79. BEING SURE YOU ARE FORGIVENHow can a person be free from shame?
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How can a person purge the stain of shame that comes from im- morality and adultery? There are over 4000 “honor” killings each year in Turkey. A family counsels together and believes that the only way to remove the family shame is to remove the family member by killing him/her. Does a brother stabbing his sister in the chest 40 times for her assumed sin, purge the family of the stain the sister is thought to have brought upon it through immorality?1 Could the boy with blood on his hands honestly say,
“Now, I feel free”?
Wouldn't the family feel even more shame because they have a murderer living among them? There is no doubt that adultery and having sex before marriage brings shame upon the individual and the family. So how can a person or family, short of murder, be free of that kind of shame? You may be surprised in this lesson, when you hear Jesus' answer to the difficult questions relating to shame and guilt.
In 2010, newspapers across the country reported the horrific events of a girl who had been killed for shaming her family. The story fol- lows:
“Police have recovered the body of a 16-year-old girl who they say was buried alive by relatives in an "honor" killing carried out as a punishment for talking to boys.
The girl, who has been identified only by the initials MM, was found in a sitting position with her hands tied, in a two-meter hole dug under a chicken pen outside her home in Kahta, in the southeastern province of Adiyaman.
Police made the discovery in December after a tip-off from an informant.
The girl had previously been reported missing.
The informant told the police that she had been killed following a family "council" meeting.
Her father and grandfather are said to have been arrested and held in custody pending trial. It is unclear whether they have been charged. The girl's mother was arrested but was later released.
Media reports said the father had told relatives he was unhappy that his daughter, one of nine children, had male friends. The grandfather is said to have beaten her for the same offense.
A postmortem examination revealed large amounts of soil in her lungs and stomach, indicating that she had been alive and con- scious while being buried.”
Sin brings shame, no matter how great or small it may seem. The family was ashamed of the daughter. Now the people of Turkey are ashamed of that family’s brutality and the image they portrayed for all Turkish people in the international press. Did the family’s actions really remove their shame?
Sin ruins communities and individuals whether it is stealing, lying, disobeying your parents, murder, coveting, or adultery. Sexual sins like rape, incest, and adultery shatter the trust of whole communities and destroy the reputation of both the victims and offenders. People often think they will escape the consequences of immorality. They think that they will only taste its sweetness and avoid its poison. But the person often multiplies their problems by trying to cover their shame with lies, abortions, divorces, or suicide.
Eventually the immoral person nds their whole personality and character deformed. Some become hardened to sin, which leads to alcoholism and other vices. Others remain emotionally fragile and immature.
This lesson is important for those of us who secretly carry a burden of guilt and shame. Many have learned to cope with the knowledge that they have sinned, but they have never felt freedom from the wrong they or others do. Jesus told us that there is an answer for dealing with the shame of sin. Let’s find that answer by looking at an event in Jesus’ life as recorded in John chapter 8 verses 1-4:
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him. And He sat down and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
God said in his Ten Commandments,
"Do not commit adultery."
Is there any wonder why He said this? Adultery has probably ruined more lives than any other. It is a seductive road that leads to divorce, murder, and suicide. But before arriving at those dark destinations, the adulterer has to pass through the towns of guilt, shame and disillusionment. After being caught in adultery, we can be sure that the woman brought to Jesus was feeling guilty, ashamed, and disillusioned. She was a prisoner of adultery’s bitterness.
Let’s see what the Pharisees said in verse 5 and the first part of verse 6:
5 “Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned. You, then, what do you say?” 6 They said this, tempting Him so that they might have reason to accuse Him...
Imagine the scene. A crowd is gathered around Jesus in the temple listening to him teach. From the outer edges of the crowd the sounds of commotion and chaos interrupt the holy words dropping from Jesus’ lips like the dew from rose petals. A gang of dark willed men push their way through the crowd, seeking the immediate punish- ment of a woman who broke God’s law and brought a stain upon the community. The temple, ordinarily quiet and reverent, is suddenly in confusion. A woman, possibly half dressed, is being dragged along by a group of angry, arrogant religious leaders who Jesus knew were using the woman as a pawn to destroy him. There is no doubt that the woman knew she was guilty and would be stoned according to the law of Moses. But where was the man? Was he not guilty too? Doesn’t it take two people to commit adultery? Even though there is no mention of him, he too should have been punished. But, as is often the case, the blame was cast upon the woman. Even in our day men entice women but then cast the blame on them for the misdeed. This is hypocrisy.
It seems the woman was doubly used. The probable plot is that the Pharisees had prior knowledge of the bed where she would be found. Perhaps one of them had visited her that night. Their intent was to simply use her in a larger scheme. They wanted to see how Jesus would react. They were hoping that in his compassion he would unwittingly break a law and bring upon himself condemnation.
How could they possibly trap Jesus by bringing an adulterous wom- an to him? Did you notice they asked their question with “reason to accuse him”?
The Pharisees thought they had created a certain trap for Jesus. You see, the penalty for adultery was stoning. So if Jesus would say,
“Don’t stone her.”
The Pharisees would nd Jesus guilty of setting himself up higher than the laws of Moses and the Jews. On the other hand, if Jesus
had given the order to stone her, he would have broken Roman laws, which the Jews were subject to. Either way, Jesus would end up the loser; just the situation the Pharisees wanted to put Jesus in.
But Jesus saw through their trap and broke their devious hopes in a most surprising way. Let’s continue the story in John chapter 8 verses 6-9:
6 ...But bending down, Jesus wrote on the ground with His nger, not appearing to hear. 7 But as they continued to ask Him, He lifted Himself up and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her. 8 And again bending down, He wrote on the ground. 9 And hearing, and being convicted by conscience, they went out one by one, beginning at the oldest, until the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
What was Jesus writing in the sand that had such power? He said nothing, and yet these men ed! What did they see there in the sand? Jesus was obviously writing something that made these men terribly nervous. Most likely he was writing dates, names, and places where these men had committed sins. He was showing them that he knew who they really were in their private lives, a gang of hypocrites just as guilty as this woman!
There was a truth hidden in Jesus' words,
"He who is without sin among you, let him cast the rst stone at her."
The truth is that there was only one person there who was with- out sin and thus able to judge the woman. Jesus! He was the only one who could have righteously brought judgment upon her, for he alone was sinless. As for the other men, well they were full of sin and had no right to judge the woman.
The religious leaders had brought the woman and were ready and willing to condemn her for breaking the seventh commandment, but now they squirmed with fear when their own sins were exposed! They were willing to stand in the public square to condemn someone else, but when their own dark deeds were brought to light, they fled. Jesus was that light.
People like to hide their own sin by pointing a finger at someone else’s. Have you ever seen this in the café or among your own friends? Two people love to gossip and talk about another person’s wicked deeds. But when the conversation switches to their own infractions, oh boy do their faces turn red!
Let's continue imagining the scene after the crowd leaves. The woman who so recently had brought shame to herself and her com- munity is crying. Except for the sounds of sobbing, she is silent and shivering, perhaps only wrapped in a sheet? She is dirty from be- ing thrown to the ground, and her head is hanging in shame. She is waiting for the first stone to strike her. The voices of the angry men echo over and over in her mind. She is guilty. She feels the shame. She wishes this were all a bad dream; that she would wake up and it would be all over. The men are gone and the only ones left are Jesus, the woman, and a small crowd watching to see what will happen next. Let’s see what Jesus does next in John chapter 8 verses 10-12:
10 And bending back up, and seeing no one but the woman, Jesus said to her, Woman, where are the ones who accused you? Did not one give judgment against you? 11 And she said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I give judgment. Go, and sin no more. 12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in dark- ness, but shall have the light of life.
What had Jesus done with her shame? In a very real sense he had forgiven her. He had given her a second life with a very clear man- date.
“Go and sin no more.”
Notice in this phrase Jesus clearly described that what the woman had been doing was “sin.” No question. It is from the penalty of this sin that Jesus rescued and ransomed her from shame to walk in a new life.
Moreover, he had put her accusers in their proper place. He, in his perfection, had simply exposed their deeds. In the face of perfec- tion, they were judged by their own consciences. The darkness of their sins was illuminated in the light of Jesus’ Christ’s glory. Thus Jesus concludes with these powerful words,
“I am the Light of the world.”
Two questions arise from this story. First, why did Jesus say,
“Neither do I judge you”?
Second, can Jesus really forgive sin? Let’s consider both.
Jesus makes some astounding claims about how we will be judged in the last days. First we hear Jesus commenting on this subject in John chapter 5 verses 22 and 26-30:
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. 6 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father, which hath sent me.
So in the last days, Jesus is the Judge because God has given him the authority to judge.2 In that light, when the woman heard the words, "Neither do I judge you," it was as if she had received pardon from God. She had truly received something of remarkable value!
The second question we raised is, “Can Jesus forgive sin?” To answer that question we can simply read Jesus’ own words. They come as the exclamation point on a very interesting story found in Mark chapter 2 verses 1-5:
1 And when he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door: and he spake the word unto them. 3 And they come, bringing unto him a man sick of the palsy, borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the palsy lay. 5 And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven.
Jesus had already healed people. In fact, that was why they brought the man to him in the first place. And yet instead of healing him, Jesus said,
“Your sins are forgiven.”
Strange isn’t it? Why didn’t Jesus just heal him? Why did he address the man’s sin problem? Jesus’ response has led many to ponder what caused the man’s paralysis. Some think that his paralysis was the result of leading a sinful life. We don’t know what the man did, but he could have had a shameful, sexually transmitted disease called Syphilis, which attacks the spinal cord and can paralyze.
Regardless of what caused the man to be paralyzed, Jesus took care of his great- est need rst. He needed to be forgiven to relieve the terrible guilt of committing sin.
But the religious leaders, who always watched him with a critical eye, began to talk. We can read about their conversation in Mark chapter 2 verses 6-12:
6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 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? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic-- 11 "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glori ed God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
Jesus’ proved his ability to forgive sin, not with words only but with power! Do you need forgiveness for anything? Would you like to have your shame removed? Forgiveness when it is real, and comes from a true source, has healing power. In fact the forgiveness of Jesus has power to alter your fate as it did for the crippled man and the adulterer.
While his mother and father were at work, Mahir, a 7-year-old boy, stayed with his grandmother after school. The grandmother lived on the sixth oor of an apartment in Hatay. A large photo of her hus- band looking young and handsome in his military uniform hung in the living room. Sadly he had been killed in an auto accident nearly twenty years before.
The boy loved being with his grandmother for several reasons. The greatest being the tremendous love that he received from her. Of course, she was a great cook, so he never went hungry; and the house was spotless, orderly, and quiet. It was the kind of place that every child wants to be in and Mahir loved to be at his grandmother's.
Sometimes they would sit on the balcony while she would work rolling yufka, or shelling pistachios or other jobs. She would tell
Mahir interesting stories of her memories as a young girl in the village.
One day while his grandmother was ironing some clothes in the bedroom, she called Mahir in and said,
"Mahir, I want to share a secret with you. Look here in the closet."
She pulled a large bag with a hanger from the closet. She unzipped the bag. Mahir's eyes were sparkling with curiosity. The grandmother said,
"This is your Grandfather's military uniform."
Mahir was so impressed to see the emblems on the uniform. He touched it gently. Behind the suit was an ordinary shirt. Mahir asked,
"What is this shirt Grandma?"
She smiled and said, “That is the secret I will share with you.”
Then taking it up close to her face, she smelled the shirt. Tears began to trickle down her face.
“This is a shirt your Grandpa wore before he died. Now come close, and smell your Grandpa.”
Mahir leaned forward and smelled the shirt.
The Grandma smiled and laughed, "Not too much my boy, leave some scent for another day."
Then she put it away and said, "When I feel lonely or afraid, I sometimes come in and secretly smell that shirt."
Grandma continued her ironing, and Mahir went out to play with some toys. What Grandma hadn't told her grandson was the rest of the secret. She was in deep thought as she ironed. For her, that shirt was not only the smell of her husband it was the smell of forgiveness.
At age 18, Grandma was quite a rebel. She thought she knew everything and resisted her parents’ advice to choose her friends wisely. She had followed a road of dangerous irtation that led to her sleeping with a boy she had become interested in. Unfortunately, she became pregnant, and the boy refused to take ownership. Her parents made life miserable for her. One high school classmate however looked at things differently. It was a young man who had liked her before her "rebellious days."
He came to her one day and said some words she would never forget.
"Let us become a family."
The grandmother shamefully replied, "I am just a whore, you don't want me."
But the young man said, "I forgive you. I love you, and I will always love you. Be mine, and I will be yours forever."
The grandmother rehearsed the words again to herself, as she was now an old woman ironing shirts. Yes, the shirt in the closet was more than the smell of Grandpa; it was the scent of forgiveness and a new life.
Forgiveness is a rare and wonderful gift. Sins cannot be "undone." However, they can be forgiven. Forgiveness, for the one receiving it, is like receiving a second life. The only honorable ways to eliminate shame is to forgive, accept forgiveness, and believe in the power of forgiveness. Jesus said,
“I have been given authority to forgive sins.”
Perhaps that is why he called himself, “the light of the world.” Shame thrives in darkness, but where there is light there is joy.
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever been so angry for a “just cause” that you felt you could kill someone? How did you handle those feelings? Did you
ever forgive that person or does the anger still burn within you?
2. Sin is de ned as breaking God’s Ten Commandments. Have you ever done anything that breaks God’s 10 commandments?
3. Why do people justify their own evil deeds and condemn others for theirs?
4. Jesus said, “I have been given authority to judge and forgive sins.” What sins do you privately need to confess? Who should you
confess them to? Will you confess your sins and be forgiven?
1 Such was the crime-committed in February 2011 in Mersin.
2 Fate Changer Book 4 lessons 10 and 11
“Now, I feel free”?
Wouldn't the family feel even more shame because they have a murderer living among them? There is no doubt that adultery and having sex before marriage brings shame upon the individual and the family. So how can a person or family, short of murder, be free of that kind of shame? You may be surprised in this lesson, when you hear Jesus' answer to the difficult questions relating to shame and guilt.
In 2010, newspapers across the country reported the horrific events of a girl who had been killed for shaming her family. The story fol- lows:
“Police have recovered the body of a 16-year-old girl who they say was buried alive by relatives in an "honor" killing carried out as a punishment for talking to boys.
The girl, who has been identified only by the initials MM, was found in a sitting position with her hands tied, in a two-meter hole dug under a chicken pen outside her home in Kahta, in the southeastern province of Adiyaman.
Police made the discovery in December after a tip-off from an informant.
The girl had previously been reported missing.
The informant told the police that she had been killed following a family "council" meeting.
Her father and grandfather are said to have been arrested and held in custody pending trial. It is unclear whether they have been charged. The girl's mother was arrested but was later released.
Media reports said the father had told relatives he was unhappy that his daughter, one of nine children, had male friends. The grandfather is said to have beaten her for the same offense.
A postmortem examination revealed large amounts of soil in her lungs and stomach, indicating that she had been alive and con- scious while being buried.”
Sin brings shame, no matter how great or small it may seem. The family was ashamed of the daughter. Now the people of Turkey are ashamed of that family’s brutality and the image they portrayed for all Turkish people in the international press. Did the family’s actions really remove their shame?
Sin ruins communities and individuals whether it is stealing, lying, disobeying your parents, murder, coveting, or adultery. Sexual sins like rape, incest, and adultery shatter the trust of whole communities and destroy the reputation of both the victims and offenders. People often think they will escape the consequences of immorality. They think that they will only taste its sweetness and avoid its poison. But the person often multiplies their problems by trying to cover their shame with lies, abortions, divorces, or suicide.
Eventually the immoral person nds their whole personality and character deformed. Some become hardened to sin, which leads to alcoholism and other vices. Others remain emotionally fragile and immature.
This lesson is important for those of us who secretly carry a burden of guilt and shame. Many have learned to cope with the knowledge that they have sinned, but they have never felt freedom from the wrong they or others do. Jesus told us that there is an answer for dealing with the shame of sin. Let’s find that answer by looking at an event in Jesus’ life as recorded in John chapter 8 verses 1-4:
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him. And He sat down and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
God said in his Ten Commandments,
"Do not commit adultery."
Is there any wonder why He said this? Adultery has probably ruined more lives than any other. It is a seductive road that leads to divorce, murder, and suicide. But before arriving at those dark destinations, the adulterer has to pass through the towns of guilt, shame and disillusionment. After being caught in adultery, we can be sure that the woman brought to Jesus was feeling guilty, ashamed, and disillusioned. She was a prisoner of adultery’s bitterness.
Let’s see what the Pharisees said in verse 5 and the first part of verse 6:
5 “Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned. You, then, what do you say?” 6 They said this, tempting Him so that they might have reason to accuse Him...
Imagine the scene. A crowd is gathered around Jesus in the temple listening to him teach. From the outer edges of the crowd the sounds of commotion and chaos interrupt the holy words dropping from Jesus’ lips like the dew from rose petals. A gang of dark willed men push their way through the crowd, seeking the immediate punish- ment of a woman who broke God’s law and brought a stain upon the community. The temple, ordinarily quiet and reverent, is suddenly in confusion. A woman, possibly half dressed, is being dragged along by a group of angry, arrogant religious leaders who Jesus knew were using the woman as a pawn to destroy him. There is no doubt that the woman knew she was guilty and would be stoned according to the law of Moses. But where was the man? Was he not guilty too? Doesn’t it take two people to commit adultery? Even though there is no mention of him, he too should have been punished. But, as is often the case, the blame was cast upon the woman. Even in our day men entice women but then cast the blame on them for the misdeed. This is hypocrisy.
It seems the woman was doubly used. The probable plot is that the Pharisees had prior knowledge of the bed where she would be found. Perhaps one of them had visited her that night. Their intent was to simply use her in a larger scheme. They wanted to see how Jesus would react. They were hoping that in his compassion he would unwittingly break a law and bring upon himself condemnation.
How could they possibly trap Jesus by bringing an adulterous wom- an to him? Did you notice they asked their question with “reason to accuse him”?
The Pharisees thought they had created a certain trap for Jesus. You see, the penalty for adultery was stoning. So if Jesus would say,
“Don’t stone her.”
The Pharisees would nd Jesus guilty of setting himself up higher than the laws of Moses and the Jews. On the other hand, if Jesus
had given the order to stone her, he would have broken Roman laws, which the Jews were subject to. Either way, Jesus would end up the loser; just the situation the Pharisees wanted to put Jesus in.
But Jesus saw through their trap and broke their devious hopes in a most surprising way. Let’s continue the story in John chapter 8 verses 6-9:
6 ...But bending down, Jesus wrote on the ground with His nger, not appearing to hear. 7 But as they continued to ask Him, He lifted Himself up and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her. 8 And again bending down, He wrote on the ground. 9 And hearing, and being convicted by conscience, they went out one by one, beginning at the oldest, until the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
What was Jesus writing in the sand that had such power? He said nothing, and yet these men ed! What did they see there in the sand? Jesus was obviously writing something that made these men terribly nervous. Most likely he was writing dates, names, and places where these men had committed sins. He was showing them that he knew who they really were in their private lives, a gang of hypocrites just as guilty as this woman!
There was a truth hidden in Jesus' words,
"He who is without sin among you, let him cast the rst stone at her."
The truth is that there was only one person there who was with- out sin and thus able to judge the woman. Jesus! He was the only one who could have righteously brought judgment upon her, for he alone was sinless. As for the other men, well they were full of sin and had no right to judge the woman.
The religious leaders had brought the woman and were ready and willing to condemn her for breaking the seventh commandment, but now they squirmed with fear when their own sins were exposed! They were willing to stand in the public square to condemn someone else, but when their own dark deeds were brought to light, they fled. Jesus was that light.
People like to hide their own sin by pointing a finger at someone else’s. Have you ever seen this in the café or among your own friends? Two people love to gossip and talk about another person’s wicked deeds. But when the conversation switches to their own infractions, oh boy do their faces turn red!
Let's continue imagining the scene after the crowd leaves. The woman who so recently had brought shame to herself and her com- munity is crying. Except for the sounds of sobbing, she is silent and shivering, perhaps only wrapped in a sheet? She is dirty from be- ing thrown to the ground, and her head is hanging in shame. She is waiting for the first stone to strike her. The voices of the angry men echo over and over in her mind. She is guilty. She feels the shame. She wishes this were all a bad dream; that she would wake up and it would be all over. The men are gone and the only ones left are Jesus, the woman, and a small crowd watching to see what will happen next. Let’s see what Jesus does next in John chapter 8 verses 10-12:
10 And bending back up, and seeing no one but the woman, Jesus said to her, Woman, where are the ones who accused you? Did not one give judgment against you? 11 And she said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I give judgment. Go, and sin no more. 12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in dark- ness, but shall have the light of life.
What had Jesus done with her shame? In a very real sense he had forgiven her. He had given her a second life with a very clear man- date.
“Go and sin no more.”
Notice in this phrase Jesus clearly described that what the woman had been doing was “sin.” No question. It is from the penalty of this sin that Jesus rescued and ransomed her from shame to walk in a new life.
Moreover, he had put her accusers in their proper place. He, in his perfection, had simply exposed their deeds. In the face of perfec- tion, they were judged by their own consciences. The darkness of their sins was illuminated in the light of Jesus’ Christ’s glory. Thus Jesus concludes with these powerful words,
“I am the Light of the world.”
Two questions arise from this story. First, why did Jesus say,
“Neither do I judge you”?
Second, can Jesus really forgive sin? Let’s consider both.
Jesus makes some astounding claims about how we will be judged in the last days. First we hear Jesus commenting on this subject in John chapter 5 verses 22 and 26-30:
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. 6 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father, which hath sent me.
So in the last days, Jesus is the Judge because God has given him the authority to judge.2 In that light, when the woman heard the words, "Neither do I judge you," it was as if she had received pardon from God. She had truly received something of remarkable value!
The second question we raised is, “Can Jesus forgive sin?” To answer that question we can simply read Jesus’ own words. They come as the exclamation point on a very interesting story found in Mark chapter 2 verses 1-5:
1 And when he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door: and he spake the word unto them. 3 And they come, bringing unto him a man sick of the palsy, borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the palsy lay. 5 And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven.
Jesus had already healed people. In fact, that was why they brought the man to him in the first place. And yet instead of healing him, Jesus said,
“Your sins are forgiven.”
Strange isn’t it? Why didn’t Jesus just heal him? Why did he address the man’s sin problem? Jesus’ response has led many to ponder what caused the man’s paralysis. Some think that his paralysis was the result of leading a sinful life. We don’t know what the man did, but he could have had a shameful, sexually transmitted disease called Syphilis, which attacks the spinal cord and can paralyze.
Regardless of what caused the man to be paralyzed, Jesus took care of his great- est need rst. He needed to be forgiven to relieve the terrible guilt of committing sin.
But the religious leaders, who always watched him with a critical eye, began to talk. We can read about their conversation in Mark chapter 2 verses 6-12:
6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 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? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic-- 11 "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glori ed God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
Jesus’ proved his ability to forgive sin, not with words only but with power! Do you need forgiveness for anything? Would you like to have your shame removed? Forgiveness when it is real, and comes from a true source, has healing power. In fact the forgiveness of Jesus has power to alter your fate as it did for the crippled man and the adulterer.
While his mother and father were at work, Mahir, a 7-year-old boy, stayed with his grandmother after school. The grandmother lived on the sixth oor of an apartment in Hatay. A large photo of her hus- band looking young and handsome in his military uniform hung in the living room. Sadly he had been killed in an auto accident nearly twenty years before.
The boy loved being with his grandmother for several reasons. The greatest being the tremendous love that he received from her. Of course, she was a great cook, so he never went hungry; and the house was spotless, orderly, and quiet. It was the kind of place that every child wants to be in and Mahir loved to be at his grandmother's.
Sometimes they would sit on the balcony while she would work rolling yufka, or shelling pistachios or other jobs. She would tell
Mahir interesting stories of her memories as a young girl in the village.
One day while his grandmother was ironing some clothes in the bedroom, she called Mahir in and said,
"Mahir, I want to share a secret with you. Look here in the closet."
She pulled a large bag with a hanger from the closet. She unzipped the bag. Mahir's eyes were sparkling with curiosity. The grandmother said,
"This is your Grandfather's military uniform."
Mahir was so impressed to see the emblems on the uniform. He touched it gently. Behind the suit was an ordinary shirt. Mahir asked,
"What is this shirt Grandma?"
She smiled and said, “That is the secret I will share with you.”
Then taking it up close to her face, she smelled the shirt. Tears began to trickle down her face.
“This is a shirt your Grandpa wore before he died. Now come close, and smell your Grandpa.”
Mahir leaned forward and smelled the shirt.
The Grandma smiled and laughed, "Not too much my boy, leave some scent for another day."
Then she put it away and said, "When I feel lonely or afraid, I sometimes come in and secretly smell that shirt."
Grandma continued her ironing, and Mahir went out to play with some toys. What Grandma hadn't told her grandson was the rest of the secret. She was in deep thought as she ironed. For her, that shirt was not only the smell of her husband it was the smell of forgiveness.
At age 18, Grandma was quite a rebel. She thought she knew everything and resisted her parents’ advice to choose her friends wisely. She had followed a road of dangerous irtation that led to her sleeping with a boy she had become interested in. Unfortunately, she became pregnant, and the boy refused to take ownership. Her parents made life miserable for her. One high school classmate however looked at things differently. It was a young man who had liked her before her "rebellious days."
He came to her one day and said some words she would never forget.
"Let us become a family."
The grandmother shamefully replied, "I am just a whore, you don't want me."
But the young man said, "I forgive you. I love you, and I will always love you. Be mine, and I will be yours forever."
The grandmother rehearsed the words again to herself, as she was now an old woman ironing shirts. Yes, the shirt in the closet was more than the smell of Grandpa; it was the scent of forgiveness and a new life.
Forgiveness is a rare and wonderful gift. Sins cannot be "undone." However, they can be forgiven. Forgiveness, for the one receiving it, is like receiving a second life. The only honorable ways to eliminate shame is to forgive, accept forgiveness, and believe in the power of forgiveness. Jesus said,
“I have been given authority to forgive sins.”
Perhaps that is why he called himself, “the light of the world.” Shame thrives in darkness, but where there is light there is joy.
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever been so angry for a “just cause” that you felt you could kill someone? How did you handle those feelings? Did you
ever forgive that person or does the anger still burn within you?
2. Sin is de ned as breaking God’s Ten Commandments. Have you ever done anything that breaks God’s 10 commandments?
3. Why do people justify their own evil deeds and condemn others for theirs?
4. Jesus said, “I have been given authority to judge and forgive sins.” What sins do you privately need to confess? Who should you
confess them to? Will you confess your sins and be forgiven?
1 Such was the crime-committed in February 2011 in Mersin.
2 Fate Changer Book 4 lessons 10 and 11