JESUS PROVES HIS WORDS BY HIS ACTIONS

JESUS PROVES HIS WORDS BY HIS ACTIONS

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.  Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?  Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7Then the man got up and went home.  When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man. —Matthew 9:1-8

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” —James 2:18

            Jesus was going to SHOW His authority to the teachers of the law who had said, “This fellow is blaspheming!”   Jesus had spoken to the paralyzed man and had told him to “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”   The teachers of the law that were present took exception to this.

            Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them, ““Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?  Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Jesus wanted them to KNOW that He had authority on earth to forgive sins. In the parallel passages of Mark 2:7 and Luke 5:21 the Pharisees and teachers of the law had said, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Now Jesus was to going now SHOW them who He was.

            Jesus had said to them, “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?”   Which one would you say is easier to say? Well it would be easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven.” Why? Because you cannot see the sins actually being forgiven. Even you and I can “say” we forgive someone, but what is the evidence that we have? It is in our actions. Well, Jesus backed His statement up with action by telling the paralyzed man to “Get up, take your mat and go home.” There’s the evidence. A man paralyzed, a man brought to Jesus on mat by his friends, a helpless man got up and walked home. He did not need to learn to walk again. He did not need any rehab. He did not need his friends to help him. No the man immediately got up and walked as if he had always been walking!   “When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.”  

            Yes, God alone could forgive sins and Jesus did. God alone could have a man walk as though he were never paralyzed, but had been. Yes, Jesus was SHOWING them who He was.

            It is true that “Actions speak louder than words.” A person can speak all they want about anything, but it is their actions that prove their words. Just as we are told in James—”Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” Anybody can say anything, but it is their actions that prove their sayings valid.   May our speech and actions agree for the honor and glory of God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIrizhT_ckU

Dear Father I am so grateful that You always DO what You SAY! May I be more like You and have my words and actions agree more according to Your desires. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.