Submit Only to Jesus’ Authority, not to Worthless Religious Rules

The crowds in Capernaum swarmed around Jesus. Peter’s house was packed. The overflow blocked the doorway. Four men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mattress. The door was blocked.

They took the outside stairway to the roof. They ripped a hole in it and lowered the paralyzed man on the mattress into the crowded room. The crowd saw an intruder and a damaged roof.

Jesus saw faith. Vital faith is visible. Monday Christians take the message of forgiveness and healing to others. What actions prove your faith is real?

Jesus told the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5, NIV). The scribes’ minds blew like the flashcubes of yesteryear.

They thought only God could forgive sin. They concluded that Jesus was blaspheming.

Their mistake was not recognizing Jesus as the Son of God with the authority to forgive sins. His authority surpassed that of their rule-codes. Are you still subject to religious rules? 

Jesus associated with sinners (Mark 2:13-17), which offended the scribes and Pharisees. Levi was a professional leech, sucking taxes from people passing through Capernaum.

Most Jews considered him a traitor and the scum of society. But Jesus saw in him the potential for spiritual growth and greatness.

Jesus repurposes society’s rejects. He compared Himself to a physician who heals the sick. Learn what the scribes did not.

Separating yourself from sin does not mean separating yourself from sinners. Who are the hated and “hopeless” in your community? Jesus came to bring them hope.

Jesus’ followers adopted new ways and left old ways behind (Mark 2:18-22). While John’s disciples fasted, Jesus’ disciples did not.

Jesus explained that the old forms of Judaism could not contain the gospel. He said it was inappropriate to fast at a wedding, put new wine in old wineskins, or patch old cloth with new.

Do not allow worthless religious rules to bind you. Newness is threatening because it means we must change. But growing spiritually requires us to become something we are not yet.

Jesus’ grace tempered rigid rules. His disciples harvested grain on the Sabbath because they were hungry.

The Pharisees attacked Jesus because of this Sabbath violation. Jesus said that God designed the Sabbath to benefit and not straitjacket people.

We see another Sabbath controversy in Mark 3:1-6. Jesus healed a man with a paralyzed hand because it was lawful to do good and to save life on the Sabbath.

According to the Pharisees, healing on the Sabbath was permitted only in matters of life and death. What is your takeaway?

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God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,090 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 14,841 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.   https://www.christiangrowthresources.com/his-power-for-your-weakness

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