Jesus didn’t just heal the paralyzed man – he forgave his sin and claimed an authority that only belongs to God. That’s the scandal: Jesus doesn’t just teach like God or love like God – he is God. That was hard to accept then, and it still is now. But if it’s true, everything changes. Because if Jesus is God, your forgiveness is real – and the debt is already paid.
Jesus was criticized for breaking the rules, but what he really broke were the human traditions that distorted God’s law. He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it with justice, mercy, and love. If your rule-keeping gets in the way of loving people, you’ve missed God’s heart. Jesus didn’t come to make you love the rules – he came to set you free to love like him.
Jesus isn’t soft on sin – he’s strong on mercy. In a world that rewards effort, Jesus offers grace instead. This leveling of the playing field upset those who thought (and still think!) they’d earned more. When grace feels unfair, we’re invited to examine our pride and ask: Do I want a God who rewards effort or forgives?
Guest Speaker Eric Peterson
