friends at the feet of Jesus. 3. Jesus forgives the man of his sins. 4. The Pharisees accuse him of blasphemy for doing this. 5. Jesus then heals the cripple of his sickness, that the man might know of his authority to forgive sins. 6. The watching crowds are amazed at all this and praise God for it. Again, J. Vernon McGee writes: “There are many people who are not going to receive the message of salvation unless you lift a corner of their stretcher and carry them to the place where they can