This Man

THIS MAN

Luke 15:1-2

(Antioch Baptist Church: Sunday, January 18th, 2025)

Early in His earthly ministry, Jesus miraculously healed a paralyzed man and forgave his sins; upon hearing this some of the scribes said to themselves “This man is blaspheming” (Matthew 9:3). Later, when the Lord returned to Nazareth and began to teach in the local synagogue, the people were astonished and said “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” (Matthew 13:54-56). On another occasion, members of the Sanhedrin wanted to arrest Jesus, when the officers were asked why they did not seize Him, they answered, “no one ever spoke like this man” (John 7:46).

Tragically, as Jesus was persecuted by His enemies, Simon Peter was identified as being one of the Lord’s Disciples and “he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak” (Mark 14:71). After questioning Jesus, Pilate said to the chief priests and to the people, “I find no fault in this man” (Luke 23:4). Later, when the angry crowd was given a choice between Jesus and a notable criminal named Barabbas, they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas” (Luke 23:18).

As Jesus hung on the Cross, “One of the criminals who were hanged alongside Him said, “we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:39-41). After hanging in agony and suffering for our sins, Jesus “uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:37-39).

The prophets prophesied concerning “this Man”, the Law pointed to “this Man”, the Apostles and other servants of Christ spread the good news of “this Man” from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, and on to the uttermost parts of the earth. This Gospel of “this Man” has been handed down for generations and as a result we have the opportunity to know Him.

John records a great summary of the people’s response to Jesus in John 1:11-12. The Apostle says, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”.

Our selected text chronicles one of the many times when the Pharisees and Scribes were infuriated by Jesus. They simply could not understand why Jesus would associate with and minister to the despised outcasts of society. I am glad to report that Jesus is still extending grace, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness to outcasts today. Join me as we examine this passage and consider “This Man”.

This chapter of God’s Word contains three parables that describe the lost being found and the rejoicing that follows. These parables (The Lost Coin, The Lost Sheep, and The Prodigal Son) were Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and Scribes who were infuriated by His message and methods. Those self-righteous Jewish religious leaders could not comprehend the reality that the Son of Man had “come to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Furthermore, they refused to even consider the fact that they were among those who were “lost”.

As we set the stage for our study of these “parables of joy” let us examine the anger and opposition that prompted this important conversation between Jesus and the Pharisees. First of all we will consider:

THE IDENTITY OF “THIS MAN”

When reading verse two, you can hear the distain in the voices of the Pharisees and they spoke about “this Man” receiving sinners and eating with them.

Luke’s Gospel account chronicles Jesus’ encounters with various outcasts. Rather than being compassionate, excited, or joyful, the Pharisees constantly found reasons to criticize the life changing works that Jesus was doing in their midst.

In Luke chapter five, Jesus healed a paralyzed man and forgave his sins. Instead of rejoicing over the miracle, the Scribes and Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy.

In chapter seven Jesus was eating a meal at a Pharisee named Simon’s home. While there, a certain woman came in with an alabaster flask of ointment “and began to wash His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment” (Luke 7:38). Speaking up in disapproval, Simon said, “If this man were a prophet, He would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner” (Luke 7:39).