Matthew 9:1-8; Ephesians 4:22-28; Genesis 28:10-17
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus saw their faith. What did Jesus see? What does faith look like? We shouldn’t be surprised that faith can be seen. It was St. James, Jesus’ brother, who famously wrote in his epistle, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” What Jesus saw was some people bringing to him a paralytic so that He might heal him. Their faith was shown forth in their works. Their works were an outward confession of what they believed in their hearts. Clearly, they believed that Jesus could and would heal the man. Clearly, they loved the man enough to bring him to Jesus for healing. Because they believed in Jesus, they had faith in Jesus, they also produced the fruit of good works in their love for Jesus and for their neighbor. Jesus could see their faith. Their faith was evident in their good works towards both God and neighbor.
Because He saw their faith, Jesus’ response was different than what we might expect. Jesus spoke to the paralyzed man and proclaimed that his sins were forgiven. We might have expected that Jesus would address the man’s illness, his paralysis, and tell him to get up and walk. No doubt, that’s what the people who brought the man to Jesus expected. But Jesus didn’t say that. Instead, Jesus proclaimed that the paralyzed man’s sins were forgiven. Notice, however, there is no indication that the paralyzed man, or even those who brought him to Jesus, were dismayed or disappointed. They may very well have been disappointed, but it is not recorded for us. Let’s be honest, even though we believe, the LORD doesn’t answer ever request we make in the affirmative, nor in the timeline we might desire. The LORD’s ways simply are not our ways, and the foolishness of the LORD is wiser than our wisdom. Truly, the LORD has not promised to give us what we want, but what we need, which, let’s be honest once again, is often not what we truly need or even want. In fact, because He saw their faith, Jesus gave the paralyzed man precisely what he needed, which is precisely what we all need, Jesus gave Him the forgiveness of his sins.
Because He saw their faith, because they believed, Jesus went straight to the heart of the matter, sin. Sure, the paralyzed man believed that his paralysis was his chief problem, and likely so did those who brought him to Jesus, just as you and I likely believe that our diseases, marital and relationship problems, financial problems, and so much more are our chief problems, but the paralyzed man and his friends, along with you and I, all share a common problem that is the very worst and ultimate problem we have – sin, which leads always and only to death. Paralysis, diseases, marital and relationship problems, financial problems, and everything else we suffer are not the disease, but only the symptoms. Sin is the common disease we all share, and sin leads only and always to death. All the people whose diseases Jesus healed, even those He raised from death, died, or died again. And even should we recover from our present ailments, not a one of us will enter heaven before passing through death.
What does faith look like? Faith looks like calm in the face of uncertainty, contentment in the face of want, peace in the face of trial, tribulation, disease, and even death. And because faith looks like this faith is free to act in love towards others, bringing others to Jesus, sharing all things with those who need it, never fearing we will not have what we need, living freely without fear and resentment, peaceful and content. Faith is not lifeless, but it is a living faith. Faith is always acting outward, at once receiving and giving and therefore living.
However, there were some present who were scandalized and offended by Jesus’ words. Some scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” They believed that only God could forgive sins. Notice that they had no quarrel with Jesus that the paralyzed man was a sinner, but only that Jesus could forgive sins. Neither were they concerned that Jesus did not heal the man’s paralysis. They were only concerned only with Jesus’ proclaiming forgiveness. Knowing their thoughts, Jesus asked them, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?” Again, Jesus equates the disease, paralysis, with its cause, sin. It is no easier to say one rather than the other. However, the scribe’s rejection was less about the nature of sin than it was about who can forgive it. Theirs’ was a question of authority, and they maintained that Jesus didn’t have it. One group of people believed and trusted in Jesus’ authority. Jesus saw their faith. Another group of people did not believe and trust in Jesus’ authority. Jesus knew their thoughts, that they were evil. Nevertheless, to demonstrate that He indeed has authority to forgive sins, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When they saw it, the crowds were afraid, and they glorified God who had given such authority to men.
The scribes were right, only God can forgive sins. However, they refused to see with the eyes of faith that God was in their midst, in and through Jesus, to forgive sins and to heal the sin-sick unto death. The scribes could not see what the people who brought the paralytic to Jesus could see. The scribes could not see that God was with them because their eye was evil, and they refused to believe.
We cannot ascend to heaven. Therefore, heaven has descended to us in Jesus. That is what Jacob came to realize in his dream. He envisioned a ladder set up between heaven and earth with angels ascending and descending upon it. The ladder was a type of Christ, God reaching down to earth and humankind in grace, mercy, peace, love, and forgiveness. When Jacob awoke, he exclaimed, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” The LORD was present with Jacob, though he did not know it, and He renewed the covenant promise with Jacob that He had first made to his father Abraham. And because the LORD descended from heaven to bless Jacob, the LORD was also present to bless, forgive, and heal the paralytic. The LORD was present in Jesus who, in His incarnation, has forever bridged heaven and earth, God and man. Wherever Jesus is, there is also God and His kingdom. Wherever Jesus is, there is also grace, mercy, peace, love, and forgiveness. And where there is the forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.
“Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it,” Jacob exclaimed. “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” Jacob’s words are as true today as they were in his time and in the time of Jesus. The Lord still has power on earth to forgive sins. In holy absolution He raises up the new man and bestows the healing medicine which will bring about our resurrection on the Last Day.
In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.
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