True Authority
Psalm 47
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
Leviticus 6:14-7:21
The Fellowship Offering
11 “‘These are the regulations for the fellowship offering anyone may present to the LORD:
12 “‘If they offer it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering they are to offer thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, thin loaves made without yeast and brushed with oil, and thick loaves of the finest flour well-kneaded and with oil mixed in. 13 Along with their fellowship offering of thanksgiving they are to present an offering with thick loaves of bread made with yeast. 14 They are to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who splashes the blood of the fellowship offering against the altar. 15 The meat of their fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; they must leave none of it till morning.16 “‘If, however, their offering is the result of a vow or is a freewill offering, the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day they offer it, but anything left over may be eaten on the next day. 17 Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up. 18 If any meat of the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day, the one who offered it will not be accepted. It will not be reckoned to their credit, for it has become impure; the person who eats any of it will be held responsible.19 “‘Meat that touches anything ceremonially unclean must not be eaten; it must be burned up. As for other meat, anyone ceremonially clean may eat it. 20 But if anyone who is unclean eats any meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD, they must be cut off from their people. 21 Anyone who touches something unclean—whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any unclean creature that moves along the ground—and then eats any of the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD must be cut off from their people.”
Mark 2:1-12
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Reflections: Our psalm today is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving for the awesomeness of God. In particular, the psalmist lifts up that God is King and Lord of all. When he uses the word “nations” he is referring to all the people who are not part of Israel. All who were not Jews, were referred to as the “nations”. If you remember in Genesis 12 and 15, God’s covenant with Abraham would be that he would be blessed to be a blessings to all the nations. God’s plan from the beginning was to set apart a people that would call forth His praises and then be a blessing to the nations.
In Leviticus today, we see two additional offerings: the grain offering and the fellowship offering. The grain offering was to be mixed with oil and burnt on the altar as incense and praise rising up to God. It was a sign that the Israelites trusted God with one of the most important possessions, grain. These were made as a result of a vow, or a special act of thanks to God. Notice some of the offerings were required to make atonement for the sins of the people (sin and guilt offering), and some were to offer up possessions as a sign that all things we are given come from God. Giving back a portion to God, which also helped provided sustenance for the priests (Aaron and his sons), was a sign of putting their trust in God with all things. This is similar to the tithe and special offerings we will see carried over in the New Testament.
In Mark, Jesus returns to Capernaum. Capernaum was likely the home of Peter, Andrew, James and John and Matthew, the tax collector. In Matthew 4:13, it was reported to be the home of Jesus. It was a small fishing town, on the Northern part of the Sea of Galilee. A church near Capernaum is said to be the home of Saint Peter. But in our reading today this town was filled with buzz as Jesus came back to his hometown. Some men brought a paralytic and there were so many in the home where Jesus was preaching, that they hatched a plan to lower him through the roof by digging a hole. Jesus recognizes their faith and says, “Son, your sins are forgiven!”
The teachers of the Law immediately accuse Jesus of blasphemy, for only God can forgive sins. But Jesus wanting to use the moment to give glory to God, links the healing with his forgiveness of sin for his faith. Again we see the importance of the authority Jesus has as God’s son. It is the authority to deliver from demons, heal, and announce the forgiveness of sins. And it is also the same authority that will cause the powers that be to start to persecute him because they are threatened by it.
As we live in God’s authority as His sons and daughters there will likely to be people who misunderstand our actions. Someone might say, “Who are you to think you can pray for healing?” Just as Jesus was misunderstood we will likely be misunderstood today but that shouldn’t stop us from living out our faith in confidence relying on God and His Word for our strength.
God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands. Genesis 31:42
Paul wrote, Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
Steadfast Lord, show us of small vision that our work for you is never in vain. Show us you are our rock and we know we can trust in you forever. Amen.
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
Leviticus 6:14-7:21
The Fellowship Offering
11 “‘These are the regulations for the fellowship offering anyone may present to the LORD:
12 “‘If they offer it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering they are to offer thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, thin loaves made without yeast and brushed with oil, and thick loaves of the finest flour well-kneaded and with oil mixed in. 13 Along with their fellowship offering of thanksgiving they are to present an offering with thick loaves of bread made with yeast. 14 They are to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who splashes the blood of the fellowship offering against the altar. 15 The meat of their fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; they must leave none of it till morning.16 “‘If, however, their offering is the result of a vow or is a freewill offering, the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day they offer it, but anything left over may be eaten on the next day. 17 Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up. 18 If any meat of the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day, the one who offered it will not be accepted. It will not be reckoned to their credit, for it has become impure; the person who eats any of it will be held responsible.19 “‘Meat that touches anything ceremonially unclean must not be eaten; it must be burned up. As for other meat, anyone ceremonially clean may eat it. 20 But if anyone who is unclean eats any meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD, they must be cut off from their people. 21 Anyone who touches something unclean—whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any unclean creature that moves along the ground—and then eats any of the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD must be cut off from their people.”
Mark 2:1-12
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Reflections: Our psalm today is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving for the awesomeness of God. In particular, the psalmist lifts up that God is King and Lord of all. When he uses the word “nations” he is referring to all the people who are not part of Israel. All who were not Jews, were referred to as the “nations”. If you remember in Genesis 12 and 15, God’s covenant with Abraham would be that he would be blessed to be a blessings to all the nations. God’s plan from the beginning was to set apart a people that would call forth His praises and then be a blessing to the nations.
In Leviticus today, we see two additional offerings: the grain offering and the fellowship offering. The grain offering was to be mixed with oil and burnt on the altar as incense and praise rising up to God. It was a sign that the Israelites trusted God with one of the most important possessions, grain. These were made as a result of a vow, or a special act of thanks to God. Notice some of the offerings were required to make atonement for the sins of the people (sin and guilt offering), and some were to offer up possessions as a sign that all things we are given come from God. Giving back a portion to God, which also helped provided sustenance for the priests (Aaron and his sons), was a sign of putting their trust in God with all things. This is similar to the tithe and special offerings we will see carried over in the New Testament.
In Mark, Jesus returns to Capernaum. Capernaum was likely the home of Peter, Andrew, James and John and Matthew, the tax collector. In Matthew 4:13, it was reported to be the home of Jesus. It was a small fishing town, on the Northern part of the Sea of Galilee. A church near Capernaum is said to be the home of Saint Peter. But in our reading today this town was filled with buzz as Jesus came back to his hometown. Some men brought a paralytic and there were so many in the home where Jesus was preaching, that they hatched a plan to lower him through the roof by digging a hole. Jesus recognizes their faith and says, “Son, your sins are forgiven!”
The teachers of the Law immediately accuse Jesus of blasphemy, for only God can forgive sins. But Jesus wanting to use the moment to give glory to God, links the healing with his forgiveness of sin for his faith. Again we see the importance of the authority Jesus has as God’s son. It is the authority to deliver from demons, heal, and announce the forgiveness of sins. And it is also the same authority that will cause the powers that be to start to persecute him because they are threatened by it.
As we live in God’s authority as His sons and daughters there will likely to be people who misunderstand our actions. Someone might say, “Who are you to think you can pray for healing?” Just as Jesus was misunderstood we will likely be misunderstood today but that shouldn’t stop us from living out our faith in confidence relying on God and His Word for our strength.
God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands. Genesis 31:42
Paul wrote, Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
Steadfast Lord, show us of small vision that our work for you is never in vain. Show us you are our rock and we know we can trust in you forever. Amen.
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