Matthew 9:6     

“’But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’—then He said to the paralytic, ‘Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’”

Jesus had power while on earth to forgive sin. We know that global forgiveness became available by the atoning sacrifice of His body on the cross and His subsequent resurrection, yet before Calvary happened, Jesus still had the power to forgive sins while on earth. Jesus is Lord of all and Jesus can heal and forgive at will. This was a substantial theological problem to the Scribes of His days because it did not fit into their understanding of the Laws and Letters; and indeed, it remains a theological problem for some people today. Jesus still heals and forgives at will even to those who dare to believe.

And having forgiven and healed the man, Jesus asked him to take up his bed and go home. The purpose of forgiveness and healing is restoration. Jesus’ heart is to restore and to remake that which is broken by sin and evil. All His messages and miracles have this one great theme: to restore man, to bring man back home. It’s why Jesus came. We may not see it clearly on the pages of every Law and Letter, but His overriding work is restoration and renewal. If Jesus has done a thorough work on any of our lives, it will bring us into a renewed relationship with God and with our loved ones. Returning home is His grand theme. It’s His authentic signature.

“Father, thank You for sending us Jesus who brings us back home. Lord, I crave that His work of forgiveness and healing will never cease in my life and that I will always find the grace to return home after an encounter with Jesus. This is my desire always and this I will do by His grace. Amen.”