Faith to be Healed
Notes
Transcript
Faith to be Healed
Faith to be Healed
What a fantastic week my friends, Wow...
God was so good to us during the course of our time with ISF and HOPE.
Report on what happened during the Youth Sports Camp....
We had people from San Diego,CA. Ft. Worth, Dallas, & Aledo Texas, and then some from areas just outside Atlanta, GA.
They did fencing, pickle ball, basketball, football, a variety of games, and archery. It was so cool my friends , so cool.
I want to say thank you to all of you that helped. Your help walking alongside of those folks, leading those kids made a huge difference and impact in this world for the glory of God.
Thank you.
We had 60 kids, kids the first day...... It was busy, warm outside and a blessing to see those kids at work.
Now we begin praying and working toward next year’s camp!
Now we have been walking through the gospel of Matthew in our time on Sunday mornings, I hope you have enjoyed that … so...
This morning we come back to the Gospel of Matthew as we continue our study of the text, looking at Jesus as he worked and ministered to the people He came into contact with....
So this morning I want us to turn to Matthew chapter 9, and lets look at the first 8 verses.
1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 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.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 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.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
So what is happening here.
Jesus has been in the land of Gadara, and there He freed two men who were enslaved by demonic possession. They had lived among the tombs, they lived there , cutting themselves, screaming and sadly they could not live among society.
And Jesus cast out those demons, and they went into swine, and while these men were made whole, the people of the region begged him to leave because they were more saddened over the loss of the hogs instead of rejoicing over the restoration of the men.
And Jesus gets back into the boat and returns to His own city…
And we know this is Capernaum. And it is here that we see another miracle is about to take place. One that will bless a person and declare so much about this man called Jesus to those around Him.
Now this miracle is also recorded in Mark chapter 2 and Luke chapter 5
So this morning I want to share three thoughts with you, Three that I hope will bless and encourage your life.
The Faith of a Few....
I want you to think about this, as many times as Jesus passes through the city of Capernaum, I cannot imagine the excitement that as people heard Jesus is here. He is in this place or that place and without a doubt, people are getting as close to Jesus as they can to see Him, walk with Him and of course heal others....
And Jesus is staying in a house here in the city and most likely it is Peter’s house,. Why?
We know in chapter 8 Jesus is there and He heals Peter’s mother in law, she grew ill and was near death. After Jesus healed her, she rose and served them, preparing a meal most likely.
So they have arrived back at Peter’s home and the Scriptures tell us that some people came to Jesus carrying their friend on a mat, because he was paralyzed.
Look back at our text.... verse 2
2 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.”
So Jesus is teaching in the house and the place is standing room only, so much so that Mark tells us that they could not get their friend inside the house.
He is a man that has such a great need and he can’t even make it in the door, everyone wants to see and hear Jesus.
Now I am not sure why Matthew doesn’t share a little more detail on this matter, but God has allowed Mark and Luke to do so..
These men, they had great faith.
How do I know this.... Well Mark 2 :4 and Luke 5:19 tells us the reason.
These two passages shares with us that when these men found no way to gain entrance into the house to get their friend to Jesus, they went to the roof and made a way, cleared the tiles and started to lower their friend down to Jesus.
Can you just imagine this.... They believe if they can just get him to Jesus by any means possible, he can be healed.
And the man believes this as well, Why? He allowed them to bring him to Jesus.
My friends, they were desperate for Jesus, they had to see him!
Application...
I want to ask you a question… Are you desperate for Jesus? Do you long for him in such a way you can't wait to spend time with Him in prayer each day?
You see our faith should be s strong that we know and believe that Jesus is waiting for us to clear the businesses of our live out of the way so we can meet Him in prayer and hear what He has to say to us.
These mean had great faith....
And this brings me to my second thought today....
2. The Forgiveness Extended...
I would think if you are sitting in your home, you would know if someone, let alone several people were on your roof.
There are enough people on the roof to get their paralyzed up on the roof as well, then they start taking the roof apart, a place big enough to lower their friend into the house to see him made well.
And Jesus knows what is happening, remember He is fully man and fully God.
So the roof comes apart the these friends spring into action...
Now, we find that this paralyzed man is lowered down into the house, in front of Jesus.
Now lets go back to our text and see what Jesus does in response to their actions...
2 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
4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
So the men lower their paralyzed friend into the house and in response to their faith, Jesus tells the man who is paralyzed, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now there was a common thought in that day that a persons sins, wrong doings or perhaps even the sins of the parents may have caused the man’s suffering. In this case, the young an being paralyzed.
Now Jesus, speaks to this person and refers to him as a Son, so it may refer to him being literally a son of one of the people who have lowered him down through the roof, and it may have been that this man was a younger person than Jesus.
Now the man came to Jesus seeking that his body be healed but Jesus declares that his sins are forgiven, ....
He came seeking physical healing and Jesus declares Spiritual healing
So what does all this mean??? Lets break it down
A. First Jesus says “Take Heart” it might have been that his condition might have been the result of some sinful or shameful action that caused or had a hand in his present condition.
The phrase ‘take heart’ is a word of encouragement, you do not have to endure this shame, this sorrow. Your sins are taken away.
Be blessed… my friends the day Jesus answered you, … you were blessed!
B. Sin is dangerous.... Why is sin dangerous, sin is dangerous because it is the one thing that separates us in front of God. It should also remind us my friends that sin is more dangerous, more painful and more problematic than anything that we could ever face. Sin is the one thing that hurts us, limit’s us and keeps us bound in our relationship in front of God.
So Jesus sees this man and declares his sins are forgiven.
My friends I am thankful that our God is one who offers forgiveness, and the forgiveness is gives is sure, permanent and never remembered again.
The Bible tells us this … are sins are cast as far as the east is from the west…
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
These sins are not to be remembered again, they are even said to be placed as far away as the depths of the sea
19 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.
How wonderful it is my friends that we have a God who loves us and seeks to ensure we can walk with him in a beneficial way that blesses and helps us grow and know that He is the Lord our God.
How wonderful is our God who cares for us.
application
Aren’t you thankful that your sins are forgiven?
Salvation is a wonderful blessing my friend, and I would encourage you ask Him to search your heart and know you, to the point that you know yourself as well and can be sure to cast off any sin, any hindrance that would keep you from living separated from Him.
We cannot continue to participate in sin and say it is - OK. Habitual sin, doing what is wrong and continuing in it is something that causes us to be held accountable in front of our God.
It is not enough to say I am saved and God understands… No a life that loves Him should have a desire to live for him and make Him first all the time.
Amen..
Ask him to examine your heart.... If there is sin, ask Him to clean the house of your heart!
Amen....
Now just one last thought...
3. The Healing Received...
Now this young man, He has been so blessed… How?
Remember, he was loved by others that they were willing to bring their friend and perhaps family member to Jesus. Remember people are heavy… dead weight is a hard thing to manage so it takes several people to do this..
But when you care about someone you will do whatever it takes to help.
So man has made it to Jesus and Jesus has declared that His sins are forgiven...
And then something happens..
My friends something always happens in this thing called life, that is why it is good to know Jesus! Amen!
So Jesus makes the statement, Son your sins are forgiven and I just bet your could have heard a pin drop..
Those religious leaders they are shocked.... Did He just say what we thought he said…???
Let go back to our text again.... verses 3 -5
3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
So under their breath and to each other the some of those religious leaders, they are referred to as the Scribes, these are the lawyers, those who interpret the law and make sure others know the correct meaning…
And they are shocked at what Jesus says.. in fact that said that Jesus was blaspheming..
What does that mean? The Greek word Blasphemeo means to slander, to treat God with disrespect by ones claims, a lack of reference… It would have been a religious crime…
Most likely if Jesus wasn’t with so many people who trusted or believed in Him, they may have tried to stone Him or arrest him for blasphemy against God.
But I love what the Scriptures tell us, …But, Jesus knowing their thoughts...
Friends..... Do not ever doubt that God knows your heart and your thoughts, especially at this moment. Jesus knew then and He knows what we think now.
And so Jesus addresses their thoughts… that should have clued them in on just who Jesus was.... “ Why do you think evil in your hearts? v 4”
When Jesus says “why do you think evil in your hearts.... he is really saying why are you objecting to this when your own hearts are evil.
Layman’s terms, You wouldn’t know forgiveness or the work of God in your life if it walked up and slapped you on the face....
These religious leaders, their own evil intentions, their own evil ways are just simply rebellion against God.
So Jesus gives them a question to consider…It is an agreement from lesser to greater
Which is easier to say… Your sins are forgiven or to say rise and walk?
To us… we know. for us as natural people neither… We cannot forgive sin… we can claim to forgive sin and for many that would appear as ok… but we know it is false, it’s a sham…
What about healing....?? Well, we for certain we cannot do that.... we cannot heal the smallest of wounds… let alone cause a paralyzed man to walk...
Neither is possible for us.....
But listen to Jesus in his rebuttal to those who claimed He spoke out of turn...
Verses 6-7
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.” 7 And he rose and went home.
Well there you go....
So that you know for certain that my Father has given me the authority to forgive sin, I say rise and walk young man.
My friends.... the Bible tells us that He does....
Wow,
Now I want you to think of the enormous place of this miracle. Here is a man who has never walked, paralyzed, legs with no strength, no ability and no knowledge of perhaps knowing how to… He is immediately strengthened, healed and the one who was carried and lowered into the meeting is now walking out via the front door carrying is own mat.
Man I love seeing Jesus work....
Don’t you?
That man, he was blessed… First off he has friends that were driven by faith. and Secondly Jesus forgave his sin and healed his body.
I tell you that this man left Peter’s house a new man, Spiritually and physically ...
This man, He was a new creation in Christ.
He has a need and Jesus took care of that need....
But what about you today my friends?
What is your condition today… Did you come into this house today and at some point in this message you have realized you have a need that only Jesus can met...
Would you have faith at come into his presence and ask Jesus to heal you...
Physically and Spiritually.... what ever need you have, Jesus can do it, He can heal your life. Body, mind and soul Jesus is the answer you need to make your life whole.
Would you come to him today?
Lets pray today.