Can We See Strange Things Happen at EBC?

I invite you to find Luke 5:17-26.  This morning’s sermon is entitled, “Can We See Strange Things Happen at Emory Baptist Church?”  That question will make more sense after we read today’s text. 

 

Just for your information, this same story is also found in Matthew 9 and Mark 2.  In our sermon series through those books, I have shared a sermon entitled, “Four of Kind Beats a Full House.” I wish I could take credit for that sermon title, but I actually heard it from Steve Stroop, pastor of Lakepointe Church in Rockwall.

 

Let me take just a moment to trace that thought.  As it relates to how poker hands rank, I know that the best hand possible is a Royal Flush.  That is a ten, a jack, a queen, a king, and an ace all in the same suit.  The next best hand is the Straight Flush.  That is something like 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in the same suit. 

 

Just under a Straight Flush is four of a kind.  That could be four 2’s or four 7’s or four 10’s.  And just under four of a kind is a full house, which is three of a kind and one pair.  Four of a kind beats a full house.  Four of a kind beats a full house in poker and in today’s story from Luke 5.

 

 

1. Jesus’ Audacious Claim, 5:17-20

17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

 

Verse 17 begins with Jesus teaching.  Even though Luke doesn’t specify, we know from Mark that this occasion happened in an individual’s house, and as you will see, it must have been a large house due to the size of the crowd. 

 

In this house, along with common folks, were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting and listening to Jesus.  They had come from every village of Galilee and Judea. 

 

These were Jewish religious leaders.  They were known for their strict and literal understanding of the OT.

 

The end of verse 17 tells us that the power of the Lord was present for Jesus to perform healing.  We have seen Him heal previously and will continue, but keep in mind that this occasion begins as one devoted to teaching as that was Jesus’ primary ministry on earth.

 

In verse 18, we are introduced to some more individuals in this story.  Luke says some men were carrying a paralyzed man on a bed or mat.  Mark says it was four friends.  Evidently, they heard about Jesus’ ability to heal and were trying to get their friend to Jesus. 

 

However, verse 19 says they couldn’t get through because Jesus was in the middle of the room, and the crowd was too thick all the way around Him.  This was a full house.

 

BTW, this is the way it should always be.  When there is preaching, the house should always be full, and that should be true regardless of the preacher.  Why?  Because the preaching of God’s Word is more important than your day off.  The preaching of God’s Word is more important than your “honey-do’s.”  The preaching of God’s Word is more important than your hunting, fishing, or golfing, and the preaching of God’s Word is more important than your child’s extracurricular activities.

 

Therefore, they went to plan B.  They used an outside ladder to carry their paralyzed friend on the roof.  They then begin to take the roof apart in order to lower him down setting Him at Jesus’ feet.  Can you even imagine the scene? 

 

In verse 20, Jesus had stopped teaching and spoke directly to the paralyzed man.  However, notice how Luke worded this verse. When Jesus saw THEIR faith, He spoke to the man.

 

In this text, we see the power of intercession.  We see how absolutely essential it is that we act on behalf of others.  We must pray for them.  We must go to them.  We must bring them. 

 

This is the picture of four of a kind beating a full house.  It does in poker, and it did here when these four men brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus. 

 

These four had cooperation.  When was the last time you picked up 175 pounds of dead weight?  It’s not easy. The cooperated together and carried this man who was helpless otherwise. 

 

These four had determination.  They couldn’t get him into the house.  Did they give up?  Did they wait?  Did they ask Jesus to come outside?  No, they made their way to the roof, dug a hole, and lowered him down and placed him at the feet of Jesus. 

 

These four had motivation.  They knew Jesus could heal their friend. 

 

However, first, Jesus saved him, and when the words of forgiveness came from Jesus’ mouth, the Pharisees were in disbelief.  This was an audacious claim.

 

BTW, look at exactly what Jesus said.  Your sins are forgiven. 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, did you know that your sins separate you from God?  God is holy, and He cannot have fellowship with sinners.  See Romans 6:23.

 

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Our sin is a stench in His nostrils.  Our adultery deserves death.  Our arrogance deserves death.  Our gluttony deserves death.  Our greed deserves death.    Our laziness deserves death.  Our selfishness deserves death.

 

However, when we receive God’s Son, Jesus, as our personal Lord and Savior, God can and will have fellowship with sinners through His sinless Son, and He gives us the gift of eternal life in heaven.  The OT has wonderful word pictures of what forgiveness means.

 

Psalm 103:12, As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

 

Isaiah 38:17, Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness; But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

 

Jeremiah 31:34, No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

 

Micah 7:19, He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities.  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

 

 

2. The Pharisees’ Appropriate Question, Luke 5:21

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

 

They were thinking that Jesus had just committed blasphemy.  That is to put yourself in the place of God. 

 

They knew that only God could forgive sins…and they were right.  So, do you know what Jesus was saying?  He was saying, “I am God!”

 

 

3. The Paralytic’s Amazing Conduct, Luke 5:22-26

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”  25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”

 

Jesus knew what the Pharisees were thinking, and so He posed a dilemma in verse 23.  Is it easier to say a person’s sins are forgiven or to say get up and walk? 

 

It is certainly easier to say a person’s sins are forgiven because you can’t see that.  Nobody knows if they are or aren’t. 

 

However, if you say to a paralytic, “You are healed,” and yet, he can’t walk, you are a fake.  You are a fraud.  Therefore, it is much easier to say a person’s sins are forgiven. 

 

However, Jesus didn’t leave the situation.  He not only saved the man, look at what He also did. 

 

Look at verse 24.  In order to verify that in fact He was God, Jesus told the man to get up and walk.  You know what?  He did. 

 

Verse 25 says he immediately got up and picked up his bed and went home glorifying God.  God had saved him and healed him instantly. 

 

Verse 26 says all who saw this miracle and heard this miracle were amazed.  The paralytic’s conduct was amazing.  He couldn’t walk, but now he walked.   

 

The story ends with the crowd including the Pharisees and teachers of the law being in awe of what they had just witnessed with their own eyes.  They were glorifying God as well and saying, “We have seen strange things today.” 

 

That phrase literally means paradox.  A paradox is a statement or experience that seems to contradict itself.  In this instance, the paralytic came into the house unable to walk.  However, he left the house walking on his own power.  Another paradox is that most of the crowd would have thought this man had committed some really bad sins, and as a result, God punished him with paralysis.  However, he left the house having been saved with his sins forgiven.  That is a paradox. 

 

 

Conclusion

So here is my question.  Can we see strange things happen at Emory Baptist Church?  Can we see terrible sinners gloriously saved?  Can we see the deathly ill miraculously healed? 

 

It depends.  It will depend a lot on you.  Remember what verse 20 says, “Seeing their faith…”  Much of what happened to the man involved the faith of his friends.

 

Last Sunday, we had Friend Day at EBC.  Thank you for inviting friends, and thank you to friends for coming.

 

On March 24, we will celebrate Palm Sunday, and our Celebration Choir will be sharing their Easter Music Presentation.  Will you bring someone with you to church?

 

Easter Sunday will be March 31.  In 2021, we had 390 on Easter Sunday.  In 2022, we had 410 on Easter Sunday.  In 2023, we had 440 on Easter Sunday.  

 

In 2024, I am challenging you to have pack this auditorium with 500 people.  Here’s why.

 

The point of this story is that Jesus could forgive sins because Jesus was God.  He was omnipotent in verse 17.  He was omniscient in verse 22.  He was omni-benevolent in verse 23. 

 

Jesus was God, and only God can save and forgive sins and give eternal life, and that is the message that we want to share at Easter.  See John 11:25.

 

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.