Leg Day

Leg Day Leg Day Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Faith; Healing; Forgiveness / Luke 5:17-26 We sometimes are more worried with what we can see, than what we truly need. For example gym goers spend more time working out muscles that will be seen over those that would be most beneficial over all. Skipping leg day is like coming to Jesus for superficial and missing out on forgiveness. Introduction - Skipping Leg Day 1. A great majority of gym goers miss out on their greatest need for strength building and over all fat loss a. Sure they spend hours in the gym and lift weights for those muscles they see in the mirror i. Also known as beach muscles ii. You know the biceps and the pectoral muscles - the ones that make you look good in a tank top 1. Maybe triceps - though triceps are the muscle to work if you want bigger arms 2. bi = 2 and tri = 3 b. Most tend to skip leg day - but leg day is the greatest power when it comes to strength building and muscle gains - as well as over all metabolic calorie burning and fat loss i. Remember bi and tri - well legs account for the majority of your body weight - well for most people and they have this muscle called a quadricep - yep quad - 4 ii. When you work the legs real good you are working larger muscles and the larger muscles help your strength over all 2. Luke brings us to the healing of a paralytic man by Jesus and here also we see that there is a greater power that we need other than just our physical and seen needs met a. Luke recalls this miraculous healing and I believe we can not only see the greatest power we need in our life but how we can totally miss it b. Let follow along together and see what happens on this leg day › SLIDE Luke 5:17-18 CSB 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. › SLIDE Luke 5:19-20 CSB 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." › SLIDE Luke 5:21-22 CSB 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? › SLIDE Luke 5:23-24 CSB 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." › SLIDE Luke 5:25-26 CSB 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." › SLIDE The Greatest Power › SLIDE Christian Standard Bible Chapter 5 And the Lord's power to heal was in him. › SLIDE Luke 5:23-25 CSB 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. 1. Jesus truly had the power to heal at all times a. This makes it seem like this power was intermittent - but I see Luke here drawing attention to the power of Jesus to heal - all things - not just physical infirmities as we will see b. Power is the Greek word dunamis - we get dynamite from this word - this word is also translated for miracles as well i. I believe what Luke wants us to see is this power was available through Jesus › SLIDE Jesus had the disposition and availability to heal 2. When we consider that these four men brought their paralyzed friend to be healed - Jesus makes a different pronouncement - Your sins are forgiven. › SLIDE Forgiveness of sin is man's greatest need; forgiveness of sin is Jesus greatest power. a. You see sin is the reason this man was paralyzed i. Not literally although tradition states that this man commited some act that caused his paralyzed state - perhaps a sexual sin maybe got a transmitted disease - maybe had to jump out a window to avoid detection for adultery - whatever it may be ii. No this isnt the point - the point is sin is the reason for pain and suffering in the world 1. Sin brought disease and death and calamity and with it we experience heartache, suffering, loss, etc b. Sin is the reason many of us suffer i. Fear, doubt, worry, anxiety ii. You may or may not be sinning - but because of sin we suffer - we come to Jesus to heal us from the symptoms of sin, but have we come to Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins? › SLIDE - Wiersbe What healing is to the body forgiveness is to the soul 3. Its easy to proclaim something that cannot be proven until its too late a. Anyone can say your sins are forgiven you - there is no way to prove it i. But to prove He had the authority and the healing power Jesus then said rise up and walk to the paralyzed man 1. There would be no way anyone would hear that and not look to see if this man got up 2. The proof of the healing power in the physical realm can be seen immediately b. Both healings - spiritual and physical can only be done by God Himself i. If Jesus has the power to do one - He has the power to do the other as well. › SLIDE Jesus is ready the Lord's power to heal in Him - have your come for the greatest healing - the forgiveness of sins? ii. Luke in his account gives us an audience to this miracle and shows us there are some who come close to Jesus and miss out on His greatest power - lets see how we can get close and yet still miss it › SLIDE Knowing Scripture Isnt Enough › SLIDE Christian Standard Bible Chapter 5 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. 1. This account of this miracle places the Pharisees and the teachers of the law in the presence of Jesus a. These are the experts of scripture and teachers of the law i. Teachers - literally doctors (Phd's) - scribes b. The experts and teachers from all over had gathered to listen to Jesus's teaching i. They were there as the spiritual leaders to judge and discern what Jesus was teaching - as they had a responsibility and a right to do c. These guys were the ones who had devoted their lives to the scriptures and living them out i. They protected them with a religious zeal › SLIDE For all the knowledge of scripture is not enough for the forgiveness of sin › SLIDE - listen to what Jesus said here John 5:39 NKJV 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 2. It is interesting to note that 3 centuries earlier as the fall of the Persian empire Alexander the great was approaching Jerusalem a. The religious leaders - the predecessors to the Pharisees went out to meet him b. They showed him the prophecies concerning his conquests in the book of Daniel i. Their knowledge of the scripture allowed them to recognize Alexander the Great but not Jesus their Messiah ii. › SLIDE Knowing Correct Doctrine Isnt Enough › SLIDE Luke 5:21-22 CSB 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? 1. Again the scribes and the Pharisees could lay claim to vast knowledge of scriptures and doctrines a. They copied the OT meticulously and preserved it - knowing its importance b. They committed vast amounts of it to memory 2. As they observed Jesus's interaction with this paralytic they make a correct doctrinal statement a. Only God can forgive sins - this was rightly stated › SLIDE Isaiah 43:25 CSB 25 "I-I sweep away your transgressions for my own sake and remember your sins no more. i. It was their conclusion that was wrong - however 1. They said only God can forgive sins therefore Jesus didnt forgive anything 2. You see they completely disregarded the other possibility - that by mere forgiveness of sin this man Jesus was revealing Himself as God - and if He was God then He had the Great power to forgive men their sins! b. They missed a second doctrine being displayed to them i. Only God can perceive the thoughts and hearts › SLIDE Psalm 7:9 CSB 9 Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous. The one who examines the thoughts and emotions is a righteous God. › SLIDE 1 Chronicles 28:9 CSB 9 "As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever. › SLIDE Psalm 44:21 CSB 21 wouldn't God have found this out, since he knows the secrets of the heart? › SLIDE Ezekiel 11:5 CSB 5 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on me, and he told me, "You are to say, 'This is what the LORD says: That is what you are thinking, house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your mind. ii. They correctly observed that only God can forgive but they missed that Jesus answered them what they had though in their minds and hearts - verse 21 › SLIDE Having correct doctrine is not enough for the forgiveness of sin › SLIDE Seeing Isnt Enough › SLIDE Luke 5:25-26 CSB 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." 1. The other part of the audience to this miraculous healing was the crowds that were there. a. They had come for the teaching of Jesus and got quite a show and display of miraculous wondrous power on top of hearing Jesus teach i. I mean wow what a service when someone comes paralyzed and has to be lowered through the roof and they leave on their own two feet ii. They were left astounded - everyone was astounded - they gave glory to God 1. They recognized this as a miracle of God a work of God 2. They were filled with awe - awesome wonder and terrible fear b. We have seen incredible things today i. incredible - paradoxos - strange and unbelievable 1. No man can do these things but this man did 2. They glorfied God for it - but missed the power of Jesus in it ii. 2. No one who witnessed this miracle left with forgiveness for their own sins a. The paralytic man left that crowded room healed and forgiven. The pharisees and the crowds left lost › SLIDE Seeing miracles isnt enough for forgiveness of sin › SLIDE It is Faith in Jesus › SLIDE Luke 5:18-20 CSB 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." 1. Four men knew their friend's situation was desperate - and only Jesus could heal him a. They tried to come the normal way - through the front door but the crowds were too thick and they werent moving i. Some would stop here - well I tried - but nothing happened for me so I couldnt and I gave up 1. This isnt faith 2. I was gonna give Jesus a try but the church wouldnt let me in b. Faith says I am getting Jesus no matter what i. These four men walk to the outside stairs and they go on the roof 1. The roof was easy to access unlike our houses today - the roof would be a great place to socialize and relax 2. These men got on the roof and the roof was beam of wood laid next to each other and covered with twigs and dirt or mud to fill in the spaces. ii. They start digging through the roof to get their friend to Jesus - the one who can heal him 1. They make a hole big enough and then lower the man to Jesus 2. Jesus sees their seeing their need to get to Jesus and getting to Him anyway and he sees their faith a. This is faith - that if they could just get to Jesus - they must get to Jesus b. Jesus sees their faith and says your sins are forgiven you › SLIDE It is through faith in Jesus that forgiveness of sins is granted › SLIDE John 5:39-40 CSB 39 You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. 40 But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life. Conclusion This account of a miraculous healing is a stark warning of how religious and spiritual we can be - how close we can encounter Christ and still miss out on His greatest power - the forgiveness of our sins The Pharisees and religious people and scribes trusted in their knowledge of scripture and doctrines - how right and good those things are - they are not enough for forgiveness of sin The crowds - saw great and miraculous things - witnessing a miracle or being in close proximity to Jesus is not enough forgiveness of sin No in order to find forgiveness of sin - complete forgiveness - we must come desperately needing to be healed by Jesus and have faith that Jesus is who we need to trust We must see Jesus for who He is The Pharisees saw a blashphemer The crowds saw a worker of miracles the paralytic and his friends saw their only hope - the one who heals body and soul Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:37 AM October 26, 2019.