Get Up and Walk

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: Get Up and Walk ------------------- Date: 9/18/2002
Keywords: "cancer" "guilt" "heal" "lame" "pallet" "sin"
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Passage: Mark 2:1-12*

1. When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home.

2. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them.

3. And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men.

4. Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying.

5. And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

6. But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,

7. "Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?"

8. Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, "Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?

9. "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’?

10. "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" — He said to the paralytic,

11. "I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home."

12. And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

Questions

1. Are you living with the guilt and shame of a porn habit?

 

2. Do you believe the mistakes of your past have damaged you so much, your life is worthless to God?

 

Practical help

Forgiveness of sins. What’s the big deal? Isn’t "sin" just an archaic term for "mistake"? And who hasn’t made mistakes before? What’s with God? Why is he so hung up on sins?

If you went to the doctor and he told you that you have cancer, would you blow it off? You aren’t feeling sick. What’s the big deal? I think you understand that cancer is serious, regardless how you happen to be feeling at the moment. If it isn’t treated, it might ultimately kill you.

In today’s story Jesus is making the connection between physical healing (something everyone can see) and spiritual healing (something only you understand within yourself). Are you living with guilt over things you have done? Guilt can be a huge marker for sin in your life. Unlike a broken leg which usually mends, your harmful words spoken in anger, for example, can seem irrevocable. And even when you try to ignore the inner shame or pain, it doesn’t go away, any more than cancer disappears just because you decide not to think about it.

Here’s the good news. Jesus heals sin, as easily as he makes the lame walk and the blind see. So don’t lie in a bed of never-ending guilt and shame, Jesus invites you to get up and walk again.

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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."