Get 'em to Jesus

Can we begin this mornings message time with a simple question? One of the most important question you and I will ever ask and answer?

The question was asked by Jesus of those before Him.

The question was impactful then and just as impactful now.

Our answer to this question is the starting point.

It is the middle point.

It is every point.

The answer to this question determines what we believe, what we do, what we say, and what/who we are.

Jesus asked this famous question in one of the most evil places of His day… Caesarea Philippi. The place was originally named Panias to honor this false god.

So here is the question that will introduce our focal passage that will be read in a moment.

Matthew 16:13 ESV

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

Luke 5:17–26 ESV

17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

So the exact occasion here is not given, but just that Jesus had been doing a group of teachings.

Consider at minimum a context where Jesus had garnered the attention of the religious leaders (vs. 17a).

Notice how vs. 17 points to the religious leaders coming from Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. Notice the words “every village”.

The idea, is Jesus was making a stir. People did not like what He was doing, saying, and how he confronted. His confrontation of the wrongs of the religious were done openly and bluntly. They came to see what He said and to what degree He would go.

Notice the very last phrase of vs. 17: “the power of the Lord was with Him to heal.” this is significant in this passage. It means God’s personal presence and power. God is with Him for He is God’s Son the Son of God. God the Son.

Jesus is Our Starting Point.

Hear me out before you think I did not say enough:

He is our starting point of faith. Remember the question Jesus asked:

“who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

Let’s look at another question He asked:

Matthew 16:15 ESV

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Matthew 16:16 ESV

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

The answer to this question was the starting point of the men in the text. They knew, they had faith in what they had seen Jesus do and in what they had experienced Jesus to be.

I would submit they had faith in Jesus.

I would submit they had answered the question in the same manner that Simon Peter had.

Let’s look there now:

Luke 5:18–19 ESV

18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.

These men knew they had to get their friend to Jesus.

We don’t know of their relationship. The text does not disclose it.

They just knew they had to get him to Jesus.

Notice the effort or the extreme we might see it as...They opened the roof of the house.

Whether, as some state that this may have been easier than thought, but what we know is that they opened the roof.

If we are talking about separating thatch, removing mud used, or tiles. It is still an effort that they were willing to remove the obstacles and not let them become an excuse for not getting him to Jesus.

Notice the obstacles: he was paralyzed, they had to carry him, it was over-crowded, there were no seats available, and they had to find a special entrance.

So what was their answer: they created a space, they opened the roof, they lowered the man, they went the extra mile.

Please, notice Jesus’ response to this effort:

Luke 5:20 ESV

20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

This verse is significant because of the Words. “your sins are forgiven.”

Notice the implication: this guy is in his condition because of sin.

This is the honest outflow of the wording.

Look at the plural word for faith, meaning...Jesus sees their faith and heals their friend.

This is not to say the paralyzed man did not believe because we see he did later. It is to say here Jesus responded to their faith. Most likely the faith of the total group (including the paralyzed man). They agreed together before God.

So this is the work of God as He moves in their faith.

Friend, have you experienced this work of God. This faith that recognizes who Christ is, what Christ has done, and a need to come to Him and bring others?

Oh I hope you have and if not you will do so today.

Secondly,

Jesus is Our Middle Point.

The men believed and it drove their actions.

Faith is a verb. In English, we often use the word belief or believe…but to faith something is that is believed in such a way as to drive our action.

Let’s look at the contrast of the two main groups: those who see Jesus as the starting point and middle point as opposed to those who see Jesus as the nothing more than a teacher or false teacher.

Luke 5:21–22 ESV

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts?

Their response to Jesus: “Blasphemy!”

The response of the first group: “He is the One!”

Notice a third response: “Why do you question in your hearts?” The Words of Christ.

Luke 5:23 ESV

23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?

Jesus deals with us, righteous or unrighteous, right where we are.

His dealing with this group is educational and yet pointed because they were in rejection to Truth.

Thirdly,

Jesus is Every Point.

We will get to the heart of this third and final point in a moment.

First let’s look at how Jesus takes them from the educational concept to the Spiritual/relational outflow.

Luke 5:24–26 ESV

24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Jesus says: “that you may know”

Know what? He has the authority to do exactly as he says.

Notice the outflow for the formerly paralyzed man:

Immediately he rose, picked up his mat, went home, glorified God.

The were in awe!

Walking Away, But In...

Don’t let obstacles be hindrances.

Be faithful.

Be willing.