It was early yesterday morning, and I had hours of driving ahead of me. It was dark, leaving the house just after 5 am, and the highways were light for traffic – light for Houston that is.

On long trips like this, I like to pop the Bible on, and listen for extended times, sometimes paying attention and at other times – because I’m driving, being a bit distracted.

It was halfway to my destination, travelling a bit over 75 mph on the interstate heading north, that the following miracle came over the radio speakers.

Mark 2:4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
Mark 2:5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Mark 2:6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
Mark 2:7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Mark 2:8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?
Mark 2:9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?
Mark 2:10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the paralytic–
Mark 2:11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”
Mark 2:12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Very early in the career of Jesus, we come up to this amazing miracle, where Jesus displays abundant proof that He is God.

Note the progression of logic.

• Jesus forgives sin.
• Scribes complain that only God can forgive sin.
• Jesus opens up the question, by addressing their lack of heart faith. (Remember – this is early in His ministry)
• Scribes reinforce the teaching that only God can forgive sins.
• Jesus provides the Scribes a logical test.
  • Which is easier?
    • For Jesus to forgive sins?
      • Impossible in Scribes mind.
    • For Jesus to heal paralytic?
      • Also impossible in Scribes mind.

Jesus then provides a purpose for this challenge. He clearly states that this upcoming impossible act of healing will validate the past impossible act of forgiving sins.

Jesus simply by His words heals the paralytic.

Nothing is said of the Scribes in this passage, but the crowds went wild! Amazed with the miracle, the crowds glorified God, speaking of how they had never seen anything like this before.

All of that interaction with the Scribes and the paralytic is amazing, yet during my drive, I was struck with the silence of the Word in Jesus taking a victory lap.

You know what I mean. We all do it. When we perform well in a crowd, find success in an endeavor, accomplish something that no one thought we could – we tend to find some way to bask in the accomplishment, revel in the astonishment of others, or we simply take a victory lap, accepting the praises of the crowds.

There is nothing in the text that speaks of Jesus’ reaction after this miracle. Each of the gospels immediately tell of His calling of Levi.

Mark 2:13-14 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them.
And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

Luke 5:27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.”

Matthew 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

This omission of Jesus reaction to His own miracle spoke volumes to me on interstate 45.

He is Messiah, and we are not.

He is of a completely different identity than us “regulars”. Yes – He took on the flesh and blood of His brothers and experienced the human condition, but His identity was not only of us “regulars”. He is God amongst us, and He did not need to exhibit or perform any act to maintain that knowledge by the support of us “regulars”. His identity is a fact of truth in His Person, and He was perfectly secure in that. His relationship with the Father was the only relationship that mattered.

His was not on a mission of self aggrandizement,

Of all the men or women that have walked this earth, One man could justly speak of how much greater He was than others. This did not occur. He described Himself as humble, gentle and lowly in heart.

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

I have not found another self description of the Person of Christ in the Word other than this particular one, and it is perfectly reflected in this healing. I can imagine – only imagine – that as Jesus healed this paralytic, that He was gentle with the man, and lowly in heart with the circumstances of proving that He is God!

Did you grasp that? In this miracle He proved that He is God, able to forgive sins! Is that not worthy of a swelling pride, a movement of victory in the soul? And yet all is silent, and Jesus progresses to His next task of calling Levi to follow Him.

He is completely beyond my imagination. Who could make this up? Every hint of the gospel, every action He took speaks volumes for each of us if we are honest with ourselves.

He is God. He has not only proven to the Scribes of His day of His identity, but has provided the ultimate act of service and deliverance to a lost people. His resurrection is the very capstone of His Messiahship, and we are fools to ignore the evidence of who Jesus is!

We see the very same gentleness and lowliness of heart as He exits the grave. Though He has done the impossible, He is “simply” the eternal and almighty God, the God we have the opportunity to serve, worship and adore.

Is He calling you?

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