Luke 5:12-26

v. 18-19 "Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.  When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowds, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus."  Here in the US many take Him for granted, there are others in the world that will go to any lengths to know Him.  Those men saw a roadblock and decided to go around it.  They took apart the roof, determined to get this man to Jesus. 

v. 20 When Jesus saw their faith he said "Friend, your sins are forgiven."  Not based on the man himself, but on his friends.  Our faith affects others for better or worse.  We can not make someone a Christian.  Although we can show our faith by our actions, words, and love.  People do not need the crazy people on the street corner preaching that all non believers are going to hell.  People need relationships filled with love, compassion, trust and laughter.

v. 21 The Pharisees were so concerned with the law that they couldn't be joyful for the healing that was going on all around them.  The people were flocking to Jesus and not to them.  They said what Jesus was doing was blasphemy which in Jewish law was punishable by death. (Lev. 24:16)  

v. 22 Jesus knew what they were thinking.  You can hide nothing from God, people fool themselves by hiding things from loved ones all the time.  There is no deep dark corner which God's light can't invade. 

v. 24 Jesus first forgave the man's sins then healed him.  The Greek word aphiemi, translated "forgiven", means to leave or let go, to give up a debt, to send away from oneself.  Forgiveness means that a relationship has been renewed despite a wrong that has been done.  Forgiving does not condone the wrong actions, but it releases the debt from you.

Forgiveness is vital to a relationship with God.  If we can not forgive another how do we expect God to forgive us?  Before you pray ask for forgiveness and forgive those who hurt you.  Not forgiving others is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.  It will eat away at your soul, dig down deep to the roots to try and destroy you.  When you forgive it feels like a weight off your shoulders and it sets you free.  If you forgive then you leave it for God to take care of.  I think He is more than capable of taking care of things for us.