Element of Surprise

Theme: Rumblings of Opposition

 

 

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

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LESSON

There is one thing about Jesus’ ministry that never changed—have you noticed it? It is the ever–present element of surprise. Jesus was always doing the unexpected. He never followed another person’s prepackaged program. When He met John the Baptist, He overturned John’s desire to be baptized by Jesus by requesting that John do that very thing for Him instead. He outmaneuvered Satan’s power plays in the desert not with divine power, but in His humanity. Jesus resisted the earthly paths to power and success and instead won the victory over Satan with a humble submission to the word and will of the Father.

 

When Jesus began His public ministry, Mark records the crowds’ consistent reaction: “they were astonished at His teaching” (1:22); “they were all amazed” (1:27; 2:12). No one knew what to make of Jesus. What He was doing and saying were completely new and filled with such hope and promise that the crowds quickly swarmed around Him.

 

Few if any understood Him, because His ministry was guided from heaven and not from earth. Yet that lack of understanding did not prevent a fascination with Jesus from spreading through Galilee like a prairie fire.

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