Matthew 9:1–13 < The Lord of Mercy Who Calls Sinners >
📖 Matthew 9:1–13 < The Lord of Mercy Who Calls Sinners > 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. ✨ Authority to Forgive Sins — The Beginning of True Healing Before healing the paralytic, Jesus first declared, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven” (Matthew 9:2). While the people expected physical healing, Jesus addressed the deeper problem of humanity—sin. This reveals that the root of all suffering lies in broken relationship with God. True healing does not begin with outward restoration, but with restoration before God. ✨ The Way to Righteousness Is Grace, Not Works The teachers of the law accused Jesus of blasphemy for forgiving sins. Yet Jesus made His authority clear by raising the paralytic to his feet, proving that He indeed has the power to forgive sins. Here we see a central truth of the gospel: Human beings are not justified by keeping the law, but by the authority and g...