If God Can Do the Greater, Then He Can Do the Lesser Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: If God Can Do the Greater, Then He Can Do the Lesser-------------------------------- Date: 10/9/2000 Keyword: "deliverance" "faith" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Mark 2:1-12* 1. And 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, 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. And 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, "My son, your sins are forgiven." 6. But there were some of the scribes 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. And 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, 'Arise, and take up your pallet and walk'? 10. "But in order 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, rise, take up your pallet and go home." 12. And he rose and immediately took up the pallet and went out in the sight of all; so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this." Questions 1. In the passage above, what two miracles did Jesus perform?   2. Which one was actually more difficult?   3. Which one did the crowds focus on?   Practical help How many times have people who are crippled by an enslavement to pornography cried out to God to free them? Could it be that part of the reason for the repeated failings of these cries for help is that they are not asking in faith? They don't really believe that God is able to deliver them (and maybe there is just a hint of not being sure if they want Him to). The passage above teaches us that if God is able to forgive a man's sins, then surely He is more than able to make that cripple walk. At the point when Jesus told the man, "Rise, take up your pallet and go home" He had already performed a greater miracle — that of forgiving the man's sins. Small wonder the man was able to get up and walk out on his own! Has the Lord forgiven your sins? He promises to forgive the sins of anyone who comes to Him by faith. (For a fuller explanation of the Christian Gospel, click here. After He has forgiven you your sins and saved your eternal soul, surely He is able to help you walk away from porn. Assuming you really want Him to deliver you, ask Him to do so, reminding yourself of His great power — and see the Lord's deliverance. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2000 by eXXit *"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."