SEPT. 14: THE GREATEST NEED

Focal Passage: Luke 5:17-26

What is our greatest need of all time? Some believe our greatest need is financial. To have the resources to live a comfortable life is the zenith of this idea. Others believe our greatest need is emotional. To have our emotional self affirmed is seen as most important from this standpoint. 

Still others believe our greatest need is relational. That is to have family and friends who care for us appears to be most important from this vantage point. Finally, some believe our psychological wellbeing is most important so that we might overcome seasons of doubt, discourage, disappointment, and depression. 

While these issues are important, the Bible argues that our greatest need is the forgiveness of our sins so that we might come into a relationship with God the Father through Jesus the Son enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit. If sin separates us from God removing that sin is essential. The only way sin is removed is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, events by which God declares the repentant sinner justified and by which the Spirit applies the benefits of salvation through the new birth.

Jesus’ encounter with the lame man carried by his four friends illustrates liturgy greatest need and God’s great power to meet that need.

• Jesus can meet our physical needs, Luke 5:17-19

The paralytic man had an obvious physical need. He needed physical healing. This must have been on the mind of his friends as they carried him to meet Jesus, leading them to the drastic measure of dismantling the roof of the house in which Jesus was residing. While our physical wellbeing is important, it is shortsighted to think that physical healing is the end-all-be-all of life. Yes, God heals. But there is an even greater need.

• Jesus has the power to take care of our greatest need – the need for forgiveness, Luke 5:20-21

Jesus puts an unforgettable twist into this story. The four friends brought their friend for healing. And what does Jesus do? He says in verse 20, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” They must have been thinking, “Jesus, thanks but we came for the physical stuff.” 

No wonder those who were present accused Jesus of blasphemy (v. 21), “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” These four friends were well-intentioned but shortsighted. God can meet our physical needs, but He does so only to point out our real need – spiritual healing.

• The divinity of Jesus is displayed in His power and authority to heal and forgive, Luke 5:22-26

Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus asked (v. 23), “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ ” Jesus proved He had the power to do the one (forgive sins) by doing the other (He healed the lame man). 

And by what power did He do these things? He proved it as “the Son of Man” who has all authority. Son of Man was Jesus’ favorite self-designation and is a reference to Daniel’s vision of God coming in clouds of glory (Daniel 7). 

The results were clear: (1) a lame man was healed physically, (2) a dead sinner was made alive through the forgiveness of his sins, (3) and the people are once again amazed and (v. 26) “were giving glory to God.” B&R