OUR DOUBT: Why would God forgive someone who has done what I have?
- Mathew 8:2 – “if you are willing”
- Acts 5:31; Acts 13:38; Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:9.
- We doubt that God would be willing to forgive us.
- We struggle to believe that God would be willing to mess with us.
- We figure that God hates us or would roll His eyes at us or would never forgive us.
- When we don’t know much about the Word or about Jesus’ life, it’s easy to presume that He wouldn’t want to bother with us after we’ve made a royal mess of things.
- Also, many have experienced rejection and scorning by Christians and they presume that God must be like that.
MORE THAN FORGIVEN: Jesus offers to make us clean.
- Matthew 8:3.
- Psalm 65:3; Isaiah 1:18; Zechariah 13:1; John 15:3; 1 Corinthians 6:11.
- Now here the healing is physical, but Jesus used physical healings merely as signs of His power and what His mission was. His ultimate goal was not a physical one, but a spiritual one.
- Jesus used physical healing as a sign to people that He was who He claimed to be and could deliver on the spiritual promises.
- What would it be like to be clean of that sin that nags at you? What it would be like to know that sin has been cleansed and forgiven?
- What does clean mean anyway?
- It means more like Jesus, not holier-than-thou.
- Why would I want to be clean?
a. Your sin has messed up your life.
b. Your sin has hurt those around you.
c. You want to experience the goodness of God.
- “I’m tired of living in this trash heap.”
- “I’m tired of these consequences.”
- Do you just want to be excused or do you want to be made clean?
- For many, they really just want their sin excused.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
1. It means that your sins will be forgiven, covered by His blood.
- Matthew 26:28; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:9; Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:7.
- Jesus took our sins upon Himself on the cross.
- Our sin are now covered by His blood.
- Quote Matthew 26:28.
2. It means that you will be given a new spiritual heart.
- Ezekiel 11:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 2:15; Ephesians 4:24.
- God doesn’t just forgive you, He also gives you a new heart and makes you a new creation.
- You are someone who can live out a different life.
"BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'VE DONE": How long has it been since you’ve felt a touch from God.
- Matthew 8:3 – “touched the man”
- Matthew 8:15; Matthew 9:29-30; Matthew 17:7; Mark 7:33-35.
- I had a friend I was witnessing to how said, “But you don’t know what I’ve done.”
- You’re right. I don’t. But God does.
- He has said that the only unforgiveable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
- It’s worth noting where this story shows up in the gospel. It’s immediately after the Sermon on the Mount. Verse 1 notes that large crowds are following Him. Now would be a moment to cultivate power brokers and avoid controversy to help the crowd to grow.
- Instead, the first thing He does is touch a leper. Back then, lepers were carefully avoided and thoroughly shunned.
- The best example I can think of in recent memory would be someone with AIDS in the 80s – back when it was a new disease and there was great uncertainty about how it was transmitted. There was simply fear surrounding it.
- What would it mean to you this morning to see Jesus touch you and say, “I am willing – be clean”?
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
1. Bow.
- Matthew 8:2 – “knelt before Him”
- We have to recognize that Jesus has the power.
- We have to submit ourselves to Him. He is Lord. He is not an Advisor, but Lord of our lives.
2. Ask.
- Matthew 8:2.
- One thing that’s required here is that you have to recognize your need. The man knew he needed healing. Do you know that you need healing or are you still trying to justify and excuse your sin?
- We can’t act like we’re ok when it comes to things that need to be changed in our lives.
- This seems a simple thing, but it’s a barrier for so many people. Christ is willing to forgive, but they won’t ask. We have to ask.
