Awe and Amazement

Luke 5:17-26

17 One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting near by (they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 Just then some men came, carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; 19 but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. 20 When he saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, “Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the one who was paralyzed—“I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.” 25 Immediately he stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. 26 Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”

Notice how the first part of vs. 17 drives home the point that was made in vs. 15, 16, Jesus had a growing reputation and people from all over Israel were coming to see and hear what he was doing. The sense of vs. 17 is these Pharisees and teachers of the law are evaluating (judging) Jesus. Notice also the end of vs. 17, “the power of the Lord” (read Holy Spirit) was with Jesus in a special way in this moment.

Something was going to happen – Luke is setting the background for a showdown.

There are two healings here – and two reactions. The man is physically healed (he can walk again) and he is spiritually healed (he is forgiven). Human beings are not one or the other, physical or spiritual, the two are linked together, interwoven with one another. Jesus addresses both needs – needs that all of us share – for we are all in need of healing in body and in spirit.

And there are two reactions – the critics want to know by what right does Jesus forgive sins. Jesus is clearly making the statement that he is God, for only God can forgive sins, and the critics are not prepared to accept that Jesus is God. But there is another reaction, the healed man and his friends, along with much of the crowd are filled with joy at what they have seen – vs. 26 uses the words – amazement and awe.

The question comes for us, how do we recognize God being at work? The crowd sees the healing and is moved by that, strange and wonderful as it is (vs. 26). What things have we seen God do that fill us with awe and amazement? Even if the things seem strange (vs. 26), do we recognize God at work?

PRAYER:

Lord God, we thank you that in the Holy Spirit you are still healing us – body, mind, and soul. We are in awe and amazement before your wonderful works. Thank you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.