Freed From Exile Through the Forgiveness of Sin, Matthew 9:1-8

Setting the scene: Matthew 9:1-2

“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.””

Matthew 9:1

Jesus returns to his home town. What’s the significance of this? Let’s look back at Matthew 4:23-25.

"23 Now Jesus began to go all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 Then the news about him spread throughout Syria. So they brought to him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics. And he healed them. 25 Large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.”

In Matthew 4:23-25 we get an overview of the ministry of Jesus. The geography of Jesus’ life is important because it mirrors the journey of the nation of Israel. Jesus goes everywhere Israel went. He even went to Egypt as a child and was brought out. But, unlike Israel Jesus is faithful in every way. The combination of Jesus’ journey and his demonstrations of authority reveal that He is the promised King who has come to set His people free from their exile and bondage.

Today is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter when we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into the city of the King- Jerusalem.

Matthew 21:7–11 (CSB) records this moment for us, “7 They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! 10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.””

The people were anticipating the King of the Jews to overthrow the Romans and take back the throne of David. However, Matthew’s gospel provides us with some shocking news:

1. The King, Jesus, is rejected by the city where His throne is.

2. Instead of assuming the throne and defeating the enemies of the Jews, Jesus, sacrifices Himself on the cross to defeat His enemy and free His people from the greater exile of their sin.

Jesus has claimed the authority and power to forgive sin with his words to the paralytic.

Jesus is the only one who has the power and authority to forgive sin.

Matthew 9:3–8 (CSB)

“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 proves His power and authority with the healing of the paralyzed man. There is no room for doubt as to the reason Jesus healed the man. He healed the man so that everyone would know that he had come to do something even greater than the signs and wonders they were seeing.

Jesus came to do more than rescue Israel from the rule of the Romans. Israel had been under foreign rule for close to 400 years. They were living the life of exiles in their own land. As a result, they looked forward to the physical release from the captivity of their latest oppressors.

When Jesus bypasses the paralyzed man’s obvious physical needs for his deeper and more significant spiritual needs, we see the truth that

Jesus has come to free us from the original exile that came after the original sin.

In Genesis 3 Adam and Eve rebel against God and disobey his commands regarding the tree of life. Their rebellion is sin, and because of their sin against God their time in the Garden of Eden comes to and end.

Genesis 3:23–24 (CSB)

23 So the Lord God sent him away from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove the man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life.

The sin of Adam fractures the relationship between God and man. Where there was once peace and union there is enmity and separation. Sin stains the soul of men and renders them unrighteous. According to God sin deserves death and righteousness deserves life.

Romans 6:23 (CSB) says, “23 For the wages of sin is death…” This is what God pronounces over Adam, Eve, and their offspring. Because of their sin they are condemned and destined for death. Before sin, they only had life.

The curse of sin is passed from Adam to every other human being. Romans 3:23 (CSB) says, “23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” From the moment God removed Adam and Eve from the Garden mankind has been in need of freedom.

In Genesis 3:15 (CSB) God says, “15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” This verse is the first whisper in Scripture of the freedom that Jesus will bring. Jesus brings freedom by crushing His enemy, Satan.

Jesus sets us free. He brings freedom through forgiveness by his sacrifice on the cross. To all those who believe Jesus grants forgiveness for sin, and He brings us into the promised land of eternal life by crediting His righteousness to our spiritual accounts. Just like Israel was freed from slavery in Egypt and led to the promised land, when you are saved by faith in Jesus Christ you are set free from your sin and granted a right relationship with God.

Forgiveness of sin and the righteousness of Christ are free gifts of God’s grace to those who believe.

Adam and Eve were exiled from Eden because they were unclean, sinful, or unrighteous. Entrance into God’s kingdom is reserved for those who are clean, without sin, or righteous.

But, as we have noted every person is sinful. Every person is stained with sin. There is no one who is clean in the eyes of God. Therefore, for mankind to be redeemed and restored to God, He has to do something.

The fancy word for what God does is called “justification.”

Justification is the acquittal, or declaration of being righteous before God.

Jesus dies on the cross to atone for your sins so they can be forgiven, and He was resurrected from the grave to give you eternal life. Your sin deserves death, so Jesus died your death. He has eternal life, so He gives you His eternal life. Just like death is the consequence of sin, life is contingent on righteousness. Therefore, everyone who follows Christ by faith is declares righteous.

Righteousness is viewed like a covering or clothing.

Galatians 3:27 says, “For those who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.”

If you have faith in Christ then you are saved, you receive the Holy Spirit. Paul calls Christians “those who are baptized…” Paul uses baptism to remind us that our sins are atoned for and forgiven through the death of Christ. Baptism symbolizes that those who trust in Christ are cleansed of their unrighteousness. In Galatians 3 he is signifying that the cleansing work of God is what saves us, not our good works.

Paul goes on to explain that rather than being clothed in the sin stained garments of your own works, you are now clothed in the righteousness of Christ. It is the righteousness of Christ that grants you access to the Father and the inheritance of eternal life.

Righteousness was lost in the Garden of Eden, but it was regained through the cross and the empty tomb.

This is the heart of the gospel. This is the good news. What was lost in the garden of Eden is gained through the cross of Jesus Christ!

While this passage does not speak directly of the crucifixion and resurrection, it aims us forward to the cross and the resurrection of Jesus with one simple phrase… “Have courage, your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew is leading us to ask this question:

“What kind of man can forgive sins?”

The reaction of the Scribes indicates that no man can make this claim. The Scribes were infuriated and called Jesus a blasphemer for these words. Blasphemy is the profaning, desecrating, or taking the name of God in vain. It is the reviling of any of God’s works or deeds. God strictly forbids blasphemy.

The Scribes levy the charge of blasphemy against Jesus because forgiving sins is something that only God can do. For any man to take the place of God and act as if He is God is the epitome of blasphemy.

But, as we have seen through the first 8 chapters of his gospel, Matthew is making the claim in His Gospel that Jesus is more than a man…

Jesus teaches with an authority they have never heardJesus heals with an authority they have never seenJesus commands creation with an authority that boggles their mindsJesus directs His enemies with an authority that no one else on earth has.

And then here in Matthew 9:1-8, Jesus exercises the ultimate authority, he offers forgiveness. Like the disciples in the boat who said, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!” Matthew intends for us to ask the question that I believe he was asking in his own life as these events unfolded:

What kind of man can forgive sins?

The kind of man who can calm the winds and the waves

The kind of man who can say, without any hesitation. “get up and walk” to a man who had to be carried by his friends to the feet of Jesus.

Jesus is the only one who has the power and authority to forgive sin.

Thoughts for application:

1. Your greatest problem in life is your sin, and Jesus is the solution

2. A clear sign of salvation is the belief that Christ can change someone else’s life

Are you like the friends in this account. They were waiting for Jesus to return. Jesus had been ministering, teaching, healing, casting demons, and the like all around them. Obviously news had traveled that Jesus could heal their friend. So, they got their friend and they did whatever it took to get him to Jesus.

Are you this kind of friend?

As God continues to work in my life I grow more and more convinced that the number of lost people around us is greater than we can imagine.

One of the biggest reasons I grow more and more concerned for the souls of others is the lack of concern for the lost. It’s really sad at this point how far from view the lost world around is to the church. I don’t have any numbers, but I do know that in my ministry the people who are critical about things in the church are not filling the pews with their friends and neighbors.

But, it’s not just about those who are critical missing the boat… It’s all of us. When was the last time you invited a friend to be a part of the church. I don’t mean asking them to take a break from their church for a week to come and be a part of your church service. I mean an invitation to come and be a part of what God is doing here? When was the last time you invited a stranger to come and hear the gospel sung and proclaimed with you at Harrisburg? Who are the ones that you are sharing the gospel with right now and praying for each week?

Over the last 4 weeks God has put three different families in my view. I have met them while running in my neighborhood, through selling some furniture on Facebook, and by living on the same street. I am praying for them, seeking to talk about Jesus with them, and hoping that they know Jesus and become a part of what God is doing here at Harrisburg.

What about you? Who is the one you are going to strive to reach with the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Who’s Your One?

- The Wall

- The Magnets

- The Commitment

- The Celebration

In light of these friends going to great lengths to get their friend in front of Jesus I feel led to remind you of one of our points from last week.

3. There is no one that God can’t use, but there are many that God will not use.

Don’t leave this room without getting right with God.

Leave here with your conscience clean

Leave here with your heart surrendered to do whatever He asks

Leave here with a plan to grow daily with Him

Leave here with the commitment to reach one, or more, for Christ

A movement of God in our city starts with our church. And a movement of God in our church starts in your heart. Surrender to Him today…

Invitation remarks...

- Salvation

- Baptism

- Counsel

- Prayer

- Church membership