Tag: christian comic

Christian comic strip with christian values telling Jesus’ death and resurrection to forgive humanity so that they can be accepted by God

Book of Mark – The One With Withered Hand

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.

Mark 3: 1-4 ESV

The Pharisees seem to be big fan of Jesus :p
They keep following Jesus everywhere and observing what Jesus do very very closely. Unfortunately they’re doing that too find mistakes in what Jesus do so that they can accuse Jesus. And this time they’re trying to find whether Jesus will heal the man with the withered hand or not. For the pharisees, healing is doing work, and doing work on Sabbath day is unlawful for them. However not to heal someone just because it’s Sabbath day, is an act of legalism, which means following the law or tradition just because it’s the law, and can you still call that doing good? That’s why Jesus asked them whether it’s better to do good or to do harm on Sabbath day? To save life or to kill on Sabbath day?

The Pharisees were silent.

Book of Mark – The Lord of Sabbath

And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Mark 2: 25-28 ESV

The Sabbath is given by God for a reminder for human to enter the rest with God. King David overruled the rule in the old testament as Jesus points out by entering the temple and eating the bread of presence during his emergency plight. Jesus claimed that He is the Lord of the Sabbath, because Sabbath was made for mankind for them to actually enjoy the union with God, it’s not a day meant to be filled with strict tradition or a day where mankind judge each other.

Book of Mark – The Law of Sabbath

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

Mark 2: 23-24 ESV

Another day, another complain from the pharisees. God gave the Israelite the commandment to celebrate the Sabbath as the rest day in the seventh day. It’s purpose was that the people of God will have that special time to have fellowship with God. It’s a consecrated day for the people of God. However the Pharisees made lots extra rules and made the observance legalistic. That even plucking heads of grain is considered breaking the law of Sabbath.

Book of Mark – The New and The Old

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Mark 2:21-22 ESV

Jesus explains with another 2 examples that when the new one has come and fulfil the needs, why go back to the old way and use the old method? Because indeed Jesus has come to fulfil the Old Testament therefore there was no need to do the old tradition. Jesus has come to forgive the sins of humanity and he stood as the sacrifice for our sin therefore don’t bring the old law and try to forcefully use it as a patch! :) Isn’t it great the fact that we just need to enjoy the new wine in the new wineskin :)

The old is gone and the new has come!

Book of Mark – The Tax Collector

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.

(Mark 2: 13-14 ESV)

Not only that Jesus can forgive sins, in fact he’s calling sinner to be His disciple! Tax collector at that time is one of the worst profession according to the law teachers, they’re seen as traitors to the Jews as they collect money for Roman authority. But Jesus doesn’t see that, he calls people to repent and follow Him :)

Levi in the end is the one who writes the account of Jesus, the book of Matthew :)

Book of Mark – The Healing of Paralytic

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 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!”
(Mark 2:9-12, ESV)

It’s true that forgiveness of sin is man’s greater need rather than just a temporary physical healing, however just to prove to the teachers of the law, Jesus healed the paralytic to show that he has the authority given by God. Also, notice that this is the first time that Jesus calls himself the Son of Man in the book of Mark. These words can mean that Jesus is the true descendant of Adam ruling over creation within God’s sovereign and total rule. Jesus is the true fulfilment of the Son of Man unlike Adam. :)

 

Book of Mark – The Paralytic One

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 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 2:1-4 ESV)

 

What a faith from the paralytic’s friend to even remove someone’s rooftop because they believe Jesus can heal their friend :)