His majesty the king was sick and ready to die. Even if being paid by the wealth of a king’s fortune, the doctors could do no more for Hezekiah. The modern medical marvels of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and pills to alleviate any symptoms would have been useless to the dying king. For in the cutting off of his days, Hezekiah was consigned by God to the grave for the remainder of his years. He would not see God in the land of the living. He would no longer see man with the rest of the inhabitants of the world.

But what could the king say? The Lord Himself had done it. The God of Creation and order had sent sickness and destruction to Hezekiah’s body. The Lord of Hosts gave his curtain call for Hezekiah through the prophet Isaiah: “Set your house in order, you shall die, you shall not recover.” This Almighty king of Judah wept bitterly and prayed fervently. “You will heal me and make me to live, yet instead of peace I had great bitterness, but you have in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption for you have cast all my sins behind your back.” Or as Job said, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” The Lord who sends death also gives life. And the Lord saw King Hezekiah’s tears and gave him a priceless twofold gift: 15 more years of life and deliverance from his enemies, including sin.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me bless His Holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” King David whole-heartedly gives praise to the Redeemer for two benefits from the Lord: most chiefly, the forgiveness of iniquity, but also the healing of disease. Most necessary for the soul sick with sin is the mercy of God’s forgiveness, because where there is the forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.

This forgiveness is what every sinner seeks. A paralyzed man was brought before the Lord who forgives and gives healing from all diseases. This man’s body was maimed and completely incapable of movement. Yet, his mind may have been alive, active, and full of sin. His arms and legs could not so much as twitch, yet his tongue may have been an agile and deceitful sword. If one puts bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey, he guides their whole bodies as well. Look at sailboats also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are driven by a very small rudder wherever the will of the sailor directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our body parts, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With it we bless our Lord and Father [in heaven], and with it we curse people who are in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things ought not be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water, and neither should our mouths speak ill of anyone.

Our God is all-seeing and all-knowing. God in the flesh, that is Christ our Lord, retains the entire knowledge of the Divine. He sees the hearts of men: faith, evil thoughts, and weakness. Our Lord saw the faith of the paralyzed man. By no work of his own was he brought to the Lord. Is this not the essence of the Christian faith? In Holy Baptism, is not an infant brought, by no power of his own, to the life-giving washing of God’s Word? How mighty, indeed, is the faith of a little child!

Christ saw the faith of the friends of the paralyzed man. These bearers of the weak and infirm provide a great example of love and persistence. Although they could not bring the patient through the door to Christ the Great Physician, they did not give up, but fulfilled their obligation and carried him on to the roof. In this way, these men were as what Martin Luther calls “little Christs.” Dearly Beloved, should we not also carry those who are afflicted with the paralysis of sin? And should we give up, even if the results are slow in coming?

For Christ would bear your weakness, your infirmity, and your sin on the cross as the greatest example of love and persistence. There was no other way into the house of the world than through the roof. And God for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And third day He rose again according to the Scriptures.

Our Lord saw also the evil thoughts of those who would call him a blasphemer. The scribes accused Christ of putting Himself in the place of God by forgiving sins. For the scribes seeing was believing: They deemed it easier to forgive one’s sins, because it cannot be outwardly seen whether the words had been powerful and effective. But to heal someone, that external act bears witness of its power and its effect. The external act shows in deed and truth that the Son of Man has the power to forgive man’s sins; then God rescued the paralyzed man from his illness so that their eyes could see the power of the Word. Blessed are you who have not seen and yet believe.

Our Lord saw weakness of the paralyzed man and those paralyzed by sin by having mercy upon us. Christ does not heal this paralyzed man to be seen as a great outward physician and to be praised among men. He heals this man to reveal Himself as the inward Physician of souls He rescues from sin. The Lord primarily and chiefly forgave this man so that his healing would be complete. For where the Word is, there faith must be. The paralyzed knee and elbow before could not move or bend, but with the Word of God, they now flex and bend easily and surely.

In your body you may suffer pain and loss, death and cross, yet your healing is also complete. And should my heart for sorrow break, my trust in Thee can nothing shake. Thou are the portion I have sought; Thy precious blood my soul has bought.

The blood of the Lamb has purchased your soul. This mystery is given through the stewards of the mysteries of God. For in Christ, a mere man was able to forgive sins. In Christ, mere men, even His pastors, are still able to forgive sins. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.

Not by man’s strength, but by the strength that Christ alone possesses. Not by man’s strength, but in the stead and by the command of the Lord Jesus Christ. When a pastor baptizes a child, God is baptizing a child. When the pastor absolves, our Lord is speaking and declaring this verdict upon you, that you are free and forgiven of sin. Christ Himself is present and gives power through His Word.

In the Word of forgiveness, which Christ proclaimed to the paralyzed man, He says to you every day in Baptism, in absolution, and public preaching: “Take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven you.” Your own sinful nature and the devil’s wishes drag you away from this promise in God’s Word. Your sin and the devil wish to convince you that because your body is not perfect, because your relationships are shaky and uncertain, or because you’re not as well-off as your neighbor, that your forgiveness is unsure.

You can know very well and acknowledge that God alone forgives sins. Yet you must know also where this forgiveness is found. God’s means assure you that your sins are forgiven. Dearly Beloved, the Scriptures teach us what we are to believe: If I am to have the forgiveness of sins, I must not sit in a corner alone and say, “God, forgive my sin” and then wait for one of God’s angels in heaven to speak forgiveness in a big flashy show. Rather, our Lord has destined us to draw near to Him by ordaining Holy Baptism and His Word, that I should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and trust this promise as His Word declares, “Whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved.” Baptism and the Word do not lie: through the external word your sins are really and truly forgiven.

If you want the forgiveness of sins, do not try to climb into heaven, but remember the promise God has made for you in Holy Baptism. Our Lord has made you in your baptism. Ask that absolution be declared to you in Jesus name. Believe the Word. Receive the most venerable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, so that you may be sure that such priceless treasure is meant for you to have and to enjoy. Amen.

The Peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.