Take Up Your Mat

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” [Mark 2: 1-5]

jesusparalytic Does Jesus surprise you?

I’m always amused to discover something new in a familiar story. As a quadriplegic, I’ve read this story from Mark many times. But recently I encountered a new twist that impacts the notion of new beginnings.

I’ve always wondered why Jesus responded initially by telling the paralytic that his sins were forgiven. I don’t think that’s why his friends carried the man to the roof, dug a hole, and lowered him into the room. I think they believed Jesus would heal the man’s body.

In the years following my injury, I begged God for physical healing. I sincerely believed He could mend my injury with a single touch. I pleaded, I cried, I bargained, and I screamed in the darkness. “God, please heal me!” I didn’t understand why He ignored or denied my prayers.

After years of frantically trying to get God to give me what I wanted, I finally heard His response and realized that He offered what I really needed. I finally heard Jesus patient voice saying, “Rich, your sins are forgiven.”

Beneath the broken body, God saw my broken heart. He knew that depression and regret comprised the walls of my prison, and that freedom could only be found in His forgiveness and grace.

The religious leaders in the crowd around Jesus understood.

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” [Mark2:6-7]

Jesus claimed authority reserved for God alone. They might dismiss physical healing as illusion, but Jesus’ offer of forgiveness threatened the foundations of their superficial religiosity.

Immediately 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 the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He 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!” [Mark 2:8-12]

Jesus healed the man as a sign of His authority, but first He provided what the man truly needed—forgiveness and a full, free heart.

I suspect that most of the audience—then and now—missed the point. They were amazed and praised God because a paralyzed man walked. I wonder if any of them understood that the man’s freedom didn’t depend on a healed body.

That’s why I keep telling this story. I am not thankful for the struggle of my injury. I don’t know why it happened. I still believe God can heal me, and I don’t know why He doesn’t. Those are questions for greater minds than mine.

But I do know that my freedom and hope aren’t founded on my physical circumstances. Jesus helped me out of the darkness and into His light with a simple message, “Rich, your sins are forgiven.”

That’s what SetFreeToday is all about. It’s about something much more important than this world’s temporary troubles. It’s about Jesus, and the freedom, forgiveness, hope, and new beginning He offers. We’re not prisoners of the past.

You’re free. Take up your mat.

What’s a new beginning you need today?