His Authority to Forgive

I will be preaching on Mark 2:1-12 in a couple of weeks, during the Festival of the Associate Pastor, the Sunday following Christmas. I’m okay with that. In some ways it is a difficult week to preach since it follows the holiday buzz, many are traveling, the regulars are here with family, the Sunday AM schedule is all messed up, and so on and so forth. But, I decided a while ago to preach the text since I had recently done prep in this area, and it is a busy season, and it sort of fits with the thought flow of Christmas.

I am enjoying getting back into that text, revisiting some of the things that I thought about months ago, and how since then I have changed spiritually. It has been awesome for me to hear again the good news of the gospel for me.

I sometimes struggle with really knowing the forgiveness that is mine in Christ, that he has the authority to forgive me. I struggle to believe 1 John 1:9, “that if I confess my sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I sometimes believe that that forgiveness is not full, or true, or complete. I discount the cross when I don’t believe that it reaches ALL my sin, I discount the power of God when I think the forgiveness is only partial, I discount his love for me and his grace toward me when I don’t believe that it is true.

Mark 2:1-11 reminds me of the truth that he does in fact have the authority to forgive, so does Psalm 51:1-12; 55:1-8; 103:1-14 and so many more passages. God does not ask permission, he is the end all, it is his word his promises. That is such good news to my perfectionist, failed, broken, and doubting heart.

Well, more to come later I am sure.

~ by Nate on December 13, 2008.