Easier said AND done

Talk about a blog gap. New semester starts are always busy, and this one was no different. Gotta make sure that everything is delicately balanced. Thank God even for this little bit of blog time.

Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."
- Luke 5:18-26

Remarkable! This miracle is really an establishment of Jesus' true authority. Just by His words alone is Jesus able to forgive us our sins: "Friend, your sins are forgiven." The Pharisees disbelieve in this authority. So, Jesus, as only He does best, puts the Pharisees in their place by pretty much saying, "By my voice and my Father's purpose, anything is possible for the good of the people." Jesus gives priority to forgiving the sins of the paralytic over actually eliminating his paralysis. Jesus told the man to get up and walk and "[i]mmediately he stood up in front of them." Likewise, Jesus told the man, "Friend, your sins are forgiven," and immediately, his sins were forgiven. The power of Jesus' voice and authority ... phenomenal & instantaneous. The Pharisees had the visual evidence of Jesus' healing power and yet their hearts were hardened to think that He could possess redemption power. It's funny - Jesus must have been like, "So, you don't believe I can forgive sins (through the authority I have by my Father)? Ok, fine, I'll heal him instead." Yeah, that's commonplace... As if that were any less remarkable!

The power to heal. The power to save. Jesus could do it all ... so that all would believe. "Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today.'"

And so have we...

"He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes."
-Deuteronomy 10:21