Jesus Draws Near to Sinners

Introduction

Good morning! He is Risen! He is Risen! Indeed! Let’s turn in our Bibles to Luke 5:12-32 that is Luke chapter 5:12-32. If you are using one of the Bible’s scattered throughout the chairs that is on page 808. Again that is page 808.

In 1861, 21 year old William Scott enlisted in to the United States Army to fight in the civil war. Soon after, William’s company was assigned guard duty of the Chain Bridge, an important bridge to the war effort. A fellow soldier had fallen ill so William volunteered to serve two nights in a row on sentry duty or watch duty. However, during he second night William fell asleep and was discovered by an officer. This was a serious offense since the bridge was so important. Therefore, William was court-martialed and sentenced to death by firing squad. He was guilty.

On the morning of September 9th, The Vermont Brigade was drawn up to witness the execution of their brother in arms, William Scott. The story goes, that William was marched out to the firing squad blind folded. The charges were read out loud, and as William and the men waited, expecting to hear gun shots… they heard something else instead. The officer who read his charges read another document out loud. Instead of the sound of gun fire, they heard a voice of pardon. President Abraham Lincoln had heard of the situation and had written a formal presidential pardon.

This event was captured in the 1863 poem and 1914 silent film both titled “The Sleeping Sentinel.” Imagine how William must have felt? Standing there guilty and awaiting his death. Only to learn the most powerful man in the country had heard of his plight and had chosen to act in order to save him. A guilty man was pardoned, because of the mercy of the President of the United States.

In today’s text we read of a leper, a paralyzed man, and a tax collector who encounter the most powerful man of all time. These unworthy and guilty men encounter the Lord Jesus Christ and when they interact with him they receive cleansing, forgivness, and pardon. You see, Jesus draws near to sinners. He comes to the unclean, the unwanted, and the guilty through faith in Him offers grace and forgivness. Let’s read our first section together in Luke 5:12-16.

He Touches the Unclean v. 12-16

Luke 5:12–16 “While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.”

This man approaches Jesus and he his full of leprosy. He cannot hide his leprosy for anyone, he is riddled with it. And as this man sees Jesus he falls on his face and begs Jesus, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” Leprosy is a skin disease the is highly contagious, and in the ancient world they did not have a cure for it.

In the OT, those who had leperosy were not just considered sick, but they were unclean. Leviticus 13:45–46 ““The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.” These people would not be allowed nice clothing to cover their diseased skin, but rather they wore torn clothing, they could not keep their hair nice, they had to cover their face, and they were made to yell out “Unclean, Unclean” Everywhere they went. They could worship God in the temple, they could not live with their families, they could not be around clean people. This disease infected, not just their skin, but their dignity. Their very identity. There would not part of your life that was not impacted by the diagnosis of leprosy. And this man was full of leprosy.

So, he sees Jesus and cries out to him! Jesus if you are willing I know you can make me clean! Jesus will you give me my life back. As I think about the implications of leprosy I cannot help but think about the similarities it bears to addiction. Those who struggle with addiction to substances like drugs or alcohol or those addicted to pornography feel the weight of their addiction everywhere they go. They may not cry out, “Addict, Addict!” but often their conscience is yelling it as they make through life. They walk around knowing that they are unclean. And often times the consequences of their decisions have left them disheveled, unkempt, and alone. Living outside of the normal boundaries that keep us safe. The joys of being “inside of the camp” living in the presence of friends and family. Their sin had left them unclean and on the outside.

But it here that I want to draw your attention to the words of Biblical counselor Ed Welch from his book Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave, Welch writes, ““When it comes to addictions, we tend to divide humanity into two groups: those who are prone toward addictions and those who aren’t. The reality, of course, is very different. All human beings have already fallen into sin.” Welches point is the those who struggle with addiction are more similar to those who do not struggle than polite society likes to admit. You see, dear friend you too have persistent sin struggles in your life. You’re life and mine are marked by the uncleaness of our sin against a holy God, and all sin kills. You might be able to cover your sin with fine clothing, nice hair, and you might be able to put on a happy face this afternoon at Easter dinner, but make no mistake. Sin leaves its mark.

The fear of man, pride, despondency, worry, anger, cowardice, laziness, gluttony, envy, bitterness and so on will infect every aspect of your life if left unchecked. Sin, no matter its variety keeps us “outside of the camp.” That is it keeps us from dwelling the presence of God. This man was full of leprosy. We are full of our affliction as well.

Take note of his disposition toward Jesus. He sees Jesus and falls on his face and begs him. “If you are willing, I know you can make me clean.” And what does Jesus do? He reaches out and touches the man. He declares to him, “I will; be clean.” Now, in the Old Testament if you touched someone who had leprosy you would be deemed unclean, at least for a time. Yet, here is Jesus when he touches the unclean man, Jesus does not become unclean but rather the man becomes clean. The effects are reversed. Jesus, makes clean that which was unclean.

And this is not some parlor trick. Jesus truly makes the man clean, and tells the man to go and do what the Old Testament prescribes in order to be deemed clean again. Jesus has no fear of the priests checking his work. He knows that at his touch and his word, this man is now clean. You can bear your skin before those who once declared you as unclean. They will find nothing, your uncleaness has been removed. You are now clean.

This is the offer that Christ makes you us today. He declares to you, that if you know you are unclean, if you are ready to put aside your sin and be clean, then in Christ you can. Cast your life at the feet of Jesus and beg him, will you make me clean!? He is willing and he is able.

T/S- He can declare us as clean because only Jesus has the authority to forgive sin.

He Has Authority to Forgive Sin v. 17-26

Luke 5:17–26 “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. 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, 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. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 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.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.””

It is hear in Luke that the Pharisees and teachers of the law are introduced, these are Jewish religious leaders who will be Jesus’ opponents throughout the book of Luke. It is they who will plan to have him crucified. They come from all of the region that Jesus has been teaching and doing miraculous works in order to inspect him. The come to Jesus in the opposite fashion of the leper in our previous passage. They come not in faith, knowing that Jesus can heal! Praying his is willing. Instead, they skeptical and suspicious of Jesus.

However, Jesus operating in the power of the Lord was healing people. And here come a group of men carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. This group of friends want to bring their buddy to Jesus, so that He might heal him. However, as they draw near the crowd is too large and uncooperative. They can’t get him on his bed through the crowd to Jesus. But this does not deter them. You see, they have faith in Jesus’ ability to heal their friend, and when you know that this guy can heal your friend you’re not gonna let a little thing like a crowd stop you. They carry their buddy up onto this roof (which would have been flat and even would have had stairway access) and remove the tiles of the roof. They are literally tearing the roof off of the place in order to get their friend to Jesus. Why would do that!? Because you know that Jesus can heal him! You believe it! They have faith.

They remove the tiles and then lower their friend down on his bed to Jesus. Its hard not to laugh when you imagine the scene. I think they have to young men, the text doesn’t say, but this just seems like the kind of thing young men would do. Yeah man, they won’t care just take the tiles up! Now, what? Lower him down… Lower me what!? says the paralyzed man. It’s fine say the friends just hang on to the bed. Do you want to see Jesus or not!?

That is all conjecture, but I just can’t help myself from trying to imagine what this was like. Jesus is teaching in this house, healing people, is it quiet as they listen to him, is it loud as they clamber in to be healed. We don’t know.. But suddenly light comes through the ceiling, a tiles are being removed and then what is that coming down. It’s a guy on a bed!?

Jesus’ sees all of this! He sees their faith and he says, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” Jesus sees the man, and knows what his biggest problem is. It isn’t that he can’t walk. His problem is that he is a sinner who will one stand before a holy God. And Jesus sees their faith and he extends the forgiveness of sins. The scribes and Pharisees witness this and they asks, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? (Speaks against God) Who can forgive sins by God alone?” In other words who does Jesus think that He is? Does he honestly believe he has the authority to forgive sins. Only God can do that.

Now, notice what Jesus says and does. He does not say, “Oh no, you’re confused. I’m not claiming that I can forgive sins. Just that their faith makes so God can forgive sins and I am just stating what God has done. Sorry for the mixed up. Glad you asked so I could clarify…” No, Jesus wants to make something very clear in this moment. He does not disagree with the scribes and Pharisees. He agrees with them. Only God can forgive sins. That is true. But you heard me. I said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” Jesus wants to make it clear that God alone has the authority to forgive sins, and He has the authority to forgive sins! This is an outright claim to deity.

Jesus perceives their thoughts and says, ““Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 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.” He heals this man, in order to make it clear that He has the authority to forgive sins here on earth. At his word, sins are forgiven. And at his word this man is able to immediately get up and walk home, glorifying God!

FCF: There are probably some Christians here in this room who struggle to believe if their sin really is forgiven. You profess faith in Christ, but your conscience plagues you. You wonder, am I really forgiven. What if I mess up again? Will it still count? Is my sin really removed?

Jesus Christ has the authority to forgive sin. At his word, you sins were forgiven! Get up and walk in the way and glorify God. Quit living with nagging guilty conscience for your past failures. You are forgiven, now go and live! Be amazed at the saving power of Jesus! Live and know that you have seen extraordinary things!

You see Jesus exercises his authority through a miraculous work of healing in order to instill assurance in the scribes and Pharisees and all who were there to witness it! Good authority instills assurance in those who heed it. During the course of the ladies Bible study which ran on Saturday morning my kids would be allowed to watch little extra TV. This allowed me to get some work done while Brittany was out, so we could all spend time together when she came back. However, Simon would always tell me. Daddy, mommy doesn’t let us watch this much TV… It is ok if we watch another episode? Mommy doesn’t let us watch more than two episodes. And I would tell him Simon, I am the Daddy. If I say it is ok, it is ok.

He needed the assurance that authority provides in order to enjoy the show guilt free. Guilt and shame have a funny way of sticking around even after we repent, and cast off our sin. Even after we have committed to living God’s way, even after walk away from what we know is wrong, sometimes guilt still lingers. We read this in Philippians 3:8–14 “…. that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, ….v.12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

The exercise of Jesus’ authority over death in the resurrection provides you and I with the assurance of his authority. You can know that your sin is forgiven because the tomb is empty.

T/S- Jesus has the authority to forgive sins, and he is not stingy in his extension of forgivness. In fact, he seeks out sinners.

He Seeks Sinners v. 27-32

Luke 5:27–32 “After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.””

At the begining of chapter 5 Jesus calls fishermen to follow him, and they leave everything to follow him. Now, Jesus calls a tax collector and he responds like the fishermen, he leaves everything to follow Jesus. This is a shocking crew. If you were going to choose men to help you start a global religious movement you probably wouldn’t choose blue-collar workers and a guy from a despised profession. Tax collectors were consider traitors to their own people. They collected taxes on behalf of the Romans, who were an invading force to Israel. Tax collectors worked for the enemy, and they took part in a Roman system in which they would overcharge on taxes in order to personally benefit.

They worked for the enemies of their people and took advantage of their own people for personal gain. Yet, when Levi (Called Matthew in other Gospels) encounters Jesus he leaves this life behind and follows Jesus. He provides a real life example of repentance. In order to repent we must turn away from our old life and begin to pursue God’s way.

Levi leaves his old life, but not his old friends. He wants them to know Jesus too. He throws a feast, a party, and he invites his tax collector friends and others who of the “tax collector” variety. When the Pharisees and scribes see this they grumble at the disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Why would you associate with people like that, people who are sinners. They are unclean like the leper, they are sinners like the paralyzed man.

Jesus answers them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

In the story of the leper we see the attitude that we ought to have when approaching Jesus. We ought to be like the leper and throw ourselves on our face and beg for healing. If you are convicted of your sin, you know this. We then saw that Jesus was willing to heal the leper.

In this story we see the attitude of Jesus toward us, and it takes my breath away. Jesus does not simply wait back and hope you wise up and ask him for forgiveness. He does not wait until you show enough contrition, feel enough guilt, really gravel and then give you forgiveness.

He seeks after you. He has come, he has made the first move, he does the calling. He went out and saw Levi at his tax booth. The word translated saw means “to look at intently and purposively,” he did despise Levi, he wasn’t giving him a dirty look because he was tax collector. He looked at him with purpose and he called to him. “Follow me.”

Later Jesus will say, Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”” Jesus does not look at sinners and think, “yuck, how dirty… If they gravel then I will take them in. If they are really really sorry, then I will grant them forgivness.” No, he says, “I am the physician and I will go and find the sick and call them to repentance.”

Thomas Goodwin in his famous work, “The Heart of Christ in Heaven Toward Sinners of Earth” says this, ““So, says Christ, injuries and unkindnesses do not so work upon me as to make me irreconcilable; it is my nature to forgive: "I am meek." Yes, but (may we think) he being the Son of God and heir of heaven, and especially being now filled with glory, and sitting at God's right hand, he may now despise the lowliness of us here below; though not out of anger, yet out of that height of his greatness and distance that he is advanced unto, in that we are too mean for him to marry, or be familiar with. He surely has higher thoughts than to regard such poor, low things as we are. And so though indeed we conceive him meek, and not prejudiced with injuries, yet he may be too high and lofty to condescend so far as to regard, or take to heart, the condition of poor creatures. (You may not think of Jesus thinking negatively of you, but he is saying we also don’t feel as if Jesus would think positively of us. He is too great to be concerned with sinners like us) No, says Christ; "I am lowly" also, willing to bestow my love and favour upon the poorest and meanest.”

Levi and his friends, as a tax collectors, are the “meanest” the lowliest of their society. And yet, Jesus eats with them. He comes and actively pursues the sick, and he calls them to repentance.

Conclusion

Perhaps you are here and you hear the word repentance and cringe. You think, that is an unloving word. That is a harsh word. You actually want people to change! And I would say you have it all wrong. Sin kills. Even socially acceptable sins. They kill. The call to repentance is not a harsh word, it is an invitation of love. It is the call of Christ that declares change is possible. You can be made clean. You can be forgiven. You can be healed. the physician has come and the sick can be made righteous through the gift repentance. Acts 3:19–20 It is this heart and in this spirit that Peter declares, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus”

It is Easter Sunday. We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead! His empty tomb is a testimony to the truth that you and be made clean and forgiven of our sins. He has come for sinners like you and me. Will you receive him today? Repent from sin. Accept the invitation and be made righteous.