All authority had been given to Jesus. He had the power of God to forgive sins, something impossible apart from God. He proves He can forgive sins by healing the paralytic. It was something impossible for man. Jesus does both.

The first thing he does is pronounce the man’s sins forgiven. That’s not the first thing Jesus says though. He says, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” He encourages him. It’s as if Jesus knows what’s in this man’s heart, that he is afraid of the holy man because he knows of his sin, and maybe connects the sin to his paralysis.

It’s as if Jesus knew what the real felt need was. The friends wanted to see this man walking. This man knew he needed his sins forgiven, maybe not believing that he could walk unless he had that forgiveness first.

God will always do what’s needful for us. He is a good parent. We may think we want one thing, but He knows best.

Jesus doesn’t leave him just forgiven. That was the greater gift and all that was truly needful when it comes down to it.

But Jesus shows compassion. He doesn’t leave people in their suffering when they come to Him.

There were plenty of people who must have been sick and hurt. Jesus doesn’t seek them out to heal them. Certainly people died during His three-year ministry besides just the few He raised from the dead. There are just a couple of instances where Jesus heals when not asked, the Father brought Jesus to those two people. That was certainly the rare instance and not the ordinary. God can show mercy when He wants to show mercy. That’s His prerogative.

But He does show mercy. God delights to show mercy. No one’s sin ever kept them from getting forgiveness and healing, when it was sought. Go to Him and ask for mercy. He sits on a throne of grace. He has an unending supply of grace and mercy to offer you, His undeserving child.