17 On one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them. 18 Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus. 19 Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, he said to him,“Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

22 But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?23 Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you;’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’ 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (he said to the paralyzed man), “I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house.”

25 Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God. 26 Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”

Luke 5:17-26 - World English Bible

What is easier to say? The core question of this passage from Luke was not only a rhetorical question of Jesus' ability to heal and forgive; it pitted two groups listed in the scene: those who believed (the four men who lowered the paralytic before Jesus) and the skeptics (the scribes and the Pharisees). In other words, the question appealed and challenged the faith of those who sought the healing. Jesus was telling them, "Yes, I can heal and I can forgive sins." The same conjunctive statement scandalized the religious leaders, and eventually led to his execution.

Believers vs. skeptics. Some things have not changed in the two millennia since Jesus walked the earth. We, too, are challenged to pick a side, to deepen our faith or to give up and allow faith to drift away.

Do you believe you have seen God's power today in your life?