Your Sins Are Forgiven! Part I

"When He saw their faith, He said to him, 'Man, your sins are forgiven you'" Luke 5:20.

"Now it happened on a certain day, as Jesus was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

"When He 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, "Rise 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. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God" Luke 5:17-26.

There are three very important messages from this passage today. They are about faith, forgiveness and healing.

Faith! When Jesus saw their faith, He said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." The paralyzed man and the men who brought him to Jesus went to great lengths to get him before Jesus; to the point of removing part of the roof so they could "let him down with his bed" into the presence of Jesus. Without faith in the healing power of Jesus, that never would have happened. Christ often connected healing with faith. The Apostle John tells us that faith in Jesus is the victory that overcomes the world. 1 John 5:4, 5. The author of Hebrews tell us "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him" Hebrews 11:6.

Your sins are forgiven! Jesus manifested His power to forgive sins. The scribes and Pharisees considered it blasphemy. However, Jesus gave even the scribes and Pharisees a reason to believe when He said, "Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise 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, 'I say to you, arise, take up your bed and go to your house.'" And the man did exactly as Jesus told him by taking up his bed and walking out of the house in the full strength of manhood. Remember the angel's message to Joseph about Mary's child yet to be born? "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" Matt. 1:21.

Healing! It was to manifest His power to forgive sins that the miracle of healing was performed! The healing of the paralytic illustrates other truths. It is full of hope and encouragement for those whose hearts and minds are open to what God has to share with them, His values, His gifts so to speak. It is also a stumbling block to those, who like the Pharisees and teachers of the law, who were sitting there judging Christ that day by not believing in Christ's representation of the works of God. However, opportunity was granted for even them to know the truth about God's love and salvation for sinners.