In September 2016 we were invited to preach at a Congregation Holiness Church in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil. That evening I preached from Mark 2.
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 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? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 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!”
In this passage Jesus healed the paralytic with great authority to prove that He likewise had authority to forgive sin and grant eternal life.
There was present that evening in Brazil an elderly woman in a wheelchair. Due to severe osteoporosis in her bones she was effectively paralyzed, unable to get up and to walk. But during the time of ministry when we ministered in the name of Jesus, she got up from her wheelchair (with some help from the friend sitting next to her who likely had brought her to the meeting) and began to walk around in front of the people!
That evening in September 2016 our Lord Jesus clearly confirmed His claim from Mark 2, proving that He had authority to forgive sin and grant eternal life by healing the paralyzed woman—just as He had healed the paralytic 2,000 years ago.
