Rise: Take Up Your Bed And Walk

Matthew 9:1-8

"So He (Jesus) got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house.

Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men."

At the end of the previous chapter, Jesus had just released that poor man possessed of a legion of demons from his terrible bondage.  He had commanded the evil spirits to leave the man and gave them permission to possess a herd of pigs nearby.  Driven mad, the entire herd ran wild, plunged off a cliff into the sea and were killed.

Instead of rejoicing that this man who had suffered for so many years had been delivered, they asked Jesus to leave.  So He did. He's a gentleman and will never stay where He isn't wanted.  Thier loss.

"He got into a boat and crossed over into his own city."  That was Capernaum, His home away from home, meaning Nazareth.  It was where He performed a number of His most famous miracles.  Peter lived there.  This event most likely occurred at his house.

Why was the place so crowded?  It wasn't just the average who was Israelite present to witness this miracle.  Jesus' fame had spread far and wide.  A number of the Pharisees went there to see for themselves what was going on.  They were so jealous of Him.  Perhaps they might find some way to discredit Him.

How blessed was this paralyzed man to have good and loyal friends.  Being disabled and not able to get there himself, they were glad to carry him to the One Who could help. There was such a press of people with the religious set crowding in around they had to tear up the roof, make an opening and lower him down to Jesus.

Three Times.
This story is documented in all three synoptic gospels:  Matthew 9, Mark 2 and Luke 5.  Wherever the Holy Spirit records a story THREE TIMES, there is something VERY important He wants us to know.  What could it be?

When Jesus saw THEIR {his friends} FAITH, not the man's, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

Wait a minute.  Didn't they bring him to Jesus for healing?  Why did He say, " Son, your sins are forgiven you?"  Because He knew this man felt unworthy to be healed because of his sins.  He had mentally disqualified himself.  Once he saw in Jesus' eyes that his sins were truly forgiven, that he was NOT condemned, he was not only instantly free from guilt and condemnation, IT CAUSED HIM TO RECEIVE HIS HEALING!

For more on forgiveness of sins, past, present AND FUTURE, follow this link:  https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/04/13/no-one-is-forgiven-little/

So when Jesus finally said to him, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house,” he did!  He picked up and carried that which had once carried him!  And look what resulted.....

"...all were amazed and glorified God, saying,“We never saw anything like this!”
EVERYONE GLORIFIED GOD!

Church, you don't have to have perfect faith in order to be healed, but you may have mentally disqualified yourself in some way.  Well, STOP!  STOP IT RIGHT NOW!  Understand this:  JESUS LOVES YOU and is not only able but WILLING TO HEAL YOU.  Your sins are already forgiven for your entire life!  This is the most crucial to understand. 

False Teaching.

Many pastors preaching in the church today can make you feel like you are not qualified to be healed because you are not right with God.  They may say things like, "Nothing wrong with God, nothing wrong with His word; there is something wrong with you."  Some preach that perhaps we have sicknesses, pain and disease so that He can teach us a lesson.  If that were true...and it isn't...then why are you going to the doctor to get rid of your illness?  You're trying to get out of God's will.  

That, of course, is UTTERLY FALSE.  God is NOT the Author of disease.  For more on that topic, follow this link:  https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/08/07/god-is-not-the-author-of-disease/

 True, if you are sick you can learn from it but God didn't make or allow you sick to teach you a lesson.

If you are born again, it is lying to say sickness is because you did something wrong.  How can that be when Jesus cleansed ALL your sins of your entire life, even those in the future?  The truth is there's nothing wrong with God, there's nothing wrong with His word.....AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU.  

But there is something wrong.  Would you like to know what t is?  Because of Jesus' finished work, there's something wrong with you believing that there is something wrong with you.

It isn't His desire that we be sick.  1John 4:17 says,"“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”

Memorize these nine words:  "AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD."  Does it say, "As He is, so will we be when we die and go to heaven?"  "As He is, so will we be when He rules this earth?"  No.  It says, "As He is, so ARE we IN THIS WORLD."  NOW.  

Is Jesus sick, depressed, suffering lack of any kind?  NO.  Then, "so are we in this world." 

Church, we are transformed, healed, saved, delivered, by beholding His glory.....not our gory.  In whatever condition in which you find yourself, your fight is not with the devil:  YOUR FIGHT IS TO REMAIN IN FAITH about what the Bible says about you.  

Thinking that you are condemned or somehow out of fellowship with God hinders you from receiving EVERY BLESSING...not just healing....EVERY BLESSING OUR SUPERLATIVELY GENEROUS GOD WHO DESPERATELY DESIRES TO GIVE YOU EVERY BLESSING.  

Romans 8:1 says, "You are NOT condemned." (Paraphrased). You are the righteousness of God in Christ.  PERIOD.

Whatever is holding you captive; whatever has you paralyzed, "Son/daughter, your sins are forgiven you."  NOW.....Rise, Church:  

TAKE UP YOUR BED AND WALK!!!