Matthew 9:1-8

¹ Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. ² Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
 ³ At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
 ⁴ Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? ⁵ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” ⁷ Then the man got up and went home. ⁸ When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man. (NIV)

I am fascinated by the faith of the paralyzed man's friends. We see Jesus assert His authority not only over spiritual things, like forgiving sin but also over the physical world, by allowing the man to walk. With that said, it is the faith of the man's friend that really stands out to me. It is because of their faith that their friend is not only forgiven but healed. Is it possible that your faith might change the life of someone else? Have you ever witnessed this happen?

What do you find meaningful, confusing, or challenging in this passage?