Healing the Paralytic

“The final test of love is obedience, not sweet emotions, not willingness to sacrifice, not zeal, but obedience to the commandments of Christ.” A.W. Tozer

Did you do your homework this week? Do you have one person that you will be praying for and committed to sharing the gospel with?

Show of hands… how many have “a One”

how many have been praying everyday for them this week

how many forgot, you had a one in your head on Sunday, but when then as the week started, you forgot and remembered as soon as I started talking

this is why a once a week sermon is not sufficient for your walk with Jesus

Today - Healing the Paralytic

17 On one of those days while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and also from Jerusalem. And the Lord’s power to heal was in him. 18 Just then some men came, carrying on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed. They tried to bring him in and set him down before him. 19 Since they could not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the roof tiles into the middle of the crowd before Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 21 Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to think to themselves: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus replied to them, “Why are you thinking this in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he told the paralyzed man, “I tell you: Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 25 Immediately he got up before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. 26 Then everyone was astounded, and they were giving glory to God. And they were filled with awe and said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

20 Seeing their faith he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 21 Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to think to themselves: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Retell the story…

21 Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to think to themselves: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

22 But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus replied to them, “Why are you thinking this in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he told the paralyzed man, “I tell you: Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.”

Jesus teaching in Capernaum

Capernaum is where Peter was from, where Jesus healed Peter’s mother in law.

My guess is that this is not Peter’s house, or the house of his in laws.

tiles roof, probably somebody with a lot of money. We do not get any sense that Peter comes from money

pharisees and scribes came from everywhere to listen to him

they wanted to check him out, see why so many people were following him and put an end to his ministry

The place was packed… not just chairs filled… you cannot move or put another person in here…

they want to see him… they want to hear him… they want to see a miracle and they are about to get a real show.

Four men bring their friend to Jesus for healing

25 Immediately he got up before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. 26 Then everyone was astounded, and they were giving glory to God. And they were filled with awe and said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

they could not get through the crowd… so they lower their friend down right in front of Jesus

Immediately he acknowledges their faith and forgives their sin

not quite what they were coming for

The religious people cannot believe their ears… Only God can forgive sin

this is blasphemous… who is going to be the first to call it out, all these religious leaders from all over, even Jerusalem. Did I just hear what I thought that I heard?

So Jesus, knowing their thoughts, asks a question…

what is easier, to talk or to do? To say, your sins are forgiven or to say get up take your bed and walk

but so you know the son of man has authority...

get up and walk

son of man - from the book of Daniel, the hearers would have known

it was a name for the messiah in the OT

A very dramatic confrontation and charge of blasphemy all began with the faith of four men that knew that one person needed Jesus.

These Men had a Mission

We can get behind a mission...

companies come up with mission statements

Instagram - To Capture and share the world’s moments

Facebook - A media platform for your grandma to keep up with your grandchildren.

They come up with these to keep on task…

are we moving in the right direction, are the decisions that they are making moving them closer or farther away from that mission

a few years after businesses began to do this, churches started doing it…

Jesus had a mission statement…

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.

There was nothing that was going to stop him from completing his mission

Are you a part of the mission or a cheerleader

Have you ever talked to somebody about their sports team that they love and they always refer to them as we, as if they were playing

When really… they were just a cheerleader yelling from the sidelines

To often we are sitting on the sidelines cheering Jesus on instead of getting into the game

These men had a mission… to get their friend to Jesus

they recognized that Jesus was his only hope… that he could heal him

they were not going to let obstacles like people of a roof get in their way

could have been… sorry dude, the event is sold out, better luck next time.

Are we that committed… Would we have gone to that length to get him there?

I am guessing that some of us would not have been

I mean we forget after a car ride home from church

We must get on mission…

We do not need to come up with fancy slogans or a mission of our own.

We need to get on mission with Christ… He came to seek and save the lost. He commanded us to make disciples

we must be obedient… there is no middle ground

These Men had an Eager Expectation

Sports interesting when it comes to studying human reactions

Jr. High basketball player, losing makes a 3 and celebrates

The NFL playoffs are starting up this weekend…

have you ever seen some of the faces of the losing teams

a few songs, a message, a prayer, visit some folks head out to lunch

they are devastated

why? because they went into the game really expecting to win

These men… they actually believed that Jesus could heal this man.

You do not go through all that they did if you are not sure

I wonder how educated they were… I mean I am sure that they had all of their theology correct

that they had served God for a very long time and were mature in the fait…

NO! There is no indication of that… just that they believed that Jesus would and that he could heal their friend.

I wonder how educated they were… I mean I am sure that they had all of their theology correct

that they had served God for a very long time and were mature in the fait…

all boys get an education in the OT. we talked about that last week

but we have no indication that these men are among the group that would go on in theological training

NO! There is no indication of that… just that they believed that Jesus would and that he could heal their friend.

Too many are concerned with what they know or do not know before they share their faith.

but we know and believe in one simple truth… that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and nobody comes to the father but through him

Two reasons we really do not share our faith

we have a lack of faith in Jesus…

We are not convinced that Jesus will save the one we are praying for

we really do not care if people are saved

we do think they deserve it… neither did you!

we must grasp the reality of Hell… there is not a Christian that can honestly celebrate another person, made in the image of God, spending eternity in Hell.

Our inaction, though not celebratory, is a comfort in their eternal damnation.

These Men Encountered an Obstacle

There was no way in…

You will face obstacles when you share your faith

it could cost you relationships, you might get a reputation for being a religious fanatic…

it may cost you time and resources

but because of the extreme consequences, I am asking you to be willing to go to the extreme to see people saved

Not a simple note… not giving up on the first no.

Something I never really thought of before in this story

Why could they not get in… because religious people were in the way

the text says they could not find a way in…

v18-19 Just then some men came, carrying on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed. They tried to bring him in and set him down before him. 19 Since they could not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the roof tiles into the middle of the crowd before Jesus.

Too often we are the obstacle that is keeping people from Jesus

On one hand, we are saying you should love Jesus like me… on the other we insult and fight because of the way they view the world.

Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.

If we truly trust in the grace of Jesus, there should be no obstacle that is to great that we would not go through

that they had served God for a very long time and were mature in the fait…

all boys get an education in the OT. we talked about that last week

why? the alternative is to great…

but we have no indication that these men are among the group that would go on in theological training

NO! There is no indication of that… just that they believed that Jesus would and that he could heal their friend.

There are billions of people on this planet right now, that will die and go to Hell...

I am not asking you to share your faith with all of them, just one

These Men got More than they Bargained for

In what ways has Jesus transformed your life?

Take time this week and think back about the things that Jesus has done for you.

I encourage you to write them out and allow yourself to just worship and praise him as you go through them

The reason I think this is important is that when we realize what God has done for us, it causes us to understand that nothing is impossible.

I was speaking to somebody about a family member they wanted to come to an event, when they hadn’t even invited them.

They told me that it would take a miracle to get them there… I said, “I just happen to know somebody that is in the miracle business.”

These men were looking for a miracle, and they knew where to find it...

but the got so much more… instead of just a physical healing, they received a spiritual healing as well

Jesus told them that their sins were forgiven

they did not come looking for that… the people that you are praying for, are not necessarily looking for their sins to be forgiven

We do not always pray for their sins to be forgiven

why? because they consider themselves to be good people

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God

I wonder what they thought… the text does not say, only that the religious people were more concerned about this man before them forgiving sin

Lord… that is great and all, but he can’t walk

they were not thinking of his biggest need

the biggest need in our community is not money, it is not food it is not sickness… the biggest problem anywhere you go in the entire world is sin

and we know the cure… how evil would we be if we did not share the cure with those around us

In September 2015, Shkreli received widespread criticism when Turing obtained the manufacturing license for the antiparasitic drug Daraprim and raised its price by a factor of 56 (from US$13.5 to $750 per pill), leading him to be referred to by the media as "the most hated man in America" and "Pharma Bro".

You have the cure to the sin problem that your ONE is facing

This cure is free… the grace of God is free for all who will receive it

The wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. .

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