ESOCS Devotional 11 January 2023
TEXT: LUKE 5:12-26
MEMORY VERSE: “I will prove to you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. So He said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, pick up your bed, and go home.’” Luke 5:24 GNB
Jesus did not just pretend to perform miracles. Nor were His miraculous works or products of deceitful magical arts, as some accused Him of (Mark 3:16). The testimony of His works came from hundreds of people, who were affected by His healing hand. In other words, Jesus did not just work wonders to impress the people, like the sorcerers of many other religions of His day. He actually employed His divine authority to deliver all who were under demonic attacks.
In our text, Jesus came in contact with a man that had an advanced case of leprosy. This man besieged and begged Him to heal him. To this request, Jesus quickly responded and the man received instant healing (verses 12-13). In a second case, the faith of the friends and relations of a paralyzed man moved them to send the sick man into the hall where Jesus was through the roof. In this instance, Jesus did not just pronounce healing on the man but also used this occasion to prove His deity, who could also forgive sins on earth.
Yes! Jesus healed the paralytic. But He presented an opportunity to the Pharisees to rail accusations on Him by pronouncing forgiveness of the man’s sins. The Pharisees accused Him of blasphemy, insisting that only God could forgive sins. Of course, they were correct. Only God has the authority to forgive sins. Unfortunately, they did not know that the One who was in their midst was God – the second person of the Trinity. The age-long expected Redeemer of the world.
Jesus is Lord and God forever. All things were created by Him, through Him, and for Him (Colossians 1:15-16). He is the image of God, and all fullness of God dwells in Him. Without a doubt, God created everything through Christ and continues to rule all things in Him. Christ reigns as the Head of the Church. He is supreme over every power and authority. Christ, as the hope of glory, lives in all true believers (Colossians 1:27). He is the Grand Commander of the entire universe.
- It has been said that Christ is both God and man. Do you agree?
- Lord Jesus, I believe in your divinity and authority. Save me from every work of the devil.
FURTHER READING: 1 Samuel 17: 26-58; Isaiah 44: 6-22; 1 Corinthians 4: 1-13
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
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ESOCS Devotional 11 January 2023
