Which is Easier to say?

- Pastor Rusty - May 13, 2025

“1And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7“Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” Mark 2:1-12

I love this story. It has the classic phrase , “When Jesus saw their faith.” How can you see faith. Well, 🤔 you can only see what faith does.🧐 In other words you can see the actions faith produces and the words that we say. (Matt. 8:8). There appears to be a great challenge in the the story concerning our faith. Jesus is challenged by theologians of the day that He did not have the authority to forgive. So to punctuate the point He asks the question, “Which is easier to say? “Son your sins are forgiven you, or to say, take up your bed and walk!” In modern theology we have taken the opposite position, we seem to have the faith for forgiveness of sin but very little for supernatural healing. In other words we have faith that requires no demonstration.🤔 Jesus proved the point that He had the ability to forgive sin by healing the paralytic. Ask yourself, have you ever experienced Jesus healing your own body? If you don’t have faith for healing are you sure you have faith for salvation?🫢 Especially if you believe in salvation without evidence!🤔 mmm! Just sayin’… Pastor Rusty.

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Jude 1:3

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