Forgiveness

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was  with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "As for you, your sins are forgiven."

Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, "What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"– he said to the one who was paralyzed, "I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."

He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, "We have seen incredible things today." (Luke 5:17-26)

Jesus gave us a challenge through his simple question: Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?  Those who we know “paralyzed” by guilt for the sins they have committed against us cannot “go home.”  They cannot be in our company for fear of what we might say against them in anger, perhaps even hate.  They are like the Prodigal Son or Daughter wanting to come home, but fear rejection if they return.

Jesus tells us to forgive them.  It is easier to forgive them than to have them rise and walk.  Then again, when we forgive them, they do rise from their “stretchers” and walk home.  They are healed, and we heal ourselves through our forgiveness.

We see incredible things every day and we glorify God when we forgive sins, and when we receive forgiveness.  We don’t need to go up on roofs to be lowered on our stretchers.  We simply have to knock on the door, and we will be let in.  Forgiveness is an incredible thing.

Deacon David Pierce