Setting: Contemporary Worship
Length: 37:35
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Title: Forgiving the Paralytic, part 1 of 2
Commentary: This sermon is part of the ongoing verse by verse series in Matthew.
Main Scripture: Matthew 9:1-8
Main Topics: Miracles, healing, paralysis, sins, forgiveness, blasphemy, authority of Jesus, evil thoughts, pharisees, faith
As you listen, select, copy, and paste the following outline:
1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.
2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
5 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?
6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home."
7 And the man got up and went home.
8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
-chapters 8-9 is our major section
-and here, Matthew presents to us the miracles of Jesus
-out of the untold number of miracles, Mathew presents 10
-taking those 10 and organizes them into sets of 3, 3, 4
-the second set of 3 miracles is 8:23-9:8
-we are in that second set…miracles 4, 5, & 6
-today is miracle#6 - 9:1-8
Themes that hold the miracles together (8:1-9:38): 3
Theme 1. He will minister to those whom Israel will not…..
Theme 2. Jesus has the authority over all things created
Theme 3. Jesus is the long awaited Messiah
-we will see this and all the themes come together in miracle #6
-remember last week, we were in the region of the Gadarenes
-and today….we are back in Capernaum
-Mark who gives us the same story tells us that this miracle took
place in Capernaum
-Matthew calls this Jesus’ “own town” 9:1
-Matthew describes Capernaum this way because it was Jesus’
headquarters
-it was the center of his ministry
-many of his miracles were performed here
-this is also where tradition says the sermon on the mount is
preached
-this is also the town where the first disciples are called
-Peter and Andrew, James and John
-Peter had a home here…
-in fact, this miracle takes place in his home
according to Mark
-Matthew is also called ….we will find his story here
* and so, Capernaum is special to Jesus
-his adopted hometown….though he grew up in Nazareth
-so, Jesus is back in Capernaum
-in fact….He was in Capernaum before he went to the region of the
Gadarenes
-in fact, all of chapter 8 except for the healing of the demon possessed
men that took place among the Gadarenes….happened in Capernaum
-remember 8:16
-when he was previously there in Capernaum, many people came
to Him….
-they heard of his miracle work with the leper, centurion’s
servant, Peter’s mother in law, and so on
-and so, it’s no surprise that when He returns to Capernaum, the crowds are back again in an instant
-swarming the house of Peter, where He stayed….
-but,….Matthew does not mention the crowds
-Matthew just says that some men brought a paralytic to Jesus
-but this is the famous story of the men tearing open the roof and dropping the man into the house
-so, it’s STUNNING…how Matthew does not tell us about these crowds
-that was my first surprise
-I was expecting to read about those well known details of the story
-you remember the story too right?
-about the…
-the crowds pressing against the mud-brick house
-about the 4 men digging through the roof of Peter’s house
to get to Jesus….and lowering their friend
-I remember it well as a kid in Sunday school
-so I guess I was looking for that story here
-But….Matthew is not concerned about such details
-I guess Matthew is focused on something else
-I talked about this in the last sermon where the different gospel writers have different purposes for their different audiences….that God gives them different inspirations so that different perspectives can be created
-and so, we’ll have to keep an eye on where Matthew is going with HIS telling of the story
-where is Matthew going?
-or, we can say: What is God trying to tell us through
Matthew?
-let’s follow this carefully…
Vs.2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat.
-now, ladies and gents, we have seen paralysis before
-where in chapters 8-9 have we seen it before?
-back in chapter 8….miracle #2….the servant of the centurion
-this servant had the same paralysis
-a nerve condition that affected the person’s spinal cord that
make him unable to control himself bodily
-the centurion’s servant was in such pain that he was lying in bed: the word in the original for “lying” was “thrown” – a graphic description of how he could not control himself….he was thrown into the bed….rolling around
-here, the suffering is just as great:
-he is unable to walk…possibly unable to speak
-he had to be carried everywhere by family and friends
-he hears that Jesus is back in town…..
-my guess is that he tells his friends to take him to meet Jesus
-or maybe his friends acted on their own initiative
-these Capernaum folks knew where to find Him because He often
stayed at Peter’s house
-and arriving there, they see a massive crowd….even blocking the
entrance of the house
-there seemed to be no way of penetrating the many layers of people
-and so, they climb the roof and dig through it to get to Jesus
-I’m sure everyone stopped to notice what was going on
-looking up and seeing pieces of mud fall down to the floor and
witnessing a paralyzed man being lowered
-The Bible says…. “…Jesus saw their faith…”
-when I was young, I heard many sermons and Bible studies on this
miracle
-you know, this is a very popular miracle in Sunday School
-I remember even seeing a movie on Jesus with this scene
-and I also remember the lessons that were taught….
-about how diligent these men were
-people say that their faith was seen in how they made the extra effort to climb the roof
-how hard that was, carrying a paralyzed friend
-the sermon talked about the dedicated and diligence of these men climbing the house….how hard that was
-but then I studied the house and learned later that there were stairs leading to the roof !
-that took some of the thunder away from that
teaching !
-I learned about how much faith they had in Jesus,
evidenced by the digging of the roof…
-they really wanted to get to Jesus
-I even heard a sermon about these 4 men….how special it was to have 4 friends like that
-4 friends who would go the extra mile for another friend
-and how all of us need 4 special friends
-that if you have 3….be patient…God will give you the 4th
one in His time !
-that God wants you to have 4 men of faith…
-you know what?
-with due respect to all Sunday school teachers and writers of
those Sunday school curriculums and those youth pastors I had
along the way….all of whom were a blessing to me…..
-I want to respectfully reject those interpretations
-just because you
-climb a roof….or in this case, walk up the outside stairs to the
roof
-dig through a roof and lower your friend
-that climbing and digging is not evidence of your faith
-lots of people go out of their way to come to Jesus
-many came for the wrong reasons…we saw that in the response of the would be disciples (quick and slow responses, remember?)
-just because you climb, dig, carry a friend does not mean you are
godly
-the faith that Jesus saw had nothing to do with….
1. their effort in climbing the roof
2. or their digging through the roof
-it’s not about climbing and digging
-it’s about recognizing that Jesus is the savior and the one who can forgive sins
* the faith that Jesus saw was their belief in Jesus as the forgiver of
sins
-somehow, they had the faith to see Jesus as the son of God….
-and if He is the son of God….He can forgive sins
-this explains why Jesus walks up to the man and speaks about forgiveness
-Jesus walks up to the paralyzed man and says…. "Take heart, son;
your sins are forgiven."
-hey, when you first read that…did that catch you off guard?
-it’s almost “out of the blue”
-the man did not say anything
-no one brought up the subject of sin that needed forgiving
-you might have thought that the first thing that would happen is his physical healing…after all, he is a paralytic
-but, out of the blue, Jesus says "Take heart, son; your sins are
forgiven."
-let’s say this…
-it’s “out of the blue” for us…but NOT for Jesus
-for Jesus...he is able to read hearts
-nothing new….we see this truth taught everywhere
-King David praise God for his omniscience
Psalm 139:1ff
1…..O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
…4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O
LORD.
-and back here in Matthew 9…..it will be clear that Jesus is God
-and if Jesus is God….Jesus has the divine ability to read hearts
-and so, He sees everything….
-and understands what is really going on the situation
-He sees the faith of the men lowering the paralyzed friend
-He sees the evil thoughts of the scribes
-and, it’s not out of the blue for Jesus to see into the heart of the
paralytic and see what’s going on
-and what Jesus sees in the heart of this man is a deep concern for his
own sins
-more than his physical condition, this man is concerned about his spiritual condition
-some of you might still be surprised that this man who is in such bad physical condition did not immediately ask for physical healing first
-why is his first and foremost concern his own sins?
-well…remember, this is Jewish culture
-and Matthew is writing to Jews and so he does not explain everything
out…..his Jewish readers will understand this situation without an
explanation
-but for us….we’re gonna need an explanation
-here’s how it was
* People with severe physical challenges….in the Jewish culture…such
as this paralytic, were stigmatized
-a really bad image
-much like today…although it was worse back then
-today, life is hard for the physically challenged
-but back then, life was terrible
-today, such a person could make a life for himself
-back then, you were a beggar….that’s it !
-today, people show some sensitivity and support
-we build wheelchairs, special parking spaces, special
ramps for easy access, etc.
-we are much more sensitive today
-back then, there was no such sensitivity
-there was only JUDGEMENT & REJECTION
* The Jews believed strongly that all disease and affliction were the direct result of sin
-his own sin, or his parents, or his grandparents….
-remember, in John 9:1-2
-Jesus and his disciples see a blind man….
2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man
or his parents, that he was born blind?"
-in other words, they believed….God is judging him for his
sin
-this was the prevailing attitude
-that their sins were great….and God was judging them
-and so, they must live out their lives in this way
-stigmatized by their own people
-forced to live a life of a beggar
-this was your life’s calling…your career…if you will
-in fact, when I looked up “beggar” in the Bible Dictionary?
-it was not under “b” for beggar
-but under “o” for occupations !
* back then…once a beggar, always a beggar…it was
your life’s occupation
-so, this was his life, his occupation….his emotional and spiritual burden
-told by everyone that his paralysis is due to his sin
-picture a man….
-living with the destructive thoughts of his own sins
-living with the destructive thoughts of God judging him
-he hears Jesus is in town
-his friends who are sympathetic to his suffering, carry him
-they come to the house and dig through the roof
-their faith leads them to believe Jesus is a true healer
-they probably saw him heal….after all…Capernaum is their
hometown too….
-this is where of his miracles were done
-and they believed
-and if Jesus is able to heal….they are thinking
-then maybe Jesus is from God….they are thinking
-and if Jesus is from God…..
-then maybe Jesus can forgive him of his sins
-the sins that brought about his paralysis…they are thinking
-and if Jesus forgives him of his sin
-then surely, he would be healed for his disease
-and so, they come to Jesus wondering if Jesus can truly forgive him
-Jesus sees their heart of faith
-their concern for forgiveness
-and so, even though a word is not said by the friends or the
paralytic….Jesus answers their main concern:"Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
-remember I said… let’s keep an eye on where Matthew is going with his telling of the story
-trying to figure out why he leaves out details that Mark and Luke bring out?
-why Matthew does not seem concerned about the external stuff
-I believe we have the BIG TIME REASON here
-Matthew is not concerned about the external conditions; rather, he is concerned about the internal condition
-this whole passage is about the internal condition: the heart
-this story is about the heart of faith in the paralytic
-accepting Jesus as the son of God who is able to forgive
-and quite honestly….isn’t that the story of every Christian
-the external stuff does not matter….
-whether you meet Jesus here or there
-in a crowded rally or by yourself in the middle of
the night like I did….
-or a light knocks you off your camel as the
apostle Paul experienced
-when it comes down to it, the external stuff does not
matter
-all that matters is the internal condition of heart
* accepting Jesus as the forgiver of your sins
-this is the story of the paralytic…
-so, Matthew is not concerned about the external conditions; rather, he is concerned about the internal condition
-this is where Matthew is going….
-or….we can say…this is where Jesus is going
* and so, we have to follow Him there….
-take heart: lit.: take courage
-in the original Greek, there are a couple of words for courage
-there is the word which reflect external courage
-meaning, on the outside, you look brave, courageous
-this word here in v.2 is a word which reflects internal courage
-meaning, deep down in his heart, Jesus wanted him
to be settled…and not be afraid
-and so, the NIV: “take heart” is a good translation
-think about it
-there is fear in his heart
-if the faith of the paralytic is accurate
-that is, if he is right that Jesus is the son of God able to
forgive
-that means, Jesus is has the authority to forgive and NOT
to forgive
-in other words, the paralytic was shaking in his sandals knowing
Jesus is now his judge
-you would be fearful too….before your judge
-wondering how Jesus would respond
-everyone who meets God in the Bible…shakes in fear
-from Abraham, to Isaiah, to Peter himself to the
apostle John…..everyone is struck with fear
-but the long awaited Messiah
-is a compassionate Messiah
-willing to minister to those whom Israel will NOT
-theme 1
-they stigmatized the man…..
-Jesus will Not….
-Jesus calls him “son”
-which is an intimate term
-creating a warm and friendly bond with the man….and…
-and for me, this is a graphic example of the first thing Jesus said in the sermon on the mount?
-what was the first teaching in the sermon on the mount?
-Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of
heaven
-the word “poor” here must be translated “beggar”
-all this beggar wanted was his sins forgiven
-he falls at Jesus’ feet with an attitude that says “help me”
-“I can’t help myself ”
-I need you to have mercy on me
….and we have to stop here……
-we have to leave it untied….and then tie it all together next week….
-‘til then
-all believers can relate
-we are all like that paralytic….standing before our judge
-unable to save ourselves and needing His forgiveness
-never forget that
-never forget where you came from…..
-you are sinner forgiven by the mercy of God
This sermon makes reference to Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit". Click:
Click for part 2: The Forgiving of the Paralytic
For the complete collection of recorded audios on Matthew, click:
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