“The Authority to Heal and Forgive”

(Matthew 9:1-8)

Series: God’s Fulfilled Promise [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

March 24, 2019

The Passage

Matthew 9:1-8

1 So he got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town. 2 Just then some men brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”

3 At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He’s blaspheming!”

4 Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts? 5 For 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”—then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 7 So he got up and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God, who had given such authority to men.

Introductory Comments:

Illustration: When I was a kid I went to a camp called Camp Joy in Apopka, Florida. As a youth pastor, I also took my youth group there. We were setting up a game of basketball one day with some of the adults and some of the youth. There was an older pastor friend that was there with me named Pastor Barry. He wasn’t the youngest guy there, so some doubted whether he could play basketball. Someone asked me if he could, and I had seen him play before, so I said, “He’s probably the best basketball player here.” Now, that statement didn’t’ mean anything until Barry actually played basketball with us. Once he started playing, everyone realized his basketball skills. I was glad he was on my team. 

In Matthew 8 we have seen that Jesus was a healing spree. He has healed many people demonstrating that He has unusual supernatural powers. 

Today, we’re going to learn how Jesus is not merely a healer, although that is quite extraordinary. We’re going to learn that Jesus also has the power and authority to forgive sins, and Jesus will prove that He has that power and authority. 

Let’s pray together as we journey through this passage. 

(Prayer)

We have two simple points today, and the two are tied together so much that we may go back and forth a bit between these two points. 

Let’s look at the passage again. I’ll read the whole passage. 

Read Matthew 9:1-8

1 So he got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town. 2 Just then some men brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”

3 At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He’s blaspheming!”

4 Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts? 5 For 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”—then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 7 So he got up and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God, who had given such authority to men.

From this passage, we’ll see clearly that Jesus has authority in two particular areas. 

First, . . .

I. Jesus has authority to heal[on screen]

Jesus doesn’t start with this. 

It’s just like Jesus to handle this situation the way He does. By doing it the way He does, He will prove His authority to forgive sins and He will magnify the glory of God in the physical healing. 

Keep in mind what is happening here. Jesus’ home base is in Capernaum. He left Capernaum to go the other side of the Sea of Galilee to minister in the Decapolis. He had a run in with some demons, some men living in the tombs, and some pigs. Afterwards, He comes back across the Sea of Galilee and comes back to Capernaum, His own town. 

His fame has grown and grown and grown to the point that nearly ev