“We’ve Never Seen Anything Like This Before . . .”

Before you start todays devotional, ask the Lord to use it to grow you up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus told the man He healed of leprosy not to tell anyone—but instead, the man told everyone. Jesus didn’t want to just heal people, He wanted to save them. He didn’t want the miracles to obscure people’s need for eternal life.

One day the crowds packed Simon Peter’s house in Capernaum to hear Jesus teach. Outside, some friends had carried their disabled friend to meet Jesus, but they couldn’t get in. Relentless for Jesus’ attention, they went to the roof, stripped off the straw, and made a hole over where Jesus was teaching. Everyone looked up to see this young man being lowered down in front of Jesus. Don’t you think Jesus smiled a bit when He saw the friends’ faith?

“Son, your sins are forgiven you.” These friends brought the young man to Jesus where he could hear the Lord Jesus for himself. Some religious scribes in the house thought, Why does Jesus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?

Jesus knew what they were thinking. “Which is easier?” He asks, “to forgive this man or say to him, ‘Rise and walk?’” Though they didn’t answer, they probably thought, It’s impossible for anybody but God to do either one, and that’s right. Then the Lord Jesus said, “So that you know I have the power to forgive sin, I’m going to say to this man, ‘Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.’”

And the man did just that. Everyone was amazed and glorified God and told each other, “We’ve never before seen anything like this.”

Another of Jesus’ disciples, Matthew, held a dinner party so his friends could meet Jesus. Apparently, there wasn’t a good man on the guest list, and the town’s religious people pointed that out to Jesus. He answered their pride with humor: “Do you invite the doctor over to your house when you’re healthy?” We’re all sinners. No one is righteous, though the Pharisees thought they were.

Wherever He went, Jesus introduced a new way of thinking. The religious wanted every letter of the Law to be enforced. Jesus wanted to complete the Law and do good. He broke through all their red tape and got to the heart of God’s purposes in the Law.

Jesus was grieved by people’s hard hearts. The religious leaders opposed Him from this point on. They wouldn’t let up until they folded their arms beneath His cross. This is the beginning of their plot to put Jesus to death.

And Jesus knew it. He withdrew tactfully back to Galilee, for His hour had not yet come.

In God’s sovereign purpose, Jesus then chose and ordained His twelve apostles. Notice Jesus did the choosing, and He’s the one responsible for them. The same is true for us. If God has saved you and begun a good work in you, then He’s going to stick right with you. He’s going to see you through.

This new relationship is so strong that it eclipses all other relationships. Today if you are in Christ, you are closer to Him than His physical family. When you receive Jesus as your Savior, then you have the right to be called His son and His daughter. He invites you to come closest to Him.

1. Does it surprise you to see Jesus telling people not to tell others about Him? Why or why not?

2. What does Jesus’ ability to heal tell us about His ability to forgive sins?

3. Jesus didn’t choose disciples who were looked at as having a lot of potential by the religious leaders of the day. He chose fishermen and tax collectors. What does His choice then tell us about us, the people whom He has called to follow Him today?

Additional Resources

Listen to Dr. J. Vernon McGee’s complete teachings on Mark 2:1-23 and Mark 2:23—3:35.