On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but 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 midst before Jesus.

Luke 5:17-19

I’ve heard a number of sermons from a lot of different perspectives on the scenario described in the passage above. Some focus on the commitment of the four friends to bring their friend to Jesus. Others have zeroed in on the confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees.

Once the men lowered their friend in front of Jesus, notice the LORD’s first remark –

And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

Luke 5:20

The greatest supernatural miracle for each of us is the forgiveness of our sins and the Pharisees recognized the importance of the claim.

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

Luke 8:21-24

“Who can forgive sins but God alone? The Pharisees were correct with their question. They simply missed the identity of the Messiah who stood before them. So, which is easier – to forgive or to heal? Jesus demonstrated His power, authority and identity by healing the man as proof of His ability to forgive sins.

Let’s remember the greatest supernatural act that Jesus provided for the paralytic and for each of us – forgiveness of sins.