**Read Matthew 9:1-8 and Romans 7:7-13
I. Jesus Heals a Paralytic
- Matthew 9:1-8; Jesus and his disciples just got back to His own city after getting request from residents of Gergesenes for him to leave. Jesus or "the word" is shared to us and we have the choice to either accept him or reject him. Jesus does not force His message to people and as we can see, the residents of Gergesenes were blindsided by their love of money and lost their opportunity to hear the good news. When Jesus and disciples landed, men brought Him a paralytic to be healed. Word has probably spread from all the healing and casting out of demons he has done in the past. But instead of healing the paralytic man, Jesus said to him, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” This is actually the first time we heard Jesus forgive someone their sins personally. When some scribes heard this, they accused Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, told them, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? Jesus forgave the paralytic man first because this will show the crowd and the so-called "scholars of the Law" that he is indeed the son of God and he has divine authority to forgive sin. After saying that to the scribes, he then healed the paralytic man. When the crowd saw this, they were astonished and they glorified God. Everyone of us came to this world already as sinners from Adam. When the second man, Jesus, came to this world, he had one purpose, to save us for eternal damnation. Remember Jesus died for us in the cross so He can heal our paralytic hearts.
II. God's Law Reveals Sin
- In Romans 7:7-13, Paul preached about how the Law and the Commandments are Holy, just, and good. After all the teachings he said prior to this, the readers might come to a conclusion that the law is sin. Paul explained that without the law, people would not have known if they have sinned. Without the law, he wouldn't know that covetousness is a sin. But, on the other hand, because of the law, Paul had more temptations and evil desires to actually commit sin. I remembered when I was still a teenager in Sacramento that I used to go to parties all the time. We all knew that drinking under 21 is against the law of the land but because it was illegal, made us drink more because of the excitement of breaking the law and not getting caught. Some people commit adultery with the same excitement because their wives haven't found out after so many years and this also goes for serial killers, who becomes excited every time they kill, not get caught, and see it all over the news. The Law was given by God as a good tool for us to know that we are sinners and come to Him but instead, people used it to develop evil desires to commit sin and stay away from God.
III. Proverbs for Today/3:33-35
33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
But He blesses the home of the just.
34 Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory,
But shame shall be the legacy of fools.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 39-40 and Psalms 17:1-15
