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Read: Matthew 9:1-8
Listen: Matthew 9

“But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Matthew 9:6

Friends bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. They’ve likely heard stories of Jesus’s healing miracles and hope the same for their friend. But Jesus addresses a deeper issue first, declaring the man’s sins are forgiven. This shocks the religious leaders, who rightly understand that only God can forgive sins. To prove his divine identity and authority, Jesus heals the man’s paralysis. The physical miracle validates Jesus’s spiritual authority to reconcile people with God.

We often prioritize physical needs like health, finances or relationships. But Jesus cares about our physical and spiritual needs. He knows we need spiritual healing. Sin paralyzes us spiritually, alienating us from God and distorting our ability to love others and ourselves. Physical issues matter but are temporary, while forgiveness of sin is eternal. Faith in Jesus restores our relationship with God, sets us free to live as he created us and provides the way to spend eternity with God. Jesus came to earth to pay for our sins so we could be forgiven and reconciled with God. When we trust Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we receive complete forgiveness and a new identity as one of God’s beloved children.

TODAY: Take time to thank God for his forgiveness through Jesus. If you’ve never received this gift, you can do so today. Consider talking to a Christian friend about how to experience God’s forgiveness and new life in Christ, or email us at btw@adabible.org. Thank God for this gift by joining the Ada Bible Worship Team as they sing “Bless God.”

JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:

Read Ezekiel 25-26. Highlight anything that points to Jesus. Note the judgments against the nations. Consider how Jesus will ultimately judge all nations (Matthew 25:31-34).