The Authority to Forgive

Introduction -

Mark 2:1–12 NIV

1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

I have preached this story before but not this passage. Show them the differences and how it is important to compare the gospels when studying.

This story itself is different than a lot of Jesus’ healing accounts.

Here Jesus asserts that he doesn’t just have authority to heal the sick but that he has authority to forgive sins.

We also see that the scribes question Jesus and say that this can’t be like this because only God can forgive sins in this way.

Body - Three things we learn about Jesus’ authority in this story

Jesus’ Authority Can Do More Than Heal Sickness

As I said before we see here that Jesus is doing more than just asserting his authority to heal sickness.

He is showing something much great. He is showing these people how his authority can heal something much greater. Sin

But why does he do this? And why is it this important? We can see that this is important to Jesus in verse 10.

Mark 2:10 (NIV)

10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

One of the reasons that this fact that Jesus has authority over sin is important for many reasons.

One of them being that it does indeed show that Jesus is God.

His authority to heal did not do this. Prophets were often said to be able to heal the sick but they were not able to forgive sins.

So we see here that Jesus is asserting his authority to forgive sins in order to show the people around him that he truly is the son of God.

He also backs this claim up. He doesn’t only say it then move on. He tells the man to get up and walk which intern shows that he has forgive the man of his sin which has allowed him to walk again.

So we see here that it is vitally important that Jesus’ authority does not just extend to healing sickness. It has to extend to forgiving sin.

In your own words, why do you think it was important to Jesus that everyone in this story understood that He had the authority to forgive sins?

Jesus’ Authority is Greater

In this time the scribes that Jesus was speaking to would have had authority in their society.

They would have been looked up to and respected by all Jewish people. They would have taught the people how to follow the law and what to do and what not to do.

They also would have taught about forgiveness specifically. They would have taught things like this.

Leviticus 4:1–12 NIV

1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands— 3 “ ‘If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. 4 He is to present the bull at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord. He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the Lord. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and carry it into the tent of meeting. 6 He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary. 7 The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He shall remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering—all the fat that is connected to the internal organs, 9 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys—10 just as the fat is removed from the ox sacrificed as a fellowship offering. Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 11 But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines—12 that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a place ceremonially clean, where the ashes are thrown, and burn it there in a wood fire on the ash heap.

So we see here that these scribes would have claimed that this could not be forgiven so simply

But Jesus said otherwise. This is because

Jesus had the authority to do something that the scribes and the law could never do

the lame man here had to recognize that Jesus’ authority was greater than the authority of the scribes.

If he had listened to the scribes authority he would not have had the faith to try and stand up. He would have listened to the scribes saying that there is no way that he can be forgiven like this. That only God could forgive.

In the same way we have to make sure that we are listening to the right authority.

There might be authorities in you life that tell you that you have to do this and that to be forgiven by God. But this is not Christ authority.

Christ’s authority just tells you to come to him and have faith.

No matter what you have done. No matter what you have been through. Whatever sins you are in Christ still asks for you to come.

Christ doesn’t wait for you to be worthy to forgive you. Christ forgives you so you can become worthy.

These scribes and sometimes the church of today make us feel like we have to cleanse ourselves before we can go to the Lord. But God pushes back on this.

What are some authorities in your life (other than Jesus) that you can be tempted to listen to?

Have you ever felt like you were not worthy of coming to the Lord? Why do you think you felt that way?

Jesus’ Authority is Amazing

We see here at the end of the passage that the people are amazed

Mark 2:12 NIV

12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

So we see here that this is an amazing thing. I would be amazed if someone was healed in front of my like this.

But as I read this I feel like at least some of the people could have been getting amazed by the wrong thing.

They were probably mainly amazed by this lame man walking.

and of course this was amazing but the fact that Jesus just forgave him of his sins is much more amazing.

and i think this is what we have to ask ourselves are we being amazed in the right things.

there is nothing wrong with us being amazed in miracles of healings or financial miracles. But are we still being amazed by the most amazing miracle of Christ dying for us.

Are you still amazed by the miracle of Christ forgiving our sins? Or is it easy for you to forget this amazing miracle at times?

Why do you think it can be easy to forget this?

Conclusion -

Jesus’ Authority Can Do More Than Heal Sickness

Jesus’ Authority is Greater

Jesus Authority is amazing