March 16

1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days, and it was noised that he was in the house

2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, so, not so much as about the cost; and he preached the work unto them

3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of fear

4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where

he was; and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee

6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts.

7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

8 And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

9 Whether is it easier, to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy.)

11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way unto thine house.

12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion

13 ¶ And he went forth again, by the sea side; and at the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Aiphen sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, follow me. And he arose and followed him.

15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at me, in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many, and they followed him.

16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are who have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

What encouragement there is in this lesson for us to try and bring our friends to Christ! Observe that it was their faith! No doubt the man himself had faith, but it was to their faith that Jesus made response. The letting down of the mat, with its pinched and shrunken burden, the uncovered roof, the eager faces around the jagged opening, all told most eloquently of the faith which had animated them. All this made an appeal which the Saviour could not resist—nay, to which He loved to respond. Not less ready is Jesus to answer such faith now. Let any one have the faith that is undiscouraged by obstacles, and that will work to bring its loved ones into the presence of the Saviour, and, seeing such faith, He will say as He did then, "Son, thy sins are forgiven."

How glorious is the manifestation of the divine feeling! God is on the side of sinners for the purposes of rescue. Jesus sat at meat with publicans and sinners. While He rebuked the proud, haughty, and hard-hearted Pharisees, with what tenderness did He address those who stood in darkness, and throw upon them the first ray of light, doubtless, that they had received from the day that they forsook their father's and mother's house. "There is more beauty, more royalty, more divinity in the way in which Christ treated the poor sinning woman who knelt at His feet, then there is in the conception of God sitting crowned with light upon the white throne of the eternal heavens."—H. W. Beecher.

Closet Promise.—I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.—Jer. xxxi. 34.

"My sins, my sins, my Saviour, They take such hold on me, I am not able to look up, Save only, Christ, to thee:

"In thee is all forgiveness, In thee abundant grace, My shadow and my sunshine The brightness of thy face.

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"Therefore my songs, my Saviour, Even in this time of woe, Shall tell of all thy goodness To sinful man below —

"Thy goodness and thy favor, Whose presence from above Rejoice those hearts, my Saviour, That live in thee and love."