More than Healing
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
To be healed is wonderful, but Jesus offers something greater than just healing
In the midst of accounts of Jesus calling disciples, he provides access to a couple of outsiders
These two individuals receive more than healing, they receive inclusion into Jesus mission and deliverance from their sin
The Unclean
The Unclean
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
Understanding Impurity
Understanding Impurity
Lev 13
Three categories
Holy: Priests, sacrificial animals, and tabernacle
Clean: Israel (usually), edible animals, the camp
Unclean: Gentiles, unclean animals, the wilderness
Fundamentally clean/unclean is a metaphor for life/death
15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.
Scavengers and carnivores are unclean
Loss of the fluids of life are unclean
The idea communicated by these laws is that access to the holiness of God requires purity – not only from sin but from non-sinful ceremonial uncleanness
The result of these laws was regular isolation from the holy presence of God – not simply because of sin but because of innate aspects of humanity
Some impurities were unavoidable results of normal biological processes
Leprosy referred to a collection of skin diseases
Often leprosy was associated with sin (Miriam)
Both getting and being healed of leprosy display God’s power (Moses/Miriam/Naaman)
Purposes
Purposes
Maintain a people
These laws made Israel different
They protected Israel from the sexual, idolatrous worship of the surrounding nations
Promote Holiness
Though uncleanness could happen without sin, cleanness could not happen with it
Establish Distance
45 “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.
Access through immigration at the airport
These laws provided a continual reminder of
The inaccessibility of Israel’s God
That dirty people don’t belong with a holy God
The path to access provided through sacrifice
Cleansing the Dirty
Cleansing the Dirty
The man approaches Jesus with humility
Face on the ground
Begging
Respecting his power - “If you are willing” not “if you are able”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Jesus touches the man
Rather than the unclean man defiling Jesus, Jesus cleanses the man
Jesus healing of leprosy is unique from OT examples
He uses no means – unlike Elisha with Namaan
He doesn’t intercede with God – unlike Moses with Miriam
Though we know his ministry is empowered by the Spirit there is something unique in his divine authority to heal
Jesus purification is immediate, but he still respects the law by requiring the man to show himself to the priest.
The Unable
The Unable
17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
An Incapable Outsider
An Incapable Outsider
17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
This account presents another outsider
Literally outside the house and unable to enter
The man’s friends believe that Jesus can heal their friend and secure access to him by lowering their friend through the tiles on the roof
This man can do absolutely nothing to come into Jesus presence and experience healing, his defining characteristic is an inability to move.
Giving What He Needs Before What He Wants
Giving What He Needs Before What He Wants
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Upon seeing the faith of his friends Jesus forgives the man’s sins
It doesn’t say if there was a specific sin connected to the paralysis that was healed
Other accounts disconnect sin and suffering (the blind man – Jn 9; Job)
Jesus forgiveness of the man’s sins teaches us 3 things
Jesus understanding of our sin problem
Jesus mission to deal with sin
Jesus compassion on sinners
Conflict with the Pharisees
Conflict with the Pharisees
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
This is the first account where we meet the Pharisees.
This and the following 3 stories are all going to highlight this conflict.
The Pharisees do not ask their question out loud, but Jesus knows what is in their hearts
This in itself is a demonstration of Jesus’ divine power
The Pharisees are skeptical of Jesus pronouncement of forgiveness
This is a divine act
Either Jesus is divine, crazy, or dishonest
His claim demands a response
Verification of His Authority
Verification of His Authority
24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
In the clearest demonstration of his purpose for healing yet, Jesus heals the man
“But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”
Jesus shows he has the authority to forgive by showing he has power over creation
Conclusion
Conclusion
Tying it Together
Tying it Together
Two men on the outside looking in
Two men who approach with bold faith
Two men who experience more than healing
Cleansing
Forgiveness
Application
Application
Jesus welcomes you
In spite of
The quirks that make you an outsider
The past victimization that brings you shame
Your shortcomings you believe no one shares
For
Cleansing
Forgiveness
Belonging
