2.5.9 1.28.2024 Luke 5.17-39 Certain of His Authority

Start:

Entice: Jesus was absolutely certain of His authority. The incarnation did not give Jesus authority it relocated it and gave it an potent immediacy. His authority was misunderstood, mischaracterized, and marginalized.

Engage: The authority of Jesus is a benchmark for the Church, reminding us of our obligation to answer His call. Our response is submission to His will and obedience to His mission.

In preaching and teaching It is not always easy to reduce that mission into immediate action steps. Sometimes preaching is about giving specific directions. Other times, like today it is a matter of providing a clearer understanding of why we are obligated to respond to Him.

Expand: The dilemma for the preacher is often how can we get through all this text, make a clear point, and not take all day. I’m not going to say, “I’ll be brief”, rather let me say I will summarize as much as I can get away with to explain today’s text, as clearly as possible. Luke 5.17-39 revolves around three stories each which disclose something about how Jesus viewed Himself and His saving authority.

Excite: Our certainty, as I have been stressing over the last several weeks, begins with His certainty. He never has any doubts about who He His and His right to reign among us. He extends His own certainty and confidence over us, allowing us to participate in His redeeming work. Jesus is God’s absolute authority present among us. He exercises that authority inviting us to share His redeeming purpose. We may not be able to perform the miracles that God in flesh could perform but we can have His attitude and approach to people which makes a bigger difference in the long run.

Explore:

Jesus gives us an example to follow equipping us to extend His saving work.

Expand: It is reasonable for Jesus to expect us to project His example.

Body of Sermon: So, Jesus expects us

1 To Forgive as God Forgives.

Luke 5:17–26 ESV

17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

To forgive as God forgives means understanding that

1.1 Grace is embedded in context.

1.2 Grace extends compassion.

1.3 Grace encounters complaints.

The next story reminds us that Jesus expects us

2 To Call as God Calls.

Luke 5:27–32 ESV

27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

This call exists in

2.1 The real world.

This call addresses

2.2 The real need.

this call offers

2.3 The real solution.

This final story shows that Jesus expects us

3 To Renew as God Renews.

Luke 5:33–39 ESV

33 And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” 36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’ ”

To initiate renewal we have to

3.1 Pick the right time.

We have to

3.2 Follow the right strategy.

And renewal comes when we

3.3 Seek the right outcome.

Shut Down

Jesus rarely insisted on His authority. He mostly just demonstrated it. Those who raise their voices declaring “I’m in charge here!!” rarely are.

Jesus had critics. Their criticism was often an outcome of their own grasping for power. Jesus not only forgave, called, and recreated those around Him, he also held accountable those who saw the world in terms of petty power games, using what authority they had to shame and marginalize others.

His celebrating disciples. A social outcast. A cripple. In their lives they saw and became Signs of the Kingdom. Signs of the authority of Christ. Signs we not only follow but demonstrate to

others. Jesus has the authority to forgive, call, and renew humanity. We extend His authority in our loving, obedient service.