Sin is the Problem That Needs Fixing

4 July 2024   Matthew 9:1-8

“When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.’” Matthew 9:2

It makes perfect sense that a paralytic is at the center of this story.

Many assume that if there is a God, then the job of that God is to fix human problems, to correct the flaws in existence, and generally to arrange human benefits. Struggle and suffering, therefore, are problems for this view of God, for it assumes that if God is doing His job, then suffering should not exist, or if it does, it is all our fault.

Jesus, however, does not assume that it is His job to fix all our problems. When He looked at the paralytic, He did not assume that paralysis was the thing that needed fixing. He thought sin was, so He said, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven” (Matthew 9:2).

No doubt the paralytics friends were puzzled by this, for they brought their buddy to Jesus expecting Him to heal him. To the paralytic’s friends, Jesus was an instrument to relieve suffering, an instrument to be set aside when the relief was given, like a hammer is set aside when the nail is driven, or when the syringe is set aside when the medicine is delivered. The healing was the main event, not the healer.

Clearly the Scribes were puzzled also, for they said, “This man is blaspheming” (9:3). They thought Jesus was saying what no human had a right to say. The Scribes had no relief to offer, either to the paralytic or his friends.

Jesus, however, continued to insist that sin and guilt were the big problems, and to make that point, He said, “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 paralytic), Rise, pick up your stretcher and go home” (9:5-6). And he did.

Sin and guilt are our biggest problems. They are the immoveable weight that keep us from being with God, being with others – especially others whom we have wronged, and being with ourselves. Forgiveness and mercy are what allow us to move toward God, toward others – especially others whom we have wronged, and toward ourselves. Forgiveness and mercy allow us to get up and move toward our salvation, and remove all the signs of our previous paralysis.

It makes perfect sense that a paralytic is at the center of this story.

For our biggest problems, the Forgiver is the main event. To know Him is the most important thing of all.

An ancient prayer from Rabia of Basra puts it well: “God of time and eternity, if I love Thee for hope of heaven, then deny me heaven. If I love thee for fear of hell, then give me hell. But if I love Thee for Thyself alone, then give me Thyself alone.”

So that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….

So that you may know the Son of Man….

Our biggest problem is sin. Our only goal is to know Jesus.

Just Jesus.