THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 2:1-12
“The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” (Mark 2:10)
The teachers of the law were partially right, only God can forgive sins…
AND… those that God gives the authority to forgive for Him.
In Genesis 1, God assigned His authority to Adam and Eve as His appointed rulers.
When they failed, God stepped in with a new Adam, the promised Son of Man.
By refusing Satan, Jesus reverses the curse and restores humanity.
Jesus, the restored Adam, does have the authority to declare God’s forgiveness.
But what is more, SO DO YOU AND I! (John 20:22-23)
We are anointed, like Jesus, to represent God on earth.
We do not accomplish God’s forgiveness, but we do announce it.
As forgiven and restored sinners, we let other sinners know, ‘your sins are forgiven’.
People need to know this, and we have been commissioned to tell them.
Too many people are weighed down by guilt, shame or a sense of unworthiness.
And too often it is Christians that makes them feel this way.
With Jesus, we are God’s agents of grace… let people know they are forgiven!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, Your Spirit has anointed me with authority to announce Your forgiveness. What a privilege. Please put someone in my path today that I can share this good news with!