Forgiveness in the kingdom of Heaven

Please turn in me with your Bibles to Matthew 9, verses 1-8.

Matthew 9:1–8

!

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves,

This fellow is blaspheming.

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said,

Which is easier, to say,

Your sins are forgiven, or to say,

But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.

So he said to the paralyzed man,

Get up, take your mat, and go home.

Then the man got up and went home.

When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe,

and they praised God who had given such authority to man.

This is God's Word.

Let me pray quickly.

Dear Lord, bless us today with your Word and the lessons from it.

Bless me to preach,

and help us all to receive in our hearts the wisdom

which we have read.

To bring us up to speed,

so far in this series,

we have seen the authoritative power of the Messiah

and his kingdom power demonstrated.

Jesus has shown himself to be the Messiah in word,

through his teachings,

and by performing many miracles.

Now, a new stage unfolds.

He proves he is the Messiah in action,

demonstrating power over all Satan's strongholds.

This shows the kingdom of God has truly arrived,

and highlights Jesus' unique authority to forgive sins.

Following these demonstrations,

Jesus stepped into a boat,

crossed over,

and came to his own town.

Once again,

Christ passes over the water

on his messianic,

kingdom-hearkening mission,

arriving in his own town,

likely Capernaum.

Upon his arrival,

there's a hustle and bustle.

A familiar scene unfolds.

People are being healed,

scribes are watching,

and big crowds are full of expectation.

Amidst the crowd,

a group of mates,

no doubt having heard of Jesus' miraculous powers,

approaches.

Jesus had cured paralytics,

and performed many miracles,

healing the sick,

casting out demons,

and cleansing a leper.

Motivated by this,

they come expectantly,

demonstrating an act of faith.

What we are about to see

is Jesus doing something astonishing.

By forgiving sins,

he claims the authority

that only God possesses.

Let's look at how this is,

and what we can learn from the response.

When Jesus saw their faith,

he said to the man,

take heart, son,

your sins are forgiven.

And Jesus responds to this act of faith

for healing

by forgiving the man's sins.

At first,

it seems Jesus is promising the paralytic

something other than what he asked for.

There is perhaps

a link between sin and sickness in this case.

As Matthew describes in other passages,

individual sin

is not always the direct cause

of a person's disease or illness.

nonetheless,

ultimately,

all corruption and death

result from the entrance of sin

into the world.

But either way,

this man has come for healing.

Although Jesus seems to address

something different from the man's request,

he highlights the main issue.

Sin is the fundamental human problem.

By forgiving sins,

Jesus reveals his authority

and clarifies the true nature

of the Messiah's mission.

Forgiveness for us is an expected result.

But what does it mean for this man?

Indeed, what does it mean for everybody there?

It's more than an unexpected result.

Remember that Jesus

is on a kingdom-hearkening mission.

What have we learned

about the kingdom of heaven so far?

There is healing,

blessing for the poor in spirit,

and power over evil.

Even repentance.

Repent,

for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

This is John the Baptist's call.

People confess their sins

and are baptized by him in the Jordan

as a sign of repentance.

Repent,

for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,

is what Jesus says

to launch his ministry.

In the mind of the crowd,

to repent is to turn from sin

and to seek God's mercy,

to return to covenant faithfulness.

So what on earth is forgiveness?

Often tied to atonement,

death,

and sacrifice,

forgiveness is God's exclusive act.

Human actors might facilitate forgiveness,

as in the case of priests

sacrificing animals.

Even then,

the text describes

how to do this process.

And they simply say,

and their sins shall be forgiven.

There is no declaration

from the priest.

So understand

just what an incredible break

from normal life

these people experience

when they hear this teacher

and miracle worker

personally and directly

declare the forgiveness

of the paralytic sins

beyond the day of atonement

and temple sacrifice.

Sacrifices, sorry.

No man before Christ

has personally declared

the forgiveness of someone's sins.

Only God from heaven.

Even Christ has not done so

before this.

This event marks

a significant escalation

in the unveiling

of the nature

of the incoming kingdom.

Sins are forgiven.

At this,

some of the teachers

of the law

said to themselves,

this fellow is blaspheming.

Highly respected

Jewish scholars

and religious authorities

who were experts

in the Torah,

the law of Moses,

the teachers of the law

or scribes,

as they are often called,

are expertly applying

the law

to the wrong person,

accusing Jesus

of slandering

and dishonoring God

by usurping

his unique role.

A priest in the temple

can look at a stranger

and conceivably say,

your sins are forgiven.

But here it's Capernaum.

Jesus is not a priest

in their understanding

and the sick man

has brought no offering,

scapegoat

or guilt offering.

So because the scribes

don't hold Jesus

to be God,

they hear only blasphemy

in what he says.

They are not wrong

that Jesus has just claimed

divine authority,

but what does Jesus

tell us about their response?

Knowing their thoughts,

Jesus said,

why do you entertain

evil thoughts

in your hearts?

What's so evil

about a little skepticism?

The scribes' eagerness

to slander

led them to reach

a conclusion

without investigation.

They had every right

to question the grounds

on which Jesus

was claiming

this kind of authority,

but instead of inquiring

or giving him

a chance to explain,

they jumped to the conclusion

that he was nothing more

than a regular person

and rushed to pronounce

him guilty.

Jesus' miracles

and teachings so far

should be evidence

enough of his authority.

Remember,

in previous weeks,

when hearing about

the nature of the

coming kingdom of heaven,

Jesus has been there

when people have been healed.

Jesus has been there

as storms are stilled.

Jesus has been there

when demons

have been cast out.

more than just being there,

though,

Jesus also,

in a never-before-seen way,

has personally

and directly

healed,

calmed,

and cast out

by his own word.

Jesus has already

exercised

divine authority

over nature

and the demonic.

To understand

the scribes' guilt,

we must understand

how these are also

God's prerogatives.

Only God heals.

Even as we heard

of Elijah's involvement

in healings

as evidence

of his authority

as a prophet,

he prescribes actions

and routines

to facilitate

God's healings.

Do this

and God will heal you

is how he can

think about it.

Always,

only God heals.

And yet,

this Messiah heals.

Always,

only God

has mastery

over nature.

And yet,

this Messiah

has mastery

over nature.

always,

only God

has control

over demons.

And yet,

this Messiah

has control

over demons.

Jesus has already

exercised

divine authority

over nature

and the demonic.

And miracles

are evidence

of authority.

The evil

lies in rejecting

the clear evidence

of Jesus'

divine authority.

It stems

from pride,

envy,

or hardened unbelief

plotting against

the obvious

manifestation of God

rather than

humbly accepting

it.

The scribes

here illustrate

one of the main

takeaways

from this passage.

Hardened unbelief

and pride,

especially religious

pride,

can blind

even knowledgeable

people

to clear evidence

of who Jesus

is.

False religion

or self-righteous

skepticism

is one of the

biggest obstacles

to truly

encountering Christ.

The scribes

should have

turned away

from their ways

and believed.

Or since

coming to

repentance

can take

time,

they should

have questioned

themselves

enough

to start

moving

towards real

faith.

Today's

skeptic may

be very

different

from the

scribes

in most

ways,

but everyone

should stay

open to the

evidence of

Jesus'

godhood,

authority,

and grace,

and all

should repent

and believe.

If you're

wrestling with

who Jesus

really is,

don't harden

your heart.

Look at the

evidence he's

already given

in scripture

and in the

changed lives

of the people

around you.

We should

take a hard

look at our

own hearts

for evil

thoughts,

like the

ones the

scribes

had,

judging ahead

without proof,

refusing to

check the

evidence,

or holding

tight to our

own ways

and ideas

instead of

bowing to

Jesus'

word.

After all,

he speaks

with the

authority which

only God

possesses.

But Jesus

doesn't leave

the claim to

God's

authority

hanging.

He knows

the scribes'

thoughts and

confronts them.

Rather than

destroy them,

he graciously

offers proof.

Jesus proves

his authority

with visible

power.

Jesus provides

this proof

clearly and

deliberately to

unveil his

godly nature

to us,

and we'll

explore what

that means

and consider

some implications

of healing

the man

second.

Describe the

scribes'

evil,

Christ deals

graciously with

them,

saying,

which is

easier,

to say

your sins

are forgiven

or to

say get

up and

walk?

He asks

a rhetorical

question,

one which

is far

gentler than

the rhetorical

rebukes we

see earlier

in Scripture.

When Job

doubts God's

justice,

he is asked,

where were

you when I

laid the

foundation of

the earth?

Tell me if

you have

understanding.

It's a

completely

legitimate

response,

but Christ

now simply

asks,

which is

easier?

An opportunity

for the scribes

to reflect,

perhaps?

Let us

reflect together.

Well,

which is

easier to

do?

And what

would it

mean?

For us,

neither is

really easier.

Achieving

either is an

impossibility.

For Christ,

both are

declared easily.

He has the

authority.

forgiveness.

But for

which is

easier to

say,

for Christ

under

scrutiny,

the scribes

can easily

deny that

forgiveness

has happened.

They can't

deny that a

man with

no use of

his limbs

gets up

and walks

before their

very eyes.

Therefore,

the implication

is saying

your sins

are forgiven

is easier.

If the

man's sins

are forgiven,

then there

is no

usurpation

or blasphemy.

Likewise,

if the

man gets

up and

walks when

told,

Jesus is

the one

who did

it.

The healing

miracle is

proof of

Christ's

authority to

forgive sins.

What we

don't get is

a technical

analysis of

precisely which

mechanism enables

what.

That's why,

at first glance,

Jesus' argument

might be

confusing.

After all,

since the

soul is more

mysterious than

the body,

forgiving sins

should make

maybe or

obviously be

a bigger,

more impressive

miracle than

healing someone's

body.

Sorry,

forgiving sins

should be a

bigger,

more impressive

miracle than

healing someone's

body.

But here's the

simple explanation.

Jesus is

meeting them

right where

they are.

These people

were so focused

on physical,

visible things

that a tangible

miracle like

healing hit them

much harder

and felt more

real than the

deeper spiritual

work of

forgiveness

and eternal

salvation.

And this

stooping down

to their

level is our

first hint that

Jesus cares to

show himself to

us, uncovering

his true nature.

He continues to

do so plainly.

To the scribes

he continues to

speak, saying,

but I want you

to know that

the Son of Man

has authority on

earth to forgive

sins.

Very clearly

here, Christ

states his

intention.

He is about

to show his

power and

right to

forgive sins.

He will give

everything, this

is no simple

claim.

Son of Man

is a messianic

title, the

one who comes

to redeem

God's people.

But even with

all the intense

implications that

come with it,

the claim to the

authority to

forgive sins on

earth is a new

development from

the point of view

of the scribes.

Indeed, the

Messiah might

intercede for

forgiveness or

atone via

temple rituals or

end-time

restoration.

But not like

this.

It's not just

new, it's

shocking.

And it's

shocking for a

reason that we

as Christians

ought to take

great comfort

in.

Because it

claimed for a

human figure,

the Son of

Man, what

belonged to

God alone.

And it

bypassed the

temple's

sacrificial

systems as

the scribes

understood it.

Jesus shows

that there is

no higher

court to appeal

to you.

No extra

step needed.

No room for

doubt.

When Jesus

says your

sins are

forgiven, it

carries the

full weight of

God's own

pardon.

You can have

full assurance

of forgiveness,

not based on

how you feel,

what you've

done, or

what any

temple priest

says, but

on the sure

word of the

Son of Man,

who proves he

has the right

to say it.

Be encouraged

because Jesus

is fully God

and fully

man.

He perfectly

bridges the

gap that sin

made between

God and

us.

That means we

can draw near

with confidence

to the throne

of grace without

any fear of

being turned

away, without

needing go-betweens

or special

rights.

His work as

our go-between,

our middleman,

gives us bold,

close prayer and

true fellowship

with the Father.

Be encouraged

because with

these words,

Jesus makes

it clear that

he's not just

a messenger or

a witness to

this grace,

he's the very

source of it.

But why does

he add on

earth?

What good would

it do us to

get forgiveness

here if it's

not backed up

in heaven?

Is this what

this means?

No, rather

the opposite.

His point is

simple, we don't

have to look far

off for forgiveness

of sins, he

holds it right

there in his

own person, as

if it's in his

hands for us to

take.

Jesus came

down to earth

to show us

that God's

grace is right

here among us,

present and

real.

That's why we

talk about him

forgiving sins

visibly, because

in him and

through him, God's

true will was

laid open for

all to see.

Before that, to

our fleshy eyes,

it had always

seen hidden, far

above the clouds.

There is so much

grace and blessing

for us here.

And beyond

the grace,

essentially Jesus

affirms that he

does claim

Godhood.

He has forgiven

the man's sins.

He claims it

is his right as

the son of man,

a title formulated

in a way which

incidentally is

very formal.

Son, in this

sense, shows

identity and is

similar to the

concept of an

heir, which is a

legal identity,

much different from

how he has just

addressed the poor

but faithful

paralytic, calling

him my son, my

child, tenderly.

Let us see now how

he deals tenderly

with him.

From the scribes, he

then turns back to

the man lying on the

floor.

There is the grace

of God before their

very eyes.

Then the man got up

and went home.

The healing is

complete.

And the man shows

total obedience to

the command, carrying

that which carried

him.

The less easy thing

to say is verified

quickly, giving

assurance of his

forgiveness.

A man destitute of

all the use of his

limbs, lying on a

bed and lowered by

cords, suddenly rises

again in health,

vigor, and agility.

The scribes are

silenced.

The man has been

faithful and obedient.

And remember that he

was forgiven first,

with what felt, to me,

like a lot of suspense

in between.

By healing him

physically last, Jesus

gently reminds the man

where his trouble

really came from, and

how he should shape

his prayers.

Most of us don't

stop to think that the

hardships and

illnesses we suffer are

ultimately due to sin.

Shown in earlier

narratives is moved

with a feeling of sorrow

and compassion in the

face of suffering.

But sometimes we ask

for nothing more than

some relief in the body

while staying completely

unconcerned about our

sins.

Like a sick person who

ignores the actual

disease after it has

been clearly diagnosed

for him.

And just wants pain to

ease for now.

Again, it is good to

hope for relief from

pain.

But we can ask for

more.

Jesus ranks forgiveness

first because the only

real way to be freed from

every kind of evil is to

have God at peace with

us.

Christian, we must pray

for forgiveness and

reconciliation to God

above all else.

And do so with

confidence because Jesus

has proven his

authority with visible

power.

And because the Holy

Spirit has given us

faith and has

witnessed to our

hearts the truth of

Christ's words when he

says to us, my

child, your sins are

forgiven.

There is a right

response to proven

authority to forgive

sins, which is all

faith and worship.

If we look at the

responses from the

people in the passage,

we can reflect on

ours.

So the scribes are

silenced.

It is they who have

slandered God after all.

What about everyone

else?

When the crowd saw

this, they were filled

with awe and they

praised God who had

given such authority to

man.

The crowds reached the

realization which the

scribes had not, of the

authority of God

vested in man.

The awe and fear are a

holy, trembling wonder

at something divine

breaking into the

ordinary.

Glorifying God is the

right response and is

almost the opposite of

the scribes' evil

thoughts.

They do all this without

yet fully grasping his

divine identity.

We, therefore, who do

grasp this union of

godhood and humanity in

Christ's person should

glory all the more.

But the crowd who

glorify God are only

partly right here.

Yes, they saw a man

standing in front of

them, but they should

have sensed in their

hearts something far

greater than just a man.

They're spot on that

human nature was lifted

high in Christ for the

good of humanity, for

the good of everyone.

But because they didn't

yet see that he was God

made flesh, this praise

still carries a bit of a

mistake.

In short, yes, God

really did give this

authority to a man.

But they hadn't yet

grasped how that the full

majesty of God had been

joined to human flesh.

Is this a fair critique of

the crowds?

Historically, we might not

expect an ordinary crowd

to uncover the full truth

right away.

But if you read Matthew's

whole gospel as one big

story with its deeper

teaching in mind, the

crowds and the scribes

really ought to have seen

that Jesus wasn't just

someone with special

authority.

They ought to have known

from his teaching that

they're amazed by him, but

they never step into true,

deep belief.

When Christ was later to be

innocently crucified, they

chose to free Barabbas, not

him.

And the guilty silence of the

scribes as religious leaders

will grow into doubt, then

open hostility, and finally

murder.

I'm going far forward in the

book for a reading, for a

warning.

When reading this passage,

I'm tempted to make the

scribes in the crowd into a

nicely packaged juxtaposition.

How unlike those hypocritical

scribes are those jolly

trusting fellows in the

crowd?

Again, glorifying God is the

right response, and it is

almost the opposite of the

scribes' evil thoughts.

They recognize something

special.

But if you are here and you

do not believe in the God-man

Jesus Christ, even if you

enthusiastically recognize

something special in Christ,

something prophet-like,

somewhat virtuous, somewhat

powerful, quite forgiving,

even quite loving, you are

missing something like the

crowds are missing something.

And you will go on to do as

the crowds later do.

When push comes to shove, you

will crucify Christ in your

heart.

There is nothing somewhat

goddish about a quite loving

Messiah.

There is only an absolutely

sovereign God-man with a

finished work on the cross and

a complete forgiveness for

those who have faith and

repentance for the forgiveness

of sins.

This is the good news, that even

whilst there is enmity between

God and humanity, God the Father

sends God the Son to take on

flesh and to be like us, the Son

of Man.

And the Son of Man, as it says

in Daniel, will be lifted up.

How?

By willingly being raised onto a

cross in excruciating pain,

despite being innocent, having

completely and perfectly kept the

law, the law that we break

daily.

And on that cross, he feels in

his humanity the weight and

wrath the Father has for sin.

So excruciating is the pain that

it is described as God

forsakenness.

Jesus suffers and dies at the

cost for sin.

And that great cost pays for the

sins of anyone who by faith

believes it is theirs.

Even those who in that moment

jeer and spit and torture him.

Even we who have jeered and spat on

and offended Christ in our

hearts.

Even for you, who still do so by

denying him as the scribes did, can

see and accept Jesus for who he

has shown himself to be, God and

Savior, and be forgiven.

Jesus died and rose again, ultimate

proof of his truthfulness.

Those who believe, sustained always

by God the Holy Spirit dwelling in

us, live in fullness of life, and

have a sure place in heaven for all

eternity.

So do not deny the scriptural

evidence of Christ's authority as

the scribes did.

Learned as they were.

The takeaway is this.

Jesus perceives our faith and is

moved to action by it.

He grants what we need most on

earth from the kingdom of heaven.

Forgiveness.

Therefore, he is surely a worthy

object of all faith and worship.

To finish, let me end with these

words of encouragement.

Christian, we must be encouraged by

this wonderful assurance.

And in gratefulness and love, worship

God as often as we can.

And let us never doubt or be

discouraged.

This voice of authority from Christ

is the voice of God.

It speaks creation into existence.

It comes from the cloud, bringing

God's good law.

And when we fail to keep that law,

Christ here uses it to bring the

gospel, to forgive.

The same voice with the same

authority, though we die, calls us to

newness of life and will raise us up in

a new creation.

Jesus personally declares,

your sins are forgiven.

Martin Luther, in his sermon on the

same passage, says,

these words show and contain in brief

what the kingdom of Christ is,

namely this sweet voice,

these motherly and fatherly words

penetrating our inmost soul.

your sins are forgiven.

God shows himself to us and teaches

us about himself, coming to earth and

so clearly and beautifully telling us

he is here to forgive us.

We can indeed draw nigh to God,

but so mighty is our mistrustfulness

that we never risk believing God is

kind to us till he draws nigh to us

and speaks to us as one who is well

known and dear to him,

saying, my child,

your sins are forgiven.

Let us pray.

Amen.