Good morning,
“That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”
When Jesus, the Creator of our universe and the Son of God, came to earth, he did so in a human body that was formed in the virgin Mary and finally died on a cruel cross. Never once did he give into temptation or believe the lies that defined truth in his day. Jesus came with a purpose that was planned even before he spoke our world and our universe into being. Jesus came to defeat an enemy and make a way for the prisoners of sin to become eternally free children who would live together with their Heavenly Father for eternity. At birth he looked like just other baby, grew up to be a man who made a living as a carpenter and then became a prophet and healer without any of the right religious credentials. He attracted special attention from his religious critics when he used the ‘wrong words’ to heal a paralyzed man. “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” The religious teachers immediately identified him as a fraud, but did not realize that Jesus could read their minds. They said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?” Jesus confronted them for their evil thoughts and then asked them to decide which is easier, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?
Jesus then made a statement that was true for that time but would years later become true for all of time and eternity. He said, “So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Jesus told the man to get up and go home. The paralyzed man jumped up and did as he was told. Those who saw him go had no idea that this same Jesus would someday willingly accept the cruel criticism of those who hated and feared him and would allow himself to be falsely condemned to a cruel death on a cruel cross. They had no idea that he knew that when he went to that cross as the perfect Lamb of God, he would be able to strip our enemy, Satan, of the right to demand our eternal punishment because of our sin filled lives. Jesus forgave us from that cross. Jesus asked his Heavenly Father to do the same, and when he finished paying the full price for our sins he cried in triumph, “It is finished! God’s wrath against our sins was satisfied by the blood of our perfect sacrifice, Jesus. Three days later Jesus rose from the dead and proved to men and angels alike that he had triumphed again over this cruel enemy of our Creator God. Even now, centuries after this wonderful triumph, any sinner who is willing to repent of their sins and put their trust in this same Jesus as Savior and Lord will jump up from the paralysis of their sins and begin their journey toward their eternal home. Jesus is God. He won again!
Matthew 9:6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
Roy Wisner
