Forgiveness Before Walking 9/23

Forgiveness Before Walking

The paralyzed man lay helpless before Jesus. Everyone saw his useless legs. Jesus saw his guilty soul. Jesus did not first say, “Rise and walk.” He said, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.” Jesus addressed the deepest need before the obvious one. The man could have walked for years and still died lost.

Jesus offers forgiveness as a free gift, not a reward. The man on the mat could offer nothing. He came helpless and received grace. This forgiveness cost Jesus everything on the cross. His blood paid the debt we could never pay.

We often focus on fixing temporary problems. We want people to have a better week. But people need more than behavior modification. They need forgiveness. They need Jesus. When you help someone, do you also tell them about the One who forgives sins?

“And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.” (Luke 5:20)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for paying the price for your forgiveness when you could offer nothing.

Challenge: Tell one person today what Jesus has done for you, not just what He can do for them.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media