God's Forgiveness

God’s Forgiveness (Mark 2:3-12, 14-17) God came to save sinners (Mark 2:17) Forgiveness is the primary need of all mankind The debilitating power of guilt There is a connection between physical health and mental and emotional state, e.g. with psychosomatic illness. When Leonardo da Vinci was painting his masterpiece The Last Supper, he sought long for a model for his Christ. At last he located a chorister in one of the churches of Rome who was lovely in life and features, a young man named Pietro Bandinelli. Years passed, and the painting was still unfinished. All the disciples had been portrayed save one -- Judas Iscariot. Now he started to find a man whose face was hardened and distorted by sin -- and at last he found a beggar on the streets of Rome with a face so villainous; he shuddered when he looked at him. He hired the man to sit for him as he painted the face of Judas on his canvas. When he was about to dismiss the man, he said, "I have not yet found out your name." "I am Pietro Bandinelli," he replied, "I also sat for you as your model of Christ." Do you have a hard time believing that your sins are forgiven, especially when you continue to repeat them? Carrying the burden of our sin restricts our “freedom”. It was the custom of ancient conquerors to prevent the escape of their prisoners by tying a dead body to their backs. With such gruesome burdens, these poor wretches could not run away. Paul may have had this in mind; so some think Romans 7:24 should read: "Oh, wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this dead body?" Self-blame can produce a paralyzing effect within us that brings a paralysis or disconnection with the inner self. Joan Borysenko, in her book “Guilt is the Teacher, Love is the Lesson,” notices a psychological effect that is similar: “What else can mobilize us so well, and help us overcome the hypnotic inertia of day-to-day life? Isn’t crisis and pain the universal great awakener? In facing our ‘dark’ parts, the disowned parts of our being that we thought were unworthy of love, we learn to live whole, authentic lives.” The Lord’s mercies are new every day (Lam. 3:22-23, Ps. 30:5, 86:15) God’s compassion is unlimited! He provides for our needs on a daily basis (Ps. 68:19, Matt. 6:11, Luke 11:3) And He is our daily strength (Isa. 33:2) And we are reminded of our need to repent daily (Zep. 3:5, Jer. 7:25) We should call upon God daily (Ps. 86:3) We should seek, watch for and listen to God daily (Prov. 8:34, Is. 58:2, Acts 17:11) We should seek to be in accord with our spiritual brothers and sisters daily (Acts 2:46)

We should exhort one another daily (Heb. 3:13) We should share the goods news daily (Acts 5:42) We are also called to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23) God alone has authority to forgive sins (Isa. 43:25, 44:22, Dan. 9:9, Mark 2:6) Because all sin is ultimately against Him (Ps. 51:4) Jesus manifest this authority (Mark 2:10) To receive forgiveness requires faith (Mark 2:5) To receive forgiveness requires admission of sin and repentance (1 John 1:9) Pride stands in the way of this