A Meditation about Forgiveness

Walking in the Truth

Today's Scriptural Truth

"When Jesus saw their faith, He said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.'"  Luke 5:20 [For the full context, you really should read Luke 5:17-26. It's a fascinating account for several reasons.]

Today's Devotional Thoughts

Here's the backstory. Some men carry their paralyzed friend to Jesus to be healed. They can't get him into the house; it's too crowded. They go up on the roof, open a hole in it, & lower him on a mat into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. Get a mental picture of that!

Then get a mental picture of Jesus personally speaking His word of forgiveness to the man, followed by a miraculous healing. *

Now get a mental picture of Jesus personally speaking His word of forgiveness to you . . . Personally, face-to-face, speaking His word of forgiveness to you. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Jesus ascended into heaven 40 days after His resurrection. He could have remained on earth, but He delegated the work of the Kingdom of God to His first disciples, which has continued to be delegated to His disciples from generation to generation until--you guessed it--the present generation.

That would be our generation.

The power of forgiveness has been delegated to us!

• We receive it in our Baptism.
• We hear about it in the Truth of God's Word.
• We receive it in Holy Communion. 
• We receive it from our pastor when he pronounces us forgiven during confession & absolution.
• We hear it when any believer speaks God's Word of forgiveness to us.

Jesus Christ, the Living Word, continues to come to us today, and the words of forgiveness come to us as if they are coming to us face-to-face, straight from the Lord's mouth himself!

When Jesus said, "And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20), He meant it in more ways than one.

* This was a response to what the Pharisees & teachers of the Law were thinking, which is why you really need to read the entire account.

Today's Prayer

We praise You, O Lord, our Redeemer, our Living Word, our eternal Hope & Salvation, believing that You are truly with us in Word, in the waters of Baptism, and in, with, & under the bread & wine we receive in Holy Communion. May our faith be strengthened by Your Word & Sacrament. May we be blessed with your forgiveness, which we confess that we need, because of our sin. May we be blessed to share Your Words of forgiveness, hope, & salvation to others. We pray this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Addendum

I adapted this from the devotional I wrote for the Daily Announcements of Lutheran High Northeast on 10/24/14.