“Lovebursts”

1. They brought him to Jesus.

   ³Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.

2. They were creative.

   ⁴Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.

3. They believed Jesus could heal.

⁵When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

1. A loveburst
2. They expected a new body and got grace.
3. They expected healing and got forgiveness.
4. Lovebursts go beyond what we want and give us what we need.

⁶Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

1. Often from the religious
2. Examples:
   1. _______________________
   2. _______________________

⁸Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins… .” He said to the paralytic, ¹¹“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

1. Which costs less?
   1. Walking costs a word.
   2. Forgiveness costs a life.