Forgiveness and the Roof
Notes
Transcript
Intro
6 months since the hurricane. Immediately after, so many people came, but there wasn’t structure yet. Nobody knew what they were supposed to do.
Need: We don’t know our role as the church. We have vision, but our vision is simply that of Jesus. Big part is to work together.
Main Idea: Jesus’ ministry is our ministry
Find ourselves in a home in Galilee. Amazing story.
Luke 5:17-26
Truth #1: Jesus’ ministry draws those in need (17-19)
Exp. Jesus was speaking to the crowd. Picture the seen of a full house. Verse 17. Pharisees = laypersons interested in practical understanding of Scripture and pursued faithfulness. Oral law observance. Teachers of the law = scribes who interpreted the Law. They were on the prowl looking for heresy. Luke refutes that = “power of the Lord was with him to heal.” Not black arts or association with Satan. Verses 18-19. Men bringing their paralyzed friend.
Ill. What ingenuity! I’ll skip a drive thru if the line is too long. Drive thru restaurant draws hungry people. But are you hungry enough to go through the roof to receive the food? Go through the roof to feed a friend?
App. I wonder how many people brought you to Jesus? Consider those who labored in prayer on your behalf. Who do you need to bring to Jesus? What’s hindering you?
Christ - The image of being dropped from the ceiling is a picture of Jesus. Jesus descended from heaven, in order to bring God's children back. Not so he could be healed, but so that we would be. This is the gospel. Jesus came to you. His ministry draws you to him.
App. You’re needy and drawn to Jesus. What do we do?
Put your faith in Jesus.
Eliminate obstacles from getting to Jesus.
Truth #2: Jesus’ ministry brings forgiveness and healing (20-25a)
Exp. People are drawn, and we see why. Verse 20. Odd way to begin this exchange. Only God can forgive sins. Verse 21. Began to question to themselves. Blasphemy = anyone who aligns themselves with God. Why did Jesus forgive him? Many saw these problems as consequences of sin. To forgive was to remove the consequences. But why? All he did was lay there. Jesus chose to forgive him for three reasons:
Honor the display of faith. Luke constantly uses “your faith has saved you.”
Reveal his greater mission. Healing comes after forgiveness.
Display he is God. Only God can forgive. Jesus is making a clear statement.
Ill. Like after Tennessee beat Alabama and I preached with a Tenn. shirt on. I would be making a clear statement without having to say anything. Jesus is making a clear statement.
Exp. The Pharisees were thinking blasphemy. Verse 22. Notice this whole time Jesus is focused on the heart. Heart of the man being forgiven and hearts of Pharisees. He also knows their thoughts. Simeon said Jesus would do this. Verse 23. Easier to say be forgiven because who would know? Stamped out false prophets by things not happening. Verse 24. Son of Man = 69x all Jesus or referencing Jesus using it. Allude to Daniel 7:13. Fulfill prophecy. Now, walk. Verse 25a. The man got up.
Christ - Jesus is the Son of Man; God in flesh. God forgives sins through the atonement of Jesus. Not forgiven by actions, but by Jesus. One of the reasons we are needy is because we need forgiveness. We also need healing. Christ forgives our sins and heals our wounds caused by sin. Every wound comes from our sin, someone else’s sin, or Sin.
App. What do we do?
Seek forgiveness from Jesus. People pleasers want to seek it from others. Might get it, but feel terrible about yourself.
Stop searching for healing apart from Christ. True spiritual healing is Christ. Not yourself or outside means.
Wait for ultimate healing. In heaven.
Truth #3: Jesus’ ministry brings glory to God (25b-26)
Exp. The result of what’s happened. Verse 25b-25. Man was instructed to get up and walk, and he did! Then everyone else. Amazement = ecstatic. Seized them. Man glorified God. People glorified because of what they saw. The result of this spectacle was glorifying God.
App. Debate over whether this is genuine. It doesn’t matter. God received the glory. Does God receive the glory in your life? When you see something amazing, breath-taking, does it lead you to glorify God? When you look at the mountains, are you in awe of the majesty of God? Or have you become numb to it?
Ill. SendNC conference. Mountains.
Arg. Jesus’ ministry is our ministry. I fear we’ve become lost to glorifying God. Glorifying leads to worship. Give God glory = Worship God. Give glory to something else = worship that thing. Not “singing to something.” Giving your heart to it. Romans 1, worshiping the creation rather than the creator. When you see someone’s giftedness, do you glorify them or the one who gave them the gifts?
4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, 5 that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.
Arg. Celebrity centered culture can lead to this.
Christ - Jesus could have been Jesus gave God all the glory. Jesus led others to glorify God.
App. What do we do? Give God the glory.
Acknowledge his hand in everything. Psalm 19:1
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Worship him for glory. Sing, pray, give him your heart.
Help others glorify him. Lead others to see his glory.
Conclusion
Our ministry is the ministry of Jesus. See the needy, forgiveness and healing, and God’s glory.
