The Sick

I. Sick people need Jesus

We often have compassion on those who are hurting and rightly so. Many people go through hard times and life is just not fair. When someone tragically gets an illness, it often makes us want to be compassionate and reassure the person with hope.

Yet there is false hope when out of our compassion we do not bring truth. Just because a person is sick does not mean they are on their way to heaven.

II. Friends brings others to Jesus, even if it means great sacrifice

This man was paralyzed and thus could not get himself to Jesus. There are many who are willing to respond, but we have to go get them. They are either physically, emotionally, or spirtually unable to come and they need true friends will come for them.

The rest of the crowd was coming to hear Jesus to get something for themselves - a word of encouragement, a healing, an experience to see a miracle. Many come to church without bringing friends - it is an epidemic

Just 21% of church members will bring anyone to church in a given year, but only 2% of chrisitans will invite an unchurched person to church.

These friends had compassion for their friend and wanted to see him helped - they not only brought him but when they got there they saw it was too crowded to get him in. The people weren’t like - hey your friend is in need i will give up my seat -

They ran into a crowd not willing to budge, but they didn’t give up. They climbed up, make a whole in the roof, and lowered the man down until he was with Jesus.

They went through a lot of trouble to reach someone with the gospel.

What would happen church if we would not only invite, but bring a friend. What if we reached our neighborhood kids? What if we brought the senior to primetime?

What if we sought to bring the sick we know to Jesus

III. Faith acted upon accomplished great things

III. Friends

When Jesus saw their faith - not just he faith of the paralytic, but also his friends - he was moved. When faith is lived out, then God works. The church is to work together. If we will work to grow our preschool, children, youth, college, young adult, middle age, seniors - if we will pray, invite, and bring others - God will respond to our faith!

Listen to me - many of you long to see revival and you are waiting for some feeling. We have one life and we want to see God move - but God is saying do what i have called you to do and then i will move.

Imagine having a church that didn’t gather to the house, but one that brought people to the house. Imagine a church that said we see the evil times, the apathy of our world, but our faith says we believe God is greater - we are all in - we desire the fire - we are moved to put our faith in action!

IV. Spiritual healing is more important than physical

Jesus does not heal the person physically, but says to this man - “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” The term “Son” implies he is now a child of God - and all his sins are forgiven - his debt has been paid in full. He is now free and righteous before God.

says that by his stripes we are healed - and this is true - we are healed spiritually.

Many today believe physically healing is superior - but there are three things we need to know about miracles

A. Physical healing is temporary

B. Physical healing is not salvation

C. Physical healing should be sought, but can’t heal the Spirit

D. God does not desire to heal all people physically, but does spiritually

V. Skeptics will question Jesus

I love and hate this time of year. I love the resurrection season when we focus on what Jesus accomplished on calvary and that he rose from the dead to give us life. There is power in the living Savior and those who know Him love the story to be told over and over again.

Yet also at this time, man magazines, news agencies, and documentaries will be released about who the historical Jesus is. They will say he is a good man, but not God. A good teacher, but not the words of eternal life. A compassionate man, but not really a miracle worker.

The question is asked, how can this man forgive sins? Well because He is God in flesh. He died in our place - a perfect, righteous, never sinned and took our sin and thus can make the offer to all. Any who will have faith in Him will be forgiven.

Skeptics will always doubt - tune out their voices. They many even be skeptics among us - these sceptics were Scribes people who studied the Bible. There are many who love to study the Bible rather than live the Bible. Let’s be people who do both and believe that God is still radically saving lost people and we need to join Him in going and taking the gosepl.

VI. Signs are given to confirm the Spiritual Miracle

Jesus again knows their hearts and so confronts them. He asks, which is easier to heal a paralytic or forgive sins. For Jesus to heal a person, he can just speak it into existence. Yet to bring forgiveness, he would have to die for sin.

Yet, he seeks to quiet the critics and show that Jesus does have power to forgive sins - so he commands the man to rise, take up your bed, and go to your house. And the man did just that - he obeyed Jesus and the people glorified God.

The 70 that were sent out did the same thing - they cast out demons, healed the sick, and performed miracles. They came back to report to Jesus all that was done. And he said this,

Name in Lamb book of Life ****