Thursday, May 24, 2012

When You’ve Got Forgiveness…

Matthew 9:1-8
In years past the dietary supplement Geritol was sold with the slogan “When you’ve got your health, you’ve got just about everything.” Jesus seems to differ significantly with that viewpoint. “And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven’" (Matthew 9:2). For Jesus it is more appropriate to say, “When you’ve got forgiveness, you’ve got just about everything.”

The reason I say this is because forgiveness is Jesus’ first response to the paralytic and the faith this man’s friends demonstrated. What Jesus wanted them—and especially the man who was paralyzed—to know was that in their faith they had found right relationship with God and been reconciled to him. This was, after all, the heart of Jesus’ ministry. His preaching, teaching, calling, healing, and exhorting were all focused on restoring the connection between God and God’s people. Everything else followed from there.

Every time that Christian communities gather a typical part of their worship, regardless of where it takes place, is the confession of sins and the assurance of pardon. God’s people are encouraged to acknowledge their failings and to name them before God. This in turn provides the opportunity to hear God’s grace proclaimed. We know we have failed; we also know that God loves us anyway and is working through the love of Jesus Christ to keep the relationship with God open, and that through that relationship all else becomes possible.

When the paralyzed man was brought to Jesus by his friends, Jesus’ first impulse was to assure him of his forgiveness. When Jesus did heal the man it was a further confirmation of God’s love and compassion, proving that when you’ve got forgiveness, you’ve got just about everything.

Prayer: Lord, we have failed you in so many ways. Forgive us, we pray, and help us to walk according to your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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