TAKING YOUR FAITH THROUGH THE ROOF
Luke 5:17-26
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. An atheist had an old tree in his back yard. During a storm, the tree fell on his neighbor’s house. The atheist called his insurance company to see if it was covered.
2. The insurance agent was a Christian and knew that the man was an outspoken atheist. He said, “If the tree fell over because it was dead, we can’t cover this expense; you’ll have to pay for the expense of fixing your neighbor’s house yourself.”
3. He continued, “However, if the tree fell because of an “act of God” your insurance will cover it. So, which one do you consider it to be?”
B. TEXT: Luke 5:17-26
“17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there....And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 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. 20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
C. TITLE
1. This passage was preceded by the words, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (vs. 16). Consequence? Jesus was clothed with saving and healing power. Note: God’s power resides on us in proportion to our seeking God.
2. Title: “Taking Your Faith Through the Roof.”
I. OPPOSITION TO JESUS
A. PRESENCE OF THE PHARISEES & TEACHERS
1. Verse 17 tells us that many Pharisees & teachers had come from all over Galilee, Judea, & Jerusalem. Most of them were there to oppose Jesus, to try to find a flaw in His theology, or catch Him in a trap.
2. Such a large, official contingent would usually put a damper on a meeting. Everyone would be on pins and needles, hoping the spiritual police wouldn’t quash the excitement and freedom, and they couldn’t receive from Jesus.
B. GOD’S PRESENCE COUNTERACTS THEM
1. But God did what He said in Isa. 59:19, “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him” KJV.
2. It’s the nature of God that when opposition arises to Him, He raises up an equal (or greater) & opposite reaction. “And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick” (vs. 17). This verse tells us it’s God’s will for sick people to be healed.
3. JESUS HEALED EVERYTHING AND ALL
a. “…healing every disease and sickness among the people” Mt. 4:23.
b. “…healing every disease and sickness” Matt. 9:35.
c. “He healed all who were sick” Matt. 12:15.
d. “He…healed [all] their sick” Matt. 14:14.
e. “People brought all their sick to him…and all who touched it [cloak] were healed” Matt. 14:34-36.
f. “…power was coming from Him and healing them all Luke 6:17-19.
g. If it wasn’t God’s will to heal ALL, then in those large crowds of thousands, there certainly would have been some it wasn’t God’s will to heal; yet Jesus healed them ALL! And Jesus commissioned others to do the same!
II. DIFFICULTY IN GETTING TO JESUS
A. ATTEMPTS TO ENTER OBSTRUCTED
1. This paralytic had 4 great friends (Mk. 2:3)! They were friends of faith – “If we can just get him to Jesus, he’ll be healed!” Some people can be brought to Jesus by one, but often it takes several to win them. Let’s be part of God’s squad!
2. Even outside the door -- large crowd. "Make way! Make way for the sick! Stand aside! For Mercy’s sake, let this sick man reach the healing prophet!"
3. In Vain were their pleadings. Many other sick were also trying to enter. It was IMPOSSIBLE, by ordinary means, to get to Jesus.
B. WE ALSO FACE OBSTRUCTIONS TO JESUS
1. Trials cloud our faith.
2. Worldly crowd/thinking, hinders us.
3. Time to pray -- seems scarce.
4. The Bible says that Satan works harder today because he knows his time is short. Shouldn't we be working harder too?
C. BUT WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY
1. The question is, Do we have the will?
2. HUMOR. Self-defeating attempts. BJ Novak says, "I spent four years in college. I didn't learn a thing. It was really my own fault. I had a double major: one was psychology and the second was in reverse psychology!"
III. DARING FAITH/ DETERMINATION
A. VAULTING THE OBSTRUCTIONS
1. They said, "If the door is shut, we’ll go through the roof!" We’re not going under, folks, we’re going over!
2. Whatever the cost, expense, efforts, we MUST get our friend to Jesus!
3. They found a staircase going up onto the roof. One borrowed some ropes. The others began removing the tiles of the roof above Jesus.
4. The Bible says, "The violent take it (the kingdom) by force!" The Greek language for Mark 2:4 indicates they
"Dug" through an insulating dirt layer of the roof. Then they removed the thatching on the rafters.
5. They began lowering their friend down in front of Jesus!
B. THE LESSON
1. Undoubtedly there was dust, falling materials, and danger in the operation. They were Tearing up someone's home!
2. Was this unconventional/striking/radical? Yes!
3. But if we want to win souls, to see lives changed, we often must be unconventional. We have to get out of our routines and our dead ends.
4. We're fighting a war. We sometimes must put earthly rules and etiquette aside to win people!
5. If you get in the way, you better watch out, or there will be some shoemarks on you -- because I'm going to get to Jesus!
IV. CHRIST’S RESPONSE TO THEIR FAITH
A. JESUS “SAW THEIR FAITH”
1. Notice the Bible doesn’t say Jesus saw the dust and debris, or the house torn up.
2. What Jesus saw was their FAITH, boldly demonstrated. He saw their spiritual motivation.
3. Jesus could have told them to stop, early on. But He didn't. Instead, He honored their daring faith. He always does!
4. Where is Capernaum now? A heap of rubble. But what about the lives that were changed forever when that house was torn up? They live still!
B. COMPASSION OF CHRIST
1. "Be of good cheer" Mt. 9:2. Other translations say, “Take courage”(AMPC) or “Be encouraged”(CEB,NLT). The NLV says, “Take hope!” This man evidently felt hopeless; his lengthy trial had discouraged him. Have you ever felt that way?
2. Jesus wants us to take our eyes off your problems & put them on Him. He has the answer. Everything’s going to be alright, with Jesus here to help you!
3. In Matthew and Mark’s account, Jesus said, "My son/child," Gr. teknon. How comforting that must’ve been.
C. “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN”
1. Why did Jesus deal with this first?
a. Because the keen eye of the Great Physician penetrated through the superficial symptoms to the more terrible disease beneath.
b. True healing begins within. Without sin being dealt with first, there can be no effectual healing.
c. His paralysis may have come from his sin.
2. REACTION OF THE PHARISEES: Blasphemy!
a. The Pharisees were correct in their assumption, "only God can forgive," but wrongly concluded that Jesus was not God. They challenged Jesus’ deity.
b. Christ doesn't pray for man's forgiveness; He pardons the man Himself, as having the right to do so.
3. PRACTICAL TEST TO PROVE HIS DEITY
a. Proof: "I will heal this man -- something visible -- as
proof of My power to forgive, which is invisible."
b. Jesus isn't practicing medicine; He's a healer. Nothing can stand before Him: sugar diabetes, lupus, cancer, etc. -- all the devils must bow!
V. HOW YOU CAN TAKE YOUR FAITH THROUGH THE ROOF
A. WHAT OUR ROOF MIGHT BE
1. There are barriers to some of our needs or aspirations which seem impossible to overcome.
2. But there is a way, somewhere.
3. A "Roof" is an artificially imposed limit.
4. If you think of your roof's height, in relation to the sky, it's very low to the ground. Height of atmosphere is measured in miles. Height of your roof is measured in feet.
5. The thought of this message is NOT that our faith must achieve the level of the stars, but that our faith should go beyond its present limits.
6. Believe a little more than ever before. Attempt a little more than ever before. Walk with God on the Sea a little.
B. HOW YOU CAN PIERCE THE OBSTRUCTION
1. Believe that if you’re asking something that is the will of God, there’s a way to achieve it.
2. Do NOT consider difficulties or obstructions as indications that God doesn't want you to have it. Rather see the opportunities God is giving you to demonstrate your faith in a more daring fashion. Every miracle has a key. If you can discover the key, your miracle will be released!
3. Be of good cheer! It's your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom! Try every door. Pray for God to intervene. Persevere until you get to Jesus!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: Are You Refusing Your Inheritance?
1. While a student at Yale University, Eugene F. Suter, Jr.'s father died, leaving him an estate equivalent to $3.5 Million today ($350,000 in 1958).
2. When Eugene refused the inheritance, the trustees of the estate insisted he take it, and even took him to court to force him to accept the money.
3. In an unprecedented case held in New York City, Judge William Collins reluctantly ruled that the young man had a legal right to reject the estate. The order legally cut off the 22-year-old student from all future interest in the family fortune, leaving him without an income.
4. There’s a lot of people in this world who’re refusing a far greater inheritance than Suter did. God has made us heirs of God & joint-heirs with Christ to “all things” (Rom. 8:32; 1 Cor. 3:21). We’re rich beyond comprehension. Our inheritance includes every blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3): salvation, favor, healing, protection, guidance, future rewards & resurrection, etc.
5. Like Suter, people cut themselves off from the benefits of their Father's estate. Will your inheritance go unclaimed? [Anonymous]
B. DON’T SETTLE FOR A BAG LUNCH!
1. Imagine a man was taken to an immense buffet restaurant with every kind of steak, seafood, country cooking, Mexican food, Chinese food, etc. His friend paid the $50 fee for eating there.
2. What would you think of the man if he said, “No thanks. I’ll just eat the bologna sandwich and bag of chips I brought with me?” Not only is he ungrateful but despises his host’s generosity! He also displays a base nature.
3. Christ has prepared a vast table of blessings for us, but many don’t rise to claim what’s theirs. Don’t settle for a bag lunch when you can have the whole feast! [Jule-Ann Lattimer, The Quiet Hour, December, 1997-February, 1998, p. 54] Let’s claim all Jesus has for us!
C. THE CALL
1. Do you need healing this morning? God is still a healer!
2. Do you have obstacles holding you back? We’re here to help you tear the roof off and get to Jesus!
3. Matt. 11:30, "Come unto Me all you that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest."
4. Come up to the front and let's pray together!
