Darren Hendrickson | 2020 October/November Shepherd's Voice |
I remember a time when I was a boy in elementary school. An argument had happened on the playground and bad words slipped from my mouth. This bothered me for the rest of the school day. I came home with a heavy heart. Slowly I walked into the room where my mom was sewing. She looked up and asked what was wrong. The tears came and I told her what had happened. I can still see her sitting by her sewing machine in the afternoon sunlight, preaching the words of the gospel, “Believe all sins forgiven in Jesus’ name and precious blood.” I felt so happy and all my troubles were gone!
Jesus spoke to the people of His time and to us about the power to forgive sins. The Bible talks how Jesus once held services in a house. In that place was a man who could not walk. Because of this, his friends opened a hole in the roof of the house and lowered the man down next to Jesus!
What was the first thing Jesus did? He immediately did the greatest thing He could do: he forgave the man’s sins. The people that were watching began to question this in their minds. They wondered how someone could have the power to forgive sins. Jesus knew what they were thinking and answered in this way:
He asked whether it is harder to forgive sins or to make a person walk who could not walk before. Jesus then answered the question by performing a miracle! He healed the man who could not walk, and the man stood up and walked! What did the man do then? He praised God (Luke 5:23–25).
You have also had your sins forgiven, this has happened many times in your life. You have felt happy and free to know that your sins are forgiven. That is how that sick man felt when Jesus healed him.
You children can also preach forgiveness to your mother, father, sisters and brothers. You have the power to preach forgiveness to anyone in this world who wants to have their sins forgiven. The forgiveness of sins is the greatest gift anyone can receive.
Daren Hendrickson
Things to visit about:
Why do we say that the gospel of the forgiveness of sins are the most powerful words?
In the article we read how Jesus healed a lame man. How does the gospel message heal us? How do we feel after hearing the message that our sins are forgiven?
Think about the words of the gospel message. Why do we say that sins are forgiven in Jesus’ blood?
How did the lame man feel when he could walk again?