Jesus' Power To Forgive Sin
The King Revealed • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsJesus shows his power to deal with the sin problem
Notes
Transcript
Biblical Text
Biblical Text
And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Attention Getter
Attention Getter
I want to draw you attention to Jesus’ words in verse 2: “Your sins are forgiven”---The THEME of this particular passage is Jesus’ power over sin.
If want to begin by asking you a simple question, “What is the most distinctive claim that Christianity has to proclaim?” Ive already given you the answer:
THAT SIN CAN BE FORGIVEN---THE REALITY THAT SINS CAN BE FORGIVEN
That is the heart, very lifeblood, core of the Christian message
Although the Christian faith has many virtues truths, applications, the most essential message is that: man, a sinner, can know the fullness of forgiveness for that sin. that is the heart of the Christian message AND exactly the message of our passage.
Introduction
Introduction
NOW Matthew has been focusing on various Miracles of our Lord:
His miracles in Ch.8-9 clearly indicating he is more than a messenger of God... but that he is God in the flesh, but beyond that he is showing us his character as the Messiah of Israel.
He is not just presenting a bunch of random miracles that show he is God, but these are specific miracles designed to attach to a very specific messianic kingdom prophecies so that Israel will know that this is the one to fulfill the role of Messiah and bring in the KOG. (Isaiah= Earth, Daniel= Satan, Ezekiel =Forgiveness all char. of KOG) - - -All miracles would speak directly to a specific promise....
All of which makes their rejection so unbelievable and heinous bc of the accuracy of the fulfillment is so specific.
NOW the words of the sermon on the mount would be remembered and talked about. What the crowds who heard Jesus were astonished at was His tone of authority. They were “amazed at His teaching, because He taught as One who has authority, not as their teachers of Law” (Matt. 7:28–29). Christ claimed the King’s right to govern His people; He spoke with authority. Now all would ask, did He really have the authority He claimed?
All the miracles to follow ch.8-9 , 9 miracles in all, ascending in arrangement from disease and sickness, nature, supernatural forces, now he goes beyond the drama of miracles to show he has the power over the root of all mans misery SIN.
The king can not only heal sick, calm storm, cast out demons, but he can bring the human soul the thing it needs most forgiveness.
Authority over Religion 5-7
Authority over disease 8
Authority over nature 8
Authority over demons 8
NOW Authority over sin
Ascending to Authority over death
With That in mind lets get to text.
Text
Text
Now we learn numerous additional details from Marks account in Ch.2 and Luke quite amazing how all 3 give us same account and gives other details pertinent to their purpose.
Matthew 9:1
SETTING:
-New home in Capernaum He left Nazareth bc they threw him out. He was a prophet without honor in his home town…Familiarity —Prob taken up residence at Peters house
-Crowds formed again...
-1st century home layout 2 story: —upper room - socializing-gathering. And in this particular time people had packed the house, porch, windows listening to Lord.
Faith
Faith
And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”
4 friends hear that Jesus is in town,(Word of JC’ miracles was well known by now) and they take him to see Jesus. Why bc he was paralyzed and unable to move himself probably took 4 men to move him on his bed.
Being Paralyzed then is not like now with all technology and even today its extremely difficult. He would have had to been cared for 24/7 for the basic needs of life.
But I want to add to that something that must have been heavy on this mans heart: That was the sense that he was sick because he was sinful!
That was the common felling of this time that his disease was the result of sin.
“Master who sinned this man or his parents that he is blind?”
This thinking goes all the way back to the book of Job with his friends “You’ve got problems bc you are sinful”
So this man had to suffer physically from this disease but the real suffering came from the stigma that was attached to it. The implication of his disease would have overwhelmed his soul.----He was sinful --- he was a walking illustration to everyone of his personal sin
It would have been very uncommon for a man like this to into crowds but this man wanted to come to Jesus. I BELIEVE THAT THIS MAN WANTED SO BADLY TO COME TO JESUS WAS BECAUSE OF HIS SIN NOT HIS SICKNESS.
That is why Jesus said to him: “Take heart, my son your sins are forgiven” BC the thing that tore him up was not that he was physically ill but that he was sinful.
-This man came to Jesus for a spiritual problem not a physical one.
“His friends bring him and Jesus saw their faith”
Now what makes this great faith? How did Jesus see their faith?
They brought him right? but other than that when we fill in the details from Mark and Luke’s account it would have been easy to see. They couldn’t get in too crowded for 4 men carrying a bed so they decide to go up to the roof and began tile by tile ripping a hole in roof dropped him strait onto JC feet
Can you imagine everyone inside...
As far as we know he never says a word, heart filled with grief, fear, panic, overwhelmed with guilt shame bc of sin…BUT what an exhibition of faith: they could have turned around or waited till JC left… no these guys tear the place apart.
Not ordinary faith here, Persistent faith, from all of them.
Now there were times when JC healed people with no faith or little faith but He was especially disposed to healing people with GREAT FAITH.
While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
This is great faith and JC heals her
When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”
He was esp. disposed to healing people with that kind of faith.
Now he says “Take heart my son” great word a term of infinite tenderness
here is a man wrought with grief over his sin who has been social stigma has bubbled up inside him----he knew JC has the authority of God, he has the faith as a sinner to put himself in the presence of a holy God and take his chances and he is afraid.
Our Lord says; “Don’t be afraid my son, there is nothing to fear”
Now let me tell you there is plenty to fear if you come before a holy God without repentance right? all kinds of fear BUT there was nothing to fear when this man came bc he came the BEATITUDE way, humble and contrite. The Lord doesn’t forgive people who don’t come that way but his heart was right.
Jesus responded to this mans true faith.
Now to our second word
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”
Jesus’ supreme words to this man are: “your sins are forgiven”
And that is the perhaps the greatest divine miracle. In an instant, with a word, “Forgiven”
Remember this man has not even spoken a word yet!------=HOW DID THE LORD KNOW WHAT HE WANTED? BC the lord knows the heart
This whole passage he is reading the hearts of men and he reads the heart of the man who was paralyzed, later he reads the hearts of scribes
He can read the heart of anybody and always knows the request before its asked, THE GIVER OF ALL GOOD GIVES BEFORE WE CAN EVEN ARTICULATE IT.
So he says “your sins are forgiven”-before he could speak
This is the remission of sins that the bible talks about.
This is SALVATION! This is Forgiveness, full and complete Judicial forgiveness.
He says “forgiven” and he sends them away
Psalm 103 “he sends them as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more
He will again have compassion on us;
he will tread our iniquities underfoot.
You will cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
FORGIVEN.
When missionaries first went to Alaska to the Eskimos and wanted to translate the bible into their native language the found they had no word for forgiveness. But they found a very interesting phrase they did use that meant: “Not being able to think about it anymore” And they use that all over the bible for the word forgiveness.
GOD IS NOT ABLE TO THINK ABOUT IT ANYMORE. HE HAS REMOVED IT. HE HAS DISMISSED IT. HE FORGAVE HIS SINS.
THE LORD GAVE TO HIM THE GREATEST GIFT TO DEAL WITH HIS GREATEST NEED.
YOU SEE THE TRUEST NEED, THE DEEPEST NEED AND GREATEST GREIF IN THE HUMAN LIFE IS SIN.
When JC says “your sins are forgiven” he met that mans greatest need most profound need.
That is the message of CHST; It is the forgiveness of sin.
Our message must be about the forgiveness of sin.
People today say oh you shouldn't talk about sin thats negative thinking. ----FRIENDS ITS THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTIANITY.
IF WE DON’T PREACH THAT MESSAGE WE HAVE PROSTITUTED THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.
THE BIBLE SAYS: Man is a sinner, sin is a transgression of the law, sin is defiling, it has blotted out gods image and stained the soul.
sin has planted satan’s image, we have become in sin his children
Sin is rebellion against god, sin is ingratitude towards god, sin is incurable Jeremiah “can a leopard change its spots? and can you do good when you are not accustomed to it?”
Sin affects man “Separates man from God” Sin is deep in the heart of man, even the saved person fights sin. Sin dominates the mind, pollutes the body
sin brings man under the dominion of the devil and under the wrath of god
THIS IS TRUE OF ALL MEN
-and if its true the best news you could ever give someone is that God can forgive sin and does forgive----AND this text is the proof.
I believe that when JC said those words he was reminded of Calvary for he knew the only way he could forgive this mans sins was to bear the mans sins. He would taste the bitterness and agony of the cross every time he forgave sin he knew full well he would bear the full weight of it on the cross.
Faith, forgiveness and 3rd word:
Fury
Fury
And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”
Mark “Who can forgive sins but God, he is blaspheming”
So the first man comes and wanted forgiveness all these men conclude he is a blasphemer. Whats the difference? They didn’t want forgiveness bc they never really knew they had a need.
The wouldn’t acknowledge it
Its been going on like that for a long time: Jesus offers forgiveness and some leave and some stay.
You can preach a sermon on forgiveness and some will stay and open there heart to JC and some will leave and won’t be interested. BC they don’t know the need the don’t recognize the problem—
Instead of saying: “he can forgive sin? the weight of my guilt can vanish from my heart? the pollution of my soul, oh to know that forgiveness....”
No not them, they say “No one can forgive sin but God, this man then is a blasphemer for claiming to be God.
The ultimate blasphemy would be to claim that you are God or to say things only God could say...
they were right about the first half “only God can forgive sin” …but what they got wrong was that JC was God in the flesh
Notice they didn’t even speak he reads their hearts:
-he knew what was in the heart of the sick man and he knows whats in their hearts ANOTHER SIGN HE IS GOD.
BTW this sparks the fire that will go on to cross v11, 14, 34…builds
What a contrast one man has faith and the forgiveness of God, and on the other hand the fury of the religious leaders and JC in the middle----thats always the way it is people.
JC comes with a message of faith and forgiveness and there are those who receive it and love it and rejoice, and there are those who hate it and despise it fury toward it.
Forensic 4th word
Forensic 4th word
Forensic just means argument.
Jesus presents an argument for what he did
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
NOW he doesn’t always defend his actions but he does here bc there is an important truth:
Verse 4
He knew their thoughts and hearts---
John 2 “He knew what was in the heart of man” and anybody who knows the hearts of men must be God.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind),
“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
“I the Lord search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.”
And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and he said to me, “Say, Thus says the Lord: So you think, O house of Israel. For I know the things that come into your mind.
GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING, we think, and JC knew what they were thinking. “Why do you think evil in your hearts?”
What did he mean by that? They wanted him dead—plots against God
Acts 5 Annias and Sapphira tried to deceive God
Acts 8 Simon tried to deceive God
An evil heart plots against God
“Why are you plotting? It doesn’t make sense, why are you thinking evil in your hearts?
HE REALLY BEARS THEM NAKED HERE.
LOOK AT HIS ARGUMENT:
VERSE 5
“Which is easier to say: “your sons are forgiven or rise and walk?” ---Which is easier---well they are stuck ( notice they don’t give any answer) BC there is no answer bc neither is easier both are impossible for men and both are possible for God.
They knew they couldn’t say either one but he could say both---He can do both with the same ease---
God doesn’t sweat doing anything. Only God can heal, only God can forgive---
JC “Look you are stuck if i can do them ,if i can do one I can do the other and if I can heal then i’m no blasphemer---I’m God---trapped
If someone walks up and says “You sins are forgiven” How could that be proven? Can’t right?
its easy to say but if someone rolls up in a wheelchair and i say “Rise up and walk” thats going to be pretty easy to verify that i can’t do that. you see its easier to say “Forgiven” if thats all you are going to do.
Watch VERSE 6:
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
Why do they need to know that? BC earth is where the kingdom is going to come.
“That you may know that the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins, then i’m going to say to the sick paralyzed man rise and go home”
WHY? BC if all I said was ‘your sins are forgiven’ they’d never know that he did it. BUT when he says “Rise pick up your bed and go home” and the guy rises up and walks and he has the power to do that.
When he showed he had the power to heal the only thing they could conclude is that he must also forgiven this mans sins as well bc the two are linked with power.
Its a demonstration just like the pigs last week. How did they know the demons were cast out?
It was a demonstration---this is the same thing: healing the man is the proof he has the power to forgive sins.
Any pretender can make claim “I can forgive sins” In fact many in the first century did just that “your absolved...” JESUS WANTS TO MAKE THEY KNOW HE IS NOT JUST SAYING IT…SO HE PROVES IT.
by doing the visible---he manifest the power to do the invisible.---
Force
Force
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home.
Fear 5th word
Fear 5th word
When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Can you imagine the scene of seeing this man get up and walk home? his friends on the roof they’re watching....Pharisees haven’t said a word. nobody has been talked to Jesus
He’s read all of their hearts---he’s crushed them with his argument and now he says: “go home fella”
I promise you they had some kind of trip home
What Power-JC has the power to forgive your sin. thats far better than healing your disease
LEADS ME TO MOST IMPORTANT APPLICATION:
“They were afraid”---And they glorified God”
They knew God was there, he was in there midst and he had given such power unto him
They knew he was a man, but that he was also God—they didn’t understand fully but they knew God was there. power afraid
Isnt that the reaction we have seen all along? IT is the kind of fear that someone has when they know they are in the presence of someone superior.
DiscIples reaction—storm and walked on water
The City of casting out demons
Zacharias when saw angel
Shepherd's angels
Gaurds at he tomb
Acts when saw signs and wonders
death of annias and saphira
Its AWE Wonder FEAR OF GOD
We should be in awe of JC
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
It is essential that we have awe of him:
Let me tell you why.
In Gospels and Acts we see the power of God and the fear of God and then in the Epistles we apply that response to our behavior.
1 peter 3:2 Our pure life couple with fear
2 cor 7:1 perfecting holiness in the fear of god which brings about true repentance
Phil 2:12 “Work out salvation with fear and trembling
2 cor 5:11 we persuade men bc we know the fear of the lord
So jesus forgives sin: the greatest message we have to give. All I can say is I hope that you have had that forgiveness.
*When the crowds split there were those who were forgiven and those who were furious.
*The other group there the bible doesnt mention but were there were the FICKLE. THEY JUST TOOK IT AND WALKED AWAY
JC OFFERS FORGIVENESS BLOTS OUT THE PAST WASHES AWAY ALL SINS: PLURAL----=PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
THATS THE GREATEST NEWS YOU WILL EVER HAVE.