The Disease and its Cure

Matthew 9:10-13

The Reality of the Disease

A. Sin is not an illusion

1. Some look at sin as something concocted to make people feel guilty.

2. Our worldly friends might have a very loose view of morality, and when our convictions become clear to them, they don't take them seriously.

3. Romans 3:23 – Are any of us anywhere near God's glory? It's a real thing, not imaginary. We all sin. We all are infected. No one is immune.

B. Sin is Universal

1. Romans 3:9-10 - This is not hard to see. There is no one who is perfect in their behavior.

2. Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

3. The irony is that we keep trying to make up for our bad deeds, OR we simply don't acknowledge them at all. This is a dysfunctional, diseased way to live.

4. Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

C. Without treatment, sin will spread

1. 2 Timothy 3:13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2. We can reject the reality of the situation by calling our sin a “character flaw” or a “bad habit” - making it seem less threatening and less serious.

3. What if you were diagnosed with a serious disease, then tried to pretend it didn't exist? Wouldn't you eventually fall victim to that disease if you left it untreated?

4. Ezekiel 18:4b [...]the soul who sins shall die.

5. Revelation 3:17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

6. We can't act like nothing is wrong. We can't pretend it's alright.

7. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."

8. James 1:14-15 – This is a process at work, and when we do not own up to it, it will claim our souls!

The Problem of the Sinner

A. The sinner can deflect blame

1. How easy is it, when a “flaw” is exposed, to put it off on another thing, or worse, on another person?

2. Excuses and feigning ignorance is a very common practice. It makes us feel better, when we should be feeling bad!

3. The point is NOT to avoid guilt, but to avoid SIN!

4. Many who are unrepentant in a congregation will say, “IF I have caused any harm to anyone...” - that is not true repentance!

5. We must own up to our own sin!

B. The sinner can know the STEPS without knowing the SIN

1. John 8:31-34 – These Jews knew the “steps” - they were God's chosen people! The problem was that they were not convicted that they had done anything wrong.

2. This is often the problem when young children are baptized. They go through the motions, take all the right steps, but really there is no repentance, no acknowledgment of sin. There is no change.

3. Jesus wants us to KNOW our sin, and to CONFESS it!

4. James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

C. The sinner must KNOW that he/she is sick.

1. This is why infant baptism doesn't work. It doesn't fit the mold of the Gospel conversion recorded in the New Testament.

2. We must KNOW that we have done wrong, and act accordingly to stop doing so.

Jesus, the Healer

A. Jesus is all that we need.

1. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.

2. 1 Peter 1:20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of times for your sake,

3. Ephesians 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love:

4. John 2:25 and because he needed not that any one should bear witness concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

5. Hebrews 4:15 - Can we ask for a better healer?

B. To be healed, we must know Him.

1. What if you don't know any credentials about your doctor? Is that going to give you confidence?

2. Many people don't have faith in Jesus simply because they don't know Him.

3. Even if we CLAIM Jesus as ours, our knowledge of His healing is of prime importance to our salvation.

4. 2 Corinthians 5:15 and He died for all, so that they who live should live no longer for themselves, but for the One who died for them and rose again.

C. Jesus will not heal us if we reject Him.

1. Mark 5:17-18 – If we want Jesus to go, He will go.

2. Luke 9:23-26 – We must deny ourselves, and embrace Jesus Christ.

The Gospel, the Cure

A. We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

1. John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.

B. We must repent of our past sins, turn completely from them.

1. Luke 13:3 …unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

C. We must confess Jesus as the Son of God.

1. Matthew 10:32 Therefore whoever who will confess Me before men, I also will confess Him before My Father who is in heaven.

D. We must be baptized for the remission of our sins.

1. Mark 16:16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that does not believe shall be condemned.

E. We must live faithfully in God’s Word.

1. Revelation 2:10b Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.