2-12-2024

Good Morning All,

      Matthew 9:6; “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic— “Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

     The man was a paralytic.  We don’t know exactly what this meant but he was apparently bedridden.  His life would have been extremely difficult.  There were no drugs to help with spasms.  There was no health care system to look after him.  He was left to rely on the kindness of his family and friends.  We don’t know if he was paralyzed from birth or if his condition was the result of an accident or an assault. 

    His life would have been one of meager existence.  It would have been difficult to call it living.  He may have gone days without eating or being bathed.  He was probably covered with sores.  He would have been very easy to overlook.  He would have been someone who would have been considered a drag on society, less than just about anyone.  What could he do?  What did he have to offer?  Yet Jesus stopped what he was doing, took a decided effort to heal this man both physically and spiritually.

    There are many lessons for us in this story but the one we want to look at is the value of the man.  What was the value of this man?  He wasn’t producing anything for society.  He couldn’t even take care of himself let alone his family.  He simply existed and was a drain on society.  Yet Jesus stopped and healed him.  Jesus also healed a woman who bled; he raised the only son of a widow.  He healed the lepers; he healed the people who were demon possessed.  He healed people who had value.  They had value because of who they were; they were God’s creation.  They had value because of the value of the one who created them, who redeemed them and who keeps them in faith.  Their value came from God.

   Our value comes from God.  It is not what you produce.  It is not because of what you have or say.  Our value comes from God and exists because of God.  All people, all humans have value because of the creator, redeemer, and sanctifier; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Triune God gives us value and He gives value to all human life.  Because God gives human life value, he chose to save it and not destroy it and we should do the same.

   We have value because of God’s grace.  He chose to redeem you.  He chose to love you and to redeem you from the scourge of the law and from his holy, righteous wrath.  Our value is not dependent upon what we do.  Our actions also do not devalue us either.  God’s love is pure and true and for us.  Our love for all of our brothers and sisters should also be pure and true based upon God’s value of them and not ours.  We love, not because of what others can do for us but because God first loved us and them.

Father, in you do we have all value.  Your love fulfills all the worth that we have.  Teach us to treasure all those around us.  Lead us to be the agents of your love, especially to those that the world sees as worthless.  All your children have value for all are loved by you.  In the precious name of Jesus, our Risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret