Forgive Sins

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-8 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

1 Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” 3 But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?” 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” 7 And the man jumped up and went home! 8 Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for giving humans such authority. (Matthew 9:1–8 NLT)

Jesus arrived back in his adopted hometown, Capernaum, and right away some people brought a paralyzed man to him, carried on a sleeping mat! “Seeing their faith..” Can you see faith? Yes, because faith acts! The friends who brought the man to Jesus cared about him and wanted him well again! They believed Jesus could heal him. So their love motivated them, and their belief gave them hope, but it was their faith that carried the man to Jesus! Faith acts!

Jesus’ first words to the paralyzed man were a declaration that his sins are forgiven! Is Jesus saying that the man’s paralyzed condition was because of his sins? No! Could it have been? Yes! The point here is not about why the man was paralyzed. The point is that Jesus not only has the power to heal, he has the authority to forgive sins. The religious teachers in the room accused him of blasphemy. If Jesus wasn’t God’s son, this would be blasphemy. If the teachers of religious law hadn’t had a warped picture of God (which Jesus was here to straighten out!) they wouldn’t have been upset. God forgives sin! God forgives the sin and the sins of the world!

The people knew Jesus as a man, but didn’t (yet) realize he was the Son of God, here to show us what God is really like. Centuries later, we Christians first come to know Jesus as God and it can take time to know him as a man. (And that through Jesus we’ve been given authority to forgive as well!)

Prayer:

Father, Please help us to focus as much on the authority to forgive sins as on the power to heal. I’m pretty sure both are needed equally in our world! For Jesus’ sake!