Jesus: Power to heal, forgive- Pt. II

(Transition) Jesus had a mission; to preach the gospel of repentance (Mk1:15); to seek and save the lost (Lk19:10) to set the captives free (Lk4:18-19); to fulfil prophesy (4:21) and we will see the continued work of Jesus this morning.

Our Passage of study

Luke 5:17–18 NASB95

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. 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.

Luke 5:19–20 NASB95

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. 20 Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”

Luke 5:21–22 NASB95

21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22 But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

Luke 5:23–24 NASB95

23 “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 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.”

Luke 5:25–26 NASB95

25 Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. 26 They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

Anything significant stick out to you in this passage?

What was present with Jesus; enabling Him to do what (v.17)?

The power of the Lord was present - - - - God gives the power to accomplish His will. Remember Jesus does nothing of His own initiative, only what the Father tells Him or sees the Father doing.

What were the men trying to accomplish with the paralyzed man (v.18)?

To set him down in front of him- - - they wanted a healing

What did Jesus see, what did Jesus say (v.20)?

Jesus saw their faith

Jesus said “your sins are forgiven.”

What did the scribes and Pharisees reason (v.21)?

Who can forgive sins, but God alone.

Were they wrong in reasoning this? Why, or why not?

What was the purpose of the healing of the man (v.24)?

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

What is the results of the healing (vv.25-26)?

The man got up, glorified God, went home.

People were astonished, glorified God, filled with fear and knew they saw something remarkable.

Faithful friends

Luke 5:17–19 NKJV

17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

What can you learn about faith in this passage?

We can see in the passage, Jesus is teaching, we can see the crowd that was there.

Some Pharisees and teachers (scribes) who travelled from Jerusalem to see Jesus perform healings

We can see some faithful friends bringing a friend on a bed to set down before Jesus

We can see there is no way to do it, except through the roof to let him down

We can see the active faith of friends lowering him down before Jesus.

Jesus continues his work in the cities of Galilee (Mk2:1) and many were travelling in hopes of seeing, receiving a healing as he had done before.

The travellers came with a purpose to “catch Jesus” remember they already wanted to kill Him (Lk4:30).

Pharisees were zealous and devoted to the works of the Law. They were trying to protect the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

Where Jesus is, the power of the Lord is present, at certain times the power is displayed as instructed by the Father to bring belief and to prove who He is.

The friends let him down through the roof.

Thatched roof, made of mud, straw, dirt between the pillars

They would have dug to be able to lower the man through.

Josephus confirmed this type of roof in his writings about some would remove to lower a coffin through the roof.

This action proved the faith of man’s friends who were willing to go to any length for him.

Spurgeon said this:

“They need to be strong, for the burden is heavy; they need to be resolute, for the work will try their faith; they need to be prayerful for otherwise they labor in fain; they must be believing, or they will be utterly useless.”

Your sins are forgiven

Luke 5:20–22 NKJV

20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

Faith takes action in this passage.

That is what the men had to do if they were to present their friend before Jesus.

Faith could be seen in this passage.

Guzik: “Their faith could be seen. Their bold, determined action to bring their friend to Jesus proved they had real faith. There is something lacking in faith if it can never be seen.”

Faith was believed

Faith was received then displayed

Barclay: “In this account, the emphasis is on the faith of the friends of the paralyzed man. We need to have faith for more than just our own needs, but also have faith that Jesus can and will meet the needs of others whom we bring to Him.”

Consider (Jm5:16)

James 5:16 NASB95

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

The friends wanted a healing, Jesus offers forgiveness

The friends thought they knew best, what was needed most, but they would have been short of God’s plan. For God’s eternal plan is salvation, the healing was a blessing not a necessity. The forgiveness was the necessity.

The reasoning, was right, for only God can forgive, they were trying to protect, it was their job to protect, but was it from faith or something else here? - - - - something else, they came to see him do healings on the Sabbath again, to catch Him, accuse Him, and kill Him.

The problem the Pharisees and the teachers (scribes) had here was their refusal to see Jesus for who He is. The Son of God, Son of Man with authority to forgive sins.

Cole: “Again and again during the life of Christ the same dilemma was to re-appear. If he were not divine, then he was indeed a blasphemer; there could be no third way out.”

(Trans) only God can solve our sin problem. God provided the way (Jn14:6) out of his great love (Jn3:16).

Jesus authority displayed

Luke 5:23–26 NKJV

23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”

Jesus demonstrates the power and authority of God alone.

Easier to say, forgive or get up?

To forgive would be unseen, to get up would be seen, so easier to say forgive for there may be no immediate evidence, proof at the time.

Jesus was willing to put Himself to the test for immediate results when He told him to pick up his bed and walk.

Jesus tells the reason why this happens to demonstrate the authority of the Son of Man.

Wiersbe: “Jesus often referred to Himself as the Son of Man. The idea was not of the ‘perfect man’ or the ‘ideal man’ or even the ‘common man.’ Instead, it was a reference to Dan7:13-14, where the coming King of Glory, coming to judge the world, has the title Son of Man.”

Title, name not to be confused with “King” or “Christ” which man would believe was to bring out from under oppression of Rome and restore Israel.

Imagine the scene, the tension in the air

Scribes because Jesus challenged them. and said he would demonstrate he was the Son of God.

The paralyzed man not sure if Jesus really could heal him.

The friends who had hope, but then Jesus said forgiveness before He healed him.

The only one not tense, not worried was Jesus!

Jesus calls for an action of faith - tells the man to get up.

Have you been called to take a step of faith, to take action with your faith? Is there something that hinders you from doing that? - - - maybe it is your friends and their faith that can help you activate your faith in an area of your life.

They, the crown were struck with astonishment, they were amazed and they glorified God. - - - that is what faith does, it is felt, it is seen, it is shared, it brings glory to God!