“But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Matthew 9:6

Jesus didn’t just speak forgiveness, He proved it. In Matthew 9:6, He tells the paralyzed man to rise, not to impress the crowd, but to reveal something deeper: forgiveness has power. Authority. Weight. Sometimes we carry guilt or shame like a mat we’ve grown used to lying on. We believe forgiveness is possible, but we’re not sure it’s meant for us. Jesus answers that doubt plainly. His authority reaches into the places we cannot fix ourselves. Forgiveness is not a distant promise. It is present, active, and able to lift us to our feet.