Subscription Lists
Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
We come to Mark Chapter 2. “If ever a perfectly good man appeared on earth he would be murdered” – so said Socrates!
Why did this happen to Jesus? Who was behind it all?
Three years after His appearing, Jesus Christ was nailed to a Cross.
Mark helps us understand when the opposition came, and who started it.
People hated Jesus, and Jesus later said, “If they have hated me they will hate you”.
We read in verse 2, that a crowd gathered, and as this crowd gathered around Jesus, Jesus preached the word. People came from all around to hear this man. This new preacher and teacher was so different in so many ways.
Jesus was almost being regarded as some kind of phenomenon.
We learn in Mark Chapter 2 how faith does things – how faith operates. Faith takes hands and feet and acts.
Jesus had authority from His heavenly Father to forgive sin and He exercises that authority here.
There is a theme in these verses – “First Things First”.
In Mark’s Gospel we soon learn too that Jesus is the servant of all.
We come to this salient passage where Jesus heals a paralysed man.
As his friends carry him to Jesus, they are met with a crowded street and a crowded house, so they decide to unroof that roof.
These friends were determined to find Jesus because they knew Jesus was the only one who could help. If they had not carried their needy friend to Jesus, he would not have been forgiven, and he would not have been healed.
Why did Jesus not just deal with the physical needs of people and avoid the spiritual aspect?
Well, Jesus saw what was really wrong.
This paralytic’s suffering and sin were directly related. That is not true in every case. You can be splashed by someone or something else.
Jesus knew that this man needed forgiveness, and Jesus then released him from the consequences of that sin.
This man has a much bigger problem than his physical condition – important though that was and is.
It was the sin aspect that caused the trouble and reaction.
This was why Jesus Christ came into the world. This is why God the Father sent Jesus His Son.
Jesus jeopardised the ministry of healing because of what was at the heart and core.
A person can be healed, and make big promises, and two months or four months later, the excitement and euphoria can evaporate.
Jesus deals with what is at the heart and core, and Jesus wants to take us deeper, so that it will last.
Jesus is able to read the motives of the hearts of those around Him – and these are quite shocking thoughts.
Some are shocked and angry. They consider Jesus is blaspheming.
“Which is easier to say?”
When this paralysed man was forgiven and got up and walked, and following the ministry of Jesus, these religious leaders were challenged as to recognising that Jesus was God. Only God could forgive sin. They knew that truth.
People were amazed at what Jesus Christ did and could do. Never stop being amazed at what Jesus can do.
But here, as early as Mark Chapter 2, the shadow of the Cross begins to fall across Jesus path.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Word from Scotland" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.