Jesus Forgives .. we ought follow him.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

When saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?” which is easier, to say ‘your sins are forgiven you, or to say, ‘Raise up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of  Man  has power on earth to forgive sins- He said to the man who was paralyzed, I say to you arise, take up your bed, and go to your house. Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

                                                             (Luke5: 20-25) 

The paralytic was unable to come to Jesus himself, but he was fortunate enough to have four friends who were able to get him to Jesus. These four are example of how friends ought to minister to one another and help needy sinners come to the Savior. To begin with, they had faith that Jesus would heal him, and it is faith that God honors. Their love for the man united them in their efforts so that nothing discouraged them, not even the crowd at the door. Jesus could have simply healed the man and sent him home, but instead, He used the opportunity to teach a lesson about sin and forgiveness. Certainly it was easier to say to the man, “your sins are forgiven!” than it was to say, “Raise up and walk!” Why?

Because nobody could prove whether or not his sins really were forgiven! Jesus took the harder approach and healed the man’s body, something everybody in the house could witness.

The healing was immediate and the people glorified God. But even more than receiving healing, the man experienced forgiveness and the start of a whole new life. Our Lord’s miracles not only demonstrated His deity and His compassion for needy people, but they also revealed important spiritual lessons about salvation. They were “object lessons” to teach spiritually blind people what God could do for them if only they would believe in His Son. Amen