October 11, 2026 – Trinity 19 – Matthew 9:1-8 (EHV)
1 Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town. 2 There people brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Take heart, son! Your sins are forgiven.” 3 Then some of the experts in the law said among themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” 4 Since Jesus knew their thoughts, he said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he then said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 7 The man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
When Jesus arrived on the scene of His hometown, Capernaum, there were, no doubt, people there who had certain expectations of Him. Yet, regardless of their expectations, Jesus did what Jesus does. He doesn’t simply try to fit himself into the mold of what people expect of Him. In fact, in some instances it seems that He does the exact opposite of what the people expect.
Obviously, the men who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus expected Him to heal their friend who couldn’t walk. His friends thought his greatest need was being made physically whole and well, but Jesus doesn’t just simply do what was expected of him. Jesus realizes the paralyzed man’s heart is in need of personal forgiveness. Jesus says to him, “Take heart, son! Your sins are forgiven.” Regardless of what this man thought or regardless of what his friends thought, the paralyzed man’s greatest need was that of forgiveness. Jesus doesn’t meet expectations, but He exceeds them.
Imagine yourself in a hospital bed nearing death and the only thing you currently desire is to be made physically whole, but then because you requested his presence at the hospital the pastor comes in and says, “Be of good courage, your sins are forgiven.” Now, of course, this maybe wasn’t what you were expecting. You were hoping that the pastor would visit with you and then you expected him to have a prayer which requested a swift healing and recovery, or that he would pray for a miracle through the hands of your doc- tors and nurses. So much so were you focused on the prayer for healing, that when the absolution was spoken, you were taken aback when you confessed your sins and received forgiveness for your sins through the precious absolution which the pastor spoke by Je- sus’ command and in His place.
As Jesus exemplified for us in our Gospel lesson, the greatest need of any human being is that he has his sins forgiven. That is why we seek to bring our children to the baptismal font shortly after they’re born. Their greatest need is that of being forgiven and adopted intoGod’s family. That is why we as communicant members approach the altar in confidence to receive the body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins. That is why we show up to our sanctuary, Sunday after Sunday, to receive the proclamation of forgiveness week after week. Is there anything better that could prepare someone for the afterlife than the forgiveness of sins? Of course not! As Luther reminds us, “Where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.”
Remember, there is a chance that every time we leave this sanctuary, it could be our last time here. What better thing could we ask for than facing Christ in judgment with a clean conscience? What better righteousness can we hunger and thirst for than that which is imputed or applied to us through the righteousness of Christ? In our text, Jesus first supplies the paralyzed man with what he needed most, the forgiveness of all of his sins. Only then he turns their attention to the man’s physical ailment and says, “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he then said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.”
This same Jesus who has power over useless and lifeless limbs has power over life and death. This Jesus, who, by his perfect life in your place, his perfect suffering on your behalf, and by his resurrection from the grave, has the power to grant everlasting life to all those who believe in him for forgiveness from all sins, goes on to prove his claim of being able to forgive sin by putting power, feeling, strength, stability, and coordination back into the paralyzed man.
We, most certainly, are prone to see the physical healing as a miracle greater than that of the forgiveness of sins. But Jesus demonstrates that the forgiveness of sins is a far greater miracle than we could ever hope for or desire. And like the experts in the law, with altogether different expectations, we begin with evil intent to question forgiveness when it reaches our ears. Or we question forgiveness when it reaches someone who has wronged us. How can God possibly forgive their sin for what they did to me? Can God even really know how bad their sin is, because if He truly knew, I don’t think He would forgive them.
Thank goodness we’re not God and that His forgiveness of others doesn’t depend on whether or not one thinks that they should be forgiven, for we would, by our own condemnation of others, condemn ourselves and, in the process, despise the forgiveness which Christ freely speaks through His called servants.
Remember, this same Jesus who healed the paralyzed man to prove that He had the power to forgive sins has also given this power to the church. This means that when he, whom the congregation or parish has publicly called to serve the church, speaks for forgiveness in Christ name, it is as true as if Christ himself had spoken it. Just after Jesus’ resurrection on Easter day, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22-23)
So, the Son of God, who is also our flesh and blood brother, has given and commanded those in his church, primarily pastors, to exercise the forgiveness or the withholding thereof, which He himself spoke on His own authority as the Son of God. This means, as previously stated, that the forgiveness which the pastor speaks, he does so on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ who has commanded it.
Can you imagine a higher calling where it is your God-given responsibility to serve His people with the word of God? Of course, it is not always happy and cheerful for pastor and his flock, like you with children can attest to. But it is a necessary and God-pleasing calling as Jesus himself invites you men to consider, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matt 9:37-38) You men may not be summoned to that specific calling, but God earnestly invites you to consider it even though it rightly requires an additional 4 years of seminary training after acquiring a four-year college degree.
As Christians, each in our own vocations, we get to speak of Christ’s forgiveness. When a coworker comes to you who is burdened because of a sin he or she has committed and confesses that sin, you have the privilege and responsibility to speak forgiveness. You have the blessing of being able to point someone away from their sins toward Jesus Christ who forgives them because He paid the price for their sin on the cross.
All of you parents also get to exercise these keys when your children come to you with remorse and regret for having committed a wrong. When you forgive, it is as though Christ himself is forgiving through you. And it is important to use words which actually convey forgiveness in the name of the triune God. What would you think if after confessing your sins to the pastor he went on to say, “no big deal,” or “it’s alright,” or just skipped ahead to “God loves you.” Our sins are offensive to God and they deserve punishment but God was willing to punish His own Son in place of the one who committed the offence.
Practice extending forgiveness, not only to your children but out loud to your spouse and out loud to all those who have sinned against you as Jesus has taught you to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Forgive your neighbor. Especially forgive those who are your brothers and sisters in Christ even though they might not deserve it. And as far as it is within your power to do so forgive your pastor for his human faults. If I have left your pious, godly desires unfulfilled or neglected my duties in any way, please forgive my failures and let me know how I can better serve you. Please extend your pastor the same grace and forgiveness which he has the privilege of extending to you through Jesus Christ.
Let us close by meditating on David’s words from Ps 32: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin… Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!