THE STORY ABOUT FORGIVENESS AND HEALING

Luke 5, One day while Jesus was teaching, some Jewish religious leaders and teachers of the Law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was upon Jesus. Then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to push through the crowd to Jesus but couldn’t reach him. So they went up on the roof above him, took off some tiles, and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his sleeping mat, right in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven!” “Who does this fellow think he is?” Pharisees exclaimed among themselves. “This is blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins?” Jesus knew what they were thinking and replied, “Why is it blasphemy? I, the Messiah, have the authority on earth to forgive sins. But talk is cheap. So I’ll prove it by healing this man.” He said, “Pick up your stretcher and go on home, for you are healed!” And immediately, the man jumped to his feet, picked up his mat and went home praising God! Everyone present praised God, remarking over and over again, “We have seen strange things today.” Later on as Jesus left the town he saw a tax collector with the usual reputation for cheating sitting at a tax collection booth. The man’s name was Levi. Jesus said to him, “Come and be one of my disciples!” So Levi left everything, sprang up, and went with him. FRIENDS, FORGIVENESS AND INNER HEALING ARE INTERRELATED. UNFORGIVENESS CAN AFFECT YOUR HEALTH. Malachi 4:2-3 For you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. Then you will tread upon the wicked as ashes underfoot,” says the Lord Almighty.