Welcome to Gateway Church's podcast. Wherever you're tuning in from, we hope you're encouraged by today's message.

We are in a series called The Miracles of Jesus, and know this is not deja vu. This is literally the same outfit from last week.

I am a minimalist, I pick an outfit for the month, and that's what I rock with. I do not have time to be getting dressed for y'all. I got work to do.

So, just so y'all know. Is that the same? It looks like the same. It is. It's the same. And it's week two, so everybody knows. It's the same, but it's different.

We are in a series called The Miracles of Jesus, and I just get to go through the gospels, and just wait for the Holy Spirit to speak to me about which one to talk about.

And today we're going to go to the gospel, according to Mark chapter number two. The gospel, according to Mark chapter number two.

I want to read the first 12 verses in your hearing. And what's coincidental, I did not plan this. I read from Matthew last week the account of the leprous man that was healed.

In Mark's gospel, literally the next event after the healing of this leprous man is the story I'm going to read you right now.

So again, this is not my genius. It just happens to be how the Holy Spirit led me.

The gospel, according to Mark chapter number two, starting at the first verse, here's what it says.

When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the new spread quickly that he was back home.

Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room.

Even outside the door. While he was preaching God's Word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat.

They couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the crowd. So they dug a hole through the roof above his head.

Then they lowered the man on his mat right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, my child, your sins are forgiven.

But some of the teachers of religious law were who were sitting there, thought to themselves, what does he say? This is blasphemy.

Only God can forgive sins. Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking so he asked them, why do you question this in your hearts?

Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man your sins are forgiven or stand up, pick up your mat and walk?

So I will prove to you that the son of man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.

Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, stand up, pick up your mat and go home.

And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed.

They were all amazed and praised God's claimant. We've never seen anything like this before.

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