Your Sins are Forgiven

Luke 5:17-26

Key Verse 20

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

Introduction,

This passage shows how Jesus healed a man with paralysis. First of all Jesus saw their faith despite their rough approach. Jesus valued their compassionate heart for it is not easy to go extra miles to help those who are powerless. Jesus boldly saved a man with paralysis. May the Lord help us to have compassion to bring souls to Jesus.

1. Read verse 17. What is Jesus doing? Who are there listening to him? Where had they come from? What does Jesus have with him?

1-1, Read verse 17.

17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.

1-2, What is Jesus doing?

One day Jesus was teaching,

*Jesus was eager to teach the word of God after healing the man with leprosy.

We do not know if “one day” means the very next day or not.

1-3, Who are there listening to him?

*Religious leaders(Pharisees and teachers of law) were present.

They must have come to discredit the work of Jesus. They were not listening to Jesus’ word but were observing Jesus’ teaching to find fault.

Jesus was not afraid of their threats, for Jesus lived before God not before men.

He was ready to demonstrate his authority as the Messiah by showing God’s power to heal.

Also according to Mark 2:1-3, there were large numbers of the people.

“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.”

1-4, Where had they come from?

They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem.

Here ‘they’ may include the people as well (Mark 2:2).

1-5, What does Jesus have with him?

And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.

Jesus had the power of the Lord to heal the sick.

Also considering both what happened at the previous passage and what Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and pray(5:16), we can imagine the real source of his power.

*Chapter 4:42-44 read,

“At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

Through these 3 previous verses, we realized that Jesus prepared himself in prayer.

“I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”

Rather than being driven by his own will, he carefully followed the will of his Father in heaven.

The word “must” and the phrase “that is why I was sent” show his clear determination.

So it is not coincidence about the power of the Lord being with him.

The power of the Lord seems to be related with healing the sick merely.

However it could be the power to proclaim the good news boldly, fight the good fight against false shepherds those days, raise disciples, and so on.

*2 Chronicles 23:1 reads, “In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant...”

Jehoiada strengthened himself before God. With his personal faith, he could help others to remind the whole nation to be the people of God(2 Chron. 23:16)

So could be the same with us.

Often times we are barking up the wrong tree without strengthening our personal relationship with the Lord our God first.

May the Lord help us to increase our strength before God through personal prayer and the Word of God to serve the people in our times.

2. Read verses 18-19. What do some men attempt to do? What do you think can we learn from their actions? How might the people who were waiting in the crowd have felt about them?

2-1, Read verses 18-19.

18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

2-2, What do some men attempt to do?

According to Mark 2:3 “Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.”,

So there were four people who brought the paralytic.

These four men had a bold plan to bring their friend to Jesus.

They came carrying their paralytic friend and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.

But there were already too many people there lined up, waiting for Jesus' healing.

They needed team-work to make it.

They were united in their goal to bring this man to Jesus.

Jesus said in Matt. 18:19-20,

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

But they did not give up.

Their mission looked impossible.

After looking around here and there with never giving up spirit, God gave them a creative idea.

They began to climb up on the roof, carrying the paralytic on his mat. Then made a big hole right above Jesus.

2-3, What do you think can we learn from their actions?

They violated property law. The owner of the house could be really upset. They could be arrested by the Capernaum cops. They disturbed Jesus' message too.

But nothing stopped them from helping this one needy friend.

When we try to help one friend, there is always some obstacle to overcome.

True love overcomes all obstacles. And God was pleased by the compassion for their paralytic friend and gave them miraculous power to carry out their mission.

They didn't care what might happen to them, if only they could help their friend. They were indeed beautiful friends to the paralytic.

“A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

This means that a friend who helps you when you really need help is a true friend.

It is easy to become a friend of powerful people.

It is not easy to be a friend of this paralytic. He was only a burden to them. Four men did not expect any favors in return from this paralytic.

They loved him without any calculation. Their friendship came out of their compassionate love.

2-4, How might the people who were waiting in the crowd have felt about them?

People might have lacked compassionate heart toward a man of paralytic.

He was burdensome and his friends might be criticized.

3. Read verse 20. What does Jesus see? How does Jesus call the man who is paralyzed? What does Jesus say to him? Why do you think Jesus forgives this man’s sins before healing his paralysis?

3-1, Read verse 20.

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

3-2, What does Jesus see?

Jesus did not rebuke their actions. Instead, he saw their faith. They had faith in Jesus.

To Jesus faith is everything. As we know, paralysis is an incurable disease. Of course, the friends knew that paralysis was incurable.

But they had faith that Jesus could heal him.

Hebrews 11:6 says,

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

When they had faith that Jesus could heal him, God graciously gave them the power of faith to believe all the more, and to bring him to Jesus anyhow, anyway.

3-3, How does Jesus call the man who is paralyzed?

Jesus called this paralytic "Friend", identifying him with the compassionate friends who brought him.

Jesus is the holy, almighty God yet humbled himself to the eye level of the paralytic so that he might bear all his sins and sorrows.

His coming to Jesus was everything. Had he refused to come, his friends could not have brought him.

Jesus welcomes anyone who comes to him and credits his coming as evidence of faith.

This is Jesus' grace, and it is marvelous. Jesus accepted his “just coming” faith. Jesus welcomed him as a human being created in the image of God.

3-4, What does Jesus say to him?

"Friend, your sins are forgiven," instead of saying, "Your paralysis is healed."

Jesus said this because sin is man's fundamental problem.

Biblically speaking, the symptoms of paralysis can be compared to the symptoms of a powerless sinner.

A paralyzed man who was carried on a mat could not move his body freely, so he came to Jesus carried by four friends.

He was totally powerless to do anything.

He could not but depend on others to help him all the time.

Many times he might have complained when he did not get help from others saying, “There is no one who understands and help me.”

He was a burden to others. He probably was depressed a lot about his physical condition.

3-5, Why do you think Jesus forgives this man’s sins before healing his paralysis?

Jesus declared that his sins were forgiven. This was good news to everyone. God sent Jesus to forgive sins. This shows only God can forgive sins.

The claim to forgive means that Jesus’ ministry has taken on a greater significance. Jesus reveals what his ministry is all about. It is to forgive sins.

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

In order to give us the grace of forgiveness, the Son of God became the Lamb of God. John 1:29 says,

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'"

In order to give us the grace of forgiveness of sin, the Son of God shed his blood in such a sorrowful way.

Revelation 5:12 says, "...Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"

4. Read verses 21-26. How do the Pharisees respond to what Jesus says? What does Jesus say to them? How does Jesus show them that he has the authority to forgive sins? (23, 24a) What does Jesus tell the man to do? (24b) What does the man do? (25) What does everyone say after seeing this? (26)

4-1, Read verses 21-26.

21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

4-2, How do the Pharisees respond to what Jesus says?

“Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

They did not recognize Jesus. The work of the Messiah was self-evident when Jesus healed a man with leprosy and when he was about to heal this paralytic.

So the religious leaders should have realized that Jesus was the Messiah promised to come to this world to save men and women from their sins.

But they were blocked. Because of their unbelief, their pride was hurt and they became the prey of the devil.

4-3, What does Jesus say to them?

“Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

As the almighty God, Jesus sees through their hearts and knew what they were thinking.

4-4, How does Jesus show them that he has the authority to forgive sins? (23, 24a)

Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

The main point is that both of them are hard but Jesus can do both.

Jesus declared the power of forgiveness first and wanted to show that power with his actions.

Jesus wanted to prove that he could give us complete healing-our spiritual sin and physical paralysis.

Jesus demonstrated his authority first to forgive men's sins.

He backed up his word with actions.

4-5, What does Jesus tell the man to do? (24b)

So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

Jesus helped him to get up from his mat.

It has to do with Genesis 1:28. God created human beings to rule and be fruitful.

We were lying on our mat of despair due to our inability to act upon faith. We remained in our pathetic unbelief for a long time.

4-6, What does the man do? (25)

Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

Also he had faith in Jesus’ word.

Usually paralytic patients gave up hope to be healed for they know that it is impossible to heal it.

According to Kubler Ross model, he might have gone through five steps:

Denial - Anger - Bargaining - Depression - Acceptance (DABDA)

It was not easy for him to get up. Rather it was easy for him to make excuses like a 38 year paralytic man in John 5:6-7.

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

This man got up at once by faith.

4-7, What does everyone say after seeing this? (26)

26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

They were filled with awe for they saw with their own eyes that the paralytic was healed and was jumping around, praising God.

But the real reason was that they had seen the marvelous one who has the authority to forgive men's sins.

They were ordinary people. But when Jesus healed the paralytic, they could see in Jesus the authority to forgive men's sins.

To the eyes of the historian Luke, God's love in sending Jesus who has the authority to forgive sins was truly amazing.

In conclusion,

In order to forgive our sins, Jesus took up all our iniquities and transgressions and hung on the tree. He was cursed and condemned in our places, shedding his precious blood on the cross. I pray that God may increase our compassionate love for one friend so that Jesus may heal many paralytics in our times.

One word: Your sins are forgiven!