1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:04,580 What we’ve been learning so far is that Mark has been telling us that Jesus is 2 00:00:04,580 –> 00:00:09,360 the Messiah and that he is the Son of God. That the gospel is all about Jesus 3 00:00:09,360 –> 00:00:14,040 and we saw that in him we find repentance and forgiveness and God’s 4 00:00:14,040 –> 00:00:19,920 wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. We saw, as Jesus begins his ministry, the when 5 00:00:19,920 –> 00:00:24,700 Jesus speaks, things happen. And particularly, what happens is that 6 00:00:25,280 –> 00:00:31,240 ordinary people follow him and troubled people are set free. Now today, we’re 7 00:00:31,240 –> 00:00:35,419 going to learn more about what happens when Jesus Christ steps into a person’s 8 00:00:35,419 –> 00:00:41,619 life. What difference will it make to your life when Jesus Christ lays hold of 9 00:00:41,619 –> 00:00:46,419 you? What difference will it make when you become of follower of Jesus? Well, as 10 00:00:46,419 –> 00:00:51,619 we move through the gospel we’re going to find that painted out for us. Now 11 00:00:51,619 –> 00:00:57,139 we’re going to cover two stories from Mark’s Gospel today. First, the story of 12 00:00:57,139 –> 00:01:01,040 the leper that comes at the end of chapter 1 and then the story of the 13 00:01:01,040 –> 00:01:04,839 paralytic at the beginning of chapter 2 but we’re going to come to them in 14 00:01:04,839 –> 00:01:08,480 reverse order beginning with the story of 15 00:01:08,480 –> 00:01:13,040 the paralytic. Let’s just set the scene though, taking up the story where we left 16 00:01:13,040 –> 00:01:19,040 off. Remember that Jesus had been surrounded by great crowds in Capernaum, 17 00:01:19,400 –> 00:01:24,440 not surprisingly, many many people who had heard about his healing power and 18 00:01:24,440 –> 00:01:28,660 were coming bringing their various needs with them and remember Jesus said we’ve 19 00:01:28,660 –> 00:01:33,580 got to go to some other villages so that I can preach there also for this is why 20 00:01:33,580 –> 00:01:40,260 I have come and so Jesus went with the first disciples on this itinerant 21 00:01:40,260 –> 00:01:46,000 ministry, a first tour of the various villages in the area of Galilee 22 00:01:46,080 –> 00:01:52,080 and Mark records only one story from that itinerant ministry and that’s the 23 00:01:52,080 –> 00:01:56,419 story of the leper and as far as the rest is concerned He simply tells us in 24 00:01:56,419 –> 00:02:01,360 verse 39 that Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, notice what he was doing 25 00:02:01,360 –> 00:02:06,940 preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons but at the end of 26 00:02:06,940 –> 00:02:12,419 this little tour Jesus comes back to where he began in Capernaum and of 27 00:02:12,699 –> 00:02:18,059 soon as he returns to Capernaum the crowds are back again chapter 2 and 28 00:02:18,059 –> 00:02:22,440 verse 1 a few days later when Jesus entered Capernaum the people heard that 29 00:02:22,440 –> 00:02:28,740 he had come home and so many gathered that there was no room left not even 30 00:02:28,740 –> 00:02:35,059 outside the door and I’m assuming that this is still Simon’s house where the 31 00:02:35,059 –> 00:02:39,520 remarkable miracle of healing his mother-in-law had been performed and the 32 00:02:39,720 –> 00:02:44,360 crowds had come before and now Jesus has returned to the house in Capernaum and 33 00:02:44,360 –> 00:02:51,380 they’re back outside and inside again notice what Jesus did verse 2 he 34 00:02:51,380 –> 00:02:58,639 preached the word to them that is Jesus priority we will keep seeing this as we 35 00:02:58,639 –> 00:03:04,440 move throughout the Gospel of Mark and while Jesus was preaching the word to 36 00:03:04,440 –> 00:03:09,479 them mark records a remarkable incident that took place right there in this 37 00:03:09,520 –> 00:03:15,479 house he tells us about a man who was paralyzed his legs would not bear the 38 00:03:15,479 –> 00:03:21,619 weight of his body and being unable to move he was confined to a mat on which 39 00:03:21,619 –> 00:03:28,919 he sat or slept and he simply lay there but this man was clearly determined to 40 00:03:28,919 –> 00:03:33,479 get to Jesus and he does this in a remarkable way with a little help from 41 00:03:33,600 –> 00:03:39,800 his friends who carry him on his mat and bring him to Jesus when they arrived at 42 00:03:39,800 –> 00:03:43,740 the place where Jesus is staying they immediately find that the house is 43 00:03:43,740 –> 00:03:48,919 swarming with people not only crammed inside but the crowds spilling outside 44 00:03:48,919 –> 00:03:53,600 of the door as well there’s no way that they can get a man on a mat through that 45 00:03:53,600 –> 00:03:58,559 kind of press of people and so these five men had a problem and it’s a 46 00:03:59,100 –> 00:04:05,240 going to address this morning how do you get to Jesus Christ they use their 47 00:04:05,240 –> 00:04:09,279 imagination rather wonderfully here they can’t get through the door and so they 48 00:04:09,279 –> 00:04:13,500 decide to come in through the roof and I don’t know about you but I wish I could 49 00:04:13,500 –> 00:04:17,720 have seen this incident these guys kind of hauling the mat and the man on it 50 00:04:17,720 –> 00:04:22,000 onto the roof and then digging a hole in the roof and then lowering the man on 51 00:04:22,880 –> 00:04:29,440 in front of the Lord Jesus Christ I’m assuming that this was Simon and 52 00:04:29,440 –> 00:04:34,440 Andrews house the house where it all began as it were earlier in chapter 1 53 00:04:34,440 –> 00:04:40,220 so I wonder what Simon thought when he saw his own roof being opened up you 54 00:04:40,220 –> 00:04:43,920 know is this what it means to be a follower of Jesus by the way just to 55 00:04:43,920 –> 00:04:49,260 pause for a quick application there I guess the lesson for us is if we’re 56 00:04:49,299 –> 00:04:53,899 serious about ministry we ought to expect that the building will need a few 57 00:04:53,899 –> 00:04:58,920 repairs now and again right I think that’s what Simon Peter discovered on 58 00:04:58,920 –> 00:05:04,019 that great occasion now we’ll come back later to what we can learn from this 59 00:05:04,019 –> 00:05:09,100 paralyzed man and his wonderful friends but I want us to focus first on what is 60 00:05:09,100 –> 00:05:14,440 obviously the main point of the story the friends Lore the paralyzed man from 61 00:05:14,440 –> 00:05:19,000 the roof and he ends up lying on his mat looking as it were up into the face of 62 00:05:19,140 –> 00:05:23,959 Jesus and we read in verse five of chapter two that when Jesus saw their 63 00:05:23,959 –> 00:05:35,200 faith he said to the paralytic son your sins are forgiven now the question here 64 00:05:35,200 –> 00:05:45,820 is how is that relevant how is that relevant this is obviously not why the 65 00:05:46,040 –> 00:05:54,100 paralyzed man has come this man on his mat has clearly come to Jesus because he 66 00:05:54,100 –> 00:06:00,820 is paralyzed that is why he has come but Jesus completely disregards the man’s 67 00:06:00,820 –> 00:06:09,440 most obvious problem and talks to him about something else son your sins are 68 00:06:09,440 –> 00:06:16,519 forgiven now to talk about forgiveness to a man with this obvious need on the 69 00:06:16,519 –> 00:06:21,739 basis of which he has come seems really to me to be disconnected it seems off 70 00:06:21,739 –> 00:06:28,760 the point it seems at first sight irrelevant does it not and I imagine 71 00:06:28,760 –> 00:06:33,200 that the paralyzed man lying there on his mat having made this great journey 72 00:06:33,200 –> 00:06:36,760 and now finally arriving and hearing this word from Jesus must have been 73 00:06:36,760 –> 00:06:42,600 quite bewildered he must have thought that Jesus that it’s great but that’s 74 00:06:42,600 –> 00:06:51,100 not why I have come more than that don’t you think at first sight that what Jesus 75 00:06:51,100 –> 00:06:59,339 says here might have seemed a little insensitive it’s often said you can’t 76 00:06:59,339 –> 00:07:05,980 preach to a man who has an empty stomach you heard that you know if you’re going 77 00:07:05,980 –> 00:07:12,640 to effectively communicate to a man with an obvious need you have to meet his 78 00:07:12,640 –> 00:07:18,179 obvious need before you can think that in any meaningful way you can 79 00:07:18,179 –> 00:07:23,279 communicate about whatever you may want to say I’ve been taught that at college 80 00:07:23,279 –> 00:07:30,220 and there’s some good in that point but I want you to notice that Jesus does 81 00:07:30,220 –> 00:07:34,220 completely the opposite here doesn’t he I mean he completely disregards the 82 00:07:34,279 –> 00:07:39,940 man’s most obvious need says nothing about it and goes straight to what he 83 00:07:39,940 –> 00:07:48,380 wants to say to the man which is your sins are forgiven I suspect that the 84 00:07:48,380 –> 00:07:52,980 paralyzed man was thinking why is he talking about forgiveness that is not 85 00:07:52,980 –> 00:07:59,640 why I came now let’s just pause and try and apply what we’re learning here to 86 00:07:59,799 –> 00:08:09,899 ourselves in this great congregation today there is a vast array of need 87 00:08:09,899 –> 00:08:17,359 some of it known some of it hidden but all of us have come and many of us are 88 00:08:17,359 –> 00:08:23,040 facing particular issues in our lives that really press in on us and they are 89 00:08:23,040 –> 00:08:28,839 things of great importance sometimes very heavy burdens some of us are really 90 00:08:28,839 –> 00:08:36,700 struggling with loss some of us are battling depression some of us are 91 00:08:36,700 –> 00:08:42,599 struggling with fear or with anger or with worry or with lack of self-esteem 92 00:08:42,599 –> 00:08:50,280 or loss of confidence or loneliness we have issues that relate to money we have 93 00:08:50,280 –> 00:08:56,200 issues that relate to health we have issues that relate to marriage and other 94 00:08:56,320 –> 00:09:01,400 relationships and these things pressing upon us and they fill our minds and they 95 00:09:01,400 –> 00:09:10,419 are very very real needs indeed so much is that the case that I would honestly 96 00:09:10,419 –> 00:09:15,719 be surprised if there was one in 100 people in the congregation today who 97 00:09:15,719 –> 00:09:21,280 actually came here thinking consciously my greatest need is forgiveness from 98 00:09:21,280 –> 00:09:25,280 Jesus Christ probably not one of a hundred in a hundred has been 99 00:09:25,340 –> 00:09:31,479 consciously thinking that as we came to Church today now it’s for this reason 100 00:09:31,479 –> 00:09:38,099 therefore that many people feel disconnected from the gospel because it 101 00:09:38,099 –> 00:09:43,799 really does not seem to address the issues with which we are most concerned 102 00:09:43,799 –> 00:09:48,000 that is why there will always be pressure on the Church of Jesus Christ 103 00:09:48,700 –> 00:09:55,320 to reposition the gospel to fit the needs that concern people today 104 00:09:55,320 –> 00:09:59,640 so you shouldn’t be surprised for example if you find in our country and 105 00:09:59,640 –> 00:10:05,020 elsewhere in the world today versions of the gospel that are targeted to the 106 00:10:05,020 –> 00:10:09,840 concerns that people dominantly have so you would expect to find versions of the 107 00:10:09,840 –> 00:10:16,080 gospel that are mainly about health, mainly about prosperity or mainly about 108 00:10:16,179 –> 00:10:20,859 personal fulfillment why does that happen because there’s a pressure always 109 00:10:20,859 –> 00:10:26,140 on the church to reposition the gospel so that it more clearly addresses the 110 00:10:26,140 –> 00:10:30,900 issues with which we are primarily concerned in our life in this world 111 00:10:30,900 –> 00:10:38,020 today if you find the preacher speaking about forgiveness to be strangely 112 00:10:38,020 –> 00:10:41,500 disconnected from your life that’s probably means you’re in exactly the 113 00:10:41,760 –> 00:10:50,099 position as the man lying on his mat in front of Jesus yes that’s good but 114 00:10:50,099 –> 00:10:57,419 that’s not why I’m here now the title of our series is the gospel according to 115 00:10:57,419 –> 00:11:02,460 Jesus and clearly the gospel according to Jesus is really the only Gospel that 116 00:11:02,460 –> 00:11:06,780 matters that’s why we keep coming back to the Word of God because whatever is 117 00:11:07,460 –> 00:11:14,820 the only gospel that really matters is the gospel that is found here the 118 00:11:14,820 –> 00:11:18,659 gospel according to Jesus and that’s why we’re coming back again and again to 119 00:11:18,659 –> 00:11:23,880 reshape our thinking and reorient our thinking to what really matters to him 120 00:11:23,880 –> 00:11:30,739 and quite clearly as we open the Bible today what we are seeing is that as far 121 00:11:30,739 –> 00:11:36,739 as Jesus is concerned forgiveness is a higher priority than any other need 122 00:11:36,739 –> 00:11:43,340 in this man’s life. That’s what matters to Jesus and we may apply that by saying 123 00:11:43,340 –> 00:11:49,419 this that as far as Jesus is concerned forgiveness is a higher priority in your 124 00:11:49,419 –> 00:11:55,979 life than any other need that may be pressing in on your mind and occupying 125 00:11:55,979 –> 00:12:02,260 your attention as you have come to church today. And so Jesus completely 126 00:12:02,380 –> 00:12:11,539 disregarding the man’s most obvious need says to him — your sins are forgiven.” The 127 00:12:11,539 –> 00:12:16,179 first question was how is that relevant? The second question is well now how’s 128 00:12:16,179 –> 00:12:24,940 that possible? How is that possible? Your sins are forgiven. Now notice that the 129 00:12:24,940 –> 00:12:30,020 teachers of the law pick up on this right away in verse 6. Some teachers of 130 00:12:30,020 –> 00:12:33,440 the law were sitting there thinking to themselves — why does this fellow talk 131 00:12:33,440 –> 00:12:39,700 like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone? 132 00:12:39,700 –> 00:12:44,799 Now these men were obviously good teachers of the law because they were 133 00:12:44,799 –> 00:12:50,260 absolutely right in what they say here. The principle is that the only person 134 00:12:50,260 –> 00:12:55,340 who can forgive is the person who has been offended. 135 00:12:56,260 –> 00:13:03,020 Let’s think about that a moment — if you set fire to my house, it is possible that 136 00:13:03,020 –> 00:13:08,859 I might forgive you. But if you set fire to my neighbour’s house, 137 00:13:08,859 –> 00:13:13,039 it is not possible for me to forgive you — the only person who can forgive you 138 00:13:13,039 –> 00:13:17,179 for that action is my neighbour. No use coming to me, I can’t do anything 139 00:13:17,179 –> 00:13:21,679 about it. I can forgive you if you set fire to my house, but only my neighbour 140 00:13:21,679 –> 00:13:28,940 can forgive you if you set fire to his house. The principle is that the only person who 141 00:13:28,940 –> 00:13:34,780 can forgive is the person who has been offended. Now here’s the one thing that you need 142 00:13:34,780 –> 00:13:41,299 to know about this subject of sin. The teachers of the law have grasped clearly 143 00:13:41,299 –> 00:13:49,179 and rightly that sin — biblically defined — is an offense against God. 144 00:13:49,179 –> 00:13:56,460 Sin — biblically defined — is an offense against God. Therefore, by definition, only 145 00:13:56,460 –> 00:13:59,960 God can forgive sins, which is what they say here. 146 00:13:59,960 –> 00:14:10,739 Now let’s pause there for a moment, because you may nod some agreement at that definition. 147 00:14:10,739 –> 00:14:16,739 But are you aware that in our culture today, most people have not understood the definition 148 00:14:17,460 –> 00:14:26,340 and most people would not agree with this. Most people in our culture today—and I’ll 149 00:14:26,340 –> 00:14:32,739 give you some statistics in just a moment—most people in our culture today have redefined sin. 150 00:14:32,739 –> 00:14:39,200 And their definition of sin is acting inconsistent with your own values, or acting in a way that 151 00:14:39,200 –> 00:14:47,080 hurts another person. In the early 1990s, a survey was taken across this country in 152 00:14:47,080 –> 00:14:51,820 which folks were asked about personal values—morality and religion and faith, and so forth and so 153 00:14:51,820 –> 00:14:57,840 on. One of the questions that was probed was how people define sin. What do people understand 154 00:14:57,840 –> 00:15:08,200 by this word that is used so often in the Bible. Do you know that only 17 percent, only 155 00:15:08,200 –> 00:15:17,520 17 percent defined sin as a violation against God’s will? What that means is, that at least 156 00:15:17,520 –> 00:15:22,559 according to the survey that is published in the book The Day America Told the Truth, 157 00:15:22,559 –> 00:15:32,299 that according to the survey, 83% of people in this country—four out of every five people 158 00:15:33,059 –> 00:15:42,140 in this country, do not know what sin is. What they think it is, is acting out of line with 159 00:15:42,159 –> 00:15:51,679 my values, or acting in a way that hurts another person. But you see, if we re-define sin as 160 00:15:51,679 –> 00:15:56,539 acting out of line with my own values, or acting in a way that hurts another person, 161 00:15:56,539 –> 00:16:01,479 as four out of five people in this country have effectively done, then all the focus 162 00:16:01,479 –> 00:16:07,520 of attention will be on me forgiving myself, because I’ve acted out of line with my own 163 00:16:07,520 –> 00:16:14,659 values, I’ve done what I myself think I should not have done. Or it will be on a horizontal 164 00:16:14,659 –> 00:16:22,919 seeking of forgiveness and reconciliation and peace, with another person. And if that’s 165 00:16:22,919 –> 00:16:31,400 what forgiveness is all about, God is completely removed from the picture altogether. In fact, 166 00:16:31,599 –> 00:16:35,940 I think it would be reasonable to say that probably for 4 out of 5 people in our country 167 00:16:35,940 –> 00:16:43,979 today, God’s forgiveness is simply assumed, and the action is all to do with the self 168 00:16:44,340 –> 00:16:51,979 or it is to do with other people. Now the teachers of the law in this story knew far 169 00:16:51,979 –> 00:16:56,900 better. They had been raised to understand the teaching of the Bible and they had grasped 170 00:16:56,900 –> 00:17:01,619 quite clearly what 4 out of 5 people in our country have not grasped, and that is that 171 00:17:01,619 –> 00:17:08,619 sin is an offense against God. Therefore, since it is defined by God and it is an offense 172 00:17:08,920 –> 00:17:15,920 against God, sin can only be forgiven by God. Other people may forgive your offenses against 173 00:17:16,420 –> 00:17:26,380 them. That’s a wonderful thing. But your sin can only be forgiven by God because by definition 174 00:17:26,599 –> 00:17:35,380 it is an offense against God. So when Jesus says to this paralyzed man, your sins are 175 00:17:35,380 –> 00:17:40,219 forgiven, the teachers of the law pick up on this immediately. Who does this Jesus think 176 00:17:40,219 –> 00:17:46,500 He is, they’re saying, in effect. He’s talking as if He were God, because they know fully 177 00:17:46,500 –> 00:17:53,040 that only God can forgive sins. And of course, this is exactly what Mark is 178 00:17:53,040 –> 00:17:59,400 telling us right from the beginning of the Gospel, that Jesus is the Son of God, that 179 00:17:59,400 –> 00:18:07,540 He is everything that God is in the flesh. Now, Jesus knew what they were thinking, verse 180 00:18:07,540 –> 00:18:11,959 8. And so He said to them, why are you thinking these things? Why are you thinking that it 181 00:18:11,959 –> 00:18:18,560 is inappropriate for me to pronounce forgiveness for this man? Which is easier, to say to the 182 00:18:18,560 –> 00:18:27,420 paralytic your sins are forgiven, or to say to the man, get up and take your mat and walk? 183 00:18:27,420 –> 00:18:32,000 Well, to answer Jesus’ question, it’s obviously easier to say your sins are forgiven, because 184 00:18:32,000 –> 00:18:37,900 nobody is able to verify whether that has actually happened or not. But Jesus wants 185 00:18:37,900 –> 00:18:45,060 the man and the crowd to know that this man’s sins are really forgiven because He says so, 186 00:18:45,060 –> 00:18:50,239 and so He gives this marvelous demonstration of His divine power and authority. 187 00:18:50,239 –> 00:18:56,040 Verse 10, that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, 188 00:18:56,040 –> 00:19:01,719 Jesus says to the paralyzed man, verse 11, I tell you, get up, take your mat, go home. 189 00:19:01,719 –> 00:19:07,619 And to the absolute astonishment of everyone in the house, and, no doubt, outside as well, 190 00:19:08,560 –> 00:19:11,319 that is exactly what this man does. 191 00:19:11,319 –> 00:19:21,959 And the people are saying, in astonishment, we have never seen anything like this before. 192 00:19:21,959 –> 00:19:25,579 So here we have Jesus giving to this man two wonderful gifts. 193 00:19:25,579 –> 00:19:31,180 The gift of forgiveness followed by the gift of healing. 194 00:19:31,180 –> 00:19:37,300 Summed up into wonderful, powerful words that Jesus speaks to him, son, your sins are forgiven. 195 00:19:37,300 –> 00:19:43,619 I say to you get up, take your mat, and go home. 196 00:19:43,619 –> 00:19:55,479 Now, which of these two gifts was really the more important? 197 00:19:55,479 –> 00:19:59,920 Years ago I heard a preacher by the name of Dick Lucas explain the priority of forgiveness 198 00:19:59,939 –> 00:20:04,359 from this very story – it must be more than 20 years ago now and it still rings very clear 199 00:20:04,359 –> 00:20:05,359 in my memory. 200 00:20:05,359 –> 00:20:09,260 It’s just stuck with me and so I want to pass this on in the hope that it might be 201 00:20:09,260 –> 00:20:11,780 helpful to you, as it’s been to me. 202 00:20:11,780 –> 00:20:21,359 He put it like this, suppose that today we could by some miracle have this man come down 203 00:20:21,359 –> 00:20:27,900 from the presence of Jesus in Heaven and – and share with us his story, the paralyzed man 204 00:20:27,939 –> 00:20:30,459 giving us his testimony. 205 00:20:30,459 –> 00:20:32,400 What would he say? 206 00:20:32,400 –> 00:20:35,280 I suspect he would probably say something like this, 207 00:20:35,280 –> 00:20:41,140 Well, I have to tell you friends it really was a wonderful day. 208 00:20:41,280 –> 00:20:43,020 This day you’ve been reading about in the Bible. 209 00:20:43,239 –> 00:20:48,380 The most marvelous day in my life, the day that I met Jesus Christ. 210 00:20:48,380 –> 00:20:52,439 It was an extraordinary experience being lowered down through the roof by my friends. 211 00:20:52,439 –> 00:20:53,619 I had some wonderful friends. 212 00:20:53,619 –> 00:20:57,660 I will always be grateful to them for what they did for me. 213 00:20:58,300 –> 00:21:01,400 When I arrived on the floor and I looked up into the face of Jesus. 214 00:21:01,400 –> 00:21:04,660 He said to me, son, your sins are forgiven. 215 00:21:04,660 –> 00:21:07,319 I didn’t think too much about that at the time. 216 00:21:07,319 –> 00:21:12,119 But then he said to me, get up, take your mat and walk. 217 00:21:12,119 –> 00:21:15,939 And that was such good news to me because that is exactly the words that I had wanted 218 00:21:15,939 –> 00:21:16,939 to hear. 219 00:21:16,939 –> 00:21:21,900 And I found that strength came into my limbs and I was able to move in a way that I had 220 00:21:21,900 –> 00:21:24,079 never been able to move before I got up. 221 00:21:24,079 –> 00:21:25,079 I walked out. 222 00:21:25,079 –> 00:21:26,079 Everyone was astonished. 223 00:21:26,219 –> 00:21:31,859 And I have to tell you that day and that miracle changed my whole life. 224 00:21:31,859 –> 00:21:35,979 After that I got a job, hadn’t had one before. 225 00:21:35,979 –> 00:21:40,099 Got married, never thought that would ever happen to me. 226 00:21:40,099 –> 00:21:43,880 Had two wonderful kids and the joy of raising them and putting them through college and 227 00:21:43,880 –> 00:21:45,939 all the rest of it. 228 00:21:45,939 –> 00:21:50,680 And then I lived for another 30 years after that too, wonderful life. 229 00:21:51,319 –> 00:21:58,199 Of course since then I’ve been 2000 years in the presence of Jesus in paradise. 230 00:21:58,199 –> 00:22:06,099 I see it very differently now as to which of these two things was the more important. 231 00:22:06,099 –> 00:22:11,780 And there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind what was the greatest gift that He gave to 232 00:22:11,780 –> 00:22:15,800 me on that day. 233 00:22:16,719 –> 00:22:23,239 See, in the light of eternity, forgiveness is your 234 00:22:23,239 –> 00:22:27,579 greatest need. 235 00:22:27,579 –> 00:22:36,319 Whatever is crowding in on you in your life in this world will pass, will move. 236 00:22:36,319 –> 00:22:42,260 Life is short and eternity is long. 237 00:22:42,260 –> 00:22:50,959 And to be forgiven so as to have access into the joy of the presence of Jesus Christ forever 238 00:22:50,959 –> 00:22:59,859 and forever is your greatest need and His first and greatest gift. 239 00:22:59,859 –> 00:23:03,819 Now, if you agree with these words that are on the screen, you might like to say them 240 00:23:03,819 –> 00:23:07,859 with me together aloud now as a confession. 241 00:23:07,979 –> 00:23:14,880 Forgiveness is my greatest need and Jesus has authority to forgive my sins. 242 00:23:14,900 –> 00:23:17,900 Let’s say that again with conviction. 243 00:23:17,900 –> 00:23:24,959 Forgiveness is my greatest need and Jesus has authority to forgive my sins. 244 00:23:24,959 –> 00:23:26,140 Praise God for that. 245 00:23:26,140 –> 00:23:30,540 Now, if you have grasped these things, that surely are the things that we learn from this 246 00:23:30,540 –> 00:23:37,839 story, what it means for us is that we have to find a way of following the example of 247 00:23:37,859 –> 00:23:45,400 the paralyzed man and his friends to get to Jesus so that we can receive what he is able 248 00:23:45,400 –> 00:23:47,400 to give. 249 00:23:47,400 –> 00:23:49,959 My greatest need is to be forgiven. 250 00:23:49,959 –> 00:23:52,760 He has the authority to forgive my sins. 251 00:23:52,760 –> 00:23:59,359 Some connection, some transaction has therefore to take place in which I receive what he is 252 00:23:59,359 –> 00:24:07,979 able to give and what he is able to do for me becomes active and effective in my life. 253 00:24:07,979 –> 00:24:15,099 And it is not enough to leave church knowing that Christ is able to forgive sins. 254 00:24:15,099 –> 00:24:21,719 What we need to know is that our sins are forgiven by Jesus Christ. 255 00:24:21,719 –> 00:24:27,880 And so the great question for us then is how is this connection to be made so that my need 256 00:24:28,079 –> 00:24:35,040 is met, my greatest need is met by what He uniquely is able to do? 257 00:24:35,040 –> 00:24:39,000 That’s where I want us to focus for the rest of our time this morning on this whole question 258 00:24:39,000 –> 00:24:44,239 of how you can receive from Jesus Christ. 259 00:24:44,239 –> 00:24:49,640 Which is the great priority if you have really bought into the Bible’s truth that forgiveness 260 00:24:49,640 –> 00:24:54,319 is your greatest need and that Jesus has authority to forgive your sins. 261 00:24:54,699 –> 00:24:58,040 Now then is what he has to become yours. 262 00:24:58,040 –> 00:25:07,099 Now I want to give from this Bible passage, from the two stories here, five encouragements 263 00:25:07,099 –> 00:25:16,180 to help you come to Christ and receive from Him today and these I think will be helpful. 264 00:25:16,180 –> 00:25:19,640 I found them helpful as I’ve pondered them again from the Bible this week. 265 00:25:20,119 –> 00:25:25,500 They’ll be helpful wherever we are in terms of coming to Christ as we learn from the example 266 00:25:25,500 –> 00:25:31,979 of those who press through to receive from our Lord and Savior. 267 00:25:31,979 –> 00:25:35,739 Here’s encouragement number one. 268 00:25:35,739 –> 00:25:44,300 Don’t let anything stop you from coming to Jesus. 269 00:25:44,479 –> 00:25:50,800 Whatever you do, having recognized your greatest need and having recognized His authority from 270 00:25:50,800 –> 00:26:00,280 the Word of God, whatever you do, don’t let anything stop you from coming to Jesus. 271 00:26:00,280 –> 00:26:05,420 Now, surely, that is what we learned from the paralyzed man and his friends and their 272 00:26:05,420 –> 00:26:12,280 great example when they arrived carrying this mat and the man on it, and saw that the house 273 00:26:12,280 –> 00:26:17,319 was full and there was a cloud outside the front of the door as well, they might very 274 00:26:17,319 –> 00:26:22,060 easily have said, Well, you know, there is no way we are ever going to get to Jesus today. 275 00:26:22,060 –> 00:26:26,880 Let’s just go home and perhaps there will be another time and another opportunity. 276 00:26:26,880 –> 00:26:29,640 But they were made of stronger stuff than that. 277 00:26:29,640 –> 00:26:34,719 They would not let anything stop them from coming to Jesus Christ. 278 00:26:34,719 –> 00:26:39,300 Whatever it takes, no passivity, no giving up. 279 00:26:39,300 –> 00:26:43,500 Whatever it takes to get to Jesus, we are ready to do that. 280 00:26:43,500 –> 00:26:45,280 And we’re gonna do it today. 281 00:26:45,280 –> 00:26:46,280 That’s their spirit. 282 00:26:46,280 –> 00:26:47,260 Love that. 283 00:26:47,260 –> 00:26:50,900 Let me ask this question. 284 00:26:50,900 –> 00:26:57,219 What might be stopping you from coming to Jesus? 285 00:26:57,219 –> 00:27:03,500 Is it a Christian who has given a bad example and you’ve never got over it? 286 00:27:03,500 –> 00:27:07,819 Is it a great request that you made of God, and you did not receive what you asked, and 287 00:27:07,880 –> 00:27:13,380 you’ve never quite come to terms with that? 288 00:27:13,380 –> 00:27:21,939 Don’t let anything stop you from coming to Jesus Christ. 289 00:27:21,939 –> 00:27:27,660 Maybe you’ve tried to come to Jesus before, but you feel you haven’t got there. 290 00:27:27,660 –> 00:27:35,140 Listen, don’t be put off by the apparent difficulty of coming to Jesus. 291 00:27:35,780 –> 00:27:39,140 The Gospels are telling us that even when He was in a little place like Capernaum, people 292 00:27:39,140 –> 00:27:43,359 who lived there didn’t find it easy to get to Him. 293 00:27:43,359 –> 00:27:48,300 And you may find that there are many difficulties in getting to the Lord Jesus Christ, in your 294 00:27:48,300 –> 00:27:51,579 journey of faith, to really draw near to Him. 295 00:27:51,579 –> 00:27:56,459 Don’t be put off by the apparent difficulty of getting to Jesus. 296 00:27:56,459 –> 00:27:59,420 Learn from the example of these five men. 297 00:27:59,420 –> 00:28:01,339 They were determined. 298 00:28:01,339 –> 00:28:03,140 Nothing would stop them. 299 00:28:03,339 –> 00:28:08,859 Don’t let anything stop you either. 300 00:28:08,859 –> 00:28:11,939 Because nothing is more important than this. 301 00:28:11,939 –> 00:28:14,760 That’s the first encouragement. 302 00:28:14,760 –> 00:28:23,260 Second, fix your faith on Jesus Christ alone. 303 00:28:23,260 –> 00:28:27,959 Fix your faith on Him directly, directly. 304 00:28:28,939 –> 00:28:33,319 Now, I want to move here to the other story 305 00:28:33,319 –> 00:28:34,959 that’s before us today. 306 00:28:34,959 –> 00:28:37,380 Mark chapter one in verse 40 tells us 307 00:28:37,380 –> 00:28:39,880 the story of another man who came to Jesus. 308 00:28:39,880 –> 00:28:42,680 And one thing that ties these two stories together 309 00:28:42,680 –> 00:28:46,000 is what we learn about the way in which they approach Jesus, 310 00:28:46,000 –> 00:28:50,119 how they actually receive these wonderful gifts 311 00:28:50,119 –> 00:28:52,339 from his hand. 312 00:28:52,339 –> 00:28:54,000 In chapter one in verse 40, we’re told 313 00:28:54,000 –> 00:28:58,020 the man with leprosy came to Jesus 314 00:28:58,020 –> 00:29:00,640 and begged him on his knees. 315 00:29:00,640 –> 00:29:05,280 If you are willing, you can make me clean. 316 00:29:08,000 –> 00:29:12,459 Now, notice how all of this man’s hope 317 00:29:12,459 –> 00:29:16,880 is pitched directly on Jesus Christ. 318 00:29:16,880 –> 00:29:20,880 The you is the really strong word, and it comes twice. 319 00:29:20,900 –> 00:29:25,219 If you are willing, you can make me clean. 320 00:29:26,339 –> 00:29:28,380 He’s on his knees as he says this. 321 00:29:28,380 –> 00:29:32,640 He’s begging Jesus, he’s speaking directly to Jesus. 322 00:29:33,739 –> 00:29:37,180 If you are willing, you can make me clean. 323 00:29:38,079 –> 00:29:39,780 Now here’s the important point here. 324 00:29:39,780 –> 00:29:41,660 The you is singular. 325 00:29:43,380 –> 00:29:44,219 You. 326 00:29:45,859 –> 00:29:48,160 And remember that at this time Jesus 327 00:29:48,160 –> 00:29:50,760 is already surrounded by the first disciples 328 00:29:51,060 –> 00:29:52,439 who are travelling with him. 329 00:29:52,439 –> 00:29:54,439 There’s Simon, there’s Andrew, 330 00:29:54,439 –> 00:29:56,099 there’s James, and there’s John, 331 00:29:56,099 –> 00:29:58,380 who he has called to follow him. 332 00:29:59,640 –> 00:30:04,640 And it strikes me significant that when this man comes 333 00:30:05,079 –> 00:30:07,439 he ignores the disciples completely. 334 00:30:09,119 –> 00:30:11,640 I mean, he might have come and said to the group, 335 00:30:12,859 –> 00:30:16,520 you know, if you guys are willing, I think you can help me. 336 00:30:17,939 –> 00:30:19,060 But he doesn’t do that. 337 00:30:20,040 –> 00:30:25,040 He fixes on Jesus alone, not the disciples. 338 00:30:25,300 –> 00:30:30,219 And he says, if you are willing, you can make me clean. 339 00:30:31,319 –> 00:30:33,859 Now here’s the application of that to us. 340 00:30:35,079 –> 00:30:40,079 Don’t make the mistake of confusing Christ and his church. 341 00:30:42,500 –> 00:30:44,819 Don’t make the mistake of confusing 342 00:30:44,819 –> 00:30:47,380 what Jesus can do with you 343 00:30:47,540 –> 00:30:51,239 and what his followers might be able to do for you. 344 00:30:52,339 –> 00:30:54,180 You see, I meet many folks, 345 00:30:54,180 –> 00:30:56,199 I’ve met many folks over the years 346 00:30:56,199 –> 00:30:59,060 who have pitched their hope 347 00:30:59,060 –> 00:31:02,859 on what other Christians can do for them. 348 00:31:04,219 –> 00:31:07,579 And other Christians can do many things for you 349 00:31:07,579 –> 00:31:09,079 that are very good. 350 00:31:10,119 –> 00:31:12,959 Other Christians can help you find confidence. 351 00:31:14,020 –> 00:31:16,780 Other Christians can help you find purpose. 352 00:31:17,739 –> 00:31:22,260 Other Christians can give you the gift of friendship. 353 00:31:24,099 –> 00:31:28,339 But other Christians cannot forgive your sins. 354 00:31:30,140 –> 00:31:33,239 Other Christians cannot give you power 355 00:31:33,239 –> 00:31:35,500 to live a new and different kind of life. 356 00:31:36,979 –> 00:31:39,099 Other Christians cannot give you 357 00:31:39,099 –> 00:31:41,420 entrance into eternal life 358 00:31:41,420 –> 00:31:44,560 in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. 359 00:31:45,560 –> 00:31:49,880 Now, if you are going to receive from Christ 360 00:31:49,880 –> 00:31:52,359 and this is the issue before us here, 361 00:31:52,359 –> 00:31:55,359 how are we actually going to receive from him? 362 00:31:56,280 –> 00:31:58,800 Well, first, make sure that nothing puts you off 363 00:31:58,800 –> 00:32:00,900 or stops you from coming to him, 364 00:32:00,900 –> 00:32:04,819 but, second, you’re going to have to get your eyes off 365 00:32:04,819 –> 00:32:07,760 what other Christians may be able to do for you 366 00:32:07,760 –> 00:32:11,839 and to fix your eyes on Jesus Christ directly. 367 00:32:14,800 –> 00:32:17,920 Now, here’s one of the greatest spiritual dangers 368 00:32:17,920 –> 00:32:19,400 for folks like us. 369 00:32:20,500 –> 00:32:23,119 You know that it is possible 370 00:32:23,119 –> 00:32:26,699 to be assimilated into the church, 371 00:32:26,699 –> 00:32:30,520 to have relationships with other Christians 372 00:32:30,520 –> 00:32:35,520 without ever directly receiving from Jesus Christ 373 00:32:37,359 –> 00:32:39,780 and that is probably one of the most dangerous 374 00:32:39,780 –> 00:32:42,359 spiritual positions for a person to be in 375 00:32:42,359 –> 00:32:46,380 because it masks the reality of your true position. 376 00:32:47,859 –> 00:32:49,640 You think that all is well with you 377 00:32:49,640 –> 00:32:52,319 because you’re in relationship with other Christians. 378 00:32:54,640 –> 00:32:57,359 But if your greatest need is going to be met, 379 00:32:57,359 –> 00:33:02,359 it can only be met directly from Jesus Christ 380 00:33:04,819 –> 00:33:07,739 and that is what this man had wonderfully grasped. 381 00:33:07,739 –> 00:33:09,640 To the exclusion of all of the disciples, 382 00:33:09,640 –> 00:33:11,239 he comes directly to Jesus 383 00:33:11,239 –> 00:33:12,300 and on his knees he says, 384 00:33:12,500 –> 00:33:15,260 if you are willing, you can make me clean. 385 00:33:15,260 –> 00:33:20,260 It is a singular fixing of faith 386 00:33:21,739 –> 00:33:25,280 on the Lord Jesus Christ. 387 00:33:27,300 –> 00:33:29,439 Do you know the greatest complaint 388 00:33:29,439 –> 00:33:33,160 that Jesus made against religious people? 389 00:33:35,420 –> 00:33:37,300 You will find it in John’s Gospel 390 00:33:37,300 –> 00:33:39,579 in chapter five and verse 40 391 00:33:39,619 –> 00:33:41,339 and this is what Jesus said 392 00:33:41,339 –> 00:33:43,939 as a complaint against religious people. 393 00:33:45,300 –> 00:33:47,780 He spoke about all the things that religious people do 394 00:33:47,780 –> 00:33:49,619 and then He said, 395 00:33:49,619 –> 00:33:54,619 but you will not come to me and have life. 396 00:33:58,699 –> 00:33:59,699 That’s your problem. 397 00:34:01,099 –> 00:34:02,900 You’ll go to your friends. 398 00:34:04,380 –> 00:34:06,119 You’ll go to your priest. 399 00:34:07,140 –> 00:34:08,459 You go to your rabbi. 400 00:34:09,379 –> 00:34:11,699 You go to your pastor. 401 00:34:11,699 –> 00:34:13,939 You go to your small group. 402 00:34:13,939 –> 00:34:16,100 You’ll go to your church. 403 00:34:16,100 –> 00:34:18,000 You’ll go to your therapist, 404 00:34:19,500 –> 00:34:23,120 but you will not come to me 405 00:34:24,820 –> 00:34:26,820 that you may receive life. 406 00:34:26,820 –> 00:34:30,379 That is the chief complaint of Jesus Christ 407 00:34:30,379 –> 00:34:33,100 against religious people. 408 00:34:34,979 –> 00:34:36,979 Now, I plead with you today, 409 00:34:37,820–> 00:34:41,020 don’t make that mistake. 410 00:34:42,500 –> 00:34:45,739 It’s possible to be in the company 411 00:34:45,739 –> 00:34:48,580 of the disciples of Jesus 412 00:34:48,580 –> 00:34:51,899 without ever personally coming to receive 413 00:34:51,899 –> 00:34:54,239 directly from Jesus Christ, 414 00:34:54,239 –> 00:34:59,139 and this man, The Leper, is a wonderful example to us 415 00:34:59,139 –> 00:35:04,139 as he comes and pitches his singular faith on Jesus Christ 416 00:35:04,179 –> 00:35:05,760 of Jesus Christ. 417 00:35:05,760 –> 00:35:10,760 If you are willing, you can make me clean. 418 00:35:10,780 –> 00:35:15,780 There is in your hand a gift that no one else can give me 419 00:35:16,639 –> 00:35:21,479 and that can be received from no one else either. 420 00:35:22,560 –> 00:35:25,080 So fix your faith on Jesus Christ directly. 421 00:35:26,879 –> 00:35:28,959 Here’s the third answer, third encouragement. 422 00:35:28,959 –> 00:35:30,919 How are you going to receive from Jesus? 423 00:35:30,919 –> 00:35:33,919 Well, don’t let anything stop you from coming 424 00:35:34,159 –> 00:35:37,399 and make sure that you are pitching your faith 425 00:35:37,399 –> 00:35:39,679 directly on Jesus. 426 00:35:39,679 –> 00:35:40,520 Here’s the third thing, 427 00:35:40,520 –> 00:35:42,620 and this is a wonderful encouragement I think. 428 00:35:42,620 –> 00:35:44,399 Come with the faith that you have, 429 00:35:44,399 –> 00:35:46,100 come with the faith that you have. 430 00:35:46,919 –> 00:35:50,159 Notice what the man says here in verse 40. 431 00:35:50,159 –> 00:35:54,620 If you are willing, you can make me clean. 432 00:35:54,620 –> 00:35:57,379 If you’re willing, you can make me clean. 433 00:35:58,520 –> 00:36:00,520 Now, someone has put it this way 434 00:36:00,560 –> 00:36:05,560 that that little word, if, has two letters in it 435 00:36:05,840 –> 00:36:09,600 but these two letters bring together two whole worlds, 436 00:36:09,600 –> 00:36:14,219 the world of faith and the world of unbelief, if, if. 437 00:36:16,100 –> 00:36:20,800 I believe that you are able to make me clean, that’s faith. 438 00:36:21,800 –> 00:36:24,080 But I’m not sure if that is the sort of thing 439 00:36:24,080 –> 00:36:27,979 that you would want to do, that’s unbelief. 440 00:36:28,959 –> 00:36:30,919 So when this man says if, 441 00:36:30,919 –> 00:36:33,080 you know that what’s going on in his soul 442 00:36:33,080 –> 00:36:36,379 is a kind of mixture of faith with unbelief. 443 00:36:36,379 –> 00:36:39,120 But that is the faith that he has. 444 00:36:39,120 –> 00:36:40,520 And the encouragement to us 445 00:36:40,520 –> 00:36:42,219 is that that is how he comes to Jesus. 446 00:36:42,219 –> 00:36:44,719 You can’t come to Jesus with what you don’t have, 447 00:36:44,719 –> 00:36:47,199 you can only come to Jesus with what you do have, 448 00:36:47,199 –> 00:36:49,600 you have to come with the faith that you have. 449 00:36:52,239 –> 00:36:55,000 One writer puts it this way, I find this very helpful, 450 00:36:55,840 –> 00:36:58,659 some people come to faith 451 00:36:59,580 –> 00:37:04,199 not by any sudden and irresistible impulse of the spirit, 452 00:37:05,300 –> 00:37:08,760 but rather by a gradual process. 453 00:37:09,639 –> 00:37:13,600 The spirit working out unbelief 454 00:37:13,600 –> 00:37:16,639 and working in faith. 455 00:37:17,600 –> 00:37:20,100 And maybe what’s happening in your life right now. 456 00:37:21,300 –> 00:37:24,060 But don’t let the limitations of your faith 457 00:37:24,060 –> 00:37:27,860 prevent you from coming to Jesus Christ. 458 00:37:27,860 –> 00:37:31,419 Take encouragement from the response of Jesus to this man. 459 00:37:31,419 –> 00:37:34,080 Jesus does not take offense 460 00:37:34,080 –> 00:37:36,639 at the weakness of this man’s faith. 461 00:37:36,639 –> 00:37:38,659 No, the man says to Jesus, 462 00:37:38,659 –> 00:37:41,979 if you are willing you can make me clean. 463 00:37:41,979 –> 00:37:44,760 Jesus does not turn round to him and say, 464 00:37:44,760 –> 00:37:47,239 if, what do you mean by if. 465 00:37:48,959 –> 00:37:51,760 You see what does Jesus say to him? 466 00:37:51,760 –> 00:37:52,959 Verse 41, the man says, 467 00:37:53,000 –> 00:37:55,320 if you’re willing, Jesus says, 468 00:37:55,320 –> 00:37:56,419 I am willing. 469 00:37:58,179 –> 00:38:01,399 And you see in these words, Jesus removes all the doubt. 470 00:38:02,620 –> 00:38:03,939 Now here’s the principle, 471 00:38:04,860 –> 00:38:09,820 come to Christ with the faith that you have 472 00:38:09,820 –> 00:38:13,560 and he will deal with your unbelief. 473 00:38:14,699 –> 00:38:18,280 Come to Christ with the faith that you have 474 00:38:18,280 –> 00:38:21,439 and he will deal with your unbelief. 475 00:38:21,439 –> 00:38:22,840 But you have to come to Christ 476 00:38:23,719 –> 00:38:25,239 so you can’t just stay there 477 00:38:25,239 –> 00:38:26,060 with your mixture of faith and unbelief 478 00:38:26,060 –> 00:38:27,939 at a distance from him. 479 00:38:27,939 –> 00:38:29,919 If you stay there, you’ll never change. 480 00:38:29,919 –> 00:38:31,479 It’ll never move. 481 00:38:31,479 –> 00:38:34,919 But if you come to Christ with the faith that you have 482 00:38:34,919 –> 00:38:37,639 he will deal, as you come to him, 483 00:38:37,639 –> 00:38:40,800 with your unbelief and that is exactly what happened 484 00:38:40,800 –> 00:38:45,280 for this man who received from the hand of Jesus. 485 00:38:46,479 –> 00:38:48,860 So we’re asking the question how are you going to receive 486 00:38:48,860 –> 00:38:51,399 what you need and what Christ is able to give to you. 487 00:38:51,399 –> 00:38:54,239 Don’t let anything stop you from coming to Christ. 488 00:38:54,239 –> 00:38:57,520 Fix your faith on Christ alone and Christ directly. 489 00:38:57,520 –> 00:38:59,560 Come with the faith that you have. 490 00:38:59,560 –> 00:39:01,000 Fourth encouragement. 491 00:39:02,139 –> 00:39:05,100 Draw strength, draw encouragement 492 00:39:05,100 –> 00:39:08,639 from the compassion of Jesus. 493 00:39:08,639 –> 00:39:10,719 Do you see verse 41? 494 00:39:10,719 –> 00:39:15,719 Filled with compassion Jesus reached out his hand 495 00:39:18,439 –> 00:39:20,600 and touched the man. 496 00:39:21,979 –> 00:39:23,760 Now of course there’s great drama in this moment 497 00:39:23,760 –> 00:39:27,159 because nobody would touch a leper. 498 00:39:29,120 –> 00:39:31,360 But Jesus does. 499 00:39:31,360 –> 00:39:35,479 And remember Jesus is everything that God is in the flesh. 500 00:39:37,159 –> 00:39:42,040 By the way, Jesus is everything that God is in the flesh. 501 00:39:42,040 –> 00:39:43,780 Jesus touches the leper. 502 00:39:45,100 –> 00:39:50,100 Let that inform your understanding of God. 503 00:39:51,620 –> 00:39:54,959 This is what God is like. 504 00:39:56,120 –> 00:39:58,879 And if this is what God is like, 505 00:39:58,879 –> 00:40:02,739 wouldn’t you want to know him and be near to him 506 00:40:03,639 –> 00:40:05,580 and to be part of His great kingdom 507 00:40:05,580 –> 00:40:08,959 with all of its saving and wonderful effects? 508 00:40:10,520 –> 00:40:12,760 And these things are revealed for us, you see. 509 00:40:12,760 –> 00:40:16,540 The whole Bible, it is revealed for us, for God’s people 510 00:40:16,540 –> 00:40:19,300 so that we will know how He responds 511 00:40:19,320 –> 00:40:22,399 to the most desperate needs, when we come to Him. 512 00:40:24,919 –> 00:40:26,699 And the scripture is telling us here 513 00:40:26,699 –> 00:40:29,219 that Jesus is filled with compassion, 514 00:40:29,219 –> 00:40:33,840 his heart is moved, the heart of Jesus. 515 00:40:35,120 –> 00:40:37,179 Now, if he has compassion for this man, 516 00:40:37,179 –> 00:40:39,239 why would he not have compassion for you? 517 00:40:40,659 –> 00:40:45,399 If his heart is moved by the plight of this man, 518 00:40:45,399 –> 00:40:47,239 why should you not have confidence 519 00:40:47,239 –> 00:40:49,320 that his heart will reach out to you 520 00:40:49,320 –> 00:40:51,699 as you come to him with the faith that you have? 521 00:40:51,699 –> 00:40:55,260 Draw encouragement from what we learn here in the Bible 522 00:40:55,260 –> 00:40:57,580 about the compassion of Jesus. 523 00:40:57,580 –> 00:41:01,040 He will not turn you away as you draw near to Him today. 524 00:41:02,379 –> 00:41:03,739 And here’s the last thing. 525 00:41:05,659 –> 00:41:06,959 Get to the point. 526 00:41:08,300 –> 00:41:10,100 You know this is something that congregations 527 00:41:10,100 –> 00:41:12,040 sometimes say about preachers? 528 00:41:12,040 –> 00:41:14,699 I wish he’d get to the point. 529 00:41:14,699 –> 00:41:15,620 But have you ever heard? 530 00:41:15,620 –> 00:41:17,179 Can you believe this? 531 00:41:17,280 –> 00:41:18,360 Yes. 532 00:41:18,360 –> 00:41:20,979 Listen, this is something that we all need. 533 00:41:22,699 –> 00:41:25,300 There are folks who sit in the pew for years 534 00:41:25,300 –> 00:41:28,360 and never get to the point with Jesus Christ. 535 00:41:29,679 –> 00:41:32,179 Have you got to the point with Jesus? 536 00:41:33,479 –> 00:41:35,879 See, some of you who operate very effectively 537 00:41:35,879 –> 00:41:39,520 in the world of business, you’re brilliant at this. 538 00:41:39,520 –> 00:41:43,580 You lay out the situation and you make the ask. 539 00:41:44,939 –> 00:41:47,060 Why can’t you do that with Jesus Christ? 540 00:41:48,060 –> 00:41:51,219 Have you ever come to the place where, honestly, 541 00:41:51,219 –> 00:41:53,100 you’ve got down to business with Jesus, 542 00:41:53,100 –> 00:41:54,419 if I can put it that way, 543 00:41:54,419 –> 00:41:58,699 and you have, to use a phrase that the Puritans used 544 00:41:58,699 –> 00:42:00,179 that I think is very helpful, 545 00:42:01,000 –> 00:42:03,699 brought Christ to the point. 546 00:42:03,699 –> 00:42:04,620 I like that. 547 00:42:04,620 –> 00:42:06,979 Bringing Jesus to the point. 548 00:42:08,739 –> 00:42:10,260 Have you come to Him and say, 549 00:42:10,260 –> 00:42:12,120 look, here’s where it is. 550 00:42:13,060 –> 00:42:16,340 Forgiveness is my greatest need, 551 00:42:17,580 –> 00:42:21,679 you have authority to forgive my sins. 552 00:42:21,679 –> 00:42:22,860 So here’s the point, 553 00:42:23,959 –> 00:42:28,399 will you through your death and resurrection 554 00:42:28,399 –> 00:42:32,479 please forgive my sins in their entirety 555 00:42:32,479 –> 00:42:36,959 and bring me into a new and living relationship with God 556 00:42:36,959 –> 00:42:39,280 by your mercy and by your grace. 557 00:42:39,280 –> 00:42:41,379 Will you do that for me? 558 00:42:41,379 –> 00:42:42,780 Come with the faith that you have. 559 00:42:42,780 –> 00:42:46,459 He’ll deal with the rest of your unbelief as you come 560 00:42:46,479 –> 00:42:51,320 and as you move forward as a disciple of Jesus. 561 00:42:51,320 –> 00:42:52,760 But you know, the reason that some of us 562 00:42:52,760 –> 00:42:55,439 have remained floating around in church world 563 00:42:55,439 –> 00:42:58,560 knowing the disciples but not actually receiving 564 00:42:58,560 –> 00:43:00,879 from Jesus Christ is that we’ve never got to the point 565 00:43:00,879 –> 00:43:02,560 to make the ask. 566 00:43:04,139 –> 00:43:06,280 And if you’ve seen that forgiveness is your greatest need 567 00:43:06,280 –> 00:43:08,719 and that Jesus has authority to forgive sins, 568 00:43:08,719 –> 00:43:13,899 why would you not get to the point with Jesus Christ today? 569 00:43:14,100 –> 00:43:14,939 Today? 570 00:43:16,479 –> 00:43:19,159 Let’s bow in God’s presence in prayer together. 571 00:43:27,020 –> 00:43:32,020 Don’t let anything stop you from coming to Jesus. 572 00:43:36,020 –> 00:43:38,419 Fix your faith on Christ alone. 573 00:43:41,820 –> 00:43:43,280 Come with the faith you have 574 00:43:44,540 –> 00:43:48,659 but draw encouragement from the compassion of Jesus 575 00:43:48,659 –> 00:43:50,199 and get to the point. 576 00:43:51,939 –> 00:43:54,399 And make the ask. 577 00:44:01,739 –> 00:44:02,939 And I can’t do that for you. 578 00:44:02,939 –> 00:44:04,540 You don’t want me to do that for you 579 00:44:04,540 –> 00:44:06,540 because you want to receive from His hand 580 00:44:06,540 –> 00:44:08,419 just as a paralyzed man did 581 00:44:10,679 –> 00:44:13,639 and just as a desperate leper did. 582 00:44:14,419 –> 00:44:16,979 It’s necessary. 583 00:44:17,719 –> 00:44:19,159 Lord Jesus Christ, may there be many 584 00:44:19,159 –> 00:44:21,360 who come to you directly today 585 00:44:23,320 –> 00:44:26,580 receiving from your marvelous and loving hand 586 00:44:28,780 –> 00:44:31,100 what we most desperately need 587 00:44:31,100 –> 00:44:32,580 and what only you can give. 588 00:44:34,820 –> 00:44:38,020 Receive our thanks for this great privilege 589 00:44:38,020 –> 00:44:39,500 that we should be able to come 590 00:44:41,000 –> 00:44:42,379 in Jesus’ name. 591 00:44:42,379 –> 00:44:43,719 Amen.