March 3, 2020 - We are looking at the beginning of Matthew chapter 9 today. It is an interesting section in that it continues depicting the disciples of Jesus as being a step behind those whom Jesus meets. In verses 1-8, we see folks that were not the disciples bringing a paralytic to Christ. The crowds were probably expecting Jesus Christ to heal the man, the man would stand up, and that would be just another miracle. Christ does something different. He says in verse two, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”
Do you see what the implications are in that sentence? Some of the scribes did. Only God can forgive sins and according to the scribes Jesus was a nobody. He cannot declare that this man’s sins are forgiven. Christ ask which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise and Walk”? Of course, both are easy to say. We can find multiple examples of folks today saying both. But who can actually do it? To show that Jesus has such authority to forgive sins, he heals the paralytic.
In nutshell, what is told to the reader is that as surely as Christ healed the paralytic, he has forgiven you of your sins. What must be remembered is that those who are healed by Christ still died sometime later. The healing was temporary. What is eternal is the forgiveness found in Christ. The hope secured is not temporary even though we might feel it is. Thanks be to God that in this case are feelings do not change the fact that through Christ, Christian, you are forgiven.
Wynter is an Elder at Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church. Find out more at MariposaChurch.org or email him at wynter@mariposachurch.org. Visit Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church on Facebook.
Pastor’s Corner is a column from Pastor Wynter Sturtevant III of the Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church.
The Church has moved locations, services are now held at the Bootjack Stompers Hall (located at 4662 Morman Bar Crossing) across from the Mariposa County Fairgrounds.
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