THINK TOGETHER.
Have you ever needed to be forgiven by someone?
READ TOGETHER.
Matthew 9:1-8. 1And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7And he rose and went home. 8When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
This story about Jesus can be a bit tricky. People bring a paralyzed man to Jesus to be healed. Paralyzed means that he couldn’t walk. But instead of healing the man’s legs, Jesus says your sins are forgiven instead.
Which is more important, having your legs healed or your sins forgiven? Hopefully you said sins forgiven.
But only God himself can forgive our sins. That’s why the religious leaders, the scribes, say that Jesus is blaspheming. Do you know what blasphemy is? It’s when you say something wrong about God. They thought that Jesus was calling himself God, and that’s blasphemy. And blasphemy can be punished with death. Yikes!
Jesus is very cool. He doesn’t worry. He doesn’t get angry. Instead he gives them a sort of riddle: which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
Do you like riddles? Can you figure out Jesus’ riddle? Which is easier to say? The answer is that it is easier to say your sins are forgiven. Why? Because forgiveness is invisible. You can’t see if it happened or not. It’s much harder to say rise and walk. Why? Because if the man’s paralyzed legs aren’t really healed everyone will know. Healed legs will mean getting up and walking away, and you can tell right away if it happened or not. So what does Jesus do? He does both! He heals the man’s legs and he forgives his sins. When the people see this man walk for the first time they praise God.
This isn’t just a great story about a paralyzed man getting better. It’s a story of how Jesus said that he is God. Only God can forgive sins. Why? Because every sin we commit is against God. Only the person you’ve hurt can forgive you. So when Jesus forgives the paralyzed man Jesus is saying that he is the one that all sins are against. But only God can say that, right? Yes, that’s right. And Jesus is God.
Are all your sins forgiven? Have you asked Jesus to forgive you? Remember every sin you commit is against God and against Jesus, so you have to ask him to forgive you. And he will! How do we know? Because Jesus got up and walked away too – from the tomb. That’s how we know all our sins are forgiven, and how we can begin to forgive others when they’ve hurt us too.
Because of Jesus we can be forgiven.
With Jesus we can forgive others too.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Listen to and sing along with Amazing Grace.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, with you I can be forgiven because you died for my sins and rose again. Amen.
TLICfamily 