Main Idea: Jesus Alone, the Word made flesh, has the authority to forgive sins.

The Word Preached (v1-2)
The Word Forgives (v3-5)
“The presence of the kingdom of God, which Jesus has been speaking about (2:2; cf. 1:14–15), must usher in the forgiveness of sins” David Garland.
The Word Questioned (v6-7)
The Scribes, those who should have recognized the signs of the messiah, demean and accuse God of doing what he must do, primarily forgiving the sins of his people.
The Word Responds to Doubt (v8-9)
The Word Heals (v10-11)
Christ’s primary purpose is to redeem his people from their greatest ailment, their greatest paralysis, sin.
Galatians 4:4–5: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
The Word Gets Glory (v12)
Because Jesus rose from the dead, everything he said was true. And since Jesus rose from the grave, we can trust and believe that He has the authority to forgive our sins. All of them. And that identifies us with Jesus; we are his, and he is ours.