What will shock and awe us these days?  Is it an incredible, never done before physical stunt by men and women who have trained to perform this unbelievable act?  Is it a musical performance that was wonderfully flawless?  Or was it a near miss from being in a highway accident?  Was it the threat of death as you rushed a loved one to the emergency room?  What shocks us and brings us to our knees in awe?  What causes immediate praises to God in our lives? 

What does  it take for our natural, skeptical minds to change to wonder?  These are the thoughts I have as I read the next passage that is very familiar to most of us who were raised in church.  As we sat as young children in Sunday School, we were taught this story at least once a year as an incredible story of the love of friends who risked it all to bring their loved one to Jesus for healing.  But there is so much more!

The greater message is JESUS, Son of Man, with authority from God, who instantly forgave and healed a man who could not walk—and told him to walk home in front of the crowd!  JESUS caused the skeptics to wonder and the crowd to be shocked and awed by Jesus.  JESUS’ demonstration of the power of God caused the crowd to immediately praise God!  JESUS is the One and Only who can reconcile people to God.  JESUS came to seek and save the lost.  Healing was a byproduct of God’s compassion.

What causes us to immediately praise God?

Mark 2, The Message

A Paraplegic

^1-5 After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word. They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your sins.”

^6-7 Some religion scholars sitting there started whispering among themselves, “He can’t talk that way! That’s blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins.”

^8-12 Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, “Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both . . .” (he looked now at the paraplegic), “Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home.” And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, stunned—and then praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this!”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

It’s all about Jesus—not you and not me.  God created us.  Jesus is the One who saves us—we cannot save ourselves.  “Know this: God is God, and God, God. He made us; we didn’t make him. We’re his people, his well-tended sheep”. (Psalm 100:3, MSG)

The Trinity of God is God in Three Persons: God, the Father, Jesus, God’s Son, and His Holy Spirit.  Each one plays a role in our believing lives!

God’s Holy Spirit lives in us—sent from God to reside within the soul of every believer in Jesus as a Helper for us!  “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” –Jesus (John 14:26)

God’s Holy Spirit guides us, consistently bringing us back to Truth who is Jesus!  “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.”—Jesus (John 15:26)

“…And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. –Jesus (John 16:15) Convicting the world is the work of God’s Spirit, not us.

Don’t know what to pray to God when overwhelmed?  “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”  Romans 8:26

“It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free – signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13, MSG)

The secret that awes believers… “For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.” (Colossians 1:27, NLT)

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NLT)

I’m in shock that Jesus came to die for me when I think of how messed up I can be in my thinking and behaving—but He did.  I’m in awe of the One who created me, came to earth to save me and His Holy Spirit who lives in me. 

I truly stand amazed in the Presence of the Holy One who chose to never leave me.  I’m in awe of a love like this that is like no other love on earth!

“Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking’?” –Jesus

Jesus did both…and the man walked home.  Amazing.  Just amazing.

Lord,

Thank you, God.  Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you, Holy Spirit!  You are welcome to convict, comfort, challenge, guide and direct my life as I strive to live for you with you living in me.  I stand in awe and I worship you—all day long and into the night—I worship you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Let the shocked and awed praise God!  And we’re singing…

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.

Refrain
How marvelous, how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous, how wonderful
Is my Savior’s love for me!

2 He took my sins and my sorrows; He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calv’ry and suffered and died alone. Refrain

3 When with the ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see,
‘Twill be my joy through the ages to sing of His love for me. Refrain

(Songwriter: Charles Gabiel, 1905, “My Savior’s Love”)