MISSION POSSIBLE – Bringing Hurting and Lost People to the Lord
Text - Luke 5:17-26 NIV “One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’”
The Pharisees and teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say ‘your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘get up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
Intro – One of the biggest problems with Christians is that we don’t share the good news about Jesus with others. We are too selfish with the gospel. We are too embarrassed or busy to introduce others to Jesus.
ILL - I heard a story about a man who was taking a course in first aid. He attended the classes, read the books and was learning a lot about providing medical aid to those in need. One evening, he told his class he actually had the opportunity to use his first aid training that week. He said, “I heard a terrible crash in my front yard, and when I walked out on my front porch I saw that a car had run into a large tree. I could tell the driver was hurt–it wasn’t pretty. But because of my training, I knew exactly what to do. I sat down on the front steps and put my head between my knees so I wouldn’t faint.”
That reminds me of many Christians. We know the cure but we are only applying it to ourselves. We aren’t using our knowledge to help others. Today we are going to read about four unselfish friends who were willing to bring their friend to Jesus. It’s one of my very favorite episodes in Jesus’ life.
Through this account Jesus teaches us that PEOPLE MATTER MORE TO GOD THAN ANY “LEGITIMATE” REASONS WE COME UP WITH… People matter more to God than our…
I. PLANS
II. MEETINGS or CROWDS
III. BUILDINGS or MATERIAL CONCERNS
IV. SERMONS, THEOLOGY
V. TRADITIONS
VI. PERSONAL COMFORT or FEELINGS
I. People matter more to God than OUR OWN PERSONAL PLANS
(Four guys set aside their plans. Jesus had to interrupt his plans for an unexpected ministry opportunity. When an opportunity to witness and help the needy arises, we should set aside or amend our plans for such an important opportunity. )
II. People matter more to God than MEETINGS and CROWDS
(They interrupted the meeting. People matter more to God than our institutionalized religion, our having a nice comfortable crowd of people. Another time, Jesus got up and left the crowd in the idle of a healing revival… He said, “The poor (needy) will always be with us. The Son of God has come to seek and save the lost”. So many ministries today focus on drawing a crowd, even if that crowd is just a bunch of Christians. If drawing a crowd is more important than reaching the lost, then we are in the wrong business.)
III. People matter more to God than BUILDINGS or MATERIAL CONCERNS
(They tore up the roof. The church should not be an institution but a base of operation to reach the lost. The early church didn’t have their own buildings, they met in homes, borrowed public places, used anyplace where they could reach the lost. The church today is moving out of the inner city and areas where the lost and most needy are in desperate need of the gospel. Mega churches move out into the wealthy suburbs, build massive buildings, and just stand by and watch those older, needy neighborhoods go unreached, and the churches left there, often struggle to make it financially. If we ever think the most important thing we can do is to build buildings, we have missed God.)
IV. People matter more to God than SERMONS, TRAINING, DISCIPLESHIP, DOCTRINES or THEOLOGY
(Jesus had just drew the most “religious” prestigious crowd of spiritual leadership he had ever assembled. They were ready for his teaching. Yet, Jesus allowed these four guys with their sick and helpless friend to interrupt his sermon. His disciples had their spiritual leadership seminar interrupted. All the spiritual growth of God’s people seemed to be halted for the need of one in need. Something more important was happening. Not only were the lost being found, but the spiritually arrogant were being schooled.
Q: Why does Jesus wants us to have all of this teaching and spiritual knowledge? To reach the lost and help the hurting. Don’t put the cart before the horse. The best evidence for truth is a changed life. The church needs to get out of our comfortable "hot house" mentality and put some works in our faith out into the cold cruel world where it is needed.
Read - “I’D RATHER SEE A SERMON” by Edgar Guest
I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day:
I'd rather one would walk with me than merely tell the way.
The eye's a better pupil, and more willing than the ear,
Fine council is confusing, but example's always clear.
The best of all the preachers are men who live their creed,
For to see good put into action, is what everyone needs.
I can soon learn how to do it, if you let me see it done,
I can catch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast my run.
And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true,
But I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do.
For I may misunderstand you in the high advice you give,
But there is no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
When I see an act of kindness, I am eager to be kind;
When a weaker brother stumbles, and a stronger stays behind.
Just to see if I can help him, then the wish grows strong in me,
To be as big and thoughtful as I know that friend to be.
And all travelers can witness that the best of guides today,
Is not the one that tells them, but the one that shows the way.
V. People matter more to God than our TRADITIONS
(He was teaching Pharisees and teachers of the law. The Pharisees got all hung up on their traditions when Jesus forgave this guy and healed him. Every church has certain traditions, denominationally or locally. Sometimes an order of service has a way of taking precedence over ministry to the needs of others and inviting the lost to Christ. The modern church is far too concerned with the feelings of the seeker and less concerned with their needs. It seems that in most churches today that our “sensitivity to the seeker” is not for the lost but for the found, the Christian crowd instead.)
VI. People matter more to God than our PERSONAL COMFORT AND FEELINGS
(The 4 guys decided to bring their lost friend to Jesus because he couldn’t get their on his own. There are people in your life that cannot get to Jesus unless you bring them. Sometimes they are bound by the enemy. They are lost in their hopelessness. They are knocked down by their past failures. They are limited by their physical ability and health. We can bring them to God in prayer, or in counseling, through our unconditional love, invite them to church, to coffee or a bible study, etc.)
Jesus confronted the sick man, told him to “Get up!” It is not easy to confront people about their sin and to help people that are in need. He also confronted the Pharisees and Scribes. He scraped his opportunity to impress the religious establishment and impressed His heavenly Father instead. It is not easy to stick to the truth. Jesus allowed these guys to get everybody all dusty and dirty, and to be uncomfortable. The four friends were willing to risk the ridicule of the crowd, and give up their personal comfort in order to get their friend to Jesus. Everybody but these 4 friends of the dying man and Jesus were willing to just sit idly by and let this guy die, physically and eternally.
CLOSE ______________________
Invitation/challenge
Sinner – Do you need to get to Jesus? He is the only one with an answer for your life. He will forgive your sins.
Saint - Will you just sit by in your comfortable church and let people perish? Does the Living Water just flow into you or does it flow through you as a channel of Christ's healing and forgiveness?
Pray
