthians 5:17
I am reconciled to God, and am a minister of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18,19
I am a Son of God and one in Christ. Galatians 3:26,28
I am a Saint. Eph. 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Philemon 1:1; Colossians 1:2
I am God’s Workmanship. ~ His handiwork ~ born anew in Christ, to do His work. Eph. 2:10
I am a citizen of heaven, seated in heaven right now. Phil. 3:20; Eph. 2:6
I am an expression of the life of Christ because He is my life. Colossians 3:4
I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved. Colossians 3:12; 1Thessalonians 1:4
I am a son of light and not of darkness. 1 Thessalonians 5:5
I am a holy partaker of a heavenly calling. Hebrews 3:14
I am a partaker of Christ; I share in His life. Hebrew 3:14
I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. 1Peter 2:9,10
I am an alien and stranger to this world in which I temporarily live. 1 Peter 2:11
I am a child of God and I will resemble Christ when He returns. 1 John 3:1,2
I am born of God, and the evil one ~ the devil ~ cannot touch me. 1 John 3:1,2
I am NOT the great “I AM” but by the grace of God, I am what I am.