Luke 5. Forgiveness

Luke 5:20-26

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

²¹ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

²² Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?²³ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ²⁵ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. ²⁶ Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

• Ø  To the Jews, forgiving sins and healing were on the same par.  What if we looked at our own forgiveness with such awe?  Is it possible that forgiving sins really heals us, others?  If we forgave more, how many lives could be healed?  If we believed and accepted God’s forgiveness of us, how many of us would be healed of darkness, guilt, frustration, ?

Luke 7:41-43

• “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,^[a] and the other fifty. ⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
  ⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
  “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
  
  Ø  A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see Matt. 20:2).  Let’s say that is about $200 for sake of illustration.  The one was forgiven $100,000 and the other $10,000.  Which one would appreciate the debt cancelling process more?  It immediately makes me think of where student loans are today.  I left college in 1989 with $10,000 in debt.  If they would have cancelled that, I would have been very happy and appreciative.  But to have the debt for my house cancelled, might have the potential to create even more excitement and appreciation.  
  So do we really realize how much Jesus took away from our Debt to God?  I want to rethink that today.