The Power to Forgive Sin

Welcome

Offering

Ways to Give and Pass the Bucket

Announcements

21 Days of Prayer

Meal Prep

Let’s Jump into today’s message.

If you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.

What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.

We are currently walking through the NT book of Matthew.

So as we back up to Matthews Main Theme for this section of the Story.

He is establishing Jesus’ Power as the Promised King.

He will demonstrate Jesus’ ability.

Jesus’ Ability To Heal the Body

Jesus’ Power over Creation

Jesus’ Authority over the Spirit Realm

Jesus’ Authority to Forgive Sin

Matthew 9:1–8 CSB

1 So he got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town. 2 Just then some men brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.” 3 At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He’s blaspheming!” 4 Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts? 5 For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 7 So he got up and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God, who had given such authority to men.

Jesus has returned to his home base in in Capernaum.

When we looks at this story from Luke’s perspective we see that the Healing of the Leper has attracted a lot of attention.

Luke 5:17 CSB

17 On one of those days while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and also from Jerusalem. And the Lord’s power to heal was in him.

These are not your run of the mill local Pharisees from Capernaum.

This is a large delegation of the leaders who have come to investigate this man who has performed a miracle that has never been performed since the inception of the Mosaic Law.

This stage of the investigation was the Observation Stage.

Seeing how Jesus has the power to heal.

It is no surprise that this teaching moment was interrupted.

Mark 2:1–4 CSB

1 When he entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and he was speaking the word to them. 3 They came to him bringing a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they were not able to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after digging through it, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

Houses during this time in history the roof tops of homes generally had a flat roof with a stair case where people could sit in the evening and enjoy the cool breeze that would blow across the Sea. These roof tops had a stair case to reach the roof.

These four men went to a lot of work to get their friend up there. Then they went to work to remove the roofing material to create a hole to lower him through.

This is Audacious.

Many theologians believe that this was Peters house.

This leads me to my first point of the this message.

Who are you surrounding yourself with?

All three Gospels point out that Jesus responds to the Faith of the Four Men not the faith of the paralytic.

Matthew 9:2 (CSB)

2 Just then some men brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark 2:5 (CSB)

5 Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Luke 5:20 (CSB)

20 Seeing their faith he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

Here is the crazy part of this moment. Instead of Just healing the guy Jesus, instead tells the Guy his sins are forgiven.

But he did this in a a Passive way that outside of knowing Hebrew could be easily miss.

According to commentators the Hebrew form of your sins are forgiven is only used in Leviticus chapters 4-6 in regards to forgiveness after a blood sacrifice and the one doing the forgiving is God himself.

So when Jesus makes this statement he is announcing that He has the same Authority as God and therefore has the Authority to Forgive Sins.

In the New Testament on Jesus makes this claim. Jesus is speaking as if He is God.

Seeing that this is the Observation stage of the investigation the religious leaders are no allowed to verbalize their disapproval.

However, both Matthew and Mark state.

Matthew 9:3 CSB

3 At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He’s blaspheming!”

Mark 2:6 CSB

6 But some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts:

Grumbling on the inside.

This seems to be a common issue when you start messing with the way things have always been.

Who can blame them though...........

If he is a blasphemer than he has committed a serious religious crimes enforcable by death through stoning.

Mark 2:7 CSB

7 “Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Their thought process is correct. No one can forgive sins but God

Matthew 9:4 CSB

4 Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?

Have you ever been thinking something to yourself and somebody called you out for thinking it?

That is just what Jesus did.

Then he does that super annoying thing that Rabbi’s do. He answers a question with a question.

Matthew 9:5 CSB

5 For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

This is another Rabbitic tactic called kal v’chomer

“From Heavy to Light” or “From Difficult to Easy”

But Jesus flips it It is easier to say your sins are forgiven because it requires no proof.

In other words Jesus is saying I will prove to you that I can say the easier “Your Sins are Forgiven” by doing the harder “Healing the Paralytic.

Matthew 9:6–7 CSB

6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 7 So he got up and went home.

Notice that Jesus is emphasizing his Humanity when he refers to himself as the Son of Man, Yet he is God in the Flesh.

Jesus has the Authority to Forgive Sin.....

I also want to emphasize that this Healing had a purpose.

Jesus is not healing this man just to give him a more comfortable life.

The man is healed for a purpose.

Matthew 9:8 CSB

8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God, who had given such authority to men.

To bring Glory to God.

Close.