making a way

Good morning friends,
This morning we see the beginning of the conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities. This conflict will be important as the story continues. I love the image of a group of people carrying a paralyzed man on a bed and lowering it through the roof when they can't find another way in. Often when Jesus heals he mentions the faith of the person being healed; here, Luke tells us, he notices "their" faith: the faith of the whole crew involved. What's odd about this healing (besides the fact that a man lowered through a roof is healed of paralysis on the spot) is that Jesus first tells the man that his sins are forgiven.

At that time illness was usually thought to be caused by sin of some kind. Here Jesus wants to do more than just heal illness; he wants to make everything right about this man's difficult situation by forgiving his sin and healing his body. The pharisees take issue with this because they think Jesus is stepping on God's toes. Jesus then says the words that let the man know he is healed in body as well as soul. This also shows Jesus wasn't out of line proclaiming forgiveness, since if he had been God wouldn't have granted the healing. This story is a good reminder that Jesus offers us forgiveness, since we all have things that separate us from God that Christ makes right. It's also a good reminder that illness is not just a physical hardship; it's also isolating and painful socially and spiritually. In our ministry we seek the wholeness of others in every way: body, mind and spirit.

Blessings on the new week,
Sam

Luke 5:17-26
17One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting near by (they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18Just then some men came, carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; 19but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. 20When he saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”

21Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, “Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 23Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 24But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” —he said to the one who was paralyzed—”I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.” 25Immediately he stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. 26Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”