Miracles in Prague

Europe is very different from the United States in so many ways, but one of the ways that has stood out to me on this trip is: street performers.

In Washington, D.C., I will definitely come across a pretty decent doo-wop ensemble in the metro, some drummers in Chinatown, or a keyboard playing singer-songwriter wannabe in one of the many parks. But never have I seen a human pyramid. Never have I seen a kid dancing with fire. And I've definitely never seen this:

Honestly...I walked right past it. But then in the distance I heard June say: "Kristen...how is this happening?" So I turned around and was wowed. Wow!! I walked around them from every angle, and determined that these guys were REALLY strong! Like, is this core strength? Is this arm strength? How long can they do this?!!

Then, June, in her infinite wisdom, started to say: "I think there's a metal plate or something." I couldn't fathom how a metal plate could make this easy. So I was like: "Noooooo."

There are many areas of life in which I am smart, but there are tons of areas in which I am easily duped. Perhaps you will recall my astonishment at the newspaper trick performed at a magic show a couple of years ago? I still don't know how that trick works.

So money went in the hat, because...respect. Their performance made us stop. And look. And wonder.

"How are they doing this?"

 ...And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. Being unable to get to Him [Jesus] because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?”Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? ¹⁰ But so 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, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.”And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

 - Mark 2:3-12

Fire dancer

Jesus was doing real "street miracles." These weren't Czech street performances. Jesus wasn't collecting money in a hat. But He was making people stop. And look. And wonder. And they wondered exactly the things Jesus wanted them to wonder:

"How is He doing this?"

You see, if they understood how He was healing the blind, cleansing lepers, and making disabled men walk...they would understand that He could do so much more than that. What's the hard thing in this story? One would think: it's making a paralyzed man walk. It sounds pretty hard to me...

In the previous blog, I mentioned the verse: "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." We ask God to forgive us for the debts we owe to Him. For someone to say: "You don't owe me anymore," they have to be the person who is owed!

Jesus telling the paralytic man his sins were forgiven, is like June telling me: "Kristen, I forgive your student loans."

...ummm...thanks?

It would be easy for her to say something so foolish. She can't back it up. Uncle Sam has not given her the power and the authority to release me from my debt. 

So, Jesus has made people stop. And look. And wonder, when he claims ownership of this man's debt to God! But Jesus and June aren't the same. Jesus can back up his claim, and so He does what we think is the hard thing: "Get up! Walk out of here!" and that guy got to moving. He did that as a demonstration of His power and authority. If He can do this...what else can He do?

human pyramid in Barcelona

And that's the way us modern-day Christians have to be. I'm not saying that we have to go out and proclaim forgiveness of sins and healing like Jesus did...but at the same time we have to go out and proclaim forgiveness of sins and healing like Jesus did!

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16

When that paralyzed man ran through the town, just the act of him placing one foot in front of the other was a testimony to the power of God. What would have happened if he had just gone home and laid down? Would that have even made sense?! 

So, when old people are reborn as new creatures, walking in the newness of drastically changed lives (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23). When people see what giving your life to Christ does to a human heart...

They can't help but stop. And look. And wonder.

**Secrets Revealed: This is how the levitation trick is performed: http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/secret-behind-levitating-street-performers-revealed