Looking For A New Life?

Does life sometimes feel stagnant for you? Like you need a refreshing outlook or a complete makeover? Jesus desires to do this for you.

Jesus came to make all things new. There are many wonderful examples across His ministry that point to this. In Luke 5:17 through 31 there are two great examples of this.

Forgiveness Leads to Healing

A paralyzed young man desired to be healed and his friends tried taking him to Jesus in the town Jesus was preaching in. (vs. 18)They could not reach Jesus though because there were so many people crowding around Jesus. Jesus was inside a house so they climbed to the roof and took ropes and let the paralyzed man in his bed down right at Jesus feet. (vs. 19)

Jesus was impressed by their faith and persistence, and he saw how much this young man wanted to be healed. He looked with deep compassion on him and said, “young man, your sins are forgiven.” (vs. 20)

Many times, in those days, sickness or affliction was thought to be a judgement of God upon someone for their sins. Have you ever felt like that? That God was judging you with illness or bad situations. Jesus came to turn that mindset completely around. He showed that God was full of mercy towards people and desired to forgive them and heal them. Mercy and forgiveness is healing emotionally as well as physically. Imagine the relief and weight of guilt gone from that person as they heard, “your sins are forgiven” from the lips of the Son of God.

Pharisees who were the religious leaders in Israel during that time, were shocked Jesus would forgive sins and thought to themselves, “Who does he think he is?! Only God can forgive sins!!”. (vs. 21)

Jesus read their thoughts and said, “which is easier to say, your sins are forgiven, or take up your bed and walk? So that you may know the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.” (vs. 22-23)

Truth Outweighs The Lies

You may not have pharisees that are speaking out against a new life for you, but you might have mental “pharisees” or thoughts which hold you back from the truth. When you understand the truth of what Jesus is saying, you will be free from these chains of paralyzing thoughts. This truth will give you a new life outlook and perspective.

He tells the paralyzed young man to stand, take his bed and go home. The man jumps up immediately and goes home. The people who saw the miracle were amazed and praised God. (vs. 25-26)

Jesus is telling the young man to stand in faith that he will be able to walk. I imagine the young man was frightened at first and unsure because he didn’t know how to stand. He may have thought, “Is this guy crazy? I can’t walk!” But as he felt the power of Christ Jesus’ words coursing through him, he was immediately able to stand and walk home.

Believing the truth can do that for you. It can boost your faith to a level that anything is possible. Because God says it is possible. When God speaks, He does not lie. (Hebrews 6:18)

Called Into New Life

The second example of newness comes through the calling of the disciple Matthew. Matthew was a reviled tax collector, often called “scum” by the people. Jesus calls him to be his disciple and follow him. Matthew jumps at the chance for a new beginning. The scripture says “He left everything and followed him.” (vs. 28) Tax collectors were some of the wealthier set of people in the communities at that time. They also had to work alongside the Romans who were occupying Israel at the time. This contributed to the many negative thoughts on their reputation.

From Hopeless Scum to Hope and Mercy

Again, the pharisees criticize what Jesus is doing. They ask him why he is eating and drinking with such scum! (vs.30) Jesus says “It is not the healthy people who need a doctor- sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” (vs. 31-32)

Jesus chooses to create a new life for this sinner and set him free from the bondage of being “the scum” of society.

Jesus doesn’t allow the self-righteousness of the pharisees to stifle the mercy and forgiveness of his love. He teaches them that he has the authority to speak new life into being and to turn someone society calls “hopeless and nothing but scum” into someone full of hope and mercy.

Jesus Speaks Newness and Healing To You

Jesus can also speak to your disease, your paralysis whether of body or mind or heart. He can and has forgiven you for all mistakes and sins you have done over the years, he is ready to create something new of your life. All you must do is ask for His cleansing power to wash over you and to heal the broken areas of your heart. Ask Him to come and abide in you so that you can abide in Him with a new perspective and a new hope for life.

In your sketchbook create a sketch of what you feel newness may look like. Perhaps a colorful sunrise, a flower bursting from the soil, clouds parting with sunlight. Reflect on what newness means to you and how Jesus has made all things new in your life.

Pray as you sketch and ask Jesus to help you see yourself with His perspective of Mercy and Love.

Blessings of Beauty

Laura