TEXT: Mark 2:1-12

Jesus was coming to our city of Capernaum again. I had been hearing about some of the great things He had done. People who had been sick for a long time were being healed by Jesus. He preached a wonderful message to everyone He met. I really wanted to see Him.

When I heard which house Jesus was visiting, I went there at once. It was only a few houses from my own home so I didn’t have far to walk. As I came around the last corner I saw a large crowd. The doorway of that house was already filled with people. And many more were standing in the street. I got as close as I could so I could hear what Jesus was saying.

All at once I heard a flurry of activity going on at the side of the house. I went to see what was happening. There I saw four men going up the outside stairway. They were carrying another man who was on a stretcher. I wondered why he couldn’t walk. I found out later that he had a disease called palsy. I was curious to see what the men were going to do with him, so I followed behind them. When they reached the roof they carefully laid the sick man to one side. They then began to take apart a section of the roof! When they were through, they had made a very large hole. They picked up their sick friend and carefully lowered him through the hole!

As quickly as I could, I looked down into the room below. There was the Man called Jesus! The sick man was lying on the stretcher at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus looked up at the sick man’s four friends. Then He looked at the sick man and said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

I thought that was wonderful. But I saw that there were a few men who were frowning. I wondered what they were thinking. I heard Jesus say to them, “Why do you worry about what I just did for this man? Do you think it is easier to forgive this man’s sins, or to say, ‘Stand up, pick up your bed, and walk’? I want you to know that the Son of God has power to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the man who was sick with palsy. He said to him, “Stand up, pick up your bed, and go to your own house.”

Right away the man stood up! He was healed! He picked up the stretcher he had been lying on and he walked out of the house! His friends were so excited! I watched them run down the stairs to meet him.

People all around me were amazed. I heard them praising God. I was so happy I had come to see Jesus. Everything I had heard about Him was true! He is wonderful. He really is the Son of God.

PARENT’S CORNER