(1) Some parts of the scriptures are difficult for a new convert to understand, so I recommend they start off their Christian life reading the gospels that a child can understand.
(2) Also, I recommend to new converts to read the gospels because it has many things to teach old converts and new converts, but especially to new converts about the Christian life.
I like the book of Luke because it has so many stories of the Life of Christ that is thrilling to read that we can relate too.
Such as, in Luke 5 the Lord is confronted with a paralyze man and he healed him.
Once the Lord healed him, he told him in Luke 5:23 “…Rise up and walk!”
Some Christians after the Lord has done a miraculous thing in their life they just SIT IN A PEW AND DO NOTHING!
• The lost world is going to hell in groves, and they spend no time praying for lost members of their family and friends.
• The lost world is going to hell in groves, and they never talk to them about salvation.
After we are saved the Lord is calling us to a life of action and saying, GET UP, LIFT YOURSELF UP FROM THAT PEW AND DO SOMETHING FOR THE LORD!
Basically, what we see in this God is saying, I’ve done something IN YOUR LIFE NOW YOU DO SOMETHING FOR ME!!!
Illus: My wife has on her telephone THINGS that are important to her. She has an alarm that goes off during the day to get her attention about these important things.
• Sometime the alarm goes off and it reminds her it is time to take time to get a glass of water to drink during the day.
• Sometime the alarm goes off and it reminds her it is time to take her pills during the day.
• Sometime the alarm goes off and it reminds her it is time to feed the cat.
We all need an alarm in our life each day to remind us that THE LORD SAVED US AND IT IS TIME TO GET UP AND DO SOMETHIG FOR HIM!
Illus: I personally do not have an alarm to remind me to do such things as my wife.
But I use to make it a habit when I am driving if I came to a bump in the road, I would whisper a prayer for family, friends, and church members. But in South Carolina we have so many bumps in our roads I could not whisper a prayer before I had to start another prayer.
So, I change things that every time I see a stop sign it reminds me to whisper a prayer for family, friends and church members.
We need an alarm to go off throughout the day reminding us to GET UP, AND LIFT OURSELVES OUT OF THESE PEWS AND REACH OUT TO OUR LOST FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBER BEFORE THEY DIE AND GO TO A DEVIL’S HELL.
Illus: We don’t need to be like the rich man in hell who waited too late to be concern about his five lost brethren. Pray for them and witness to them NOW!!!
Once God did a miraculous healing in the life of this paralyze man’s life the Lord told him basically, GET UP AND DO SOMETHING!!!
GOD MIRACULOUSLY HEALED HIM!!!
Someone might be saying, Preacher, do you believe in divine healing.
Of course I do:
• If I did not, I would not waste my time going to the hospitals and nursing home praying for people.
• If we did not as a church, we would not have a prayer list that we take time to pray for the sick each week.
You cannot be a Bible-believer and not believe in divine healing.
• David said in Psalm 103: 3 that the Lord “forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases”. Notice, David mentions not only sins and healing.
• James 5:15 promised in the case of sick people “The prayer of faith will heal the sick”
The objection today to divine healing by some is that some do not want to dis-associate themselves from this teaching because these tv. preachers have hijacked divine healing to make millions of dollars for themselves that they do not want to be associated with the teaching of divine healing.
• Listen, I am not going to stop eating because some people abuse food by gouging themselves with food. I CERTAINLY do not want to be associated with people like that who abuse food, but I am still going eat!!!
• I am not going to stop driving a car because ungodly people have done some horrible things in them, I AM GOING TO CONTINUE DRIVING!!!
• AND I AM NOT GOING TO QUIT BELIEVING AND PREACHING ON DIVINE HEALING BECAUSE SOME HAVE ABUSED IT TO MAKE MILLIONS FOR THEMSELVES.
I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THESE DIVINE HEALERS, BUT I BELIEVE IN DIVINE HEALING.
But I need to mention that God heals in three ways…
(1) Miraculously
I personally seen God miraculously heal people and so have many of you.
(2) Medically.
God gives mankind the knowledge and skill to operate and take a tumor out of a person but only God can heal that incision.
(3) Eternity
God may choose to heal a child of God by taking them to heaven and healing them there and they will suffer no more.
Perhaps the reason Luke has so much to say about divine healing has to due to the fact in life he was a physician.
The book of Luke has many wonderful true stories.
First, let us look at the…
I. PARALYZE MAN
Matthew and Mark also record this story about this paralyze man.
Each writer inserts different things so that we can get more of the information that took place.
For example:
Mark tells us something that Luke does not tell us.
• Mark tells us this happened in Capernaum which was the headquarters of Jesus earthly ministry.
• Luke tells us this story took place in someone’s house and the Lord is having a Bible study.
• He also tells us that the house was literally packed with people.
• Also, the yard was filled with people wanting to get in to see and hear him but it was too crowded.
In that packed out house and yard also the Scribes and Pharisees were there.
They did not believe he was the messiah, but they followed him around like a bunch of hungry mosquitos looking for HUMAN blood.
Everywhere the Lord went he had his supporters and detractors.
Matthew and Mark tell us it was so crowded the people outside could not get in to see and hear him.
It is always thrilling to see the house of God filled with people wanting to hear HIM.
Among those who are trying to get inside to see Jesus was this paralyze man
For him to get in he had to be lowered through the roof by four men who brought him to the Lord.
Did you know even today there are those who would like to hear God’s Word and they are totally dependent on others to bring them to the house of God.
This paralyze man had four men that loved him enough to climb up on top of that house and tear a hole in the roof of that house and lowered him to where the Lord was, and the Lord healed him.
Isn’t it good to have friends that love us and care about us!!!
Illus: One reason I like the bus ministry is because there are children whose parents will not bring their children to Sunday school.
They are totally dependent on others to make it possible for them to hear the Word of God.
Did you know as some of you drove to church today you drove by homes where children cannot come to church because their parents will not bring them.
Illus: We have one lady in this church that brings her neighbors child to church every Sunday. Her mother want bring her but she brings her every Sunday.
I say again, isn’t it nice to have someone who cares about where we are going spend eternity in heaven or hell!!!
These children who have parents who will not bring them to church are totally dependent on others!!!
LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS PARELYZE MAN’S ILLNESS!!!
There has become some SPECULATION due to his paralysis!!!
WHY?
The reason Bible scholars speculate about his condition was BECAUSE SOMETHING VERY SIGNIFICANT HAPPENED BEFORE HE WAS HEALED.
WHAT?
THE LORD FORGAVE Him of HIS SINS BEFORE THE LORD HEALED HIM.
Most Bible scholars believe there is some connection between HIS HEALING AND HIS SINS.
Now let me clarify that because this is a loaded statement when we talk about sin and sickness tied together.
During this age in the book of Luke people believed something they should not believe…they believed that sin and sickness was tied together.
• Remember in the book of Job his so-called friends told him the reason he was sick was due to sin in his life.
• Jesus disciples believed this in John 9 of a blind man who was born blind from birth, and they wanted to know if it was due to his sin in his life or of his parents.
• Look at John 9-2 they turned to Jesus who said “Rabbi, who sinned this man or his parents”
This was a false theology, but it was the common theology of that age.
HOW DID IT GET STARTED?
It could be through RUMORS that was passed down.
You would be surprised how much false theology has been passed down because someone said, “I do not know much about the Bible, but my GRANPA said, SICKNESS IS ALWAYS A RESULT OF SIN.
You cannot find that in the Bible, but all kinds of false theology have been passed down BY GRANDPA AND GRANDMA WHO COULD NOT EVEN THE READ!!!
Let me illustrate…
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger was conducting a grave side funeral, and the rain was pouring down heavy.
One lady COMMENTING ON THE RAIN SAID THIS ABOUT THE RAIN to Dr. Belger, Dr. Belger like the Bible teaches my grandpa said the Bible said when it rains during a funeral it is God’s tears in heaven who is crying over the decease.”
It astounding what some people will say, “My grandpa or My grandma” taught me the Bible says this or that!!!
We do not know how this FALSE THEOLOGY got started.
But look what Jesus said about this FALSE THEOLOGY in John 9:2-3 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
We need to get this straight once and for all, not every person is sick as a result of sin!!!
But in saying that, I need to also say it is clear that some sickness is a direct result of sin…
For example…
(1) If you are living a promiscuous life you might pick up some sexual sin as AIDS or something else.
(2) If you are using drug and using dirty needles you might get hepatitis.
(3) If you are smoking or hanging around people who smoke you might develop cancer in your body.
(4) If you are drinking you might get serious liver damage
(5) If you are gouging your body with food, you might be digging your own grave with a knife and fork.
(6) If you live a life of unbelief and not trusting the Lord you may develop all kinds of physical problems.
Illus: Even David said in Psalms 38:3 in the NIV, “My wounds are festering and full of pus, BECAUSE my sins I am bent and racked with pain.”
Yes, according to the Word of God there is a direct CORRELATION TO SIN AND SICKNESS SOMETIME.
• That said you should never take it upon yourself to make the judgement the reason someone is sick is because of sin in their life…UNLESS YOU ARE GOD!!!
• You can only say BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A SINFUL WORLD PEOPLE GET SICK SOMETIME!
Why? Because sickness is a part of the world in which we live.
Illus: Even insurance companies recognize that because they have higher rates for their insurance policies due to some areas where people live, they HAVE more air and water pollution than other.
Some sickness is just a natural consequence of living in this world.
BUT AS SIN AND SICKNESS RELATES TO THIS STORY BIBLE SCHOLARS BELIEVE THIS SICKNESS has a CORRELATION TO SIN.
Why?
BECAUSE THE LORD DEALT WITH THIS PARALYZE MAN SIN BEFORE HE DEALT WITH HIS HEALING.
Illus: Every Bible preacher is often asked for people to pray for them. That is good! But before they pray for them, they should ask, “Do you have any known sin in your life?”
Why?
If they do it would be a waste of time to pray for them.
The Bible tells us regarding sin, Psalm 66:19, “If I regard iniquity in my life the Lord will not hear me.”
Illus: This is why many will tell you they PRAY but their prayers are never answered.
Before the Lord dealt with this man’s sin, HE DEALT WITH HIS SIN.
Let me mention this important thing, this is the only time that sickness is tied to sin in the scriptures.
WHY WAS THIS MAN PARALYZE?
Many Bible scholars believed that his sickness was due to advance stage of syphilis.
Why?
This sexual sin if not treated early it will affect the eyes and the brain which affects the nervous system that leads to paralysis.
And the reason they tie his sickness to sin is BECAUSE God dealt with his sins before he dealt with his sickness.
With this background of this story let me briefly share with you some things I see in this story ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL GOD WE SERVE…
In this story God exalts…
II.THE SPIRITUAL IS EXALTED ABOVE THE PHYSICAL.
GOD ALWAYS IS MORE CONCERN WITH THE SPIRIUAL PART OF MAN THAN THE PHYSICAL PART OF MAN.
Why?
Because…
• The physical life of man is less than a hundred years of life for the average man/woman.
• The spiritual man will exist for eternity.
Mankind is just the opposite he places more emphasis on a few short years than for eternity.
Let me explain…
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger was in a gym getting some exercise.
This was a huge gym, and many men were working out AND SOME mostly looking in the mirror admiring themselves.
Some was there for the (1) exercise, but some were there for (2) power lifting and some there for (3) body building.
Dr. Belger was talking to one young man who was there for body building and this young man told him he was taking all kinds of harmful pills to build his physique
• Dr. Belger talked with him and asked him wasn’t he concern how this was going to affect him later in life.
• He said, I would rather live a short life with a good physique than a long life with a bad physique.
That young man expressed how many feels today.
They only think of the immediate that deals with the PHYSICAL, NOT THE SPIRITUAL!!
• Mankind exalts the PHYSICAL ABOVE THE SPIRITUAL.
• God exalts the SPIRITUAL ABOVE THE PHYSICAL.
God is always more concern about the SPIRITUAL THAN THE PHYSICAL.
However, have you noticed that some churches place more emphasis on the physical than the spiritual.
For example:
• They have meals for the poor
• They provide clothes for the poor
• They provide activates for the poor
• They provide shelter for the poor
• They provide medical help for the poor
None of these things are bad and they are things we should do.
But the problem after providing all these good programs for their physical needs they provide no program for their spiritual needs!!!
• Physical things only provide a person to spend a few more years on earth.
• Spiritual things provide a person ETERNAL LIFE.
When this man was lowered down through the roof the Lord said in Luke 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins have forgiven thee.
Illus: When the Lord said, THY SINS HAVE FORGIVEN THEE he stirred up a HORNET'S NEST among the Scribes and Pharisees!!!
Look at Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
They had their theology right about two things…
1) Only God can forgive
2) It was blasphemy for anyone to pronounce forgiveness of sin.
Now that leads me to my next point…
III. ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE SIN
The Psalmist, speaking of God, says in Psalm130:4, “But with you there is forgiveness.”
All sin is AGAINST GOD, a man cannot forgive the sins against God because ALL SIN IS AGAINST GOD!!!
In Psalm 51:4 David repented in great sorrow, saying to God, "Against You and You only have I sinned"
NOW IF ALL SIN IS AGAINST GOD THAN ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE SIN!!!
Let me explain…
Illus: Suppose two small boys are playing rough and little Johnny gets mad and slaps Mark.
But instead of him asking Mark to forgive him he asks another boy James to forgive him. James cannot forgive because the sin was not against him.
ALL SIN IS AGAINST GOD!!! GOD HAS TO FOGIVE.
Illus: When a priest FORGIVE people of their sins, they are doing something that only God can do, and this is blasphemy.
Catholics go weekly to CONFESSION weekly, confessing their sins before a priest. And when they confess their sins the priest, HE USE THESE WORDS, “I absolve you from your sins,”
Absolve means “forgive or Pardon”
That is blasphemy because only GOD CAN FORGIVE because all sin is against God.
The only sins a man can forgive are those against himself directly.
Jesus said we should forgive those who sin against us.
But a priest, or any human being, forgive sins which are not against him directly is blasphemy.
Why?
Only God can do that because all sin is against GOD!!!
The concept of confession of sin to a priest is nowhere taught in Scripture. NO WHERE!!!
BUT LET ME SHARE WITH YOU ANOTHER REASON A PRIEST CANNOT FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS!!!
In the New Covenant, in The New Testament does not teach that there are to be priests in the New Testament church.
The New Testament teaches that there are to be elders (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9), deacons (1 Timothy 3:8-13), and pastors (Ephesians 4:11) but not priests.
In the OLD COVENANT the Old Testament there was a need for the PRIESTHOOD because of the sacrifice of animals, BUT NOT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT so they are not mention in the New Testament.
Actually, those who claim to be priest today or no more than impostors claiming to be something the New Testamet does not claim exist.
Illus: They are doing something that John Wayne does in his movies, claiming to be a cowboy. He is not really a cowboy, but he is making everyone thinks he is!!!
In the Old Testament there was a need for priest, but in the New Testament there is no need for a priest and that is why the New Testament does not mention them in the New Testament.
Instead, the New Testament teaches that all believers are priests.
Look at I Peter 2:9, we read, but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light
In the Old Covenant the priests were mediators between the people and God. The priests offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. That is no longer necessary something we do and need to do.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can now approach God’s throne with boldness.
Look at Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
When it comes to confession of sin, believers are told in 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The ability to forgive sins is God’s and His alone Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins.
Again, the concept of confession of sin to a priest is nowhere taught in the New Testament since Christ has died for our sins.
As New Covenant believers, we do not need mediators between us and God. I Timothy 2:5 we read, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
It is our responsibility to teach that Jesus forgives sins!!!
When Jesus told this paralyze man that HIS SINS WERE FORGIVEN, these Scribes and Pharisees accused Him of blasphemy because NO MAN COULD FORGIVE SIN BUT GOD.
JESUS COULD FORGIVE SIN BECAUSE HE IS GOD IN THE FLESH.
Jesus said you want some proof I CAN FORGIVE SINS!
Look at Luke 5:24 But that ye may know that the son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
The fact that HE COULD HEAL PROVE THAT HE COULD ALSO FORGIVE!!!
But after the Lord HEALED and FORGAVE him of his sins the Lord told him what He tells all who have been saved to GET UP, LIFT UP THY BED AND NOW I HAVE DONE SOMETHING FOR YOU AND NOW YOU DO SOMETHING FOR ME!!!
This healing meant a lot to this man. He had to be carried around. Clothed, bathed, and fed.
He was completely depended on others and now for the first time he is completely dependent on the Lord Jesus.
Can you imagine how he felt to be free from sin, free from this debilitating condition.
Conclusion:
It was a wonderful thing what the Lord did for this paralyze man. Sin had wrecked his life and now the Lord commanded him to GET UP!
But what the Lord did for us is greater than what the Lord did for Him. He miraculously saved us from a burning, everlasting hell.
And now He is telling us to GET UP FROM THESE PEWS AND DO SOMETHING FOR HIM BY SPREADING THE GOSPEL TO A LOST WORLD.
We have looked at…
I. PARALYZE MAN
II. SPIRITUAL EXALTED ABOVE THE PHYSICAL
III. ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE SIN
