April 10, 2011

Because Barack Obama is president, he has authority to pardon convicted criminals. All presidents have this authority and they use it, usually at the end of their terms. In 1795 Washington, gave amnesty to those involved in the Whiskey rebellion. In 1868 Johnson, gave amnesty to all the confederate soldiers. In 1974, Ford pardoned Nixon. In 1977, Ford pardoned Tokyo Rose. President Clinton pardoned many people at the end of his term. One thing about it, presidential pardons are often criticized. But the president can do it. He’s got that authority and power.

 In Mt.9 we read about a time when Jesus pardoned a man of all his sins. Now you and I can’t do that, but can Jesus do it? That’s the question that is discussed in this story. And the conclusion is that because Jesus is God in the flesh, he has authority to forgive sins.

 I. FEEL THE CONCERN TO BRING SOMEONE TO JESUS. Mt.9:2a

 So far in Matthew’s gospel we’ve read about Jesus’ amazing teaching and healing miracles. Matthew 4:24-25 says, “News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.” Clearly word had gotten around. An amazing miracle worker was in the area. There was nothing he couldn’t heal.

 So here are some men bringing their paralyzed friend to Jesus. Mark says there were 4 men. Wouldn’t we do the same thing? I remember years ago when Kathryn Kuhlman would be on TV. Hundreds of people would come looking for a miracle healing. It’s still like this today. A number of her healings were discredited. In recent years we have seen many, so called, faith healers discredited. But if you thought someone might be able to heal your wife or child, wouldn’t you try to get to that person? The miracles of Jesus took place out in the open for all to see. These men cared about their friend and brought him to Jesus. Again, in Mark’s account we learn that the crowd was so large that they couldn’t get the stretcher close to Jesus, so they went up on the roof and removed some of the tiles. Then they lowered the stretcher down in front of Jesus. These men went to great lengths to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus.

 Now you know where I’m going with this. How willing are we to go to great lengths to bring anyone to Jesus? It’s kind of a loaded question because it has a number of hooks in it. The question has implications about how much we care about people. It has implications concerning what we think about Jesus. And it has implications about how seriously we take Jesus’ commands. My hunch is that many, if not most of us, agree that people without Jesus are eternally lost. In John 3:17-18 we read, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and& only Son”/ Your children, parents, loved ones and friends need Jesus. Without Jesus they are eternally condemned. It’s not that we don’t believe the reality of these things. Rather we don’t want to be misunderstood. We don’t want to be a pain in-neck. We don’t want to be pushed away.

Right now I have 2 unbelieving friends that I regularly try to meet with. What I find is that when they can’t meet, I tend to personalize that and my inclination is to retreat and give up. Sometimes weeks, maybe months go by between meetings. When we do meet I sometimes think that maybe they are just patronizing me. I don’t know. But I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter. I must not give up. As long as they’re willing to meet for breakfast or whatever, I must not give up. I’m never unkind. I don’t push. I don’t try to control the conversation. But I do ask questions and I do seek to talk about Jesus Christ and their need for him. Until they tell me they don’t want to meet again, I’ll continue to pursue them for Christ. These are nice guys who need Christ.

 If you are a follower of Christ, I can tell you that our purpose in life is not to live as comfortably as we can. Our purpose in life is not to gain as much money as we can. Our purpose is to live for Christ and be his ambassadors in the world. Some of you have family members who don’t know Jesus. You’ve tried to talk w them. You may have irritated them, and now there’s a silent agreement. You don’t talk about Jesus. Okay. Continue to pray for them and look and listen for any small softening of their heart. Continue to love and encourage them, not just so you can get along, but so that you’re ready when the time comes to point them to Jesys.

II. HEAR THE GREATEST WORDS ONE COULD EVER HEAR FROM JESUS. Mt.9:2b

 So here we are. The paralyzed man is laying on a stretcher in front of Jesus, surrounded by a crowd of people just waiting to see what Jesus is going to do. There was a current of expectancy in the air. The hopeful looks on the faces of the four men and their paralyzed friend waited anxiously for Jesus to work another of his healing miracles.

 And then Jesus said, “Take heart, Son.” O there’s a good sign. Jesus is strengthening our faith. Someone in the back begins to sing the old chorus, “Something good is going to happen to you,…Jesus of Nazareth is passing your way.” Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven.” What? What kind of a miracle is that? “Your sins are forgiven?” Didn’t Jesus realize what these men were hoping for? Is it possible that when we make our requests in prayer that Jesus gets it wrong? No God get’s nothing wrong.

 Rather Jesus gives this man a far greater gift in forgiving his sins. Who knows but that his illness was related to his sinful living. We don’t know that, but it’s possible. Many illnesses are related to sins committed in the body. Either way, having one’s sins forgiven enables one to be in a personal relationship with God. having one’s sins forgiven enables one to enter into the kingdom of God. This man was given a fresh start in life. Better to enter the kingdom of God with paralysis than to be physically whole and not enter the kingdom of God.

 Many prayers are offered to God everyday. Most of these prayers are about getting things from God. The -best thing one could ever get from God is the forgiveness of his sins. It’s our sins that separate us from God. It’s our sins that condemn us to Hell. The -question each of us needs to ask is, “Are my sins forgiven?” Now don’t be so quick to say, “Yes.” You see, many make an assumption that their sins must be forgiven because they are decent people. In fact, many don’t really think they have all that much sin. I don’t know, but how much sin do you think one needs to be separated from God? Actually one sin will do it. James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” Whatever else you may think you need from Jesus, the forgiveness of your sins is the first priority. Have your sins been forgiven?

III. SEE THE VALUE OF VISIBLE DEMONSTRATIONS OF JESUS’ AUTHORITY. Mt.9:3-9

Obviously when Jesus told the man that his sins were forgiven, some of the teachers of the Law were upset. They were upset because Jesus was claiming a prerogative that belongs only to God. You see, every sin that you and I commit is always first and foremost against God. God is the one who gave us his moral laws. When we break a moral law we disobey God.

 In his book, The God Who Is There, Don Carson tells of how a Jewish man named Simon Wiesenthal was imprisoned in Auschwitz. At one point he was brought into a room where a young German soldier was dying. Before he died he wanted to talk to a Jew. The soldier explained that he realized he had engaged in horrible things and he was asking the Jews’ forgiveness. As Wiesenthal listened he reasoned in this way: “Who can forgive but those who have been offended? The most offended parties of the holocaust are dead. How can a survivor like Wiesenthal pronounce forgiveness on behalf of those who died? How can he speak for the dead? Without saying a wrd, Wiesenthal listened and then turned and walked out of the room. He wrote about his experience in a book called, The Sunflower. Well if every sin we commit is ultimately against God, only God can forgive. As far as these teachers of the Law were con-cerned, Jesus was just a man. He wasn’t God.

 Look at Jesus’ response. “Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Get up and walk”? This is interesting. On the one hand it’s far easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” because how would anyone know if they were forgiven or not? It’s much more difficult to say to a paralytic, “Get up and walk” because the proof would stare you right in the face. Either the guy walks or he doesn’t. On the other hand, since only God can forgive sin, it’s far more difficult to say, “Your sins are forgiven.” Possibly God might enable a person to bring physical healing, but only God can forgive sin. Either way, Jesus gave powerful evidence that he has authority to forgive sin, by healing the paralyzed man. If JC was blaspheming by claiming to forgive sin, why would God enable him to heal the man? What other conclusion could one draw except that Jesus is God? He heals and forgives sin. The proof is in the changed life of the man who was healed and forgiven.

 Jesus demonstrated his authority in the healed man’s life. And that continues to be the case today. Jesus demonstrates the reality of his power to forgive sin by changing, transforming the lives of those who call upon his name to be saved. When we call upon the Lord in faith to save us, to forgive our sins, he does forgive our sins and gives us his new eternal life to live. He comes to dwell in us through his Spirit. Our lives are changed and we begin to live according to the ways of God found in the New Testament. My point is that as our lives are transformed by Christ, we provide a visible demonstration of the power and authority of God to save. Are you a Christian? Is your life; are your values different from the lives of your friends and co-workers? How is your life different from those who don’t follow Jesus? What difference has knowing Christ made in your life? Does your life bear witness to the transforming power of Jesus?

 For all believers and especially for those of us who’ve taken the 12/12 challenge, this information is vitally important. Not only are we given an example of persistence and effort in bringing others to Jesus, but we’re encouraged to see the reality of sin forgiven and lives changed by Jesus. We can’t force people to decide to follow Christ, but we can tell them about Jesus and their need for him. And if you are here and you don’t know Jesus in a personal way, today is an opportunity for you. Will you repent of your sin and follow Jesus? Will you embrace Christ as your savior and Lord? Amen