"Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’" Matthew 9:5
When Jesus asked this question, He was talking to the religious leaders. They were outraged that Jesus would tell the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven.
These “spiritual” gurus had watched Jesus grow from a little boy into a man. To them, He was a snot-nosed, skinned-up-knees child, born from a mother who had cheated on her husband. Now, as an adult, He claimed to be God! How dare this kid from Nazareth say, “Your sins are forgiven!” In the words of Vizzini from The Princess Bride, “Inconceivable!”
To heal and to forgive sins come from the same power source — God. Jesus asked a simple question with a simple answer, but it was something the religious leaders refused to acknowledge. The chasm was long and wide between who Jesus was and who they wanted Him to be.
This is true for us as well, if we’re willing to admit it. The divide is long and wide between who Jesus is, and who we want Him to be.
We want a God we can trust with our eternal destination, but we don’t want Him wrestling — from our white-knuckled grasp — the everyday living of life. We want the love of Jesus, not His justice. We want a comfortable Jesus, not Someone who pushes us into the unknown.
The simple fact remains: Jesus is God. He is able to heal the sick and forgive sins. True followers of Jesus refuse to let their own desires define Him, and allow Him to be the Jesus who He is!
Lord, I confess my propensity to create You in my own image, rather than allowing You to be the God You are. Open my eyes to Your truth, teach me Your ways and help me to follow You with a pure heart. Amen.
Take Action
Discover who God says He is in the pages of His Word. Spend some time reading Matthew 9:1-8, and put yourself in the shoes of the people who witnessed this miracle. What truths are the Holy Spirit revealing to you about God’s character?