On Sin, Sickness, and Salvation; Luke 5:17-26

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 12/12/2021. In one of the most delightful stories of Jesus' healing ministry, a paralytic is brought to Him and lowered through the roof of a crowded house where Jesus is teaching. Rather than simply heal the man, Jesus reveals the close association between sin and sickness (which we will broadly define as all infirmities), when He tells the man his sins are forgiven. When a group of skeptical religious leaders accuse Him of blasphemy, Jesus takes us to the very heart of the Good News-- that He has come as God incarnate to heal the disease (sin) and not just the symptoms (sickness). We will analyze the rich doctrines embedded in this story and then turn our attention to Luke's broader purpose-- the illustration of the Good News of the Kingdom of God. By combining this story with the cleansing of the leper, and then adding Peter's reaction to the miraculous catch, we will realize the fullness of the Good News, and God's glorious plan to forgive our sins, eradicate our sickness, and show us the way of salvation.