Without a Prayer

Tells us here they're bringing friend the man. Verse 18 is paralyze, there wasn't any way to get to Jesus unless his friends brought a wonderful illustration for us of the gospel enterprises that you picture of the great commission, we are delivering the gospel to help less people who are spiritually paralyzed bringing essentially Jesus by means of the gospel without Jesus in prayer. Today we come to a pivotal point in Jesus ministry for the first time he's not only going to heal someone from physical illness but he's going to announce his divine power to forgive sins. That's a power only reserved for God himself while healing for our bodies is certainly a blessing. Healing for our souls is what we really need and will last throughout eternity. Here Stephen with the message he's calling. Without prayer, truth is when people don't have prayer there most likely to begin praying. There's no option other than God.

No other escape.

People are ready to go to got it, and perhaps even you. After some dilemma because of that crisis which brought to your need is your thankful it occurred that brought you to go something like this is about to happen in the life of one very desperate man, he's introduced to us in Luke chapter 5 let's go back to what we left off. Luke introduces us to this man, not by his name, but by his illness. He tells us in verse 18. The man was helplessly paralyzed. Now before we jump in and deal with this man's illness.

Luke introduces us to the audience that this is the first time were told of the gospel account that the religious leaders that sort of showed up as a committee to listen to Jesus teach about watching heal the sick. If you're with us. Our last study, Jesus healed a leper and sent him back to the priest knowing that he was going to instigate that that priest would an investigation of Jesus well, that took place and here's the investigating committee now showing up.

Verse 1701 of those days as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there would come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem that's that's a two day journey. By the way, they're all packing in here the power of the Lord was with the Lord, the Lord Jesus to heal and now let me pause for a moment or two, since this is our first encounter with these religious leaders, you may be new to the faith, and new to who these men were so let's enter this on the teachers of the law are describes these are the lawyers of the Mosaic law so to speak. Many of them were Pharisees. They handle the legal matters of of the nation. They were the that the experts, the attorneys at Mosaic law there here in in Luke chapter 5 to basically take down the minutes and copy everything Jesus says in order to try and find some law he violates they're going to catch up some legal error. The other group were given here are Pharisees, not that term just sort of summarizes it all it means separated one during the 400 years between the ending of Malachi. The last book of the Old Testament and beginning a map universe will net 400 year period of time. Of this group have grown in prominence. These were men committed to defining and in teaching and observing keeping the law of Moses the day they lead a life of separation from the ordinary Jewish person because they were essentially so much better at keeping the law and it was quite challenging because were not just talking about the law of Moses were were talking about the oral law that had been developed over these 400 years. It is expanded dramatically to give you some illustrations of Francis the law of Moses forbade working on the Sabbath with the nation of Israel wants to know what exactly is the definition of work.

What would be against the wall. Was it chopping wood lab but pulling weeds in the yard that want to be against the law's present concern is that work. What is were well over the years. The Pharisees provided the answers they defined were in the 39 categories. They call them the fathers of work. These categories, but then each of the 39 categories were subdivided into thousands of rules and regulations that define the word. In fact, it became full-time work just to keep up with all of the rule that the burden the law had become part of the things Jesus said, are you weary are you lab file talking about the law come to me. He said rest. Verse 18 beholds a member bringing on a better man was paralyzed and they were seeking to bring a man on land before Jesus, but finding no way to bring a man because of the crowd stopped for a moment struck me they couldn't they couldn't because of the crowd that they're trying to get their friend to Jesus but the crowd is in the way it usually is. Crowd never helps people find a way to Jesus more convicting thought of to me is the whether or not we as believers by the way we live by the way we talk. By the way we act. By the way we work out there.

Are we showing people the way to Jesus, or are we just in the way crowds in the way Luke tells us here there bringing a friend a man. Verse 18 is paralyzed correlated costs gives us our word paralytic store uses Luke uses the more medically correct term for a man is suffering from some illness which has made him paralyzed. When I told what that illness once we do know is that there wasn't any way they could get that he could get to Jesus unless his friends brought up, he literally done that a prayer which provides, by the way, another wonderful illustration for us of the gospel enterprises that you pick up the great commission, we are delivering the gospel to help less people who are spiritually paralyzed, bringing them essentially to Jesus by means of the gospel without Jesus, they don't have a prayer.

We deliver the gospel with them. I love the persistence by the way these friends. Did you notice they're carrying his mattress that this method kinda turned it into a stretcher, but they can get near the Lord is just no way the entire city has turned out. The house is jammed Travis spilling out all over.

I love the fact that none of them said to each other the crowds to will never get through this must not be God's will know no, let's try the roof. I love the persistence verse 19, but finding no way to bring the men because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let them down with his bed titles into the midst before Jesus. This gives us a little insight into the home. Typical first century home. The roof was the floor of the second floor which made at the ceiling of the first floor that upper story was open to the sky and essentially you walked on the ceiling for the folks below uses the word here for ceramic tiles affect the Greek word gives us the word ceramic so this is a more expensive home.

A larger home. The tiles would be laid down for strength in supported and covered with dirt or plaster for waterproofing. So these men here are digging through the outer layer in their beginning to peel back these tiles.

You can imagine the mess it was making inside the house. I wondered how the homeowner it was going to explain this to the insurance company but I don't want to miss this Jesus God, why make them go through all the trouble because I looked up and said hey hey look guys you don't worry about it. I see your faith. I know it's going on you know son Yuri Hale you guys could take off and have a nice day you get it done, but he doesn't want he wants this paralytic lowered right in the living room because he has something more in mind that healing.

We've Artie learned in our last study that according to rabbinic sociology physical infirmity was assigned a divine displeasure that they were teaching the people this axiom, the greater the sickness, the greater the center so just look at this man is experiencing. Obviously terrible judgment from God because he's Evan handling a terrible center is paralyzed, how much worse could it get how much more helpless. Could it be she did say this man doesn't have a prayer. Add to that the fact that one rabbi's writings have survived the centuries, wrote this. I love this.

No one he explained, gets up from his sick bed until his sins are forgiven.

So here's the logic God is the one displeased with sin. God is the one punishing the sinner in this case with paralysis.

God is the only one who can forgive sin and in order that for this man to be healed of his sins have to be forgiven. See Jesus is setting this up perfectly, which is by the way, why Jesus isn't in a hurry.

We know how long it took for them to tear up the seal roof Jesus one of them lowered right down in front of all these Pharisees and scribes. They got out there legal pads unit or scratching away probably taken some sketches like you do in court just peers with a look like they think they've got Jesus cornered my friend, Jesus has them cornered right where he wants them. Why because he's about to show them a demonstration of the two.

That's why he doesn't even healed the man.

Once he arrived, what happens first. Verse 20 when he saw their faith up front, and that that by noise for all of these men including the paralytic meeting coming and have them taken against his will, demonstrating their faith in the power of Jesus, but Jesus says man your sins are forgiven you sins plural notes that every single one of them, your sins are gone. Literally he saying your sins are dismissed, they are sent for their gone. This is the distinct development of the gospel was in it. Forgiveness sins erase your sins dismissed God's chosen to forgive you.

We also told he's chosen to forget by the atoning work of Christ who died and was buried, and rose again to prove it was all true. Something greater happening here though Jesus is claiming to do what David said God would do in these men would've known David's writings well in Psalm 1034 God David said, is able to put your sins as far away as the east is from the west.

He is able to dismiss them forever. He remembers them no more me tell you something Christian, God remembers them no more and neither should you quit taking up what he's dismiss this the first time in the gospel accounts were Jesus has made any kind of claim with staggering. I can see the scribes dropping their legal pads. The Pharisees feigning one or two of smelling softball then they didn't see this coming that none of them then only not to say but they do get mad 21 and the scribes and Pharisees. The other question say is this. He speaks blasphemies who can forgive sins but God alone. Well, on that point their correct that's the point.

So when Jesus perceived their thoughts. Follow this work as part of the demonstration of deity that would perceive that verb means to know fully to know if thorough thoroughly their thoughts. Why, because then said anything yet. They're just thinking this, and Jesus can read their minds as it ever occur to you early, slightly again hide anything from Jesus. He knows he knew every one of that paralytic's sin.

He knew everyone he knew every one of the thoughts of these men see again. Jesus is fulfilling David's description of Messiah this time. In Psalm 139, we could paraphrase David is saying, Lord, I am an open book to you, even from a distance. You know what I'm thinking you know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence she was happening here. This is deity on display. Verse 22 again when Jesus perceived their thoughts. He answered them.

Why do you question in your hearts knows I know what you're you're questioning your you're wondering which is easier to say, your sins are forgiven you were to say Rison and wall and others. He just brings it all out in the open. He sort of agrees with them. You know, it really would be easier to say, your sins are forgiven wanted to, they can be verify that the invisible, so it's harder to say your healed but I tell you what I want to do the second to prove the first working to verify his healing in order to prove that I was in fact able to restore spiritual said that this man, but that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.

He said the man was paralyzed.

I say to you. Rise at the same word family.

The Angels used when the women came to see Jesus in the Tammany what marinades are you looking for is already said that this is a foreshadowing just a little taste of the power of Jesus. Ron pick up your bad job literally*gain and don't stop walking in till you get home now for this paralyzed man to immediately get up and roll up as mad and start walking home is going to demand a series of instantaneous miracles.

Think about it. Muscle memory of how to walk implanted in his brain physical balance restored atrophied muscles instantly regenerate nerves regenerated nerve signal re-firing damaged spinal tissue healed muscles, tendons, joints, operating instantly and perfectly loudest man just get I get been sitting there for a few minutes, roll up his mat and head out the door. That's exactly what happened can imagine all the people are in the front whether Little League legal pads out when you don't have to imagine. Luke tells us in verse 26 and amazement seized grit that all your to circle the world and they glorified God, and were filled with all saying we have seen extraordinary things today. I will note you could transfer that we have seen on believable things unexpected marvelous thing today.

There are two sets of miracles that have taken place. One verifying the other spiritual regeneration and physical regeneration. Sins forgiven a body heal. By the way, don't overlook the fact that the greater miracle of the two was the first spiritual one well because physical healing would be temporary during this man's lifetime, he will eventually grow old and die physical restoration here was tremendous, but it was temporary, but the spiritual miracle of regeneration.

The power of God to dismiss all sin is eternal take him from our to have three crimes you've experienced believer, the greater miracle we pine for the lesser miracle we received the greatest.

The term mayor. We offer a couple of observations. First, only help listeners understand are true need to be forgiven by God when your backs against the law.

This is total helplessness you tried everything to get your rules, your list, your works will baptism maybe your good person you're coming to faith in Jesus. However, because there's no other option because you come up empty.

Everywhere reading the story told by Hugh Redwood preacher from England couple hundred years ago he wrote about a woman who lived in the dock district. The slum district in London. She lived with Chinese man they had what they called back then 1/2 cast baby. She was considered an outcast to her society. She earned a ladies Bible study in a church not too far away and decided to make the effort to go. She recognized for spiritual need Redwood rights. She went and enjoyed the study of God's word with these women. It was neuter.

She returned the next week and the next, bringing her baby with her that time because on that occasion there was no one to keep him within the vector came to her and said ma'am you cannot return any longer. The other women do not want you and your baby here. Tears filled her eyes and she looked at this religious leader and said I know I am a sinner but isn't there anywhere that a sinner can go. People turned away by the religious world, people turned away by their own society. People who know their sinful. That's the place where you turn to Jesus, the Bible says call upon the name of the Lord use shall say I've met a lot of people at all: the name of the Lord is it'll need to tell me everything they've done, but a helpless sinner recognizes their helplessness and according to the Bible you're able to make that call. Secondly, only forgiven sinners understand the true joy of singing praise the God look at verse 25 he went home glorifying God within those verse 26. All of that again marks that they're joining in glorifying God as well. They're all filled with all the all glorify God.

This is the only person I can think of where I've even been given the slightest impression that an entire group of Pharisees and scribes believe in who Jesus is. This whole thing turns around this whole thing all revival disorder breaks out right here in this man's by the way these Pharisees will not be the last to leave their religious pride in their good works in the dust in favor of a relationship with Jesus Christ and in him alone because the apostle Paul tells a little later on in the book of acts chapter 23 verse six he tells us that he once was a Pharisee, but here they all are this day of song of praise, by the way, comes from the heart of people realize without the Lord's forgiveness. We don't stand a chance. We don't have room when you come to him and ask him for forgiveness and faith gospel message. We deliver is that he will forgive you and you'll understand like this man, why you don't just get up and walk home.

Get started walking and glorify God. Jesus offers us the healing we really healing for our soul. This is wisdom for the heart.

The Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey Stephen is the pastor of the shepherd's church in Cary, North Carolina. It's always a real joy to hear from our listeners. Let me share with you what some of your fellow listeners have said recently when listener wrote to say I appreciate your ministry and preaching. I'm inspired to study the word and walked closely with the Lord because of the truths brought out in your sermons, Teresa, who listens internationally said, I love to listen to Steven and his many different series.

They help me understand the mysteries of the Bible so much better, and because of that I tell others about this program all the time and one more from Gail in South Carolina.

Thank you for serving our Lord Jesus so faithfully it's my routine pleasure to listen daily to Stephen's messages from the word. My understanding of God's word grows clearer and stronger through your sermons. May God continue to bless your ministry will thanks to those who took the time to write to us. A friend we'd be encouraged to hear from you. Send an email to info@wisdomonline.org or write to us at wisdom for the hearts. PO Box 37297 Raleigh, NC 27627.

Thanks for joining us today.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you will be back with us on Monday for more