Man's Greatest Need Series

We are going to be looking at a text this morning that deals with THE GREATEST NEED in a person’s life.

B. The Relevance of the Text.

I wonder if I did a study of you all this morning what I would find as the greatest need here. If I were to go from person to person asking what you thought the greatest need in your life is, what would you tell me? Would it be a house? Is that your greatest need? Having some place to live that is clean and warm and makes you feel at home? Would you say that is your greatest need? What about food? We all have to eat don’t we? So maybe that’s it then our greatest need is food and go ahead and throw in water as well. Maybe its our health, good health is most certainly important, most of you know what it is like to be sick or no someone who is sick. Maybe you would say that your greatest need is good health. Well sure all of these needs that we have considered are important, but they are all of a physical nature. Wouldn’t you say that our greatest needs are spiritual?

You know that is the first question I ask someone when I am trying to witness to them. I ask them what they think their greatest spiritual need is, and to be honest I have gotten quite a few different answers. What if I were to ask you that same question this morning, what do you think the greatest spiritual need you have is? What you say? Is it to be a member of a local church? Is it to be baptized? Is it to be happy? Is it to serve God? Is it to Love Jesus? We could go on and on because of all the things that we see as important, not that all of these things aren’t important but what is truly a person’s greatest need?

In this passage in Matthew chapter nine verses 1 thru 8 we are going to see what a person’s greatest spiritual need is and in this passage we are going to see that FORGIVENESS OF SINS FULFILLS A PERSON’S GREATEST NEED. It is my prayer that as we go through this passage this morning that you all will see that your greatest need is not physical but it is spiritual and that it is to have your sins forgiven. So the question is How Can You Have Your Sins Forgiven? Well this text is going to answer this question for us.

C. The Review of the Text.

If you remember with me back to the last two weeks we have been considering the Authority of Christ and our Response to that Authority. Remember we looked at the fact that Christ has Authority over nature because He is the creator of all things and through this knowledge we can overcome doubt in our lives when we follow Him, then go through trials and through this experience His power in our Lives. Then last week we talked about how we can overcome Satan through Christ’s power over Satan. Then remember we saw how the people asked Jesus to leave and then this week we are going to pick up with what happened after that. Now we aren’t sure if this is in chronological order from what happened last week, we know that Matthew didn’t always stick to keeping things in order as much as he put happenings in topical arrangement to show the authority and Kingship of Christ. Regardless of when this happens we are going to see that Jesus goes to His hometown which is no longer Nazareth but Capernaum. Lets read this morning in Matthew Chapter NINE verses 1 thru 8.

D. The Reading of the Text

Matthew 9:1-8 (KJV)

1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.