Let There Be Light: “What’s so Amazing about Forgiveness?”

“I am the LIGHT of the world” John 8:12

Jesus is saying: I can show you the way FORWARD. I will lead you OUT of the darkness.

Mark 2:1-12

v.3 “Some men came, bringing to Jesus 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.”

v.5 “When Jesus SAW THEIR FAITH, He said to the paralyzed man, son YOUR SINS are forgiven.”

Jesus appears to be breaking a rule, which is:

When it comes to God, there is no FORGIVENESS without REPENTANCE.

v.8 “Immediately, Jesus knew in His SPIRIT that this is what they were THINKING in their hearts, and He said to them, Why are you THINKING these things?”

Jesus knows there’s an INARTICULATE desire for mercy and grace in this man’s heart.

The Father does’t love the son BECAUSE he repents. The son CAN repent because he’s loved. (The Parable of the Lost Son, Luke 15:11-32)

What is is about FORGIVENESS that we don’t understand?

v.9 “Which is easier to say to this paralyzed man, your sins are FORGIVEN, or to say get up, take your mat and WALK?”

What is Forgiveness? For everything that stands BETWEEN you and God to be REMOVED so that you can CONNECT with Him, not simply in this life, but FOREVER.

v.10 “So that you KNOW that the Son of Man has AUTHORITY on earth to forgive sins, Jesus said to the man, I tell you GET UP, take your mat and go home.”

v.12 “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!”

My real issue is: Where am I spending ETERNITY?