The Self-Righteous Need Not Apply

“The Self-Righteous Need Not Apply”

Mark 2:1-17

Introduction

· Before Mark – Passage in Isaiah

· Ties in with Mark 2:1-17

Isaiah 53:6

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

· Here we have the diagnosis of the human condition and also the cure

· Diagnosis – We have all gone astray and turned away from God to go our way

· Cure is that our iniquities – Sin – Was put on the shoulders of Jesus on the cross

· These must go hand in hand – You can’t leave one out

· Only knowing the diagnosis leads to despair and hopelessness

· And if you don’t even know the diagnosis – You don’t even know you need a cure

Main Text – 1

Mark 2:1-12

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Application Backed By Text

Question:

· How important is it to you to go to Jesus daily for:

o Him to provide for all your needs?

o To provide protection against evil and temptation to sin?

o To give you the strength and courage to carry out His will?

o REGARDLESS OF THE OBSTICLES THAT MAY STAND IN YOUR WAY

· Do you pray for these things?

Lord’s Prayer

“ ‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

10 your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

Let’s Look at Text

Jesus moves from His authority over sickness to His authority to forgive sin

· Context – Jesus preaching and teaching the Word

· Teaching:

o He is the fulfillment of God’s redemption and salvation as prophesied in the O.T.

o Proclaiming the Gospel

o Teaching about the Kingdom of God

o And to repent and believe

· As Jesus was teaching:

o 4 men and paralytic came to Him so they could receive from Jesus what they needed

o And they did not let any obstacles get in their way to go the Jesus – Lowered through roof

o Shows boldness because of desperation to be healed – Coming to Jesus for healing was the upmost priority

· When this happened, Jesus didn’t just pause from His teaching

o Instead, He put His preaching and teaching into action by telling the paralytic HIS SINS ARE FORGIVEN

o Jesus is proclaiming His true identity as God when He says - YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN

o Notice Jesus doesn’t address the physical healing he is looking for

o But the healing of everyone’s deepest need – Redemption through the forgiveness of sin

o Jesus is showing everyone there that being able to walk is of little importance compared to where they will spend eternity

· The miracle of healing Jesus performed was initiated by these 5 guy’s faith in Jesus

o Faith in Jesus leads to forgiveness and salvation

· When the Pharisees heard this, they weren’t interested in Jesus forgiving his sin – But casting judgement on Him

o Their question was, “WHO CAN FORGIVE SIN BUT GOD ALONE?”

o They knew the answer was NO ONE CAN – which is correct

o However, their thoughts of who Jesus is was wrong – They were blind to the fact that JESUS IS GOD

o So they accused him of blasphemy which is punishable by death

· WHICH IS EASIER?

o Jesus has the divine authority and power to give invisible healing (forgiveness of sin) and visible healing (in this case the person being able to walk)

o 1st possible of the answer: Is that Jesus is saying it is easier to forgive sin than to physically heal someone

§ Since they can’t see whether forgiveness has occurred – There is no need for proof – Anyone can say this which makes it easier

§ It’s harder to physically heal someone because the results are for everyone to see – It has either happened or not

o 2nd possibility is that He is indicating that neither of them are harder – They both are because only God can forgive sin and physically heal someone

§ Personally – This is what I think Jesus is getting at

§ He uses one to prove the other - But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.

· The crowd’s reaction

o They were amazed and praised God

o This is the same amazement from VS 1:22

22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law

· Notice they were amazed at Jesus but praised God

o They separated the 2

o I believe it was that they crowd did not recognize Jesus as God

· I wonder what amazed them more, the physical healing or Jesus saying, “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN”?

· We are starting to see the people giving allegiance to Jesus instead of the Jewish leaders

o This made them jealous and feared they would lose their power over the people

· Who do you give your allegiance to? – Devoted to?

o God or man – this includes ourselves

Main Text – 2 – Jesus came to save sinners, not the self-righteous

13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

· Have you ever felt like you’re not good enough for Jesus to love and care for you?

· Have you ever felt like your not good enough – Your sins are too bad for God to forgive you?

· Have you ever looked at someone and judged them unworthy of forgiveness?

Let’s turn to the text to see the answers for these questions from Christ’s eyes

Jesus chose a hated sinner (tax collector) to be His disciple

· Tax collectors were hated because they were working with the Roman government – And the Romans were corrupt when collecting taxes

· He says “FOLLOW ME” and Matthew immediately follows – Saw this in chapter 1 with Peter, Andrew, James, and John

· Let’s go back to our questions

o Don’t think you aren’t a good enough person for Jesus to love and care for you

o Don’t think you or your sins are too bad for Jesus to forgive and save you

o Evangelism -

· Jesus hung out and associated with sinners

o So don’t think others and their sins are too bad for Jesus to forgive and save them

o This teaches us something about EVANGELISM - Shows us that we need to go where sinners are to share the Gospel with them – Go to places we may not be comfortable going

· The Pharisee’s reaction is LEGALISM

o Saying – YOU CAN’T BE HANGING OUR WITH THESE TYPES OF PEOPLE – SINNERS

o Legalism come from pride and self-righteousness

o Many churches and Christians have this same mindset

o Separating themselves from the outside world

o A “BETTER THAN” attitude

o They have forgotten that they too were once a sinner just like them

o Legalism snubs nose towards God’s grace – Actions and attitudes that reflect that they have earned and deserved their salvation

Jesus’ response deals with legalism and self-righteousness VS sinners

VS 17

Jesus says, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

· Let’s look at the difference between the self-righteous and sinners

· EVANGELISM ILLUSTRATION FOR SELF-RIGHTEOUS

SELF-RIGHTEOUS - Believe they will go to Heaven because they are basically good people - Because of their good works

· They go to church

· They give to charities

· They read their Bibles

· They volunteer for things

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast. – Boast about being self-righteous

· Then there is the most frightening in my opinion – They believe they will go the Heaven because they BELIEVE IN GOD

· Belief in God is not enough – It’s just a cognitive understanding – Even the demons believe

o What’s lacking is a personal relationship with God

o Christianity is not religions – It is a relationship with Jesus Christ from the heart

· Self-righteouspeople typically believe that they don’t need a Savior – Need Jesus – Because they are their own savior

o This is what Jesus meant by, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor”

o The danger is that it is quite possible – Maybe even likely - They aren’t saved

SINNERS- Know their total depravity because of their sin – That they cannot fix and save themselves on their own and need a Savior

o EVANGELISM ILLUSTRATION FOR SINNERS

· Hopefully knowing this will lead to:

o Humility

o Valuing the grace and mercy God has shown us through Jesus

o And extending that grace and mercy to others

· THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS are KINGS of their own KINGDOMS

o They are devoted to themselves

· SINNERSwho come to faith belong to the KINGDOM OF GOD

o They are devoted to Him

WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

Let’s imitate and join Jesus to seek and save the lost