The Cure We Need Most

Luke 5:17-26 – Jesus forgave a paralyzed man before healing him. Our greatest problem is not outside us but the sin within that only He can cure.

What They Wanted (5:17-20a)

• Some come to Jesus to critique Him; others come to be changed by Him (5:17).
• When you can’t carry on, you need someone who will carry you to Christ (5:18-19).
• Personal faith may waver, but shared faith can withstand (5:20a).

What They Needed (5:20b-26)

• Jesus gives us what we need most, not what we want first (5:20b).
• The Pharisees were right about one thing: only God can forgive sins (5:21; cf. Isa. 43:25; Dan. 9:9; Mic. 7:18).
• Jesus doesn’t just acknowledge our situation, He addresses our sin (5:22-24).
• When God shows up to work, we show up to worship (5:25-26).

What We Need

• We need forgiveness more than fixing.
• We need a redeeming Savior, not a religious system.
• We need friends who move us toward Jesus, not away from Him.

The cure we need most is not a fixed life, but a forgiven soul.