The Forgiving Authority of the Son of Man
Luke 5:17-26
March 16, 2025
Into every life a little rain must fall. Death and taxes are a certainty for every person. Trouble is all around us. And everyone has trouble, trials, problems, and difficulties. Even in a land of prosperity. Of course some of them are unique to living in a prosperous place — we call them first world problems:
- It’s boiling hot outside but freezing in the air-conditioned office
- My personal trainer took the week off so I have to workout alone
- My Brie is too hard
- The earphones get tangled up in your bag
- You see someone else wearing the same outfit as you
- Remote control batteries running out; the fire alarm battery begins chirping at 2:00 am
- Stepping on something wet while wearing socks
- Getting suntan lotion in your eyes while reading outdoors in the sunshine
- A neighbour using the same Laura Ashley wallpaper
Of course we know there are greater problems — more month than money, catastrophic weather, terminal illnesses, decades-long broken relationships, death and grief. Some of you are walking through those. But there is an even greater problem than all these; it is a problem every person has. And Jesus is authoritative to address that problem.
Beginning in chapter 4, Luke not only begins telling the story of Jesus’ ministry, but he begins unfolding the authority of Jesus. Luke wants his readers to see the greatness of Christ as the eternal Son of Man, and to worship Him. So in Jesus’ message to His hometown (Nazareth) He claimed to be authoritative to fulfill the Messianic promise of Isaiah to liberate those who are in bondage (4:18-19). When He was rejected by the Nazareans, He began His Galilean ministry to further manifest His authority — He is King (and a good King). Throughout His Galilean ministry in Luke 4-6, we observe multiple examples of the truth that…
As the Son of Man, Jesus is authoritative to forgive people of their sin.
He is the Son of Man. And there is nothing over which He is not authoritative. As a reminder, we have seen His authority as a teacher, over the spiritual realm and demons, over illness, to compel men to follow Him, and to cleanse men both physically and spiritually. In the parallel story to the cleansing of the leper, Jesus demonstrates His authority to forgive people of their sin. Worship the Son of Man because of His authority to forgive sin —
- The Curiosity About the Son of Man (vv. 17-19)
- The Claim of the Son of Man (v. 20)
- The Confrontation Against the Son of Man (v. 21)
- The Correction by the Son of Man (vv. 22-24)
- The Confirmation of the Son of Man (vv. 25-26)
Download the rest of this sermon on Luke 5:17-26.
The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.
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