Message Notes

INTRODUCTION

1. Four caring people expressed great concern for their paralytic friend

2. What stood out among the four friends?

3. The Faith of the Four Friends stood out!

THE LORD JESUS CAME ONCE AGAIN TO CAPERNAUM

1. He came to Capernaum often

2. It was called “His own city”

3. It wasn’t Nazareth because it had rejected His teachings   (Luke 4:16-30)

A PARALYTIC WAS BROUGHT TO THE LORD JESUS

1 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city.

2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

Matthew 9:1-2

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.

Luke 5:17-19

1. The Four Friends sought to bring their paralysed friend to the Lord Jesus

2. They could not bring him to the Lord Jesus because of the crowd

3. They went up to the roof and lowered him to be healed by the Lord Jesus

WHAT DID THE LORD JESUS SEE?

1. He saw the Four Friends on the roof top

2. He saw a paralytic right in front of Him

3. Above all, the Lord Jesus saw the Faith of the Four Friends   (Matthew 9:2b; Luke 5:20)

RECOGNIZABLE FEATURES OF FAITH

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,

3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

1. Work of Faith

2. Labour of Love

3. Patience of Hope

These features were obviously present and visible in the Four Friends

A WONDROUS OFFER OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS

1. The Forgiveness of sins

2. This was the first concern of the Lord Jesus

He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

NEGATIVE REACTION OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES

And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

Matthew 9:3

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

Luke 5:17

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

Luke 5:21

1. The religious leaders

a) Scribes

b) Pharisees

c) Teachers of the Law

2. They found fault with the Lord Jesus

a) They claimed that the Lord Jesus had blasphemed

b) They questioned His ability to forgive sins!

THE GRACIOUS RESPONE OF THE LORD JESUS

4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?

5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?

6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

7 And he arose and departed to his house.

8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

Matthew 9:4-8

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 who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

Luke 5:22-24

1. The Lord Jesus knew the thoughts of His detractors

2. He challenged them to consider which was easier

a) “Your sins are forgiven you”

b) “Rise up and walk”

3. Both were not easy

a) But the Lord Jesus had the power and authority to do both

b) He can forgive sins and He can heal a person

A GLORIOUS MIRACLE

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!”

Luke 5:25-26

6 “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

7 And he arose and departed to his house.

Matthew 9:6-7

1. The paralytic was healed

2. His sins were also forgiven

OUR CHALLENGE

1. Check the reality of our Faith

a) What are the features of Faith?

b) Can others see our Faith?

2. Cultivate Faith

a) Let us care for people in need

b) Let our genuine Faith cause us to bring people to the Lord Jesus