1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:14,080 Matthew Chapter 9 I'm going to read to you verses one through 8 2 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:20,360 this morning. Before I do the quick context, 3 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,880 remember Jesus was on one side of the Sea of Galilee and he 4 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:26,640 said hey. Let's go across to the other 5 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:28,480 side. The storm comes up. 6 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,640 He calms the storm. They arrive at the other side, 7 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,680 Two demon possessed men chained up. 8 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,960 They broke the chains naked. They lived in the tombs, violent 9 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,320 men, so much so that no one would pass through this area 10 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,720 because no one wanted to come across these two guys. 11 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,840 They come to Jesus and the demons within them begin begging 12 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:50,360 Jesus for mercy. Please, son of God, swear that 13 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,600 you won't torture us before the time They're afraid of Jesus. 14 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:55,840 That's how demons react to Jesus. 15 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,760 Contrary to every stupid movie that has ever portrayed it 16 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,560 otherwise. Demons are afraid of Jesus. 17 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:05,040 Jesus eats demons for breakfast. Jesus goes bump in the night. 18 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,520 Jesus check under their bed to make sure Jesus. 19 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:10,320 Demons check under their bed to make sure Jesus isn't under 20 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:12,960 there. They check in the closet to make 21 00:01:12,960 --> 00:01:14,440 sure he's not in there, going to come get him. 22 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,080 This is the perspective that demons have of Jesus. 23 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:19,160 And then he commands them to come out. 24 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:21,320 He says come out. He drives them out. 25 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:23,800 And then these two men are clothed. 26 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:25,360 They're sitting in their right mind. 27 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,200 They're restored at the glory of God for the will of God. 28 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,520 And then the whole testimony spreads because all the pigs 29 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,000 that had died and now it goes into the city, all the city 30 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:35,640 comes out. And they said to Jesus, they 31 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:39,080 begged him to leave. This is the reaction that people 32 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,960 can have to Jesus. Some people go, I beg you not to 33 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:44,640 leave me and other people go, I beg you to leave. 34 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,680 You're disruptive. Jesus is disruptive. 35 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,720 Jesus will change everything. Well, I'm not up for that 36 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:52,760 disruption. Then by all means, you have 37 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:54,040 that. You can cast your vote. 38 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,720 It'll be the worst vote. It'll be the worst decision that 39 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:58,920 you've ever made. It's the worst decision any 40 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:01,160 human could ever make. But he allows you to make it. 41 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,680 So if you beg Jesus to leave, what did he do? 42 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,960 He left. So he got back in the boat and 43 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:08,759 he crossed back to the other side. 44 00:02:08,759 --> 00:02:12,800 And that brings us here. Chapter 9, verse one, Getting 45 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,560 into a boat. He crossed. 46 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,520 Over. And came to his own city. 47 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:18,520 That's Capernaum. So that was basically 48 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,040 headquarters for the ministry of Jesus. 49 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,240 He does a lot of traveling throughout his three years of 50 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,440 ministry, but Capernaum was home base. 51 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,240 This is where Peter's home was. Seems as though Jesus stayed 52 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,680 there. Getting into a boat, he crossed 53 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:33,040 over and came to his own city, and behold, some people brought 54 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,520 to. Him a paralytic lying on a bed. 55 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:40,440 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Take 56 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,520 heart, my son, your sins are forgiven. 57 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:48,240 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, this man is 58 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,960 blaspheming. But Jesus, knowing their 59 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,280 thoughts, said, why do you think evil in your hearts? 60 00:02:55,920 --> 00:03:00,280 For which is easier to say Your sins are forgiven, or rise and 61 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,920 walk, but that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on 62 00:03:04,920 --> 00:03:08,320 earth to forgive sins. He then said to the paralytic 63 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,400 rise, pick up your bed and go home. 64 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:16,280 And he rose and went home. When the crowd saw it, they were 65 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:20,440 afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to 66 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,840 men. God, thank you for your powerful 67 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,920 word. It's living and it's active. 68 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,760 It's speaking. It tells us what happened then 69 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,600 for purpose, and it also tells us about something now, about 70 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,680 who you are, about what you want to do, and about what you still 71 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,960 will do in the future. Bring light. 72 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:43,920 Bring clarity. As we honor you, as we want to 73 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,760 know you more, and as we want to become more like Jesus. 74 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,920 Bring transformation in the Saints and the renewal of our 75 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,280 minds in Jesus name we thank you. 76 00:03:54,920 --> 00:04:00,680 Amen. So multiple gospel accounts give 77 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,080 us this story and others give us different details. 78 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,080 So if you'll remember, remember the four friends who brought 79 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:07,760 their friend and lowered him through the roof? 80 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,840 That's this occasion, that's this. 81 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:11,520 Matthew just didn't go into that detail. 82 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,640 So you'll see the Holy Spirit saw fit to to have different 83 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:16,920 disciples emphasize different things throughout the Gospels. 84 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:18,880 So Matthew didn't give us all of that detail. 85 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,520 But these four friends climb on top of Peter's house. 86 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:28,200 And these flat roofs, a lot of thatch and mud and different 87 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:30,200 things. They began picking at this as 88 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,840 Jesus is teaching, just destroying Peter's roof. 89 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:36,840 And then these are the guys who lower their friend down in front 90 00:04:36,840 --> 00:04:39,440 of Jesus. Matthew has been laying out his 91 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,800 gospel for the past couple chapters, not so much 92 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,400 chronologically. He's still done some things in 93 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,120 chronological order, but not everything that he's been doing 94 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,400 here is in chronological order, because that's not the greatest 95 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,840 priority that he's making here. What he's been doing for the 96 00:04:52,840 --> 00:04:56,520 past couple chapters, at least for 8:00 and 9:00 or for 7-8 and 97 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,520 nine, is he's been laying out some theological points because 98 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,400 Matthew wrote the Gospel of Matthew, for who he wrote it for 99 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,120 the Jews. So he's laying out a theological 100 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,720 account and he's building Jesus's authority. 101 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:13,200 He's showing them who he is over and over and over again. 102 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:17,160 It's very systematic. He shows Jesus's authority over 103 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,920 sickness multiple times. Large crowds gather in their 104 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,960 healed. And individuals are healed. 105 00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:24,640 Got to stay in front of this. Give me a second. 106 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,480 Better that than a 3 minute coughing fit in front of you, 107 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:34,520 right? Over sickness, multiple times, 108 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,920 large crowds and individuals. Jesus has authority over the 109 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,160 religious leaders. How He says that their 110 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:44,120 righteousness is false and that it is insufficient and he keeps 111 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:45,960 showing the Jews this. What else does Jesus have 112 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,040 authority over? He shows them that Jesus has 113 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,400 authority over governments. He does this by showing the 114 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,160 powerful Roman centurion coming to the all powerful one, Jesus 115 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,960 for help. Again, shocking. 116 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,720 For the Jews to see A Roman coming to A Jew. 117 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:02,840 A Jewish Rabbi, could you please help me? 118 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,120 The powerful Roman who's supposed to be ruling over you. 119 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:07,320 Jesus has all authority over governments. 120 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,040 What else does Jesus have? All of all authority over over 121 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:11,360 nature. Why? 122 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,880 He tells the wind and the waves to shut up and to be quiet. 123 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:19,160 He controls nature itself. The case is building goodness. 124 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,120 That's everything, isn't it? No, we're not done. 125 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,360 Jesus has authority over demons. They beg him for mercy and he 126 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,000 drives them out. So you can see the escalation 127 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:29,880 that took place as Matthew's building his case. 128 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,720 He's going, he heals people and you go, wow, that's amazing. 129 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,440 Like, paralyzed people, lame people, deaf people, mute 130 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,560 people, you name it. People, religious leaders. 131 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:41,840 Wow. He has authority over them. 132 00:06:41,840 --> 00:06:43,480 Wow. The government, he has authority 133 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,120 over that. Nature itself. 134 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,360 Does it get any bigger? Oh yeah, The spiritual dominion. 135 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,160 He has power over the demons. Does it get any bigger than 136 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:52,720 that? And here, this is the this is 137 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:54,920 the tip of the spear, the boys. And I've been watching a lot of 138 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:59,040 WWE lately. So the wrestlers, they all have 139 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,480 like the basic wrestling moves, but then some of them they have 140 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:03,440 like their signature move. You know what I'm talking about? 141 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:07,600 Like this is his special thing. This is the the the Stone Cold. 142 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:09,640 Back in the day, he had the Stone Cold stunner. 143 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,680 So sure, everybody's got the. Clothesline. 144 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:13,520 But this is the thing of all things. 145 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,520 This is the this is the premier thing that Jesus is going to 146 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:20,000 come and do, and this is his authority over sin. 147 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:25,400 Jesus has the power to forgive, to pardon, to dismiss, to 148 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:30,160 cancel, and to absorb sin. This is the greatest miracle 149 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:32,520 that he will perform. He will absorb. 150 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,400 He will swallow. He will take into himself the 151 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:39,080 sin of the whole earth all the way from Adam all the way to the 152 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,040 last person who's going to be born. 153 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,360 Every single one is a Sinner. Jesus will absorb it all into 154 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:49,400 himself and he will destroy it. It will not overtake him, even 155 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,680 though the Scripture says he will become sin who knew no sin. 156 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:54,800 We will become the righteousness of God. 157 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:56,760 But Jesus is not overcome by sin. 158 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:00,120 His righteousness swallows it all up. 159 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,200 So Jesus has all authority over sin. 160 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,280 And that's what Matthew is emphasizing here today. 161 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:09,120 Often times this story is told as look at the paralyzed man 162 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:13,040 being healed and yes again we've looked at healing over and over 163 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,160 and over and we'll continue to say yes, our God is a healer 164 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,200 then, now and later. Our God is a healer. 165 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:21,320 You should expect it. You should stand on it. 166 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,240 You should believe for it. Clearly that's that is made 167 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,000 plain in the scriptures. And yet Matthew's point here was 168 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,800 look at what Jesus is doing, because that's also what Jesus's 169 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,880 point was, just so you can know that the Son of Man also has. 170 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,720 Power to forgive sins. I'll also do this other thing. 171 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:39,679 I would have done it anyway. I've been doing it over and 172 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:42,039 over. But I want you to know. 173 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:44,440 So let's keep going here. Verse 2. 174 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,960 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a 175 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,120 bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, 176 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:52,520 he said to the paralytic, Take heart, my son. 177 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,280 Your sins are forgiven, says Jesus saw their faith. 178 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,160 We've talked many times about how Jesus is impressed with 179 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,400 faith and he's and he's surprised at a lack of faith. 180 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,280 Those two things make him react. It's going, that's faith. 181 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:05,120 I love it. He's going, where is your faith? 182 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,280 Those are the two things. It it seems to be a black and 183 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:12,280 white thing for him, not a not necessarily this Gray area. 184 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:15,080 But it's like if faith is present, it's enough and I can 185 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:16,240 work with it. And if it's not? 186 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:18,920 Why won't you believe me? Where is your faith? 187 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,400 Where is your expectation? These men revealed their faith. 188 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:23,360 They're willing to destroy a man's house. 189 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:25,720 They're willing. I mean, this is a process. 190 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:27,680 Jesus is teaching. The house is filled. 191 00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:31,040 People are in at the door, all over the place, just to hear his 192 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,960 words, to hear what he's going to do, to see what he's going to 193 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,000 say. Pharisees, scribes. 194 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,120 They've got the prize seats, probably. 195 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:40,360 And the the roof begins being torn. 196 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,000 Pebbles are falling in front of Jesus. 197 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:47,040 Dust is filling the air. I mean, this is awkward. 198 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,720 Did he pause? Did he stop and go, OK, we'll 199 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:54,080 give these guys a minute and then slowly they lower their 200 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:58,720 friend down and he's lying there in front of Jesus. 201 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:02,120 Is he embarrassed? Is he excited? 202 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,280 Is he nervous? Hey, I know we just messed. 203 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:05,960 Peter's sitting there like Peter's wife's. 204 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,120 Like, what are these guys doing? That's our roof. 205 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,640 He's like, I know, I know. Weird stuff happens around 206 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:13,120 Jesus, babe. Like, we're going to. 207 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:17,000 I'll fix it like it's going to be OK or maybe the. 208 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,640 I'm sure the guys hung around and fixed it, rightfully so. 209 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:22,160 That's only right. We can tear up somebody's. 210 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:26,160 Roof to do so. But Jesus sees their faith like 211 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,720 this is great expectation. Look at the links that we're 212 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:29,760 willing to go to. Why? 213 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:32,280 Because I know if we get to Jesus, I know how the story ends 214 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:35,000 and I'm willing to get to Jesus. So they come in and they're 215 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,960 like, look at the crowd. We can't get to the door. 216 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:38,160 We're never going to be able to get to him. 217 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:40,800 There's too many people and someone friend. 218 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,280 Are you that friend in the group who's like, we should go on the 219 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,160 roof? Brock Williams. 220 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,240 Like, I'm that guy. He gets that from his dad. 221 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:50,800 Like, well, why don't we just go on the roof? 222 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:52,960 Well, how would that help? Well, we could tear a hole in 223 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,320 the roof. I guess you're right. 224 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:57,360 We could do it. We could do it. 225 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,480 Jesus won't turn us away. Jesus won't turn that away. 226 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:04,280 Jesus won't rebuke us for this. Do you think in your zeal, 227 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,480 Christian, the world will often try and get you to back away 228 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,360 from your zeal for the Lord? Do you think that the Lord will 229 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,040 rebuke you for your zeal? Do you think that the Lord will 230 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,160 rebuke you for going off the deep end? 231 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,760 That's how people will try and get you to pull back away from 232 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:19,720 Jesus. Oh, you're kind of like you're 233 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:21,640 so heavily minded. You're no earthly good. 234 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,560 There's all kinds of nonsensical phrases. 235 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:27,360 They get used to tell you to back away, back away from the 236 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:31,000 Presence, back away from the flame, and instead to press in 237 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:33,880 deeper and say, no, I want, I want more of Jesus, and I don't 238 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:38,480 expect he'll rebuke me for this. So Jesus is blessed and 239 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,400 impressed by their faith. What do you think these four 240 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,440 friends were looking to get for their paralyzed friend when they 241 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:46,800 lowered in front of Jesus? It's not a trick question. 242 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:48,560 What do you think they were expecting? 243 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,360 They wanted him to be healed. They wanted his body to be 244 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,600 physically healed. That was their expectation. 245 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:57,840 Why would they think that? Well, because they know what 246 00:11:57,840 --> 00:11:59,520 Jesus has been doing and they're going. 247 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,320 Finally, he's back in Capernaum. This is our chance. 248 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:04,680 We've heard the testimonies are building. 249 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,440 Our faith has been increased. We trust in Jesus. 250 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,760 Why would they think that? Because that's what he's been 251 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:12,800 doing. That's who he is. 252 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,040 That's what he's about. And faith will always have 253 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,040 action. When you believe something, 254 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:18,680 there will be an action to go along with it. 255 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,760 If you say you believe something and there's no action to go 256 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,280 along with it, I would say, friend, you really don't believe 257 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:26,440 that. You might have some mental 258 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,880 acknowledgement around it, but I would argue that you don't 259 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:32,040 believe something unless it changes the way that you live. 260 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,240 Sometimes in dramatic ways, sometimes in less dramatic ways. 261 00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:38,680 But if you have faith for anything in particular, it will 262 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:42,400 change the way that you live. It will change your expectation. 263 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:45,400 It will. And because your expectation is 264 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:47,800 real, it's not pretend. It's not false. 265 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,520 You'll do something different, something that you wouldn't have 266 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:54,240 done without it. So these friends are bringing 267 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,120 this man to Jesus to be healed. Of his paralysis. 268 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:01,000 We don't know how he got sick. We don't know if this was an 269 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,200 injury that took place. Maybe these are five 270 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,840 construction worker friends and this guy falls off a roof and 271 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,720 broke his neck years ago and this has been his life ever 272 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:10,520 since. We don't know. 273 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,080 We don't know if he was Born This Way. 274 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,360 We don't know the situation and we also don't know if sin had 275 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,360 any part to play in it. Some theologians, some some 276 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,400 Christians have come and approached this text and said 277 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:24,880 this issue was directly connected to some sin through 278 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:27,800 some way that we don't know. It's not our business and that's 279 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,120 why Jesus begins with healing his body first. 280 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:32,520 We really don't know that. It's a speculation that could be 281 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,440 made, but we don't know for sure. 282 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,560 But Jesus takes this opportunity to show us His greatest 283 00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:40,840 authority. Jesus takes this opportunity to 284 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,000 show us the greatest, the greatest priority of His 285 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,400 ministry and of His gospel and that is this, the forgiveness of 286 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,640 sins. Here in verse 2, Jesus says take 287 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,600 heart my son. So he's lowered in front of him. 288 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,000 He's finally here. Jesus might look up and smile at 289 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,920 the guys. Good job, guys. 290 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,000 Looks back down to him. Take heart, my son. 291 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:02,840 He's like, oh, words of encouragement. 292 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,440 And then the very next thing he says to him, Your sins are 293 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:11,160 forgiven. Your sins are forgiven. 294 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:13,760 Jesus is word of the paralytic. Take heart. 295 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,040 This is the word of encouragement that the Lord has 296 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:17,080 for you. Today as well. 297 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:19,200 Take heart. Be of good cheer. 298 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:21,480 Get your hopes up. Be encouraged. 299 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,000 Why? Because God Forgives sinners 300 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,760 like you. God Forgives sinners like me. 301 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,400 God Forgives sinners like all of us. 302 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,360 Joe Michael Aren't we Aren't we Saints now? 303 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,600 Yes, yes, we are actually Saints by by definition and by 304 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,920 identity. If you are in Christ, you are a 305 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,520 St. And yet we were sinners. 306 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:45,240 We were sinners who have been saved by the grace of God, 307 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,320 making us Saints. There's oftentimes 308 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,640 denominational arguments here. Some would skew towards we're 309 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:52,880 just Saints, we're just Saints, don't acknowledge our sin. 310 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:56,920 Others would say I'm just a St. I'm just a Sinner save by grace. 311 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,840 I'm a worm in the dirt and going well, we can tell the whole 312 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:02,520 truth. We can say we are actually 313 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,440 Saints with a new identity fully and completely restored. 314 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:08,600 And yes, I still have the capacity and the ability to sin. 315 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:13,000 And I most definitely was by identity, a Sinner, completely, 316 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:17,800 by nature a child of wrath. That's who I was, a child of, my 317 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:22,000 father, the devil, before. But Jesus is saying be 318 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:23,480 encouraged. Why? 319 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:24,960 Why should this man be encouraged? 320 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:30,240 Because God Forgives sin. Sin is the reason that we're 321 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:32,600 separated from God. That's it. 322 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,160 That's the reason that you were separated from God. 323 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,160 That's the reason if you are currently. 324 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,560 That's the reason. Well, like we said earlier, well 325 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,160 my personality has always been kind of, well, I've never really 326 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,360 taken to all these things that we want to act like are some 327 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:52,560 sort of external input. I prefer all these external 328 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,840 inputs because they become excuses for me. 329 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,200 Well, it's not really this. It's like it was the way I was 330 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,360 raised or the culture I was in or, you know, my parents were 331 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:04,360 like this or or the the trauma that I suffered, all real 332 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:08,640 things, but also become a scapegoat for me to not say it's 333 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,200 because of my sin. All of these things serve to 334 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,880 protect my ego. All of these things serve to 335 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,560 keep me from recognizing the fact that if I was all alone on 336 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:21,040 the planet earth, I would still be a Sinner and sin would still 337 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:24,640 come out of my own heart. I would create new ways of evil. 338 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:26,680 This is what the Bible believes about you. 339 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:28,760 This is what the Bible believes about me. 340 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,440 Because this is reality. Sin comes from the heart of 341 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,320 fallen man. I create things all by myself. 342 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,720 Did I skew towards a certain thing because of environmental 343 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:40,320 factors? Sure, but they. 344 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:42,240 But the impulse came from within me. 345 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:46,240 Well, I was tempted, yeah, but the fulfillment came from within 346 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,760 me. Jesus was tempted in every way, 347 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,880 just like you, John Michael. Jesus was tempted in every way, 348 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,240 just like you Saints. But he didn't fall. 349 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:57,240 Why? Because sin wasn't within him. 350 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,640 It was always an external temptation, and it was never an 351 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:04,200 internal desire. It was just a it was a it was a 352 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,880 temptation, but not to the degree of sin, And that is the 353 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,359 distinction. Our sin is the reason we're 354 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:13,200 separated from God. Our own sin is the reason that 355 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:15,800 we're lost and the reason that we are children of wrath. 356 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:21,119 But God is rich in mercy, and He delivers. 357 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:24,480 He. Saves. 358 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,079 Jesus brings this most powerful proclamation of his entire 359 00:17:28,079 --> 00:17:31,880 ministry to us right here. So it's not all the other 360 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:35,520 reasons that I want to excuse. Well, you only did that. 361 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,960 You only did that wrong thing because of what they did wrong 362 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:41,600 to you first. You know you only treated your 363 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:43,680 wife this way because she was nagging. 364 00:17:44,120 --> 00:17:48,080 You only were disrespectful to your husband because he wasn't 365 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,720 caring. You only blew up on your kids 366 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,640 because they were misbehaving. You only did this thing in the 367 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,160 workplace because that person sinned for it. 368 00:17:56,760 --> 00:17:58,800 You didn't really sin. You were just doing. 369 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:01,240 You were you were bringing justice to the circumstance, 370 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:02,840 actually. Well done. 371 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:05,240 You're just you're just trying to level things out. 372 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:08,320 You see how quickly that that all feels normal, doesn't it? 373 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:10,200 We've all heard that little story running in our head. 374 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:11,760 I'm like, well, I just. I didn't really. 375 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:13,840 I just instead of. No, it was your sin. 376 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,760 It was your retribution. It was your retaliation. 377 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:21,760 It was you being sinned against that caused your own sin to 378 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:23,000 swell up and go. How dare you? 379 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,520 Do you know who I am? Do you know what I'm worthy of? 380 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:28,640 Do you know what you're worthy of? 381 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:33,120 Do you know what you deserve? It brings a humility when when 382 00:18:33,120 --> 00:18:35,840 we take this approach. And This is why the forgiveness 383 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:38,800 of sins is the best news that anyone will ever hear. 384 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:41,960 But it's only the humble heart who recognizes as the best news. 385 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,800 If you're not the humble, if you're not meek and poor and 386 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,880 lowly in heart, then you go, well, yeah, I mean, that's cool, 387 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,280 but healing is cooler. Miracles, I think, are even 388 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:52,960 better. You go, well, that's then. 389 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:54,440 That just means you don't know who you are. 390 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:56,840 And that means you don't know you actually don't recognize 391 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:01,280 your need, and you should pray and ask the Lord to reveal your 392 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,320 need to you. If we were all. 393 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:06,080 Alone in the earth, we would still have sin. 394 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,840 In our hearts. It feels like a comfort to us, 395 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:13,400 but in the end it leads to death because all these excuses serve 396 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:15,080 to protect our ego and our flesh. 397 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,800 But if you're never guilty, then you're never forgiven. 398 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:23,600 If you're never a guilty person, then you can never be a forgiven 399 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,640 person. So it's a good thing to say 400 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,160 guilty. And yet I plead the blood of 401 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:32,680 Jesus. I run under the blood of Jesus 402 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:36,480 for covering and for protection. The gospel crushes the human ego 403 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:39,240 because to be forgiven means that you were guilty. 404 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:41,880 To need a savior means that you are weak. 405 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:45,040 To be made alive in Christ means you were dead. 406 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:47,320 And this is how the gospel works. 407 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:48,800 This is different from everything else. 408 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,120 Every other world religion, every other philosophy, it says 409 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:54,000 you've got to accomplish all these things. 410 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,000 You have a checklist. And in doing your checklist, you 411 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:01,040 will earn your reward. And Christianity says Jesus 412 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:03,080 earned your reward. He gives it to you freely. 413 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,520 And now here, yeah, there are many things to do in light of 414 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,800 this new revelation, in light of this new life, your royalty. 415 00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:12,120 So of course it's appropriate to act differently. 416 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,920 Put on the new man, you've been made new inside. 417 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,160 And now, just so you know, here's what it looks like you'll 418 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,240 you'll sense these desires and these new impulses obey them. 419 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:23,440 Follow them and let's be more clear. 420 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:25,720 The scripture tells us, here's really what they look like. 421 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:27,800 So there can't be mystery and interpretation. 422 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:29,640 Well, to me, the new desires say this. 423 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:31,120 To me. The new desires say that. 424 00:20:31,120 --> 00:20:34,440 Well, thank God we have the New Testament full of hundreds of 425 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,800 commands, by the way, country to popular belief, hundreds of 426 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:41,400 commands in the New Testament, which will fill you up with 427 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:45,520 clarity and the renewal of your mind so that you can be more 428 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,440 like, say, his name. That's our purpose, That's our 429 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:50,960 point. I want to be more like Jesus. 430 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,480 I want to be more like Jesus. That's my purpose. 431 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:56,080 That's my mission. That's my life. 432 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,200 That's the whole thing. That's Christianity. 433 00:20:58,200 --> 00:20:59,800 That's maturity. That's growth. 434 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,240 I want to be more like the one who loved me, who gave himself. 435 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:04,880 Why? Because that's what he wants. 436 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,440 That's how he gets glory. The Father is so pleased with 437 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:08,880 Jesus. He wants everybody to look just 438 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,440 like him. What about my individuality? 439 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,320 What about my personality? God made your personality, and 440 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,800 God loves you as an individual. He's not creating clones, and 441 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:22,280 yet it brings the Lord pleasure and glory through the diverse, 442 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,160 broad and body of Christ. Then everyone would still look 443 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:28,040 like Christ through their nature and their character. 444 00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:30,600 So you'll still be you, and yet you will. 445 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:38,280 Look, more and more like Christ Jesus asks. 446 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,320 Can I protect you from sickness? From disease, from injury? 447 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:43,120 Yes. Can I protect you from 448 00:21:43,120 --> 00:21:44,160 governments? Yes. 449 00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:46,040 Can I protect you from nature? Yes. 450 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:47,880 Can I protect you from demons? Yes. 451 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,200 But even more than all of that, he says I will forgive your 452 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,560 sins. All other ministry of Jesus 453 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:56,800 blesses. And brings the Kingdom to our 454 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,920 temporary situation. But only this purpose, the 455 00:21:59,920 --> 00:22:02,000 forgiveness of sins, affects the deep. 456 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,840 Part of our souls. And our eternity. 457 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:06,200 What kind of people go to heaven? 458 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:09,040 Forgiven people. What kind of people Walk with 459 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:10,640 Jesus? Forgiven people. 460 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:13,240 Those are the people who love most. 461 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:15,840 And when you recognize that you've been forgiven of a lot, 462 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,320 you will love a lot. If you think you've been 463 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:21,360 forgiven of little, then you go, I appreciate it. 464 00:22:21,360 --> 00:22:25,120 I was wasn't that big of a deal. You didn't forgive me a much, 465 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:27,320 like it wasn't that big of a deal. 466 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:28,640 I was actually a pretty good person. 467 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:30,880 So your little bit of forgiveness isn't that special 468 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:33,320 to me. But actually when you recognize 469 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,880 the truth you go who from the depths. 470 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:39,000 You become the woman who breaks open the the years worth of 471 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,000 wages and it and pours it on the feet of Jesus. 472 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:45,720 You take the most honourable thing that you can have and you 473 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:48,480 give it to him. Have you ever imagined what 474 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:49,640 you'll do when you first see him? 475 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:55,520 I've always imagined just collapsing to his feet, my face 476 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:57,560 in between his feet. It's just one of my I've 477 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:01,160 pictured in my mind's eye just to love him, to honour him. 478 00:23:02,120 --> 00:23:05,000 And I suspect that he would lift me up knowing him. 479 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:06,680 I expect that's what he would do. 480 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:08,120 That he would. I love you. 481 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,920 I've restored you. You're you're you're now mine. 482 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:14,520 You're now royalty with me. And yet still just this desire 483 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:16,880 to worship and to make myself low before him. 484 00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:19,320 To to to want to honor him as much as possible and go. 485 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:21,520 Your feet. I want to touch you. 486 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:24,240 I want to be close to you. But your feet, your feet are 487 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:26,160 enough for me. And he said no, bro. 488 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,080 I I intended to bring you face to face. 489 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:31,000 I intended always to bring you eye to eye. 490 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,320 This is the restoration that our king offers to us. 491 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:36,320 This is what the forgiveness of sins does. 492 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:40,080 It's not merely a You will no longer be penalized for the 493 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:43,280 crime that you have committed. It's not all the forgiveness of 494 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,280 sins is. It's also the redemption. 495 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,200 You have been forgiven. So no, you will not be punished 496 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:50,200 and penalized for the crimes that you've committed. 497 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,080 And you just go, Thanks, judge, and you leave the courtroom and 498 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:55,560 you never see the judge again. That's not what happens at all. 499 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,600 He says not only will you not be punished and penalized for the 500 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,360 crimes you've committed, you're going to come into my house. 501 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,920 I'm adopting you as my son. All of my wealth, all of my 502 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:08,200 love, all of my identity and my name will become yours. 503 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,400 But you're the judge, you're righteous. 504 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,240 You keep the law. You obey the law. 505 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,440 And he said, yeah, and now that's your name, that's who you 506 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,480 are, and you're to be with me. So it's it's far greater. 507 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:21,960 It's far beyond. You're not getting in trouble 508 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:24,800 anymore. It's a place of restoration and 509 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,080 complete redemption. That's the story of the Bible 510 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:31,080 Saints from beginning to end. The big theme of the Scripture 511 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:33,400 we know the whole Bible points to Jesus. 512 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,880 We've said that many times. And we see that all throughout 513 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,800 the Old and New Testament. But the whole, the whole arc of 514 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:40,320 Scripture is what? What's the big story of the 515 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:41,760 Bible? It's redemption. 516 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:44,280 It's the redemption of mankind and the glory of God. 517 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:46,520 God is real. God is alive. 518 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:51,160 But this is all His story. Things went South as soon as 519 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:54,120 Adam sinned. As soon as Adam sinned, all 520 00:24:54,120 --> 00:24:56,440 humanity fell. And from that moment forward, 521 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,880 the Lord was restoring things all the way until we get to the 522 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:02,720 marriage supper of the Lamb. And then we all live happily 523 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:06,600 ever after, restored in Christ, God's enemies, receiving what 524 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,600 they chose out of their rejection for Jesus. 525 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,320 People who didn't need to be forgiven, so they said. 526 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,520 People who didn't love. The Son they weren't willing to 527 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:21,040 honor and bow down to the king. If you're not guilty, you can't 528 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:25,480 be forgiven, and Jesus reveals that this is the greatest thing 529 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:27,320 that he could possibly offer to anybody. 530 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:31,120 Verse 3. And behold, some of the scribes 531 00:25:31,120 --> 00:25:33,680 said to themselves, this man is blaspheming. 532 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,280 So remember, scribes are religious leaders. 533 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,720 Remember one of the scribes recently said to Jesus, Lord, 534 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,080 I'll follow you wherever you go. Jesus saw the crowd gathering, 535 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,200 so he said it's time for a test, time to separate them. 536 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:49,400 He says, I'm going across to the other side of the lake and one 537 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,160 of the scribes recognized, He goes, I know what he's doing. 538 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:53,360 He's trying to see who he's. This is a test. 539 00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:55,520 And he goes, Lord, I follow you wherever you go. 540 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:57,960 Maybe this is one of the same scribes. 541 00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:00,040 Maybe maybe one actually followed. 542 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,160 Maybe that guy fell off before then, but he's falling apart 543 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:04,160 here. Unfortunately. 544 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,200 Now he's saying that Jesus is going too far for him. 545 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,920 He's blaspheming. So to blasphemy means to 546 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,880 slander, to lie when speaking about God. 547 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,360 So if somebody were to say I'm God and they're not, well then 548 00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:20,720 that would be blasphemy. It's a lie. 549 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:24,200 It's according to the scriptures that was punishable by death. 550 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:26,360 So they're sitting there thinking among themselves when 551 00:26:26,360 --> 00:26:30,840 this when this man, this just mere man, says I forgive you and 552 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:36,400 your sins are forgiven, Go only God can forgive sins. 553 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,640 Well, that's correct. So far so good, scribe. 554 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,680 So far so good. Pharisee, you're doing a good 555 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,560 job. Other accounts tell us that they 556 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:47,920 thought to themselves, who can forgive sins? 557 00:26:48,120 --> 00:26:50,520 Except God alone, which is a good question. 558 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:54,400 You can't forgive someone of the money that they owe to the bank, 559 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:55,840 right? I can't tell you. 560 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,360 Hey everybody, your mortgage is forgiven like. 561 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:02,120 OK. Like that. 562 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:04,520 That was a nice gesture, Joe. Michael, we really appreciate 563 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:06,320 it. If only the bank happened to 564 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:09,720 agree with you, then, then that would really be a great blessing 565 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:11,640 to us. So that's what the scribes think 566 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:13,720 Jesus is doing here. He's going, your sins are 567 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:16,920 forgiven and they're like, you're not the bank, you're not 568 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:18,200 the bank. And that's what they don't 569 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:19,760 realize. He is the bank. 570 00:27:20,120 --> 00:27:23,080 The debt is owed to him, therefore he can forgive the 571 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:25,320 debt. So if you owe me money, I could 572 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:28,080 say, hey, forget it, it's forgiven. 573 00:27:28,360 --> 00:27:32,440 And then what's your response? Thank you, thank you, thank you. 574 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:36,120 Gratitude and joy. But only the bank can do the 575 00:27:36,120 --> 00:27:38,640 forgiving. And all people owe God. 576 00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:42,640 All people everywhere. Oh God, perfect holiness, That's 577 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:47,120 what we owe him. And God owes all people wrath 578 00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:49,480 and punishment because they didn't pay. 579 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,320 So the scribes understood correctly so far, but what they 580 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:58,040 miss is that Jesus is God. Jesus is the one who is owed the 581 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:00,520 holiness. Jesus is the one who is owed the 582 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,480 perfection. So he does have the power to 583 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,200 forgive sin. This is the this is the wave. 584 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:08,760 Jesus is the tsunami that just keeps on coming. 585 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:10,840 He's the whole ocean that just invades. 586 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,880 He doesn't stop his authority. Man, is there a limit to it? 587 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:16,560 No. And that's what he finalizes at 588 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,640 the end of Matthew. All authority in heaven and on 589 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:23,760 earth has been given to me. All of it. 590 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:27,280 Everything belongs to him. There's nothing that he can't 591 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:29,320 touch. This is why this should build 592 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,160 your faith. This should encourage you. 593 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:35,440 When you've sinned, when the enemy is accusing you, when he's 594 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:38,240 telling you to be ashamed, when he's telling you stay away. 595 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,920 All the lies that come, all the intimidation, all the. 596 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:44,080 Well, now people are going to think. 597 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:47,360 Or now, oh, you're just coming to Jesus because all these 598 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:49,560 things that he tells you, you just go. 599 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:53,480 My God is merciful. My God is eager to forgive sins. 600 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:56,600 However, I can get to him if I have to press through the crowd 601 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,960 and grab his garment, if I have to tear the roof off, Whatever I 602 00:28:59,960 --> 00:29:03,520 have to do, I've got to get to Jesus, because I know Jesus is 603 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:06,160 forgiving. I know Jesus is kind, and I know 604 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:09,560 Jesus forgives sins and he forgives sinners. 605 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:15,360 Verse 4 But knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, why do you 606 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:23,350 think evil in your hearts? Some have said that this is one 607 00:29:23,350 --> 00:29:24,790 of the gifts of the Spirit in operation. 608 00:29:25,030 --> 00:29:27,310 There are others who believe that Jesus constantly had all 609 00:29:27,310 --> 00:29:30,150 thoughts in his head at all times like that he was always 610 00:29:30,150 --> 00:29:32,190 aware of every single thing. I actually don't believe that 611 00:29:32,550 --> 00:29:35,030 Jesus is always God. Jesus always all powerful. 612 00:29:35,190 --> 00:29:39,110 There's no limit to what he could do except that he chose to 613 00:29:39,110 --> 00:29:41,470 operate in a particular way at a particular time. 614 00:29:41,950 --> 00:29:45,270 So it's not that he was limited, apart from the fact that he 615 00:29:45,270 --> 00:29:47,880 chose to set himself into a particular way. 616 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:49,960 So some believe that this was one of the gifts of the Spirit, 617 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:52,080 that he had a word of knowledge that he was saying. 618 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:53,520 Some people are thinking this right now. 619 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:55,600 Others could say something is simple. 620 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:58,840 And I could see both arguments where you could just say it's 621 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:00,040 obvious what they would be thinking. 622 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,160 You know, it seems obvious what Scribes and Pharisees, You know, 623 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:06,560 if you're familiar with a belief system of a group of people, you 624 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:08,640 could say certain things that you could trigger, certain 625 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:09,840 thoughts of them that you could predict. 626 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:12,120 You go, well, I know that they're going to have that 627 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:14,200 expectation. It's not the most important 628 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:15,920 thing here. The most important thing is 629 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,920 Jesus does know their thoughts and he says, why do you think 630 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,080 evil in your hearts? He calls their thoughts evil. 631 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:24,960 Of course they're evil because they're thinking you're a 632 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,960 blasphemer. He's going no, no, no, no, no, 633 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,160 no. Well, well, in our defense, you 634 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,600 don't have a defense because if you're watching the Messiah 635 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:34,760 closely and actually looking at the scriptures. 636 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,920 You'd see who he is and what he's doing, and he has power to 637 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:41,760 do everything that he says. But look what he does here, he 638 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,960 acknowledges, Yes, it's easy to say your sins are forgiven, 639 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,520 right? That's what he means when he 640 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:49,160 says, which is easier to say Your sins are forgiven. 641 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:51,000 And they're like, yeah, anybody can say that. 642 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,200 I can say your mortgage is forgiven. 643 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:56,080 Which? Which is easier, to say that or 644 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:59,280 to say to the paralyzed man, rise up, take up your mat. 645 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:02,840 Well, both technically are easy to say with your mouth, but is 646 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,440 there power to back? Is there power to support? 647 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:08,640 So Jesus then makes his point. He says but I'll prove it with 648 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:13,160 some action some have mistakenly said This isn't really about 649 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:16,160 healing at all because he's just wanting to prioritize the 650 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:18,880 emphasis of forgiveness of sins and the only reason he heals 651 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:21,600 this man is to prove the forgiveness of sins. 652 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:25,680 Which is a super dumb argument if you've read all of Matthew up 653 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,280 until this point. Like Jesus isn't going to heal 654 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,720 anybody except to prove a point. Like Jesus heals people because 655 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:33,360 it's manifestation of the Kingdom of God. 656 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:36,680 So that's why he's going to heal people. 657 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:40,440 And yes, also most definitely he's very wise and perfect in 658 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:41,920 what he does here in the way that he does it. 659 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:44,840 So it does it. He does bring it across as 660 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,800 though he's saying, but so you can know that I have the power 661 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:50,280 to forgive sins. Here's what I'll do. 662 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,440 But he doesn't just say the power that I will have, right. 663 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:57,400 He speaks and he uses that phrase from Daniel Chapter 7 664 00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:00,560 again the Son of Man. Remember this phrase. 665 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:05,240 The son of Man. Jesus is most most preferred 666 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:07,160 language that he would use to describe himself. 667 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:09,720 He would say when the Son of Man He's speaking a third person, 668 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:12,960 but he would reference This is Daniel Chapter 7 that he's 669 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:14,320 referencing who is the Son of Man. 670 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:17,240 I'll remind you So every time you see Son of Man in the 671 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:20,040 scriptures you can remember. This is what Jesus was saying. 672 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:22,400 Daniel chapter 13. I saw. 673 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:27,520 Daniel Chapter 7, verse 13. I saw in the night visions, and 674 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:31,240 behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son 675 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,840 of man, and he came to the ancient of days, That's the 676 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,160 Father. And he was presented before him, 677 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:43,880 and to him Jesus was given dominion and glory and a Kingdom 678 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:48,520 that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. 679 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:53,240 His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass 680 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:57,600 away, and his Kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed. 681 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:01,320 This is what Jesus is saying every time he says Son of Man. 682 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:02,600 So we just go, It's a quick label. 683 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:04,280 It's not. He's going. 684 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:07,480 I have the everlasting Kingdom that will never be destroyed. 685 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:10,600 So that's how he's speaking. That's what he's correcting. 686 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,280 The scribes again. He's saying it's me, I'm the 687 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:15,240 Messiah. Some people claim that John is 688 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:17,880 really the only gospel where Jesus lays out his divinity 689 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:19,400 really plainly. It's just not true. 690 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:22,160 He does it in a way that even the layman who's never read 691 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:24,160 anything could understand because he spells it out for 692 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:26,160 you. But all through the Gospels, 693 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,800 every gospel clarifies Jesus is the Messiah if you just have a 694 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:31,640 little bit more scriptural context around it. 695 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:36,440 Every gospel, the whole Bible points to Jesus as God and the 696 00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:39,560 Gospels. Make it very very plain, Jesus, 697 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:41,480 knowing their thoughts. So why do you think evil in your 698 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:43,360 heart? Which is easier to say your sins 699 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:47,520 are forgiven, or to say rise and walk, but that you may know that 700 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:51,120 the Son of Man. Has authority on earth to 701 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:54,640 forgive sins, he then said to the paralytic rise. 702 00:33:55,200 --> 00:34:01,280 Pick up your bed and go home. All authority is Jesus's, and 703 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:04,400 this is great news because Jesus is so good. 704 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:08,800 He makes the unclean clean. He makes the awful. 705 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:12,719 Good. He makes the dead alive, and he 706 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:18,679 makes the Sinner righteous. Go to verse seven and eight as 707 00:34:18,679 --> 00:34:23,880 we close. And he rose, talking about the 708 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:25,639 paralyzed man, and he rose and went home. 709 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:31,159 When the crowd saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, 710 00:34:31,639 --> 00:34:33,960 who had given such authority to men. 711 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:40,880 Luke tells us that there was a little bit more rejoicing that 712 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:42,560 happened here. Matthew just gave the detail. 713 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:44,760 He rose, took up his bed and went home. 714 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:46,960 It doesn't sound that exciting, you know? 715 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:49,840 But the different gospel accounts again point out 716 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:52,800 different details. But he he rises and praises God, 717 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:54,960 obviously full of joy and gratitude. 718 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:57,320 We don't know how long this man's been paralyzed, but we 719 00:34:57,320 --> 00:34:59,200 can't imagine. Have you ever been around a 720 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:01,800 paralyzed person? When I worked as an EMT, I had 721 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:04,480 different patients and just your entire life. 722 00:35:05,240 --> 00:35:09,000 Your entire life. You're completely dependent when 723 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:12,520 you urinate, when you defecate, to be turned, to be rolled, to 724 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:15,280 be clean, to be bathed, to eat. You can do nothing. 725 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:18,080 You can do nothing. And if people chose to not care 726 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:19,920 about you, then that'd be the end of you. 727 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:23,640 You're at the mercy of everyone, and thank God this man had four 728 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:26,960 friends who loved him. So this man stuck, confined to 729 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:32,000 this man. Your sins are forgiven and your 730 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:35,760 body is healed and restored. The greatest priority was given 731 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:38,480 first, and then he went to a secondary 1. 732 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:45,440 He's healed. He's forgiven. 733 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:49,840 The crowd sees it. They fear God and they glorify. 734 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:54,440 God the crowd is an interesting principle. 735 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:57,360 Remember the crowd versus the disciple? 736 00:35:57,360 --> 00:35:59,280 We've been talking about that over the past few weeks. 737 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:02,200 Every time Jesus sees a large crowd gathering, he says 738 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:04,840 something to divide them. Not because he wants to push 739 00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:06,680 anyone away. He doesn't want to push any of 740 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:09,040 you away. But it is a test. 741 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:11,680 It is a test. He will test your love. 742 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:14,640 He will test your loyalty. He will test your faithfulness. 743 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:17,680 Jesus sees thousands gathering, and the disciples are getting 744 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:18,920 excited. They go, oh, we got some 745 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:21,000 momentum. This ministry's building. 746 00:36:21,240 --> 00:36:24,040 It's taking off. And Jesus says, you have to eat 747 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:28,120 my flesh and drink my blood. And they go, oh, this is a hard 748 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:30,720 saying, I'm out of here. And they all leave. 749 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:35,320 And Jesus goes, it's working. I'm sifting him out. 750 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:39,520 He sees the large crowd gathering, and everybody's all 751 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:41,440 excited. The miracles, the miracles, the 752 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:43,480 miracles, it's awesome. And he says, I'm going to cross 753 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:47,240 over and go to the other side, to the gatherings where these 754 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:48,920 two crazy guys are that you've heard about. 755 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:51,800 And they're like, thank you for the miracles. 756 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:53,600 It's been awesome. God bless you. 757 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:56,280 God bless you. No hard feelings, but I'm not 758 00:36:56,280 --> 00:36:59,440 following you. The disciples get in the boat. 759 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:03,720 The disciples say you're not leaving my sight like Elisha 760 00:37:03,720 --> 00:37:06,160 with Elijah. You will not. 761 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:08,640 You will not leave this earth without me by your side. 762 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:10,840 I'll be with you every moment. That's the. 763 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:12,280 That's the heart of the disciple. 764 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:14,560 I'm not leaving you. Well, it's going to be 765 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:15,680 difficult. Like the scribe. 766 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:16,960 Lord, I'll follow you wherever you go. 767 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:18,440 And Jesus said it's going to be very difficult. 768 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:21,200 You're going to give up all kinds of comforts that you're 769 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:24,240 used to. I will disrupt your entire 770 00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:26,600 world. I'm not so down for that. 771 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:29,120 I understand. If you knew that I was worth it, 772 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:29,720 you would. Be. 773 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:33,480 But you get to cast your vote, Saints. 774 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:35,880 I've cast mine. Cast yours. 775 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:38,680 You can cast it fresh. You can renew it. 776 00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:40,760 You can renew your vow to the Lord. 777 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:44,000 Lord, I love you. I'm thankful for you. 778 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:48,160 I'm eager to follow you. The crowd would come and go. 779 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:51,240 They would gather and they would disperse, and they would gather 780 00:37:51,240 --> 00:37:54,720 and then he would disperse, not because he didn't love them, but 781 00:37:54,720 --> 00:37:56,320 because he told them over and over. 782 00:37:56,440 --> 00:37:59,360 If you won't take up your cross and follow me, you're not worthy 783 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:02,000 to be to my disciple. Well, am I worthy or am I not 784 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:03,520 worthy? You get to pick. 785 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:07,280 You get to pick. Nobody gets to cast you out. 786 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:10,480 And he will not cast you out. You see, I just feel so weak. 787 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:13,200 Hey, the the the candle flame that's barely flickering. 788 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:15,040 Scripture says he won't extinguish it. 789 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:18,600 The Reed that's bruised and and bending in the wind. 790 00:38:18,720 --> 00:38:20,720 He won't knock it down. He won't destroy the thing. 791 00:38:21,040 --> 00:38:24,480 He won't break it all the way. He will strengthen you. 792 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:27,160 But you will get to cast your vote. 793 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:30,720 You get to follow. You get to pick your degree of 794 00:38:30,720 --> 00:38:32,840 faithfulness. It's just that it's going to 795 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:33,960 cost me. Absolutely. 796 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:35,800 And he was honest with you about that from day one. 797 00:38:37,640 --> 00:38:39,960 He told you that. And that's how he divided us. 798 00:38:40,160 --> 00:38:42,720 That's how he sorted us. The crowd. 799 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:44,320 The disciple. The crowd. 800 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:47,840 The disciple, the crowd. Would come and go all the way up 801 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:53,280 until Jesus last week before his crucifixion, Palm Sunday today, 802 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:56,480 the triumphal entry. Lazarus has been raised it's 803 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:59,880 let's gather around him again. I know he shooed us off with 804 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:03,160 some of the things he said and done but but he raised Lazarus 805 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:05,880 from the dead and and he and he did it right outside of 806 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:08,280 Jerusalem. So he's he's already raised 807 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:11,200 people from the dead but he did it right outside of Jerusalem 808 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:13,960 when all these people have gathered for the week of 809 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:17,240 Passover. So Jerusalem is packed. 810 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:21,680 Bethany is packed. Like there's people everywhere. 811 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:25,400 It's family reunion. It's honoring the scriptures. 812 00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:29,320 It's it's wonderful festival and celebration. 813 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:32,360 So there's people everywhere. And somebody's just been raised 814 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:34,120 from the dead. Yeah, it's this rabbi. 815 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:36,960 He's been here like three years doing crazy and amazing things. 816 00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:38,640 He's raised other people from the dead. 817 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:41,040 But now you can go talk to Lazarus. 818 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:44,160 Like, where's the guy? Where did he really raise you 819 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:44,800 from The dead? Yeah. 820 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:46,760 There's his sisters. Did he really raise him from the 821 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:47,120 dead? Yeah. 822 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:49,200 Yeah, we were there too. We saw it. 823 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:52,240 All these people saw it. Poor Lazarus. 824 00:39:52,240 --> 00:39:54,880 The scripture says the Pharisees plotted to kill him. 825 00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:58,520 It's like because because so many of the Jews were going away 826 00:39:58,520 --> 00:40:01,240 and following him, and they were looking at each other going, 827 00:40:01,240 --> 00:40:03,200 this is pointless. It's they said the whole world 828 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:05,360 is going after him now, after Jesus. 829 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:08,040 So they plot to kill Lazarus. That's that's rough, right? 830 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:10,400 I died last week from natural causes. 831 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:12,160 Later this week. I'm like, people are going to 832 00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:15,080 try and murder me. We never have any account that 833 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:17,000 Lazarus gets murdered. So that's good news for him. 834 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:21,680 But everybody's rejoicing. Everybody's excited. 835 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:25,000 The crowd is here. Let's honor the Messiah. 836 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:28,720 Is this the moment that he'll take over and free us from Roman 837 00:40:28,720 --> 00:40:30,920 oppression? Well, he's going to free you 838 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:34,200 from oppression, but it's the oppression that you didn't even 839 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:36,560 recognize the priority. You didn't recognize it was the 840 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:38,800 greatest thing. They still don't know about his 841 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:41,880 greatest work yet. The cross and their redemption. 842 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:43,680 Nobody wants their their saviour. 843 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:46,520 To go to the. Cross Nobody wants the their 844 00:40:46,520 --> 00:40:51,000 hero to die. And yet this hero designed it, 845 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:54,720 and it's all set up so that he has to die because he's going to 846 00:40:54,720 --> 00:40:58,160 come back. He will be coming back in glory, 847 00:40:58,200 --> 00:40:59,960 and he will resurrect his people with him. 848 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:05,800 Your greatest testimony for every Christian. 849 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:10,280 Your greatest testimony is that Jesus forgave you and made you 850 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:13,600 righteous. If you have been healed, if you 851 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:16,320 have been rescued from natural disaster, if you have been 852 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:18,640 delivered from demons, praise. God. 853 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:21,280 Who loves you? And still, your greatest 854 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:25,120 testimony is that Jesus forgave your sins and made you a new 855 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:29,720 creation. Your testimony is dramatic, and 856 00:41:29,720 --> 00:41:31,680 your testimony is incredible. It was. 857 00:41:31,720 --> 00:41:36,440 I was lost and now I'm found. I was dead and now I'm alive. 858 00:41:37,240 --> 00:41:42,600 Jesus forgives sinners like you. Heavenly Father, thank you so 859 00:41:42,600 --> 00:41:48,160 much for your glorious gospel for the mission being 860 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:51,160 accomplished by the King Jesus, who didn't give way to 861 00:41:51,160 --> 00:41:57,480 temptation, to the false glory of man, our fickle, our fickle 862 00:41:57,480 --> 00:42:02,840 faithfulness that would come and go, Jesus the faithful one. 863 00:42:03,720 --> 00:42:14,240 All the way to the. Cross being faithful to 864 00:42:14,240 --> 00:42:15,680 accomplish the will of the Father. 865 00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:19,200 Praying as he did, Father, not my. 866 00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:23,360 Will but your will be done, not giving way to temptation, 867 00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:25,720 because within him there was no sin. 868 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:29,680 He became sin who knew no sin so that we could become the 869 00:42:29,680 --> 00:42:34,000 righteousness of God. Lord, I pray for your people 870 00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:37,200 right now. For any who are heavy hearted, 871 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:43,640 with sin, with shame, things that go back decades, things 872 00:42:43,640 --> 00:42:45,640 that are as fresh as last night or this morning. 873 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:50,360 Saints receive the forgiveness of God. 874 00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:57,280 God loves you. Your sins can be forgiven, you 875 00:42:57,280 --> 00:42:58,080 might say. How? 876 00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:00,040 What's the mechanism by which it happens? 877 00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:02,560 Well, they have to be punished, but they were punished in 878 00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:06,840 Christ. Somebody has to suffer. 879 00:43:06,840 --> 00:43:10,440 You're right about that. And he did, and it was enough. 880 00:43:11,480 --> 00:43:14,440 And he even said so It is finished. 881 00:43:16,240 --> 00:43:17,960 Don't be unbelieving, but believe. 882 00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:23,200 Believe the words of Jesus. For whoever would. 883 00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:26,280 Put faith in him. Has their sins forgiven? 884 00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:30,400 Has their soul cleansed? Has redemption and restoration? 885 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:43,080 Would you repeat after me, Saints Heavenly Father, thank 886 00:43:43,080 --> 00:43:49,440 you for Jesus for your plan of redemption to save me, a Sinner. 887 00:43:51,840 --> 00:43:55,400 The things in my past, the things in my future. 888 00:43:56,680 --> 00:44:02,920 Jesus paid it all. Build my faith in Him and his 889 00:44:02,920 --> 00:44:09,200 completeness and his sacrifice and his purity and in his 890 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:14,160 forgiveness. I've been made alive. 891 00:44:15,720 --> 00:44:20,120 Help me put on the new man. Walk in faithfulness to you. 892 00:44:20,120 --> 00:44:22,760 Make me. Look more like. 893 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:24,480 Jesus make me look more like Jesus. 894 00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:30,480 That's my aim and my purpose. That's my aim and my purpose. 895 00:44:30,480 --> 00:44:36,960 To love you, to glorify you, and to be closer to you every day of 896 00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:42,360 my life. Holy Spirit, thank you for 897 00:44:42,360 --> 00:44:46,600 helping me in the work, revealing Jesus to me, revealing 898 00:44:46,600 --> 00:44:50,120 Jesus to me, and being my constant comfort. 899 00:44:52,080 --> 00:44:58,600 I believe your word, God. I am forgiven and I am free in 900 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:02,560 Jesus name. And now the Lord bless you and 901 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:05,640 keep you. The Lord make his face shine 902 00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:07,480 down upon you and be gracious to you. 903 00:45:07,480 --> 00:45:12,160 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you great 904 00:45:12,160 --> 00:45:14,640 peace. In Jesus name. 905 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:15,880 Amen.