Sick of Religion? Week 2: Devotional Day 1

DAY 1 – Monday

Daily devotional

Read

Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 9:1-8, Luke 5:17-26

Ask

What do all three gospel accounts of this story have in common?

What differences do you see?

Reflect

Sift through past vacation photos with someone who experienced the trip with you. Attempt retelling the adventures one at a time and see what similarities and differences you come up with. Details, timelines, and highlights might differ slightly depending on your experiences and memory. They also vary depending on your purpose behind retelling the event and your intended audience.

The gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke each tell their own version of what went down inside the walls of that home in Capernaum. These are three unique vantage points all about the same event. Regardless of the details or perspective each writer points to a critical revelation: Jesus is the long awaited for Messiah; the Son of Man referred to in Daniel 7:13-14 who is “given dominion and glory”. By Jesus’ authority alone souls paralyzed in sin and bodies in a physical paralysis both find healing. Back in Mark 1:21-28 we saw Jesus demonstrating his authority over unseen evil, and now days later Jesus returns to Capernaum and establishes his rule over the physical world as well.

All three authors set the scene of a hopeless situation. All three gospels tell of Jesus perceiving hearts of faith and responding to them in power. He confronts their preconceived ideas of sin born sickness with his declaration, “Son, your sins are forgiven” and backs his claim of authority with a visible miracle. Jesus always has our eternal healing in mind, and here in Mark we’re witnessing Jesus revealing his earthly authority to heal souls for eternity, as only God can do. How does reading all three gospel accounts give you a clearer mental image of just how radical the love of Christ was and is still today? Where have you witnessed God at work transforming you from the inside out?