A Crucial Principle of the Kingdom of Heaven
At that time, Peter was beside Jesus when the roof was opened, and a paralytic was lowered down on a mat. Seeing the crowded conditions and someone being lowered from above, Jesus said, Son, your sins are forgiven! (Mark 2:5). Some questioned why Jesus could forgive sins. Later, through this event, Jesus spoke about the relationship between sin and sickness, and also the relationship between healing and forgiveness.
Originally, Jesus Christ came to forgive sins, to bear all our transgressions. Jesus' coming speaks to the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven. He not only proclaimed his authority to forgive sins, but he himself is the Lamb that takes away sin. He did not come representing that things were yet to be accomplished. In eternity, the crucifixion was already accomplished for Jesus, so he forgave sins there. The paralytic's sins were placed on Jesus. The Son of Man has authority to forgive sins. Jesus bore our sins, so we are healed.
If we are healed, we should remember that Jesus bore our iniquities. It is not that your sickness went elsewhere, but that it went onto Jesus. Therefore, by his wounds we are healed, and by his punishment we have peace (Isaiah 53:5). Originally, we lived painfully because of sickness, but today someone bears our sorrows and carries our pain, all because of Jesus. So, forgiveness and healing are directly related.
Why could Jesus make the paralyzed walk? If we were there, we would be shocked. Every time I read this, I have a great longing in my heart. In one's life, if we have a yearning and are willing to let Jesus do such things through us, God will surely accomplish it!
Last Sunday, we saw a pastor preach that none were healed through his prayers. But for twenty years, he did not give up his yearning. He always believed that what the Bible says is still true, but he just could not do it. This is a remarkable person! Anointing is passed on in this way. The anointing that God bestows upon us is wondrous.
So, I encourage brothers and sisters to understand, if your and my illnesses are healed because Jesus bore them for us, do we owe Jesus? If we owe Jesus, then we should forgive those who owe us. Jesus bore our sins, at a terrible price.
We should always be thankful when we think of this. When we are thankful, we speak words of gratitude and no longer speak words of criticism and fault-finding. Because you and I stand in God's grace today through faith, not in God’s judgment through criticism. This is an important principle of the Kingdom of Heaven: Sin and sickness are directly related, and healing and forgiveness are directly related.
Jesus is the Answer to All Problems
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. (Mark 2:17)
Peter was present when Levi was called. He does not highlight the calling of Levi, but wants to emphasize one thing: If someone comes to Jesus and says he is a good person, he does not need Jesus. Unless you say you are a paralytic and need Jesus.
Why could Levi immediately leave what he was doing and follow Jesus? Because he was thinking: I am a sinner, and I cannot go on living like this. Therefore, I must find a new path. Where is this new path? Jesus called to him, Levi, follow me! And he left everything and followed Jesus. I guess Jesus knew his name was Levi, because Jesus has this gift, he knows each of our names. Levi followed Jesus. In Levi's heart, there was a question about life that he could not find the answer to.
The most foolish thing a person can do is not know that they have a problem. Just like healthy people do not seek a doctor, you will not come to Jesus if you have no need. But only if you have a need to come to Jesus, and Jesus happens to be calling you, then you come and follow him. Levi later became one of the twelve apostles. People must know that we have many unresolved problems. First, we must ask: Why are we living?
If you are content with living, content with living a life waiting for your monthly salary, then it is probably difficult to need Jesus. If you want a better way of living, then you need Jesus. In fact, we humans do not know where we come from, nor do we know where we are going. We often see people being born and dying. In yesterday's prayer meeting, a sister's father had just passed away last week due to cancer. I felt sad for a night after hearing this. Every time I see people dying miserably, it has a deep impact on the living. I hope that such things can once again inspire us living to know that the problems of our life in this world are far from being solved. If you think you have solved it, that only means you have no problems today. Who can guarantee that cancer will not find you in this lifetime?
This generation is a generation that especially needs the Gospel, but where are those who are strong to preach the Gospel? My method of preaching the Gospel is different from many people. I hope that brothers and sisters can inherit my way of preaching the Gospel, although you may not be comfortable with it at first. I have a particularly deep longing, which is to hope that those cancer patients will come among us and be ministered to by us, just like Jesus encountered the paralytic, and the sin was forgiven, and a touch was all that was needed. Last night, a Singaporean couple came to me. They were living in particular pain because his mother had cancer and kept shouting at home, Let me go, let me go, forgive me. The family members were very upset when they saw her talking to spirits of the underworld.
Tonight, we have a new friend among us whose daughter is studying in Singapore, and her father in China was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Yesterday afternoon, someone found me online whose father had recently been diagnosed with cancer... I said in my heart, God, we pray for cancer patients. We have to admit that we have not found the problem. Lord, may these things that you did on earth be manifested among us today! So many patients need the Lord Jesus, and I believe that God will certainly grant such healing grace according to our yearning.
If there are many problems in our lives that are far from being solved, then shall we bury ourselves in the busyness of daily life?
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. (Exodus 20:8-10)
It is evident that God does not want us to have a toiling life, he wants us to have a healthy life. Today, for those of us who have not yet received revelation, I believe God will surely grant us these graces. If you have received these graces among us, and many diseases have been healed through prayer, thank God, this is what Jesus Christ exchanged for you through his blood and sacrifice on the cross. Not only that, but also because I yearn to receive these things, yearning for everyone to be released from pain! If you come to Jesus with problems, Jesus is the answer to all your problems.
Fasting and Prayer is to Draw Near to God; Drawing Near to God Makes Us More Like God.
Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. (Mark 2:19)
Why did Jesus say: When the bridegroom is here, there is no need to fast? Because fasting in itself is for people to draw near to God. One of the most crucial things in the Kingdom of Heaven is to draw near to God, and this relationship is established through fasting and prayer. Fasting and prayer is actually a long period of prayer. We come before Him with all the unsolvable problems in our lives, and pray before Him for a long time. This is the source of obtaining power. Fasting and prayer draw us near to God, renew our minds, and drawing near to God makes us more like God. The more we are like God, the more capable we become, and the more compassionate we become.
If you are increasingly like God, you will certainly have the nature of God. Why were people healed by God when they came to Jesus? Because our God is a God of compassion and grace, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6). We must also constantly follow God in doing the work of renewal, allowing Him to continually shape us. Martin Luther did one thing, then John Calvin did another, then John Wesley did something else, and then many, many more things were done. Therefore, each time it is God doing the work of renewal, and we must not be stumbling blocks to renewal or old wineskins. Renewal is endless.
God Values Human Life
(Jesus) said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)
In reality, God values human life greatly, but people value rules. God's intention is to value your life and mine. Why do we keep the Lord's Day? Why do we study the Bible? Because our lives need God and need to grow in Him continually. God values human life, and the Sabbath was established for the sake of us having a blessed life. But people are always thinking about how to make money when they observe the Sabbath. In fact, how to make money is not important. The Bible repeatedly tells us: You need blessing!
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)
Why does He require you to diligently observe His statutes and ordinances? It is for your blessing! For your life and mine, Jesus has paid the price by dying on the cross, so that our sins may be forgiven.
Whether to walk the path of blessing or the path of cursing is a choice for people themselves. God absolutely values our lives far more than all the rules. If today the church wants to promote rules, when the rules contradict the survival of our lives, preserving life is the most important thing. Rules are not the key. The rules we establish are even less so the Bible. The Sabbath is a rule established by the Bible, a rule established by God Himself, yet He allows people to break it in order to preserve human life. Therefore, we need to change our minds. There are many good things in the kingdom of heaven that relate to the things we need most in our lives.
Prayer, Preaching, and Casting Out Demons
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
Jesus did this as an example for us, telling us that the reason Jesus had such power was because of prayer. Prayer, preaching, and then casting out demons are inseparable. An airplane cannot fly with just an engine, nor can it fly with just wings. The two are indispensable and must work together. Our gospel must also be a complete gospel, a gospel that combines prayer, preaching, and casting out demons. Therefore, today we must carefully read the Bible and do as it says, so that God will manifest His glory in our midst.
Scripture
Mak 2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
Mak 2:2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
Mak 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
Mak 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roofing where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
Mak 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Mak 2:6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Mak 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but God only?
Mak 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
Mak 2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
Mak 2:10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
Mak 2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
Mak 2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Mak 2:13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
Mak 2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Mak 2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
Mak 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
Mak 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Mak 2:18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
Mak 2:19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
Mak 2:20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
Mak 2:21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.
Mak 2:22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
Mak 2:23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
Mak 2:24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
Mak 2:25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
Mak 2:26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
Mak 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mak 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.