Day 259 – Jesus’ Healings in Capernaum

• We read about two miracles today and, as we often can with the four gospel books, we see the accounts of each miracle twice, first in Luke, and then again in Mark. Matthew also records the healing of the leper.
• Do you think the leper had true faith? What might he have heard about Jesus, and would there have been anything to stop him trusting in Jesus to heal him?
• What did Jesus do that would have shocked those who watched the scene? Focus on Luke 5:13. Do you remember where lepers had to go, according to the Old Testament (specifically Leviticus) law?
• Mark records something about Jesus that Luke didn’t, regarding the emotions of Jesus as he met the leper. Can you find it? Do you think that Jesus has pity on you too? Do you have pity on those that are less-fortunate, and how often does that pity move you to do something about it?
• Staying in Mark, look at what Jesus does in 1:35. What did He do to get away from the hustle and bustle of the day? Jesus is a great example to us in the way that He acted. Taking time out for prayer was important enough for Jesus to leave the crowds and His healing ministry to do. It’s equally important for us. You are probably reading this in a quiet time at the moment – which is great – but could you consider making that time a little longer, and having a period of reflection and prayer after?
• The second story of the paralysed man, is well known. He had some great friends, didn’t he? They weren’t going to let a few people get in the way of their mate seeing Jesus. Do you have friends who would go the extra mile for you? Are you a friend like that to others?
• The man couldn’t walk. He wanted Jesus to heal his legs, and that, of course, was what the crowds were looking for Jesus to do. But what did Jesus first “heal”, in Mark 2:5? Why did Jesus consider the man’s sin a more important thing to heal than his legs?
• By also healing the man’s legs, do you think the people would have thought differently about whether the man’s sin had also been forgiven?
• By saying that he could pronounce forgiveness of sins, who was Jesus claiming to be? Who got very angry at this?

The Pharisees were right, of course, to challenge someone who claimed the things Jesus did (Luke 5:21). But Jesus backed up His claims, didn’t He? The Pharisees, despite all their knowledge of scripture, failed to see Jesus correctly. And despite all that knowledge, they continued to lack something Jesus had – compassion for those in need. There is another way to treat Jesus though – and that’s to pursue Him (like in Luke 5:18), and trust Him enough to obey (verse 25) and to glorify Him (verse 26).

Make sure you don’t finish today’s readings without seeing the importance of Jesus as a healer, with His healing of our sin (through His sacrifice on the cross and the taking of the penalty we deserve) as uppermost importance. We can pray for physical healing (and such healing does happen as many Christians will affirm), but in the end, a perfect body with a broken relationship with God is of no eternal use. Be sure you see the message Jesus was bringing to the paralysed man of the importance of dealing with sin!