WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026

MEMORY VERSE: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralysed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.'” (Mark 2:5, NIV)

TEXT: MARK 2:1-12

I. THE INTENSITY OF THE PURSUIT

As we enter the first full week of 2026, we encounter a narrative in Mark 2 that is as much about desperate faith as it is about divine authority. Jesus had returned to Capernaum, and the news of His presence acted like a spiritual magnet. The house was so packed that the doorways were blocked; there was no room left even for the air to circulate.

In this setting, we see four men carrying a paralyzed friend. They faced a physical barrier—the crowd. Many people in 2026 will give up on their spiritual goals because of “crowds”—the crowd of busy schedules, the crowd of social expectations, or the crowd of past failures. But these men were undeterred. They didn’t just look for a door; they looked for a way. They climbed the roof, dismantled the structure, and lowered their friend into the presence of the Master.

The Lesson: Real faith is persistent. It refuses to take “no” for an answer when the “yes” is found in Christ. What “roof” do you need to tear off today to get into the presence of Jesus?

II. THE HIERARCHY OF HEALING: SOUL BEFORE BODY

When the paralyzed man landed at the feet of Jesus, everyone expected a physical miracle. The man was clearly immobile. His muscles were atrophied, and his limbs were useless. However, Jesus looked past the visible symptoms to the invisible root. He didn’t say, “Get up and walk” first. He said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

1. The Weight of Sin

Sin is a spiritual paralysis. Just as the man’s physical condition kept him from moving, sin keeps the soul from advancing toward God. Sin corrupts everything it touches. It is a weight that cripples more than the body; it breaks fellowship with the Creator and leads to eternal separation. Jesus addressed the man’s greatest need before addressing his obvious need.

2. The Scandal of Grace

This declaration stirred a firestorm among the “teachers of the law.” In their theology—which was technically correct—only God can forgive sins. By claiming this authority, Jesus was claiming to be God. They saw it as blasphemy, but Jesus saw it as the fulfillment of His mission. He knew their thoughts and challenged them with a question of “ease”: Which is easier to say?

To say “Your sins are forgiven” is easy because there is no immediate visible proof. But to say “Get up and walk” requires an immediate, undeniable manifestation of power. Jesus performed the visible miracle to validate the invisible one.

III. AUTHORITY ON EARTH

Verse 10 is the pivot point of the passage: “But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Jesus is not just a healer of headaches or a restorer of limbs; He is the Judge of the universe who has chosen to act as the Mediator of Grace. In 2026, you must realize that your past—no matter how stained—is under the authority of Christ.

• He has the authority to cancel your debt.
• He has the authority to rewrite your story.
• He has the authority to lift the “mat” of your shame.

When Jesus finally told the man to “Get up, take your mat and go home,” the man didn’t just shuffle out. He walked out in “full view of them all.” His transformation was public, undeniable, and total. This is the “Total Man” salvation—cleansed on the inside and empowered on the outside.

IV. RENEWAL AND TRANSFORMATION

Faith in Jesus brings more than a “get out of hell free” card; it brings a total transformation of life. Are you willing to surrender your internal struggles to Him today? True renewal happens when we replace old habits of sin with a daily, disciplined walk with God.

The crowd in Capernaum said, “We have never seen anything like this!” That should be the testimony of your life in 2026. As you experience the forgiveness of Christ, your “walk” should be so radically different that those around you are amazed and give praise to God.

INSIGHT

Real faith does not just seek a solution for the symptoms of life; it seeks a transformation from the Source. When the soul is forgiven, the body finds its true purpose.

PRAYER DECREES

For Forgiveness: Lord, I come to You in faith. Like the man on the mat, I lay my soul bare before You. Forgive me for every sin that has paralyzed my spiritual growth.

For Breakthrough: Father, give me the persistence of the four friends. Grant me the grace to break through every “roof” of limitation and obstacle standing between me and Your presence.

For Transformation: Lord, don’t just heal my circumstances; heal my heart. Empower me to “take up my mat”—the very thing that used to hold me—and walk in victory for all to see.

For Authority: I recognize Your authority, Jesus, over my past, my present, and my future. I walk in the liberty of the forgiven today!

RBT PASSAGE: Genesis 24-25

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 6; Genesis 24-25

Happy Wednesday! May you walk in the light of His total forgiveness.