Why do I argue in my heart?
Jesus said to the Scribes & Pharisees: “Why are you arguing in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Thy Sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ’Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.”
Why do I argue in my heart when I know the path is clear in front of me as to which way to go in life?
Positive thinking! Are we grateful for the wonderful things in our lives?
When times were easy, we didn’t think about it because we were young and young in mind and in heart.
Why do I argue with an old heart when my spirit and mind can be renewed each day, cab be renewed each moment with Christ if need be?
Faith can be so simple and powerful.
A paralytic lowered through the tiles, with his pallet, into the midst before Jesus.
And seeing his faith, Jesus said, “Man thy sins are forgiven thee.”
And the Scribes and Pharisees questioned what Jesus said: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God only?
Jesus said to the Scribes & Pharisees: “Why are you arguing in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Thy Sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ’Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.”
Jesus to the paralytic: “I say to thee, arise, take up thy pallet and go to thy house.”
And immediately he arose before them, took up what he had been lying on, and went away to his house, glorifying God.
Has Jesus spoken to you through your heart?
And astonishment seized upon them all, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen wonderful things today.”
Yes we have if we see with our hearts.
Jesus said to Levi a publican: “Follow Me.”
The Pharisees & Scribes questioned the Disciples: “Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?”
Jesus response was: “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but they who are sick. I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to repentance.”
Ah, so you think you are the just and not in need of repentance?
How powerful is our self, our pride and our silly ego—how easy is it to deny, justify, or rationalize our sins. We like to omit our sins of omission, don’t we?
We are young in heart, aren’t we?
We are okay as we are, aren’t we?
Jesus was honest with us about how difficult it will be to breakthrough our self-imposed barriers to change, growth and His Love: “No one puts a patch from a new garment on an old garment; else not only does he tear the new one, but the patch from the new garment does not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wine-skins’ else the new wine will burst the skins, and will be spilled itself, and the skins ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh skins, and both are saved. And no man after drinking old wine immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better!’”
The old is better, the status quo is better, I am better now because at least I know the playing field for the rest of my life. Not!
How long will we have the opportunity to pursue a new life?
Is it time to fast from our sins for a moment, a day, a week so that we can accept Jesus and through Him change our hearts and our lives?
“Can you make the wedding guests fast as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come—and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”
Has the bridegroom, your youth, your sense of wonderment left your life?
The old isn’t better, it’s just familiar, and your new personal relationship with Jesus will set you free!
Day 58: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Old is Better but the New will Set You Free!
Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Luke Chapter 5.
Bible Notes:
The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
Saint Luke, a pagan by birth and a physician by profession, had never seen our Lord. An early convert, he became a companion and co-worker of Saint Paul.
In the first four verses of his Gospel he explains why he wrote it. Paul’s doctrine that salvation is for all, not for Jesus alone, is the theme of Saint Luke’s Gospel.
Luke Chapter 5: Preaching from Simon’s boat; The great catch of fishes; The first disciples called; Jesus cures a leper; Pharisees hear Jesus; Jesus forgives the sins of a paralytic; He cures the paralytic; The call of Levi; The question of fasting; The Old Law and the New Testament.
“Put out into the deep, and lower your nets for a catch.”
“Master, the whole night through we have toiled and have taken nothing; but at thy word, I will lower the net.”
And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
Simon Peter: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon (Peter).
And Jesus said to Simon (Peter), “Do not be afraid; henceforth thou shalt catch men.”
And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all and followed him.
A man full of leprosy: “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”
Jesus: “I will, be thou made clean. Go, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift for thy purification, as Moses commanded, for a witness to them.”
But he himself was in retirement in the desert, and in prayer.
And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
Paralytic lowered through the tiles, with his pallet, into the midst before Jesus.
And seeing his faith, he said, “Man thy sins are forgiven thee.”
Scribes and Pharisees: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God only?
Jesus to Scribes & Pharisees: “Why are you arguing in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Thy Sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ’Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.”
Jesus to the paralytic: “I say to thee, arise, take up thy pallet and go to thy house.”
And immediately he arose before them, took up what he had been lying on, and went away to his house, glorifying God.
And astonishment seized upon them all, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen wonderful things today.”
Jesus to Levi a publican: “Follow Me.”
Pharisees & Scribes to Disciples: “Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?”
Jesus: “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but they who are sick. I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to repentance.”
“Can you make the wedding guests fast as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come—and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”
“No one puts a patch from a new garment on an old garment; else not only does he tear the new one, but the patch from the new garment does not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wine-skins’ else the new wine will burst the skins, and will be spilt (spilled?) itself, and the skins ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh skins, and both are saved. And no man after drinking old wine immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better!’”
Speak Your Mind