RE: The Son of Man

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world,

and they that dwell therein. KJV

In the following  passage found in  Matthew 9, Jesus describes part of what His authority as the Son of Man entails.  The same event is included  in  Mark  2:9 and Luke 5:23.  These have been in my heart now for a number of years as I've been learning how it applies to my life in a number of practical ways. This is one of the normal ways the Word and the Spirit work together with us in order to mature us and to help us receive the benefits of our inheritance.  

At the beginning of January, I added a "read thru the bible in a year" routine, where one reads a specific set of pages a day.  I decided to use a free online audio source for this particular project and chose The Message version.  I hop out of bed, make a cup of tea, plug in my earphones, relax and enjoy having the added benefit of hearing the Word spoken from a fresh perspective.  It's been quite a delightful addition to my morning without much effort on my part at all and the benefits have been priceless!  

It was a couple  of days ago when the passage in Matthew 9 was read and it lit me up on the inside as the words resounded in my mind and spirit!  There's something about hearing the same thing we've heard and know to be true, when said differently which possesses the power to significantly impact and strengthen the existing knowledge and understanding  we have on a given subject....and our God knows exactly how to do that for us!  (I'm smiling and feeling joyful again even as I write this.) 

So, Here's the passage that made such an impact on me: (to hear it read, go here )  

 Matthew 9:1-8

Who Needs a Doctor?

9 1-3 Back in the boat, Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea to Jesus’ hometown. They were hardly out of the boat when some men carried a paraplegic on a stretcher and set him down in front of them. Jesus, impressed by their bold belief, said to the paraplegic, “Cheer up, son. I forgive your sins.” Some religion scholars whispered, “Why, that’s blasphemy!”

4-8 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why this gossipy whispering? Which do you think is simpler: to say, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or, ‘Get up and walk’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both. . . .” At this he turned to the paraplegic and said, “Get up. Take your bed and go home.” And the man did it. The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.  The Message (emphasis, mine)

The unique, loving watch-care He provides us  individually is truly wondrous and this is, in part,  what I attempted to share here as well as keeping the knowledge of Him as the Son of Man in the forefront of our thinking.  We all can benefit tremendously by receiving more of His tenderness to us, as well as having a deeper understanding of the fact that  only a man could restore what man had lost. 

With these things in mind, I'll close with something He said to me which I posted here recently:

I came as the son of man so you could become the sons of God.

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God 
*Micah 6:8 


*Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.