Jesus: Power to heal, to forgive -Pt I.

(Transition) Jesus ministry was not a healing ministry, though He healed. It was not a calling out demons ministry, though He did that. His purpose was to seek and save the lost. As we look at our passage today, see what Jesus thinks is the biggest need of the man He touches

Our Passage

Luke 5:12–13 NASB95

12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him.

Luke 5:14–15 NASB95

14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.

Luke 5:16–17 NASB95

16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. 17 One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.

Luke 5:18–19 NASB95

18 And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. 19 But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

Luke 5:20–21 NASB95

20 Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

Luke 5:22–23 NASB95

22 But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

Luke 5:24–25 NASB95

24 “But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.” 25 Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.

Luke 5:26 NASB95

26 They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

What do you notice, what amazes you in this passage?

Start off with a bonus question, (v.12) says in “one of the cities,” where is this?

In other cities around Capernaum (Lk4:31, 4:43)

What did the man with leprosy believe (v.12)?

Jesus had the power, the authority to “make me clean.”

Look closely (v.13), two things happen, what are they?

He is cleansed

He is healed

Why must the man go show himself to the priest (v.14)?

To keep the command of Moses.

What was the purpose crowds were gathering around Jesus now (v.15)?

To hear Him

To be healed of their sickness

Do you see a part of Jesus patter (v.16)? If so, what is it?

Get away and pray (LK4:42, 5:16).

What details do you see, learn from (v.17)?

There were Pharisees and teachers there

Came from all over

The power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing

How did the men get the paralyzed man in front of Jesus (vv.18-19)?

What did Jesus “see” then do (v.20)?

He saw their (the friends) faith.

He told the man his sins are forgiven

This brought about a reaction from scribes and Pharisees, what did they do (v.21)?

Began to reason who can forgive sins but God alone?

Look how Jesus responds (vv.22-23), what does He have to say?

What is easier, forgive sins or get up and walk?

What is the purpose of this event (v.24)?

So you know the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins.

What was the response from the people there (v.26)?

Struck with astonishment

Began glorifying God.

Filled with fear

Just a little touch by Jesus

Leprosy is a dreadful disease where you body literally wastes away and falls apart. Leprosy in scripture is a picture of sin. For sin like leprosy begins below the surface (unseen); the begins to spread and destroy, and it contagious. Leprosy isolated people like sin can do the same.

What the man needed and knew he needed was a little touch by Jesus.

It is the same thing we all need, sin was eating away at us, then a little touch by Jesus changed everything.

Jesus did all the work, Jesus reached out and touched him.

Jesus did not even have to touch him. His word could do the work (Lk4:35-36)

He touched Him to show compassion. He touched the untouchable by man’s standard.

Jesus was willing and both to words and touch.

Love what Courson says: “others might be put off by your sin or irritated with your flaws, but not Jesus. He embraces us.” I add when we have faith.

Tell no one!

Tell no one, but let your cleansing, your healing be your testimony under the law.

Luke 5:14 NASB95

14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

A leper according to Leviticus as Clarke puts it.

“The gift was two living, clean birds, some cedar wood, with scarlet and hyssop (Lev14:4); which were to be rough brought for the cleansing, then after the cleansing, when clean, two “he” lambs, one “Ewe” lamb, three tenth deals of flour, and one log of oil (Lev14:10). If the person was poor, then he was to bring one lamb, one tenth deal of flour, one log of oil and two turtle doves, or young pigeons.” (lev14:21-22)”

Remember Jesus did not come to do away with the law, but to fulfill it (Mt5:17).

(Transition) Just a little touch from Jesus changed this man’s life in this life and for the next (forgave sins, healed his leprosy). Of course, news spread.

Crowds were gathering

Luke 5:15–16 NASB95

15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

To add to what we see here look at what Mark says (Mk1:44-45)

Mark 1:44–45 NASB95

44 and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

Purpose, again remember Jesus purpose where we started today was not to heal, it was primarily to save sinners.

The crowds did gather to “hear” and “be healed,”

Jesus following as a healer was well known, but he never promoted it or encouraged it.

His healing ministry was prophesied though (Isa35:5-6)

Isaiah 35:5–6 NASB95

5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah.

According to a brief read of Deu28 you would see that so much sickness and disease among Israel was due to their lack of obedience to the Sinai Covenant. God promised such curses would come upon them if they were disobedient to His covenant.

Luke 5:16 NASB95

16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

Jesus often would slip away and pray (v.16)

Guzik said this: In this season of increasing popularity and publicity, Jesus made a special point to withdraw into the wilderness for prayer. The demands of life pushed Jesus to prayer, not from it.”

As Jesus made a point to spend time with the Father in prayer to face the world, we need to do the same. To withdraw and to pray.

I will close with one more quote for this morning. We are not getting where I originally thought we would get today and that is OK.

“He made it a frequent custom to withdraw from the multitudes for a time, and pray, teaching hereby ministers of the Gospel that they are to receive fresh supplies of light and power from God by prayers, that they may be more successful in their work; and that they ought to seek frequent opportunities of being in private with God and their books.” -Clarke

Do you make a point to get alone with the Lord? Is that your norm? You can make it a norm with just a little touch by Jesus. Ask Him in prayer to help you in this area.