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b'Sermon for Trinity 19. The Scripture readings are Genesis 28:10-17; Ephesians 4:22-28; and Matthew 9:1-8.

Jesus is a Pastor \\u2013 in fact Jesus is the Pastor. The word \\u2018pastor\\u2019 simply means \\u2018shepherd.\\u2019 Jesus is the Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:11), the Good Pastor. Christ knows when His sheep need to be fed by green pastures or led beside still waters, and He knows when His sheep need to have their soul restored with forgiveness and mercy (Ps. 23:1-3). Jesus doesn\\u2019t need to run a bunch of diagnostic tests to figure out what His sheep need. He always knows and gives the perfect treatment. And He always perfectly gives what His sheep need in any and every given moment. Jesus, the Good Pastor, so intimately knows you and all your actions, thoughts, and ways that you are always diagnosed and receive the care you need.

The reason Jesus forgives this paralytic before healing his paralysis is that is what the man needed. The man\\u2019s friends \\u2013 maybe even the man himself \\u2013 figured what he needed most was to be able to use his limbs again. But Jesus, the Good Shepherd and Pastor, knows best. So, Christ forgives the man. \\u201cTake heart, My son; your sins are forgiven.\\u201d And those words deliver to the paralytic everything he needed.

Notice how Christ is always perfectly in tune with His sheep. Jesus sees the faith of the people who brought the paralytic to Him, so He immediately applies the Gospel of forgiveness. He knows the grumbling of the scribes after He absolves the paralytic and applies the Law to them. And notice how Jesus\\u2019 perfect diagnosing and shepherding results in the crowds glorifying God.

Those crowds glorify God because God had given authority to forgive sins to men (Mt. 9:8). Notice, it\\u2019s plural \\u2013 to men, not to \\u2018a man,\\u2019 not just to Jesus, but to men. Dear saints, as those who have been redeemed, restored, and forgiven by Jesus\\u2019 death and resurrection, Jesus, who has the authority to forgive sins, has given you the authority to forgive the sins of others. Jesus says in Jn. 20:23, \\u201cIf you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.\\u201d

My fellow Christians, Jesus invites you to join with Him in proclaiming the forgiveness and eternal life He has won to a broken creation. May we carry that treatment and soul-saving medicine to a hurting world.'