And getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over and came to His own city. And behold, some people brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:1-3)
Little Miss Muffet, sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider, who sat down beside her, and
Said: “Whatcha got in the bowl?”
That’s how Kelly’s dad taught her how that went. It’s how he’s teaching our children, as well.
It’s a surprise for most. Like most things, you zone out a bit, go with the flow, and assume you know the ending.
We shouldn’t do that with Holy Scripture. One question we can always be asking is: “What the surprise?
What is expected vs. what actually occurs?
How did this shock the people it first happened to and how should it continually and joyfully shock us?”
Our text has some people brining a paralyzed man to Jesus. Mark and Luke report that Jesus was in Peter’s house and the place was packed – wall to wall – with people from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem.
It’s Harvest Home day. The place is full!
The friends kept trying to find a way to get to Jesus – imagine them trying to shove their way into a door, and then trying the window. Imagine them yelling, “Jesus, over here! Have mercy!”
And they can’t get there and perhaps everyone else is yelling the same thing. So they climb up onto the roof of the house and they start to carve out a hole big enough to let down a bed with the man on it.
All eyes were on Jesus and then all the sudden all eyes were on this mat or cloth being let down carefully by four men holding a rope. And the mat reaches Jesus, and there lays a man, completely still.
He can’t move his arms. He can’t move his legs. He can’t move his neck.
He can only move his eyes.
Jesus finally breaks the silence and says, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”
Do you see the surprise? Do you see the shock? Do you see what doesn’t seem to fit in the story?
And I wonder what all the reactions were. We’re only given one reaction, but actually probably two.
It seems like the only reaction we’re given in the text is what the scribes were saying to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”
I wonder how many reactions would have been disappointment.
“Isn’t this guy more than talk?
Why didn’t He heal him?
Why didn’t He give the man feeling and movement back into the rest of his body?”
That reaction would not have come from the 4 friends who brought the paralyzed man nor from the man who was paralyzed.
The text says that Jesus saw their faith. And faith agrees with what God says. Faith smiles at what the Lord has to say.
They would have heard those 8 words: “Take heart my son, your sins are forgiven.” And they would have been joyfully surprised to hear it.
They would have been the most needed words all 5 needed to hear.
As we gather here, don’t miss the surprises – in the readings, in the hymns, in the prayers.
We gather as individuals, each with individual troubles and problems.
We all have families and friends and emotional and spiritual troubles and burdens.
All of us have work – daily, consistent activities and peoples we encounter and serve.
All of us have bodies that have different sorts of problems.
Each and everyone one of you is an individual, specific story of suffering and trial, inside and out.
And out of all these stories, we all gather together and hear One story – Jesus died and rose for us.
One word – “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.”
Eat one common meal – the Body of Christ given for us and the blood of Christ shed for us for the forgiveness of all our sins.
We all – as varied and specific and unique as we all are – all pray, “O Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. O Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. O Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, grant us Your peace.”
Let this be a surprise for a second and relish in the joy that out of all the troubles we somewhat – somewhat differ on – we all have the most important word: “Take heart, my son, my daughter, your sins are forgiven.”
The surprise will do this for us:
We can begin to think that our family is the biggest trouble until we, in faith, realize that being outside of God’s family is the biggest trouble. Then, we’ll hear, “You’re my son. You’re my daughter. You’re in.”
We can begin to think that what others think about us is the biggest stress, until we begin to ask, “What does God think about me?” and we’ll hear Him says we ought “take heart” – His heart loves us and forgives us.
The biggest problem is not sickness, but the certainty that God loves your body and your soul and will forgive your sins and will heal all your diseases (the last part being in the proper time).
The biggest gift is not a perfect place of work, but perfect rest in Christ,
It’s not a home completely free of conflict, but the promise that Jesus is preparing a place for you now.
It’s not a life free of suffering here, but the promise that suffering here is not a sign that God is mad at you. He’s not.
He smiles upon you.
He’s at peace with you.
He’s with you in that suffering.
We come with so many questions of “What shall I do?” and our Lord tells us, “It is finished.” and yes, there’s some things you can do, as well – some wisdom and guidance I have for you.
And so “Take heart” in the surprise and joy that your sins are forgiven.
And take joy in all the surprises of Scripture – mostly that the Lord takes joy in you and your repentance and forgiveness.
If Little Miss Muffet was here, the spider wouldn’t be asking, “Whatcha got in the bowl?” but “Whatcha got in the Word? Whatcha got in the cup? Whatcha got in the hymns and songs” and Little Miss Muffet would answer, “Forgiveness.”