Jesus As Our Treasure

Jesus: The Attraction of Faith

Luke 5:17-26

“Jesus, The Treasure of Sinners”

Pastor Jesse Ray

New Breed Church

Luke 5:17-26

“Jesus The Treasure of Sinners”

Pastor Jesse Ray

New Breed Church

Introduction: Let me to tell you about a time in my life that I will never forget. I can’t tell you the date because I forgot it. But it was a day I heard a snippet of a song called “My Friend the Forest” by Nils Frahm.

-It was this beautiful solo piano piece that was so refreshing, relaxing, intriguing, adventurous all at the same time. I was even more blown away when I listened to the record it came from titled All Melody which was released in 2018 and I have hardly stopped listening to it since.

-This record completely changed the way I listen to music, the music I listened to, it lead me to other fantastic artists like Olafur Arnalds, Eydis Evensen, Jope Beving, Nikklas Pashburg and I could go on and on.

-Not only did I listen to it, but I also didn’t stop talking about this record, I told mostly everyone in this room and now, everyone in this room.

-Now, you might be thinking “Okay pastor Jesse, of course I talk about my favorite whatever I know I should talk about Jesus more, please get on with it. Make me feel guilty for not sharing the gospel.”

-And you are right. I am, but I am not.

-Church where I am going with is, I invited others to come and see what I see, or hear what I heard, to treasure what I treasured. We talk about what we treasure.

-Now to clarify, I am not only saying that you are not evangelizing because you don’t love Jesus enough, let’s be real it is much easier to talk about music than how your friend is going to hell. I am not trying to guilt you into sharing the Gospel, I am 100% trying to offer you a glimpse of who Jesus is, and that you will treasure him and share him as your treasure!

-But I am calling us to consider Christ this morning, to see Him and to treasure Him. Because He is worthy!

Transition: With that let us look to the Text and Treasure Jesus together, causing us to leave this place and invite others to do the same. To help us do that I want you to see two truths that will aid in us inviting other to come and see. The first is:

1. Jesus: The Treasure Of Faith (v17-20)

- Firstly, The text tells us who the people are that are gathering to hear the teachings of Jesus. Luke specifically mentions the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. Who were the Pharisees? They were a “lay movement in Israel, who wanted obedience to Torah (Law) to be kept so that God would fulfill His covenant promises for Israel. They wanted Israel to be pure and devoted to God and to make obedience more accessible to the ordinary Israelite.” Commentary.

-Who were the teachers of the law? They were basically teachers who provided what living under the law looked like. Not too distinct form the Pharisees.

-So, we have important lay people from all over, Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem who came to hear Jesus and see who He was.

-It is important to keep in mind that P and S’s these people who are hearing Jesus teach, know the law. They are familiar with it, they are studiers, teachers of this Law, this will be helpful to remember as we explore the rest of the text.

-Lastly in verse 17, Luke makes it clear to us that the Lord’s power to heal was in Jesus at this time. Now, this is not the first time that the Lord’s power to heal was in Him, right? It always is because it is His (Jesus’) power. Remember in Mark 5:30? If you don’t, don’t worry I will explain. There was a woman who had a bleed for many years, and she had seen doctor after doctor, spent money after money and only got worse. But she heard of Jesus, listen to Mark:

“Having heard about Jesus she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothing. For she said if just touch his clothes, I will be made well. Instantly her flow of blood ceased and, she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus realized that power had gone out from. He turned to the crowd and said “Who touched my clothes?” Mark 5: 27-30.

-I share this with you to make sure you know that this power is Jesus. Jesus is the power. Scripture does not lead us to believe that this power is taken an given. It is who He is.

TRANSITION: As we see in verse 18, four men are on their way to come and see what Jesus can do for their friend because they had heard or seen of Jesus’ power. Firstly, let’s look at what the text tells us about these men.

V. 18- Firstly, we see these men who have had compassion on a man who was paralyzed.

It could be that they have been friends for quite some time, or that they have recently just met. The text doesn’t really provide background info on how they met, nor does the text doesn’t give us any detail to who the men are, it gives us none.

-That can also show us that these “Men” are no one of importance to where they are named. They are just four normal men, normal men who more than likely have normal lives just like you and I.

-I love this because it shows faithfulness and faith is just of a thing for normal people like you and I.

-Lastly in Verse 18, the text doesn’t tell us much about the paralyzed man either.

-We can gather form the text that these men, they cared about this man. They loved this man, they wanted good for this man. They care greatly about him because they put him on a stretcher and they tried to get him to Jesus. But as we see in v. 19, they ran into some difficulty.

V.19

- The Difficulty: The place where Jesus was teaching was too crowded. They couldn’t get in, there was no way for them to get their friend to Jesus. Their friend wasn’t going to get healed, or helped by Jesus because there were too many people.

-thankfully, these men were critical thinkers and were set on helping this man. So look at the text and let’s see what they do.

-They find a different way. They are resilient, they go onto the roof. They go onto the roof a building in which Jesus is teaching, and they lower him through the roof into the MIDDLE of the room right where Jesus is.

-So let’s be real, could you imagine if right this very moment, someone is lowered through this very roof while I am teaching? Would that be kind distracting to you? I can tell you it certainly would be for me.

- Don’t you see the deep care these men had, and the deep lack of care that they had?What I mean by this is that they cared so much for their friend, that they would do what they physically do to try and get their friend to Jesus. (BOUNDARIES)

- They have a lack of care as well, because they were in such a large group of people. This large group of people and their possible looks of disapproval, or muted judgments of carelessness, lack of reading the room.

Application: Sometimes, to really care about someone we must take the risk of looking or feeling dumb. Sometimes we need to say the hard thing, sometimes we may need to make the gesture at the office that shows someone that you see them and that you care, or that you may just need to ask to pray for someone. Also, bringing people to Jesus doesn’t mean always having the answers to the right question

-With that beings said, the example of friendship I don’t think that this is the true push of the text here. You see their true motive and reason that they worked to get the man to Jesus, is because of their faith.

Look at verse 20 with me.

V. 20- Their faith is the first thing that the text tells us that Jesus noticed.

-Before we move on, did you catch anything odd about the interaction between Jesus and the paralyzed man?

-To me, it was the fact that I and the four men expected Jesus to physically heal the man. But Jesus does what he is very good at. Giving you something better than what you had in mind. Right?

-These friends wanted their friend to be healed physically. Instead, Jesus forgave their sins based on their faith that in Him.

-Church, is Jesus not good? Is he not simply the best thing? Rejoice!

-Some of you in this room now can testify that you came to Jesus for something physical, a tangible need and yet he provided that and some.

-I remember a woman, who was at a well who thought she needed a drink of water, and yet she needed some living water so she would never thirst again.

-I remember a woman who tried to fill that thirst with men, and all sorts of things but she needed the one who is with her to the end of the age.

-I know a man who was addicted to drugs and all kinds of things, and now is praising Jesus and treasuring Him daily.

- I remember a people who were enslaved to another nation and we were freed to inherit a promised land.

- I remember a man who was physically chained and thought he needed a physical breaking of the chains,

Now we have to ask of the text, what evidence or substance has Jesus given so far that would make these men carry another man on a stretcher in the middle of Jesus teaching?

-But let’s also consider what brought the crowds here in the first place? Remember in verse 17 where Luke lets us know where most of these people came from? Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem. As we consider what Jesus had done below, we see that a lot of where Jesus had worked was in the areas of Galilee.

“4:37 “And news about him began to go out to every place in the vicinity.”

-Let’s look at what Jesus has already done earlier in the book Of Luke:

1.4:36-37. A man with an unclean Spirit comes to Jesus while teaching in the synagogue and Jesus casts out the demon.

2.4:38-39. Simon’s Mother healed of a high fever.

3.4:41-42. Jesus healed many who had sickness, diseases and demons.

5.5:1-11. Jesus commands the fish to appear in the nets.

6. 5:12-15. Jesus heals a leper and restores a leper.

7. 5:16. Large crowds would gather and would be healed of their sickness.

-Church, I think it is important to note that in these things that Jesus has done, when he has called unclean spirits out of people, they declare who He is. They declare, they have even seen the incredible things that Jesus has done! Listen to this Church!!

“An unclean demonic spirit who cried out with a loud voice. “Leave us alone! What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are! But Jesus rebuked him and said “Be silent come out of him and throwing him down before them, the demon came out of him without hurting him at all.” Luke 4:34-35

“Also, demons were coming out of many shouting and saying “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.” Luke 4:41:

APPLICATION:-Now, this shows us two things something. 1. Your story of what Jesus has done for us matters, it means something. So Tell it! Tell people what Jesus has done for you! People who encounter Jesus have a story to tell.

Church, even the demons can’t help but proclaim who Jesus is as he casts them out. Not just as a form of evangelism, but also as a form of encouragement to those in this room. Sometimes, the stretcher that carries me to the feet of Jesus is hearing about His ever present faithfulness in your life just one more time. Or seeing you worship, hearing you sing, hearing you pray, oh church we need one another in this!

Church, this is not for perfect people who have it all together. But broken, tired, sinful, exhausted, mean, nice, happy, rich, poor, homeless, disabled, people who need Jesus! So speak of Jesus and what he has done for you, speak about it in your homes, as you kay down, as you get up, repeat it to your children, as you go out to your job, the store. Talk about Him as you come in, church may your home be a place where Jesus is treasured and discussed. As you return to the feet of Jesus day in and day out, talk about what He has done for you.

“Come to me all of you who are weary, burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28

ILLUSTRATION:

TRANSITION: Now, as we have considered the fact that we must treasure Jesus to evangelize, lets consider that this Treasure of ours has not lost its luster or shine. Look at the second truth with me.

2. Jesus: The Treasure Who Still Does Incredible Things (v21-26)

V.21- Now, before we begin to hate the Pharisees and the scribes here. We need to read the text carefully. They did not raise a big stink about what they had just heard, did they? No, they simply begin to think to themselves. “Who does this guy think that he is?” Which in their defense, is the correct train of thought. Remember, they knew the law. They knew what God had laid out and how they were to perform the sacrifices. So don’t give them a bad wrap, yet.

V. 22- Can we pause a moment and talk about the fact that Jesus is looking into their hearts and their minds? Does this sound familiar to you? Haven’t we seen this is in Scripture before? “But the LORD said to Samuel “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the LORD sees, for humans see what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart.”1 Samuel 16:7

-Have you ever had anyone ask you “why are you thinking that” when you haven’t even said anything?

-What they are questioning, they should be questioning. They ask the right question, and look how Jesus answers them.

V.23- Jesus proves to them who he is once more. Jesus is really flexing on these dudes, but not really. Jesus is just being, It is who He is. But Jesus is basically telling them, so that you know the answer to your question, which is easier? To forgive sins, or to heal the paralytic?

-This is rhetorical! Neither is easy! Both are impossible for humans. Yet with God, all things are possible. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

-Jesus is making a statement and a proclamation about who He really is. We see this clearly in verse 24.

V.24- Jesus heals the paralytic man, so that they may know what? That He has the authority to forgive sins.

-Lets think back to their question, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus is answering that for them. No one but God, yet Jesus just did and then also healed the man. So what is the only correct conclusion? Jesus is God. This is a display of divine ability and nature. Jesus is doubling down on who He is.

-Jesus not only spiritually healed the man, but also physically healed the man.

Transition: Look how good Jesus is at healing.

V.25-Not only was the man healed, but he picked up and carried what he was lying on. No PT, no chrio appointments, no lifting sessions. When Jesus heals, he heals!

-Mini Appliation: Why are we living like Jesus hasn’t healed us?

- He left glorifying God, because of what he had done. This is super important. He was healed, and then glorified and praised the One who had healed him. Not only did the man who was healed glorify God, but look at the response of the crowds.

V.26—“We have seen incredible things today.” Oh church, what incredible things that they saw. Amazing things. Don’t you see it?!

-More importantly, have you missed the incredible things that God has done in your life?

-Are you missing the incredible things that God could and would do in your life and those who you encounter on a daily basis?

APPLICATION: It is easy for us to be astounded and encouraged by these awesome stories of what Jesus has done in these lives some two thousand years ago. It was incredible, it should astound us. But can I remind you of what the author of Hebrews reminds in chapter13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

- Also consider this “Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”Ephesians 3:20-21.

-New Breed, do you realize this? This Jesus who healed this man is the same Jesus that can, and has healed you.

-This same Jesus is the same Jesus that can heal and restore whoever just came to mind your mind. This Jesus is great, He is powerful and he can do far more than you ever imagined.

-He is really good at doing incredible things.

-Christian, one of those incredible things is the fact that He stays faithful to receive you over and over and over again. You may be thinking.” I still struggle with x, y or z. How can I share the gospel?” You can share the gospel because the gospel has never depended on you, its never been about you are successful because of you. It is because Jesus has victory and it depends on His faithfulness, and he has never failed.

-Don’t forget that this is also a communal task, not only a personal task. We do this as individuals as well as a community of believers!

TRANSITION: So as I close, let me remind you of someone who was the ultimate friend. Who went to great lengths, overcame many obstacles, even death to bring their people back into relationship with God.

1. He is a friend of sinners who by his own flesh and blood was raised up, and buried low and then rose, claiming victory.

Conclusion: These four men who brought this now healed paralytic man to Jesus, had done so because they heard of what Jesus had done for the other people prior to this. Maybe they saw it, maybe their friends had told them about Jesus and the amazing thing that He had done.

-Church, you are more than likely here now because some had invited you to come and see what Jesus had done for them, how he had changed their lives and healed them.

-Jesus is the ultimate friend, who goes to the greatest lengths to see his friends healed.

-Church, ask those that you love dearly, ask those that you come into contact with, those that are broken, those that need healing, to come and to see. And I guarantee you, Jesus will be Jesus.

Matthew 11:28!