FRIEND, YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN

Luke 5:17-26 / Keywords 5:20

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

 

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

5:17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

1. A paralyzed man was brought to Jesus by his friends who had faith in Jesus. Seeing no access to Jesus, these men somehow made a way to bring him to Jesus. Their faith enabled them to have an “out-of-the-box” idea. Those who have living faith overcome obstacles and difficulties and find a way no matter how. True faith distinguishes itself by cutting through the obstacle. Jesus saw their “gettingthrough” faith and blessed them.

2. Jesus saw beyond the man’s paralyzed body to the root cause of it—sin. Paralysis represents sin’s debilitating power and the sinner’s helplessness and dependency on others. God created us so that we can stand, walk, and live for God’s glory. But due to our sins, we become powerless to stand, walk and live before him. Jesus came with authority to forgive sins. Jesus said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Then the Pharisees criticized that Jesus spoke blasphemy. Jesus demonstrated his authority to forgive sins by healing the man to stand up before the crowd and went home walking and praising God. Jesus Christ ultimately proved that he had authority to forgive sins when he died for sinners on the cross and rose again from the dead. Jesus came to forgive sin and to make helpless people strong and useful.

Prayer Lord, heal my spiritual paralysis as I come to you, and make me useful to you and others.

One Word Forgiveness is our main need