The Faith of Four

Mark 2:1-12

And again he entered into Capernaum after some days, and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

Thought For Today:

The life of Jesus is so unique—all the miracles he did while on the earth touched the faith of so many. There have been many reports of deaf ears opening, blinded eyes receiving sight, and the lame walking again. Jesus told us that these things would happen. Paul wrote, "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perishes, the inward man is renewed daily. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

I believe the reason some don't see the miracles that Jesus is doing is because they are looking from a fleshly standpoint and not a spiritual one. When someone receives an understanding of the deity of Jesus Christ, that is a miracle. Because now their eyes are open to the truth. The men who brought the lame man to Jesus exercised their faith. And when Jesus saw their faith, He healed the sick man. So, we can see that our faith in believing that God will heal is just as important as the one needing the healing. "But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).