WEBVTT

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 A.W. Tozer is famous for writing that what comes to our minds when we think of God is the most important thing about us.

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 Now that's immediately offensive to most people today.

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 In fact, the world around us, the day and age in which we live,

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 the assertion is that the most important thing that should come to your mind is you, yourself.

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 Self-care is what's most important.

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 Self-assurance is what's most important.

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 Self-confidence, putting your self first.

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 The mantra of young people today from what I understand is,

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 treat yourself is what they say.

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 A.W. Tozer was right.

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 The most important thing about you is what comes to your mind when you think of God.

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 And of course, we can change that statement just a little bit,

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 and it would be just as true when we say what is the most important thing about us

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 is what comes to our mind when we think of Christ.

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 That's the whole point of the Gospel of Mark.

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 All the Gospels, actually.

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 The writing of proclamation.

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 This is who Jesus is.

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 This is what he did.

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 And this is why it matters.

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 And when we get to the story of the first 12 verses of Mark chapter 2,

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 that purpose becomes abundantly clear.

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 It's the entire theme of the story.

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 There's so many different characters that we see,

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 so many different storylines that we can trace,

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 and we did that in our last study through the first four verses.

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 But the overarching theme of this story is not the men that brought the paralytic.

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 It's not the tension between Jesus and the scribes.

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 The overwhelming theme is the fact that Jesus is God,

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 and that since he is God, he has authority and power to forgive sins.

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 So we pick up in verse 5 today, really, is where we focus our attention.

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 Two weeks ago, we looked at the first four verses,

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 and we focused our time primarily on these four friends

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 that brought the paralytic man to Jesus.

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 The determination that they had, the focused attention that they had,

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 the sacrifice that they were willing to make in order to get this man to Jesus,

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 whom they believed was his only hope for any kind of healing.

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 And of course, the question that we pondered and examined was,

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 if these men were so determined to get their friend to Jesus for physical healing,

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 how much more concerned should we be to get our friends to Jesus for spiritual healing?

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 Which was the point Jesus was making in the reaction that he had with the man.

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 Today, we come to the heart of the text,

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 the point of the whole story and why it's here,

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 and why it's here not only in Mark's gospel, but in Matthew and Luke's as well.

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 What took place when this paralyzed man was lowered into the house

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 is monumentally important.

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 What was anticipated by these observers,

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 this massive crowd that's now packed into what we believe was Peter's house,

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 packed into the house, packed outside of the house,

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 what mattered here, what they expected to matter there,

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 was Jesus would look at this poor paralytic man

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 and that he would provide this spectacular miracle.

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 But what actually happened was not what they expected.

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 What came instead was a provocative statement from Jesus,

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 a claim of divinity,

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 which is exactly what that statement in verse 5 is.

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 When Jesus says,

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 your sins are forgiven,

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 Jesus was boldly saying,

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 I am capable of forgiving your sins,

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 which was Jesus' way of saying,

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 I am God.

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 That was provocative.

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 The opposition there quickly responded,

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 at least in their hearts,

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 and his claim was immediately opposed.

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 And then as we read through the story,

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 ultimately,

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 the claim was ignored.

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 This really monumental moment

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 ultimately is distorted

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 by everybody that's gathered there.

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 And that same distortion

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 has perpetuated itself through history,

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 even in the church,

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 where we would come to a story like this

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 and we would see the awesomeness

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 of all the different storylines

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 and the things that's happening

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 and the miracle of this man

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 being able to walk again.

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 And then we completely missed the point.

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 The point that Jesus made a bold claim,

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 but that he was also able to back up that claim.

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 Last time we looked at the four friends

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 and we're really just working through this exposition

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 by observing the various people

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 that are involved in the story.

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 Today, we'll look at the poor paralytic,

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 the scowling scribes,

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 the divine savior,

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 and then finally,

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 the curious crowd.

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 Let's look first at this poor paralytic.

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 I refer to him as poor,

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 not because of his financial circumstance,

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 though he probably was poor,

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 but because he had no hope.

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 The circumstances surrounding how this man

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 and when this man became paralyzed

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 is irrelevant to the story.

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 And some people have tried to guess

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 as to what that may have been

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 and whether or not this particular disability

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 was specifically related to sin in his life.

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 And of course,

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 the scripture doesn't tell us that.

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 So it's irrelevant.

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 What's relevant to this man

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 is the fact that he was crippled,

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 he had a devastating disability,

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 and he was totally dependent on others

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 just to survive.

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 His situation wasn't quite as severe

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 as the leprous man that we studied in chapter one,

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 but he still had an incurable disability

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 of which he hoped and believed

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 that Jesus could free him.

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 Fortunately, he had four friends

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 willing to go above and beyond

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 to get him to the help that he needed.

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 But all of this excitement,

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 all of this effort,

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 all this destruction

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 was really for the sole purpose

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 of him getting his legs back.

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 Think about this.

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 Everything that they're going through,

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 they've hurried.

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 As soon as they found out

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 that Jesus was back in Capernaum,

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 they've hurried themselves to Peter's house

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 where it would have been believed

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 for him to have been,

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 and they get there too late.

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 The masses have already arrived.

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 They can't even get to the door.

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 No one's letting him through.

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 No one cares that this man is paralyzed.

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 No one cares to get this man

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 to Jesus for healing.

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 They all cared about themselves

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 and what they maybe could get from Jesus.

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 They can't even get to the door,

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 so they get creative,

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 and they make their way up to the roof.

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 Someone makes a calculated

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 and sacrificial decision

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 to pay Peter back

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 for digging a hole in the roof,

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 and that's exactly what they did.

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 They create the distraction.

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 They create the destruction.

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 All of this effort

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 to get this man to Jesus,

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 and why were they doing that?

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 Not because they wanted

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 his sins forgiven.

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 They were getting this man to Jesus

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 because they wanted his legs healed,

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 and they knew that Jesus could do that.

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 They had heard.

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 They'd probably witnessed.

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 Maybe some of these four friends

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 had been healed

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 the last time Jesus was in Capernaum,

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 and now they're bringing this man

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 for the same thing.

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 So he must have been incredibly surprised,

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 maybe even confused,

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 when he heard what Jesus said.

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 Look with me at verse five.

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 They lowered the man down,

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 and when Jesus saw their faith,

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 he said unto the sick of the palsy,

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 Arise, take up your bed,

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 and walk.

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 No, that's not what he said.

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 That's what he wanted to hear,

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 but it's not what he heard.

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 Son, your sins are forgiven.

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 He heard something much more magnificent

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 than Arise, take up your bed, and walk.

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 He heard something of such greater import

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 than any kind of physical healing

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 that he might have hoped for that day,

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 and notice the endearment

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 that Jesus has in this phrase.

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 Son,

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 your sins are forgiven.

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 When you already know the rest of the story,

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 as all of us do,

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 this statement, my Jesus,

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 tends to lose a bit of its impact.

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 We know that he's going to be healed.

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 We just read it just a second ago.

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 When he came to have his legs healed,

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 Jesus' first action was to forgive his sins.

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 How confusing.

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 Maybe frustrating, even,

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 for his friends that had just gone

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 to such great lengths,

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 and Jesus wasn't doing anything

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 that they expected him to do.

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 What was Jesus doing here?

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 What was the whole point

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 of Jesus' statement?

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 Jesus was putting his finger

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 on what was the man's greatest need.

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 When he came to Jesus that day,

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 when his friends brought him that day,

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 they thought that his greatest need

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 was for his paralysis to be healed.

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 They thought that the thing

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 that he needed most in this world

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 was the ability to walk,

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 but Jesus teaches a powerful lesson here.

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 His greatest need was not the ability to walk.

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 His greatest need was the forgiveness of his sins.

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 It's not that Jesus was unconcerned

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 about his condition.

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 Of course he was.

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 He ultimately healed his physical condition too,

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 as he did many people that didn't believe.

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 Many people Jesus healed that he didn't forgive.

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 It's not that he didn't care

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 about his physical condition,

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 but he put a greater priority

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 on the man's spiritual condition.

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 More than the ability to walk

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 was his need to have his sins forgiven

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 and his relationship with God restored.

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 Jesus was committed to putting first things first.

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 People run to religion

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 for all kinds of different reasons, don't they?

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 But there's always some type of need

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 attached to people's decisions

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 when they would make these religious choices

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 in their life.

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 Some people may commit to a church

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 because they have a deep need

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 for friendship and community,

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 and so that's exactly why they try

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 to find a church to belong to.

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 It's not so much about hearing truth.

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 It's not so much about being exposed

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 to the word of God.

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 It's about,

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 I would like to have friends,

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 and I need companionship in life,

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 and I want community in life.

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 I need people around me

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 that will uplift me.

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 It's a need in my life,

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 and so that's why they pursue Christianity

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 or church or any religion for that matter.

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 It's camaraderie.

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 It's the same reason

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 some people would join the military,

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 or some people would join a fraternity

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 or a sorority in college.

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 It's to meet a need of companionship

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 and a friendship and community.

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 Others will find religion

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 capable of filling a need

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 of affirmation for them

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 or helping scratch a intellectual itch

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 that perhaps that they have.

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 Others come to Jesus

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 hoping that they may have a life

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 that is improved in some way,

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 that he will provide for them

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 some type of success in life

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 or some type of health in life

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 or benefit in life,

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 but how many people actually come to Jesus

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 or to church or religion

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 or anything for that matter

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 with their greatest need

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 actually as the focus of their life?

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 I don't know what brought you to Jesus.

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 I don't know why you are coming to Jesus

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 even today,

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 or what you hope

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 that the Christian religion

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 might do for you

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 or what need it might meet for you.

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 But Jesus was clear

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 that your greatest need

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 is to have your sins forgiven

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 and your heart restored to God.

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 Greater than that promotion or job,

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 greater than that healing

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 of whatever disability or illness,

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 greater than that companionship

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 and community,

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 greater than any other need you may have,

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 your greatest need

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 is to have your sins forgiven,

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 your life restored,

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 and your fellowship with God restored.

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 We can find clubs to meet our need for community.

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 It won't ever match the community

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 that is offered in the church,

00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:48.019
 but we can meet that need in a different way.

00:12:48.019 --> 00:12:49.620
 We can find doctors

00:12:49.620 --> 00:12:51.620
 that will meet our need for healing

00:12:51.620 --> 00:12:53.059
 in most cases.

00:12:53.059 --> 00:12:55.299
 We can find other things in life

00:12:55.299 --> 00:12:57.620
 to help give us affirmation.

00:12:58.019 --> 00:12:59.500
 We can find mentors

00:12:59.500 --> 00:13:03.379
 that will meet our needs for success.

00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:05.340
 But your greatest need,

00:13:06.019 --> 00:13:07.460
 the forgiveness of your sin,

00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:09.579
 can only be met by Christ.

00:13:09.580 --> 00:13:12.879
 Fortunately,

00:13:13.420 --> 00:13:14.900
 Jesus' greatest desire

00:13:14.900 --> 00:13:16.040
 is to meet that need,

00:13:16.560 --> 00:13:18.160
 which is the other thing

00:13:18.160 --> 00:13:19.780
 that we see over and over

00:13:19.780 --> 00:13:20.940
 and over in the scripture.

00:13:21.180 --> 00:13:22.860
 As we study through the gospel of Mark

00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:24.000
 and any gospel for that matter,

00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:25.300
 what do we constantly see?

00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:26.840
 This heart of compassion,

00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:28.639
 not just a heart of compassion

00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:30.920
 to allow the man to walk again.

00:13:31.060 --> 00:13:33.680
 That could easily be taken right back away.

00:13:33.860 --> 00:13:34.860
 But what is something

00:13:34.860 --> 00:13:36.240
 Jesus could give this man

00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:37.640
 that could never be taken away?

00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:39.879
 Forgiveness, restoration,

00:13:40.139 --> 00:13:41.600
 that's the heart of Christ.

00:13:42.059 --> 00:13:42.879
 That's why he came.

00:13:42.939 --> 00:13:43.879
 We studied at Christmas,

00:13:44.220 --> 00:13:45.259
 Matthew chapter one,

00:13:45.539 --> 00:13:46.620
 call his name Jesus

00:13:46.620 --> 00:13:48.240
 for he will save his people

00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:49.139
 from their sins.

00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:50.559
 That's why he came.

00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:53.059
 As we studied that 24 hour period

00:13:53.059 --> 00:13:55.460
 in chapter one of the gospel of Mark

00:13:55.460 --> 00:13:56.500
 and what was Jesus doing?

00:13:56.659 --> 00:13:57.840
 He healed tons of people.

00:13:58.000 --> 00:13:58.860
 But when all the people

00:13:58.860 --> 00:13:59.819
 were trying to find him,

00:13:59.860 --> 00:14:00.699
 he told his disciples,

00:14:00.939 --> 00:14:02.439
 it's time to go somewhere else.

00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:03.740
 I got to preach the gospel.

00:14:04.059 --> 00:14:05.360
 That's why I came.

00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:07.080
 His greatest desire

00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:09.279
 is not to allow you to walk.

00:14:09.740 --> 00:14:10.860
 His greatest desire

00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:12.419
 is to forgive your sin.

00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:14.200
 And the good news of the gospel

00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:16.100
 really begins to take shape

00:14:16.100 --> 00:14:17.200
 when our greatest need

00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.659
 is then met by God's greatest desire

00:14:19.659 --> 00:14:21.159
 in the person of Christ Jesus.

00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:23.779
 And such joy and awesomeness

00:14:23.779 --> 00:14:24.720
 comes from that.

00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:26.460
 So few people

00:14:26.460 --> 00:14:28.399
 want to recognize

00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:29.840
 what their true need is.

00:14:31.740 --> 00:14:33.620
 Believers make this same mistake.

00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:36.399
 It's evidenced in our prayers.

00:14:38.259 --> 00:14:40.120
 Many of us pray through a prayer list.

00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:41.980
 I'm guilty of this every day.

00:14:42.299 --> 00:14:42.840
 We sit down

00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:44.519
 and we write out our prayer list

00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:46.340
 and we have this massive list

00:14:46.340 --> 00:14:47.440
 of things to pray for, don't we?

00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.480
 And I pray for our family members

00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:51.480
 that God would bless them

00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:52.379
 and provide for them

00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:53.820
 and provide security and success.

00:14:53.899 --> 00:14:55.580
 We pray for ourselves

00:14:55.580 --> 00:14:56.779
 in all kinds of different ways.

00:14:56.860 --> 00:14:59.600
 And we pray for all the things

00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:00.340
 that we had on this list.

00:15:00.340 --> 00:15:01.740
 And how much of that list

00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:03.800
 is balanced out by confession?

00:15:06.139 --> 00:15:07.160
 How much of our prayer

00:15:07.160 --> 00:15:09.240
 actually involves confession

00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:10.200
 to the Lord of our sin?

00:15:10.280 --> 00:15:12.100
 Or even just a desire for God

00:15:12.100 --> 00:15:13.840
 to continually reveal the sin

00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:14.620
 that is in our hearts

00:15:14.620 --> 00:15:17.120
 so that we may continually forsake it

00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:18.620
 in our lives

00:15:18.620 --> 00:15:20.000
 and follow after Christ.

00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:22.540
 We fall into this all the time.

00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:25.580
 Constantly looking for Christ

00:15:25.580 --> 00:15:26.980
 to do for us

00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:28.920
 and missing what is actually

00:15:28.920 --> 00:15:29.800
 our greatest need.

00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:32.120
 The forgiveness of our sins.

00:15:33.220 --> 00:15:34.100
 For some of us,

00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:36.080
 the statement that Jesus makes here

00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:37.740
 raises some questions.

00:15:39.420 --> 00:15:40.899
 What did this man do

00:15:40.899 --> 00:15:43.200
 to deserve forgiveness of sin?

00:15:44.800 --> 00:15:46.560
 And the answer is clearly

00:15:46.560 --> 00:15:47.960
 nothing.

00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:50.700
 Nothing at all.

00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:54.440
 He didn't deserve to be forgiven

00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:54.980
 of his sin.

00:15:54.980 --> 00:15:57.060
 Neither do you.

00:15:58.019 --> 00:15:58.840
 Neither do me.

00:16:00.800 --> 00:16:02.139
 Just like there was nothing

00:16:02.139 --> 00:16:02.960
 he could do

00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:04.560
 to heal his own paralysis,

00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:07.159
 there was nothing he could do

00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:09.080
 to find forgiveness

00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:10.039
 for his sin.

00:16:11.480 --> 00:16:14.039
 He had to rely in both cases

00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:16.379
 on the grace and power of Jesus.

00:16:17.860 --> 00:16:19.259
 He wasn't rewarded

00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:20.899
 for something that he did,

00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:24.039
 but Jesus did respond

00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:25.240
 to something that was clearly

00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:26.000
 in his heart.

00:16:27.199 --> 00:16:28.360
 It's interesting actually.

00:16:28.459 --> 00:16:28.919
 Look at it.

00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:30.019
 Son,

00:16:30.339 --> 00:16:31.279
 that's important.

00:16:32.219 --> 00:16:33.259
 Thy sins be

00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:34.599
 forgiven thee.

00:16:35.599 --> 00:16:37.139
 What was Jesus responding to?

00:16:37.860 --> 00:16:39.360
 The first part of the verse.

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:41.059
 When he saw

00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:41.459
 their

00:16:41.459 --> 00:16:42.659
 faith.

00:16:44.299 --> 00:16:45.579
 The scripture is clear

00:16:45.579 --> 00:16:46.159
 that salvation

00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:47.799
 comes by God's grace

00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:49.199
 through faith

00:16:49.199 --> 00:16:50.219
 alone.

00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:52.860
 Ephesians chapter 2.

00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:54.340
 For by grace

00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:54.980
 are you saved

00:16:54.980 --> 00:16:55.639
 through faith

00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:56.540
 and this is not

00:16:56.540 --> 00:16:57.320
 your own doing,

00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:59.080
 it is the gift of God.

00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:01.040
 Not a result of works

00:17:01.040 --> 00:17:02.100
 lest any man

00:17:02.100 --> 00:17:03.279
 should boast.

00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:05.259
 John 3.16,

00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:06.559
 the most famous

00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:07.839
 verse in all the Bible

00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:09.059
 reemphasizes this.

00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:09.500
 For God

00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:10.220
 so loved the world

00:17:10.220 --> 00:17:10.740
 that he gave

00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:11.420
 his only son

00:17:11.420 --> 00:17:12.140
 that whosoever

00:17:12.140 --> 00:17:13.660
 believes in him

00:17:13.660 --> 00:17:14.940
 should not perish

00:17:14.940 --> 00:17:16.579
 but have everlasting life.

00:17:16.579 --> 00:17:18.419
 The Philippian jailer

00:17:18.419 --> 00:17:19.119
 after hearing

00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:20.500
 Paul and Silas

00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:21.779
 sing and pray

00:17:21.779 --> 00:17:22.419
 to the Lord

00:17:22.419 --> 00:17:23.519
 in the most difficult

00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:25.079
 part of their life

00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:25.859
 immediately runs

00:17:25.859 --> 00:17:26.279
 and says,

00:17:26.500 --> 00:17:27.079
 what must I do

00:17:27.079 --> 00:17:27.720
 to be saved

00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:28.779
 and what was their response?

00:17:29.179 --> 00:17:30.099
 Believe on the Lord

00:17:30.099 --> 00:17:30.779
 Jesus Christ

00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:31.740
 and you will be saved.

00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:33.399
 How does salvation come?

00:17:33.579 --> 00:17:34.639
 By grace

00:17:34.639 --> 00:17:35.659
 through faith.

00:17:35.919 --> 00:17:36.659
 That's it.

00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:37.699
 This man did nothing

00:17:37.699 --> 00:17:39.059
 to deserve forgiveness

00:17:39.059 --> 00:17:40.439
 and neither one of us

00:17:40.439 --> 00:17:40.939
 can do anything

00:17:40.939 --> 00:17:42.159
 to deserve forgiveness either.

00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:43.240
 How does it come?

00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:44.539
 By God's grace.

00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:46.319
 Received through

00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:47.759
 our faith.

00:17:50.139 --> 00:17:50.859
 When the men

00:17:50.859 --> 00:17:51.799
 arrived to the house

00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:53.039
 Jesus had been preaching.

00:17:53.379 --> 00:17:53.939
 If you'll look back

00:17:53.939 --> 00:17:55.200
 at verse 2.

00:17:56.539 --> 00:17:57.259
 Straightway when

00:17:57.259 --> 00:17:58.359
 they were gathered together

00:17:58.359 --> 00:17:58.980
 in so much

00:17:58.980 --> 00:17:59.779
 that there was no room

00:17:59.779 --> 00:18:00.519
 to receive them

00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:01.139
 not so much

00:18:01.139 --> 00:18:02.079
 as about the door

00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:03.799
 Jesus preached

00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:05.220
 the word unto them.

00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:05.919
 We talked about

00:18:05.919 --> 00:18:06.539
 two weeks ago

00:18:06.539 --> 00:18:07.379
 what he was preaching.

00:18:07.859 --> 00:18:08.919
 The summary is given

00:18:08.919 --> 00:18:09.639
 in chapter 1

00:18:09.639 --> 00:18:10.439
 in verse 15.

00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:11.299
 He was preaching

00:18:11.299 --> 00:18:12.379
 the gospel of the kingdom.

00:18:12.659 --> 00:18:13.559
 The kingdom of heaven

00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:14.639
 is at hand.

00:18:14.779 --> 00:18:15.339
 It is near.

00:18:15.500 --> 00:18:16.299
 Speaking of himself

00:18:16.299 --> 00:18:18.000
 he was the representative

00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:19.740
 of God's coming kingdom.

00:18:20.399 --> 00:18:21.159
 The kingdom of heaven

00:18:21.159 --> 00:18:21.619
 is near.

00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:22.720
 Repent

00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:24.379
 and believe the gospel.

00:18:25.419 --> 00:18:25.960
 Faith

00:18:25.960 --> 00:18:26.980
 and repentance.

00:18:27.500 --> 00:18:28.099
 And surely

00:18:28.099 --> 00:18:28.759
 as Jesus

00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:29.659
 is preaching this

00:18:29.659 --> 00:18:30.859
 maybe the four friends

00:18:30.859 --> 00:18:32.079
 are waiting outside

00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:33.440
 behind this massive crowd

00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:34.539
 trying to determine

00:18:34.539 --> 00:18:35.339
 what they're going to do

00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:35.759
 and maybe

00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:36.639
 as they're trying

00:18:36.639 --> 00:18:37.039
 to figure out

00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:37.720
 what they're going to do

00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:39.279
 the man's ears perk up

00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:40.359
 and he begins to listen

00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:41.019
 to what Jesus

00:18:41.019 --> 00:18:42.159
 is actually saying.

00:18:42.619 --> 00:18:43.619
 And he's preaching

00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:44.680
 this gospel message.

00:18:44.680 --> 00:18:45.420
 He's preaching

00:18:45.420 --> 00:18:46.019
 this message

00:18:46.019 --> 00:18:46.980
 of faith and repentance.

00:18:47.380 --> 00:18:48.019
 Believe me

00:18:48.019 --> 00:18:49.120
 the kingdom of heaven

00:18:49.120 --> 00:18:49.860
 is at hand

00:18:49.860 --> 00:18:50.360
 and as they

00:18:50.360 --> 00:18:51.539
 usher him up

00:18:51.539 --> 00:18:52.220
 onto the roof

00:18:52.220 --> 00:18:52.680
 and they begin

00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:53.340
 to dig their hole

00:18:53.340 --> 00:18:54.000
 maybe here's

00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:56.180
 just a little bit more.

00:18:57.980 --> 00:18:58.700
 And God begins

00:18:58.700 --> 00:18:59.400
 to do a work

00:18:59.400 --> 00:19:00.340
 on the man's heart

00:19:00.340 --> 00:19:02.380
 so that by the time

00:19:02.380 --> 00:19:03.080
 he is lowered

00:19:03.080 --> 00:19:04.019
 into the house

00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:05.480
 his faith that day

00:19:05.480 --> 00:19:06.080
 his belief

00:19:06.080 --> 00:19:07.120
 though not articulated

00:19:07.120 --> 00:19:08.340
 by himself

00:19:08.340 --> 00:19:09.720
 but not even capable

00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:10.799
 of being articulated

00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:11.940
 maybe at that point

00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:13.200
 by himself.

00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:14.820
 His faith

00:19:14.820 --> 00:19:15.759
 is about much more

00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:16.620
 than just receiving

00:19:16.620 --> 00:19:18.299
 healing for his legs.

00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:19.940
 His heart

00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:20.960
 was drawn to Jesus

00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:22.279
 in a different way

00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:23.680
 a way that he didn't expect

00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:24.680
 and Jesus knew

00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:25.840
 the faith of his heart.

00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:26.680
 You say

00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:27.140
 but he didn't

00:19:27.140 --> 00:19:27.940
 say a prayer.

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.059
 He didn't have

00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:29.779
 to say a prayer.

00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:32.180
 You say

00:19:32.180 --> 00:19:33.140
 he didn't

00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:33.740
 even ask

00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:34.360
 for forgiveness.

00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:36.580
 He didn't have

00:19:36.580 --> 00:19:36.960
 to ask

00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:37.539
 for forgiveness.

00:19:38.740 --> 00:19:39.580
 Why was it

00:19:39.580 --> 00:19:40.059
 that Jesus

00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:40.720
 could respond

00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:41.299
 to this man

00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:41.940
 in this way?

00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:43.740
 Because Jesus

00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:45.120
 knew the faith

00:19:45.120 --> 00:19:45.839
 in his heart.

00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:47.539
 It's the only

00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:48.160
 explanation.

00:19:48.940 --> 00:19:49.480
 Jesus didn't

00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:50.440
 shortcut salvation

00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:51.100
 for this man.

00:19:51.339 --> 00:19:52.039
 He didn't decide

00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:52.559
 that repentance

00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:53.319
 was unnecessary

00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:54.180
 for this man's

00:19:54.180 --> 00:19:54.880
 sins to be forgiven.

00:19:55.180 --> 00:19:56.339
 He didn't determine

00:19:56.339 --> 00:19:56.920
 that faith

00:19:56.920 --> 00:19:57.460
 was unnecessary

00:19:57.460 --> 00:19:58.200
 for this man

00:19:58.200 --> 00:19:58.620
 that he was just

00:19:58.620 --> 00:19:59.339
 going to make a point.

00:19:59.620 --> 00:20:00.440
 Clearly Jesus

00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:01.519
 saw the faith

00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.019
 in his heart.

00:20:02.259 --> 00:20:02.660
 The faith

00:20:02.660 --> 00:20:03.759
 partnered with repentance

00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:05.120
 and Jesus responded

00:20:05.120 --> 00:20:06.420
 to such faith.

00:20:07.420 --> 00:20:07.920
 The good news

00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:08.460
 of the gospel

00:20:08.460 --> 00:20:09.240
 is that Jesus

00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:10.279
 came to meet

00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:10.879
 our greatest

00:20:10.879 --> 00:20:11.319
 need.

00:20:11.660 --> 00:20:12.319
 That greatest

00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:13.319
 need is forgiveness

00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:14.639
 of sins.

00:20:14.980 --> 00:20:15.879
 He sees it,

00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:16.700
 the reality

00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:17.119
 of it,

00:20:17.379 --> 00:20:18.139
 in our hearts.

00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:19.399
 We see the poor

00:20:19.399 --> 00:20:19.899
 paralytic.

00:20:20.299 --> 00:20:20.519
 Next,

00:20:20.639 --> 00:20:21.079
 we move on

00:20:21.079 --> 00:20:21.740
 to the scowling

00:20:21.740 --> 00:20:22.480
 scribes.

00:20:23.399 --> 00:20:24.000
 The scowling

00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:24.720
 scribes.

00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:26.180
 It's here

00:20:26.180 --> 00:20:26.700
 that Mark

00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:27.180
 introduces

00:20:27.180 --> 00:20:28.160
 a new layer

00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:29.480
 to his

00:20:29.480 --> 00:20:30.420
 proclamation

00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:31.399
 of the identity

00:20:31.399 --> 00:20:31.920
 and purpose

00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:32.440
 of Jesus.

00:20:33.099 --> 00:20:33.759
 This time,

00:20:33.819 --> 00:20:34.339
 it's the layer

00:20:34.339 --> 00:20:35.180
 of conflict.

00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:36.920
 We know

00:20:36.920 --> 00:20:37.819
 that Jesus

00:20:37.819 --> 00:20:38.279
 has already

00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:38.980
 had conflict

00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:40.299
 with Satan

00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:40.740
 and his

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:41.220
 temptation.

00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:42.159
 He's had

00:20:42.159 --> 00:20:42.659
 conflict

00:20:42.659 --> 00:20:43.500
 with demonic

00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:44.099
 powers

00:20:44.099 --> 00:20:44.839
 and casting

00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:45.519
 out demons

00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:46.599
 everywhere that

00:20:46.599 --> 00:20:46.899
 he went.

00:20:47.639 --> 00:20:48.419
 But this is

00:20:48.419 --> 00:20:49.099
 the first time

00:20:49.099 --> 00:20:49.539
 that Mark

00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:50.000
 tells us

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:50.419
 about the

00:20:50.419 --> 00:20:50.879
 conflict

00:20:50.879 --> 00:20:51.839
 between Jesus

00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:52.740
 and the

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.079
 religious

00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:53.879
 establishment.

00:20:55.299 --> 00:20:56.059
 Luke's account

00:20:56.059 --> 00:20:56.599
 tells us

00:20:56.599 --> 00:20:56.960
 that there

00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:57.839
 were scribes

00:20:57.839 --> 00:20:58.779
 and Pharisees.

00:20:58.859 --> 00:20:59.200
 Mark just

00:20:59.200 --> 00:20:59.460
 mentioned

00:20:59.460 --> 00:20:59.960
 scribes.

00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:00.659
 Luke says

00:21:00.659 --> 00:21:01.240
 it was scribes

00:21:01.240 --> 00:21:01.939
 and Pharisees

00:21:01.939 --> 00:21:02.460
 and that they

00:21:02.460 --> 00:21:03.000
 had traveled

00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:03.899
 from all parts

00:21:03.900 --> 00:21:04.500
 of Galilee

00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:05.340
 to be there.

00:21:06.320 --> 00:21:06.720
 Maybe they

00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:07.600
 were trying

00:21:07.600 --> 00:21:07.960
 to search

00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:08.220
 for Jesus.

00:21:08.300 --> 00:21:08.480
 Perhaps

00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:08.700
 they had

00:21:08.700 --> 00:21:08.940
 heard him

00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:09.900
 teach before

00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:10.259
 or witnessed

00:21:10.259 --> 00:21:10.660
 some things

00:21:10.660 --> 00:21:10.960
 before.

00:21:11.120 --> 00:21:11.840
 They clearly

00:21:11.840 --> 00:21:12.240
 knew who

00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:12.660
 he was.

00:21:12.740 --> 00:21:13.040
 That's why

00:21:13.040 --> 00:21:13.280
 they were

00:21:13.280 --> 00:21:13.560
 there.

00:21:14.460 --> 00:21:15.000
 They knew

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:15.580
 exactly what

00:21:15.580 --> 00:21:16.060
 he had been

00:21:16.060 --> 00:21:16.280
 doing,

00:21:16.340 --> 00:21:16.600
 at least

00:21:16.600 --> 00:21:17.300
 the rumors

00:21:17.300 --> 00:21:17.580
 of it,

00:21:17.600 --> 00:21:17.800
 if they

00:21:17.800 --> 00:21:18.259
 hadn't seen

00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:18.800
 it themselves

00:21:18.800 --> 00:21:19.400
 and heard

00:21:19.400 --> 00:21:19.920
 it themselves

00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:20.220
 and they

00:21:20.220 --> 00:21:20.620
 had found

00:21:20.620 --> 00:21:21.120
 their place

00:21:21.120 --> 00:21:21.759
 at Capernaum

00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:22.240
 when Jesus

00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:23.440
 had returned.

00:21:24.580 --> 00:21:25.320
 The religious

00:21:25.320 --> 00:21:26.000
 establishment

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:26.360
 in the

00:21:26.360 --> 00:21:26.880
 Gospels

00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:27.140
 in the

00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:27.640
 New Testament

00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:29.500
 almost exclusively

00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:30.800
 is recorded

00:21:30.800 --> 00:21:31.759
 as enemies

00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:32.340
 of Jesus,

00:21:32.860 --> 00:21:33.320
 which is

00:21:33.320 --> 00:21:33.860
 surprising.

00:21:34.800 --> 00:21:35.000
 Right?

00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:36.180
 These people

00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:36.480
 knew the

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:36.860
 Bible.

00:21:38.019 --> 00:21:38.600
 We would

00:21:38.600 --> 00:21:39.120
 expect,

00:21:39.220 --> 00:21:40.000
 and all

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:40.480
 of Judaism

00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.120
 expected,

00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:41.800
 that if

00:21:41.800 --> 00:21:42.300
 the Messiah

00:21:42.300 --> 00:21:42.680
 was going

00:21:42.680 --> 00:21:43.040
 to come,

00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:43.700
 these would

00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:43.960
 be the

00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:44.360
 people to

00:21:44.360 --> 00:21:44.640
 know at

00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:45.120
 first.

00:21:45.580 --> 00:21:46.040
 But the

00:21:46.040 --> 00:21:46.640
 Messiah had

00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:46.980
 come,

00:21:47.700 --> 00:21:48.620
 and they

00:21:48.620 --> 00:21:49.180
 had rejected

00:21:49.180 --> 00:21:49.560
 who he

00:21:49.560 --> 00:21:49.980
 was.

00:21:51.080 --> 00:21:51.840
 This event

00:21:51.840 --> 00:21:52.680
 closes into

00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:53.180
 a little bit

00:21:53.180 --> 00:21:53.460
 of that

00:21:53.460 --> 00:21:54.060
 conflict,

00:21:54.180 --> 00:21:54.480
 and this

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.340
 theme of

00:21:55.340 --> 00:21:55.700
 conflict

00:21:55.700 --> 00:21:56.420
 continues on

00:21:56.420 --> 00:21:56.800
 in Mark's

00:21:56.800 --> 00:21:57.160
 Gospel all

00:21:57.160 --> 00:21:57.340
 the way

00:21:57.340 --> 00:21:57.660
 through

00:21:57.660 --> 00:21:58.880
 chapter 3.

00:21:59.000 --> 00:21:59.320
 We'll see

00:21:59.320 --> 00:21:59.740
 it over

00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:00.120
 and over

00:22:00.120 --> 00:22:00.420
 again.

00:22:00.580 --> 00:22:00.880
 But look

00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:01.220
 with me

00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:01.780
 at what

00:22:01.780 --> 00:22:02.519
 the scribes

00:22:02.519 --> 00:22:02.740
 do.

00:22:02.860 --> 00:22:03.440
 Verse 6,

00:22:03.900 --> 00:22:04.680
 there were

00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:05.019
 certain of

00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:05.519
 the scribes

00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:06.040
 sitting there,

00:22:06.040 --> 00:22:07.460
 and they were

00:22:07.460 --> 00:22:08.100
 reasoning in

00:22:08.100 --> 00:22:08.759
 their hearts.

00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:09.480
 No one made

00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:10.220
 a public dispute

00:22:10.220 --> 00:22:10.600
 with Jesus

00:22:10.600 --> 00:22:10.960
 here.

00:22:11.620 --> 00:22:11.940
 They didn't

00:22:11.940 --> 00:22:12.460
 actually say

00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:13.000
 anything.

00:22:13.660 --> 00:22:14.519
 No one else

00:22:14.519 --> 00:22:15.060
 sitting there

00:22:15.060 --> 00:22:15.720
 maybe were

00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:17.140
 aware of

00:22:17.140 --> 00:22:17.900
 their opposition,

00:22:17.900 --> 00:22:19.280
 but they were

00:22:19.280 --> 00:22:19.800
 reasoning in

00:22:19.800 --> 00:22:20.360
 their hearts,

00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:21.180
 and this is what

00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:21.440
 they were

00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:21.780
 reasoning.

00:22:21.940 --> 00:22:22.460
 Verse 7,

00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:23.660
 why does this

00:22:23.660 --> 00:22:24.460
 man speak

00:22:24.460 --> 00:22:25.380
 blasphemy?

00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:26.840
 who can

00:22:26.840 --> 00:22:27.660
 forgive sin

00:22:27.660 --> 00:22:29.000
 but God

00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:29.800
 only?

00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.600
 Jesus'

00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:33.320
 shocking

00:22:33.320 --> 00:22:34.240
 statement

00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:35.980
 was immediately

00:22:35.980 --> 00:22:36.920
 met by this

00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:37.760
 silent

00:22:37.760 --> 00:22:38.500
 opposition.

00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:40.860
 But Jesus,

00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:41.680
 being God

00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:42.420
 incarnate,

00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:43.940
 knew exactly

00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:44.480
 what was in

00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:45.020
 the heart

00:22:45.020 --> 00:22:46.260
 of both

00:22:46.260 --> 00:22:46.920
 the paralytic

00:22:46.920 --> 00:22:48.300
 and the

00:22:48.300 --> 00:22:48.640
 scribe.

00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:50.680
 It's amazing,

00:22:50.800 --> 00:22:51.120
 isn't it?

00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:53.439
 When Jesus

00:22:53.439 --> 00:22:53.979
 looked at the

00:22:53.979 --> 00:22:54.639
 paralytic man

00:22:54.639 --> 00:22:55.000
 that had just

00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:55.419
 been lowered

00:22:55.419 --> 00:22:56.279
 down into

00:22:56.279 --> 00:22:56.879
 this room,

00:22:57.199 --> 00:22:58.019
 what he saw

00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:58.559
 was repentance

00:22:58.559 --> 00:22:59.119
 and faith,

00:22:59.159 --> 00:22:59.799
 and he responded

00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:00.119
 to that,

00:23:00.219 --> 00:23:00.419
 son,

00:23:00.500 --> 00:23:00.819
 your sins

00:23:00.819 --> 00:23:01.259
 are forgiven.

00:23:02.779 --> 00:23:03.459
 And then the

00:23:03.459 --> 00:23:04.019
 scribes didn't

00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:04.459
 even have to

00:23:04.459 --> 00:23:05.279
 say anything,

00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:07.199
 but he immediately

00:23:07.199 --> 00:23:07.879
 knew what they

00:23:07.879 --> 00:23:08.500
 were thinking.

00:23:08.619 --> 00:23:09.039
 He knew what

00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:09.459
 was in their

00:23:09.459 --> 00:23:09.759
 heart,

00:23:09.779 --> 00:23:10.139
 and what was

00:23:10.139 --> 00:23:10.419
 in their

00:23:10.419 --> 00:23:10.779
 heart was

00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:11.319
 not faith

00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:11.839
 and repentance.

00:23:12.199 --> 00:23:12.500
 What was

00:23:12.500 --> 00:23:12.839
 in their

00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:13.319
 heart was

00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:14.319
 self-righteousness

00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:15.099
 and doubt.

00:23:16.059 --> 00:23:16.939
 He perceived

00:23:16.939 --> 00:23:17.479
 that he knew

00:23:17.479 --> 00:23:17.939
 it.

00:23:19.479 --> 00:23:20.099
 These weren't

00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:20.979
 ignorant men.

00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:22.779
 When it came

00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:23.119
 to knowing

00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:23.619
 the scriptures,

00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:24.279
 no one knew

00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:24.639
 it better

00:23:24.639 --> 00:23:25.139
 than them.

00:23:25.239 --> 00:23:25.719
 The scribes

00:23:25.719 --> 00:23:26.279
 were considered

00:23:26.279 --> 00:23:27.399
 the scholars

00:23:27.399 --> 00:23:28.099
 of the day.

00:23:28.219 --> 00:23:28.859
 They were the

00:23:28.859 --> 00:23:29.939
 lawyers of the

00:23:29.939 --> 00:23:30.519
 day, so to

00:23:30.519 --> 00:23:30.779
 speak,

00:23:30.779 --> 00:23:31.439
 when it applied

00:23:31.439 --> 00:23:32.699
 to the Old

00:23:32.699 --> 00:23:33.039
 Testament

00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:33.500
 scriptures,

00:23:33.679 --> 00:23:34.019
 and then,

00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:34.719
 of course,

00:23:34.819 --> 00:23:35.319
 from there,

00:23:35.799 --> 00:23:37.759
 the oral law

00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:38.219
 that had been

00:23:38.219 --> 00:23:38.819
 passed down

00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:39.619
 by tradition.

00:23:40.579 --> 00:23:41.299
 They knew it

00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:41.659
 better than

00:23:41.659 --> 00:23:42.500
 anybody else.

00:23:43.699 --> 00:23:44.139
 And their

00:23:44.139 --> 00:23:45.159
 theology in this

00:23:45.159 --> 00:23:46.059
 case was

00:23:46.059 --> 00:23:47.099
 exactly right,

00:23:47.899 --> 00:23:49.039
 because no one

00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:50.179
 can forgive sin

00:23:50.180 --> 00:23:51.640
 except God

00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:52.259
 only.

00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:53.660
 The problem

00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:54.120
 wasn't their

00:23:54.120 --> 00:23:54.700
 theology.

00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:56.500
 The problem

00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:57.340
 was their

00:23:57.340 --> 00:23:58.600
 deduction of

00:23:58.600 --> 00:23:59.340
 what was actually

00:23:59.340 --> 00:24:00.720
 happening and

00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:01.380
 what Jesus is

00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:02.880
 actually saying.

00:24:04.140 --> 00:24:05.000
 When they heard

00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:05.860
 Jesus make the

00:24:05.860 --> 00:24:06.400
 statement of

00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:07.000
 forgiveness of

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:07.380
 sins, they

00:24:07.380 --> 00:24:08.360
 immediately accused

00:24:08.360 --> 00:24:09.680
 him of blasphemy,

00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:10.299
 at least in their

00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:10.700
 hearts.

00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:11.360
 They accused him

00:24:11.360 --> 00:24:11.940
 of blasphemy.

00:24:12.340 --> 00:24:13.400
 Blasphemy was

00:24:13.400 --> 00:24:14.360
 worthy of death.

00:24:15.360 --> 00:24:16.060
 They couldn't

00:24:16.060 --> 00:24:16.560
 believe what they

00:24:16.560 --> 00:24:17.120
 were hearing.

00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:18.119
 This man's

00:24:18.119 --> 00:24:19.039
 saying that he

00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:20.959
 can forgive sins,

00:24:20.959 --> 00:24:22.099
 but they missed

00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:22.719
 the point.

00:24:23.739 --> 00:24:24.459
 They refused to

00:24:24.459 --> 00:24:25.059
 acknowledge the

00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:25.579
 alternative.

00:24:25.879 --> 00:24:26.699
 The alternative was

00:24:26.699 --> 00:24:27.259
 that the man

00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:28.099
 standing before

00:24:28.099 --> 00:24:28.879
 them, the man

00:24:28.879 --> 00:24:29.739
 teaching with such

00:24:29.739 --> 00:24:30.739
 authority, the man

00:24:30.739 --> 00:24:31.579
 healing with

00:24:31.579 --> 00:24:32.679
 miraculous powers,

00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:34.279
 this man, they

00:24:34.279 --> 00:24:35.519
 refused to believe,

00:24:35.799 --> 00:24:37.359
 was God incarnate,

00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:37.979
 and that he

00:24:37.979 --> 00:24:38.979
 therefore possessed

00:24:38.979 --> 00:24:40.639
 the authority to

00:24:40.639 --> 00:24:41.279
 forgive sin.

00:24:42.759 --> 00:24:43.659
 Their intellectual

00:24:43.659 --> 00:24:44.539
 grasp of the

00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:46.379
 Bible, as great

00:24:46.379 --> 00:24:48.359
 as it was, did

00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:49.180
 not equate to

00:24:49.180 --> 00:24:49.740
 salvation.

00:24:50.740 --> 00:24:51.799
 It never does.

00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:54.399
 Just because you

00:24:54.399 --> 00:24:55.079
 know the Bible

00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:56.940
 doesn't mean you're

00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:57.399
 a Christian.

00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:00.460
 Just because you

00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:01.220
 acknowledge it as

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:03.399
 truth doesn't make

00:25:03.399 --> 00:25:03.960
 you a believer.

00:25:05.659 --> 00:25:06.440
 These men knew

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:06.940
 their Bible.

00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:09.700
 What made the

00:25:09.700 --> 00:25:10.500
 difference for them

00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:11.180
 is how they

00:25:11.180 --> 00:25:12.279
 interpreted Jesus.

00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:12.480
 Jesus.

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:14.579
 It's C.S.

00:25:14.639 --> 00:25:16.960
 Lewis who is

00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:18.019
 famous for saying

00:25:18.019 --> 00:25:18.680
 when you come to

00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:19.319
 the gospel, when you

00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:20.299
 come to study Jesus,

00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:22.319
 there's really three

00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:23.920
 options for you to

00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:24.359
 take.

00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:26.480
 Either he's a liar,

00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:29.460
 which is clear

00:25:29.460 --> 00:25:29.759
 here.

00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:32.160
 If Jesus wasn't

00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:33.379
 God, he was a

00:25:33.379 --> 00:25:33.700
 liar.

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:35.299
 Because when this

00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:36.139
 man was lowered in,

00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:37.359
 he immediately said,

00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.599
 your sins are

00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:39.019
 forgiven.

00:25:39.139 --> 00:25:39.899
 If Jesus isn't

00:25:39.899 --> 00:25:40.779
 God, he's a liar.

00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:43.460
 Lewis said he's

00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:44.299
 either a liar, he's

00:25:44.299 --> 00:25:45.079
 a lunatic, he's

00:25:45.079 --> 00:25:45.519
 crazy.

00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.660
 Crazy to believe

00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:49.899
 that if he was just

00:25:49.899 --> 00:25:51.019
 a man, that he

00:25:51.019 --> 00:25:52.039
 actually had the

00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:53.559
 power to forgive

00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:54.099
 sins.

00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:55.660
 It's crazy, that's a

00:25:55.660 --> 00:25:55.980
 lunatic.

00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:58.639
 The third option is

00:25:58.639 --> 00:25:59.220
 that he's actually

00:25:59.220 --> 00:25:59.660
 Lord.

00:26:00.660 --> 00:26:01.799
 That he is indeed

00:26:01.799 --> 00:26:02.839
 who he said he

00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:03.259
 was.

00:26:04.180 --> 00:26:05.119
 That's the point of

00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:05.639
 this passage.

00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:07.039
 That's the point of

00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:07.579
 this story.

00:26:07.579 --> 00:26:09.199
 It's a decision

00:26:09.199 --> 00:26:09.679
 that you're all

00:26:09.679 --> 00:26:10.079
 going to have to

00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:10.599
 come to terms

00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:11.720
 with, every one

00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:12.099
 of us.

00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:13.899
 What are we going

00:26:13.899 --> 00:26:14.259
 to do with

00:26:14.259 --> 00:26:14.579
 Jesus?

00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:17.139
 We can't take an

00:26:17.139 --> 00:26:18.279
 indifferent approach.

00:26:18.359 --> 00:26:18.599
 It's not even

00:26:18.599 --> 00:26:19.199
 possible.

00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.119
 Indifference is

00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:21.839
 just rejection.

00:26:23.859 --> 00:26:24.460
 Either he's

00:26:24.460 --> 00:26:26.099
 Lord, or he's a

00:26:26.099 --> 00:26:27.859
 liar, or he's a

00:26:27.859 --> 00:26:28.559
 crazy man.

00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:29.960
 But the

00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:30.639
 scripture is clear.

00:26:31.139 --> 00:26:31.879
 He's Lord.

00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:34.039
 The issue wasn't

00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:34.539
 what they knew

00:26:34.539 --> 00:26:35.220
 about the Bible.

00:26:35.339 --> 00:26:36.000
 The issue was the

00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:36.759
 deduction that they

00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.359
 made about who

00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:39.299
 Jesus was, which

00:26:39.299 --> 00:26:39.980
 is why Jesus

00:26:39.980 --> 00:26:40.799
 responded in the

00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.420
 way that he did.

00:26:43.180 --> 00:26:44.079
 Salvation comes

00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:45.099
 neither by religious

00:26:45.099 --> 00:26:45.940
 performance or

00:26:45.940 --> 00:26:46.819
 vigorous study.

00:26:48.339 --> 00:26:49.440
 It's a heart-level

00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:50.299
 work of God's

00:26:50.299 --> 00:26:51.980
 grace that's

00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:52.619
 received through

00:26:52.619 --> 00:26:53.279
 repentance and

00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:53.940
 faith, and we see

00:26:53.940 --> 00:26:54.879
 that over and

00:26:54.879 --> 00:26:56.079
 over and over.

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:58.319
 These men trusted

00:26:58.319 --> 00:26:58.920
 their religious

00:26:58.920 --> 00:27:00.640
 conformity, their

00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:01.819
 self-righteousness

00:27:01.819 --> 00:27:03.200
 for salvation.

00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:05.140
 That's not

00:27:05.140 --> 00:27:05.559
 enough.

00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:07.599
 Their knowledge

00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:08.099
 of the scripture

00:27:08.099 --> 00:27:08.700
 should have led

00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:09.839
 them to open

00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:11.119
 the way for

00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:11.460
 Jesus.

00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:11.960
 They should have

00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:12.519
 been directing

00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:13.420
 the traffic to

00:27:13.420 --> 00:27:14.200
 get people there.

00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:15.879
 But that's not

00:27:15.879 --> 00:27:16.440
 what they did.

00:27:17.859 --> 00:27:18.839
 Over and over, we

00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:19.720
 see this question

00:27:19.720 --> 00:27:20.519
 come up through the

00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:21.379
 gospel of Mark.

00:27:21.720 --> 00:27:22.480
 Who is Jesus?

00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:24.240
 Who is this man?

00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:25.500
 That's the question

00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:26.079
 he's answering.

00:27:27.500 --> 00:27:29.140
 When the scribes

00:27:29.140 --> 00:27:30.339
 responded to Jesus

00:27:30.339 --> 00:27:31.259
 in their hearts, it

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:32.619
 was more of, who

00:27:32.619 --> 00:27:33.759
 does he think he is,

00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:35.059
 was the spirit of what

00:27:35.059 --> 00:27:35.619
 they were saying.

00:27:37.319 --> 00:27:38.240
 Thirdly, we see the

00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:39.059
 divine Savior.

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:41.039
 How is it that Jesus

00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:42.179
 will respond to this

00:27:42.179 --> 00:27:43.179
 silent opposition?

00:27:44.379 --> 00:27:45.179
 He perceived in his

00:27:45.179 --> 00:27:47.259
 heart what they were

00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:49.639
 believing, what they

00:27:49.639 --> 00:27:50.240
 were thinking.

00:27:50.899 --> 00:27:51.940
 But up until this

00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:53.119
 point, all Jesus has

00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:54.819
 done is preach the

00:27:54.819 --> 00:27:56.319
 gospel and tell a man

00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:57.039
 that his sins are

00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:57.379
 forgiven.

00:27:58.599 --> 00:28:00.099
 It's at this point in

00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:01.919
 the story that we see

00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:02.920
 the reality of his

00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:05.240
 divinity clearly

00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:05.820
 displayed.

00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:07.500
 Three ways he

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:08.100
 displays it.

00:28:08.340 --> 00:28:09.820
 Number one, he read

00:28:09.820 --> 00:28:10.340
 their minds.

00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:11.740
 He read their minds.

00:28:11.960 --> 00:28:12.660
 It's as simple as

00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:12.880
 that.

00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:13.740
 Look at verse 8.

00:28:14.300 --> 00:28:14.980
 And immediately,

00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:16.900
 Jesus perceived in

00:28:16.900 --> 00:28:17.940
 his spirit that they

00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:19.140
 so reasoned within

00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:19.740
 themselves.

00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:21.180
 And he said unto

00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:23.279
 them, why reason you

00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:24.360
 these things in your

00:28:24.360 --> 00:28:24.600
 hearts?

00:28:24.660 --> 00:28:26.920
 Why question this in

00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:28.300
 your heart?

00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:30.779
 The first display of

00:28:30.779 --> 00:28:31.639
 his divinity is the

00:28:31.639 --> 00:28:32.460
 fact that he literally

00:28:32.460 --> 00:28:33.460
 read their minds.

00:28:34.419 --> 00:28:36.079
 Jesus was not assuming

00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:36.919
 what they thought.

00:28:36.980 --> 00:28:37.440
 He wasn't sitting

00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:38.460
 there and thinking, I

00:28:38.460 --> 00:28:39.019
 bet they're thinking

00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:39.740
 this over here.

00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:40.680
 I can just read it on

00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:41.200
 their face.

00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:42.299
 And he just launched

00:28:42.299 --> 00:28:44.059
 into this statement as

00:28:44.059 --> 00:28:44.619
 a response to that.

00:28:44.659 --> 00:28:45.539
 No, he knew exactly

00:28:45.539 --> 00:28:46.279
 what they were thinking.

00:28:46.379 --> 00:28:47.099
 He knew what was on

00:28:47.099 --> 00:28:47.399
 their heart.

00:28:47.779 --> 00:28:48.740
 Imagine being those

00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:49.019
 men.

00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:50.579
 You ever have that

00:28:50.579 --> 00:28:51.460
 feeling that somebody

00:28:51.460 --> 00:28:52.339
 can read your mind?

00:28:53.240 --> 00:28:54.259
 Our wives are good at

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:54.539
 that.

00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:56.859
 You ever, imagine

00:28:56.859 --> 00:28:57.700
 you're sitting there

00:28:57.700 --> 00:28:59.440
 you're full of doubt.

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:00.799
 You believe that this

00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:01.900
 man is blasphemous and

00:29:01.900 --> 00:29:02.759
 therefore worthy of

00:29:02.759 --> 00:29:03.160
 death.

00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:06.180
 Who can forgive sins

00:29:06.180 --> 00:29:06.960
 but God only?

00:29:07.580 --> 00:29:08.779
 His back is to you.

00:29:09.019 --> 00:29:09.819
 He's looking at the

00:29:09.819 --> 00:29:10.920
 paralytic and then all

00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:11.539
 of a sudden he turns

00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:12.200
 around and he looks

00:29:12.200 --> 00:29:13.259
 you in the eye and he

00:29:13.259 --> 00:29:13.799
 says, why are you

00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:14.240
 thinking that?

00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:15.980
 What?

00:29:16.660 --> 00:29:17.680
 That's exactly what

00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:18.420
 Jesus does.

00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:20.019
 What is that?

00:29:20.080 --> 00:29:20.819
 It's a display of his

00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:21.120
 divinity.

00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:22.120
 He knew exactly what

00:29:22.120 --> 00:29:23.000
 was in the paralytic's

00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:23.160
 heart.

00:29:23.380 --> 00:29:24.259
 He knew exactly what

00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:25.160
 was in the scribe's

00:29:25.160 --> 00:29:26.539
 heart as well.

00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:28.000
 And just like we can

00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:29.859
 be encouraged that

00:29:29.859 --> 00:29:31.099
 Jesus knows the faith

00:29:31.099 --> 00:29:31.980
 of our hearts even

00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:32.960
 though we continually

00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:34.440
 fail him, that's an

00:29:34.440 --> 00:29:36.700
 encouragement, we can

00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:38.159
 also be just as certain

00:29:38.159 --> 00:29:40.920
 that Jesus knows the

00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:41.839
 true condition of our

00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:43.819
 hearts when it's filled

00:29:43.819 --> 00:29:45.119
 with doubt, when it's

00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:46.119
 filled with wickedness,

00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:47.180
 when it's filled with

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:48.339
 sin, when it's filled

00:29:48.339 --> 00:29:49.819
 with hypocrisy and we're

00:29:49.819 --> 00:29:51.579
 only pretending to be a

00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:51.879
 believer.

00:29:51.880 --> 00:29:52.000
 forever.

00:29:54.080 --> 00:29:55.820
 We're only pretending to

00:29:55.820 --> 00:29:57.340
 be what we have put this

00:29:57.340 --> 00:29:58.240
 mask on about.

00:29:58.300 --> 00:29:59.600
 We're only pretending to

00:29:59.600 --> 00:30:00.180
 follow Christ.

00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:01.340
 We're only pretending to

00:30:01.340 --> 00:30:03.100
 know Christ just as we can

00:30:03.100 --> 00:30:04.320
 take assurance that Jesus

00:30:04.320 --> 00:30:05.480
 knows the reality of our

00:30:05.480 --> 00:30:06.860
 hearts when we fail, we can

00:30:06.860 --> 00:30:07.920
 be absolutely certain that

00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:08.860
 he knows the reality of

00:30:08.860 --> 00:30:09.620
 the heart when you're just

00:30:09.620 --> 00:30:10.120
 a pretender.

00:30:11.480 --> 00:30:12.520
 That was true here.

00:30:12.620 --> 00:30:13.340
 He read their minds.

00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:14.340
 He knew exactly what they

00:30:14.340 --> 00:30:14.580
 thought.

00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:17.520
 Secondly, he engaged with

00:30:17.520 --> 00:30:18.060
 their minds.

00:30:18.420 --> 00:30:19.500
 This is our favorite part,

00:30:19.560 --> 00:30:19.880
 isn't it?

00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:22.040
 Anytime we see this

00:30:22.040 --> 00:30:23.680
 conflict between Jesus and

00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:25.620
 the scribes and the

00:30:25.620 --> 00:30:26.420
 Pharisees and the

00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:27.300
 Sadducees and the

00:30:27.300 --> 00:30:28.500
 Herodians and all these

00:30:28.500 --> 00:30:30.440
 people, they were

00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:31.680
 constantly trying to trap

00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:32.140
 him, weren't they?

00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:32.740
 They were constantly

00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:34.880
 questioning him, trying to

00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:35.820
 find a reason that they

00:30:35.820 --> 00:30:36.880
 could accuse him in some

00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:37.180
 way.

00:30:37.620 --> 00:30:38.800
 And Jesus was just so

00:30:38.800 --> 00:30:40.420
 fantastic at responding

00:30:40.420 --> 00:30:41.120
 to these people.

00:30:42.640 --> 00:30:43.460
 And so he turns to these

00:30:43.460 --> 00:30:44.260
 men and he begins to

00:30:44.260 --> 00:30:45.320
 engage with their minds

00:30:45.320 --> 00:30:46.280
 and he asks them a

00:30:46.280 --> 00:30:47.960
 question, an interesting

00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:48.420
 question.

00:30:49.100 --> 00:30:49.740
 Look at verse

00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:50.359
 nine.

00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:52.620
 Jesus says, is it

00:30:52.620 --> 00:30:53.880
 easier to say to the

00:30:53.880 --> 00:30:55.339
 sick of the palsy, thy

00:30:55.339 --> 00:30:57.680
 sins be forgiven thee, or

00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.980
 to say arise and take up

00:30:58.980 --> 00:31:00.359
 thy bed and walk?

00:31:00.519 --> 00:31:01.079
 Now I want you to think

00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:01.799
 about that question.

00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:03.180
 What is easier?

00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:08.079
 Is it easier to say your

00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:10.359
 sins are forgiven or to

00:31:10.359 --> 00:31:11.559
 say arise and take up your

00:31:11.559 --> 00:31:12.160
 bed and walk?

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.500
 That's the question he's

00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:13.839
 asking.

00:31:14.039 --> 00:31:15.359
 He's engaging their minds.

00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:17.680
 And of course, for us, the

00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:18.319
 answer is clear.

00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:20.359
 Both are impossible.

00:31:21.460 --> 00:31:22.500
 I can't do either one of

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:23.019
 those things.

00:31:24.099 --> 00:31:25.359
 I might forgive something

00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:26.679
 that you have done to me,

00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:27.779
 but I can't ultimately

00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:28.919
 forgive your sin because

00:31:28.919 --> 00:31:29.919
 sin is ultimately an

00:31:29.919 --> 00:31:30.619
 offense against God.

00:31:30.700 --> 00:31:31.419
 That's what actually makes

00:31:31.419 --> 00:31:31.839
 it sin.

00:31:33.419 --> 00:31:34.700
 I can't forgive that.

00:31:35.379 --> 00:31:36.519
 I certainly can't look at

00:31:36.519 --> 00:31:37.619
 you if you're a paralytic

00:31:37.619 --> 00:31:38.819
 and paralyzed and say, get

00:31:38.819 --> 00:31:39.319
 up and walk.

00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:40.700
 That's the question he's

00:31:40.700 --> 00:31:40.939
 dealing with.

00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:42.119
 Now Jesus is setting the

00:31:42.119 --> 00:31:42.460
 men up.

00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:43.659
 He's setting them up to

00:31:43.659 --> 00:31:45.839
 think through, to think

00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:46.699
 through this question

00:31:46.699 --> 00:31:48.019
 when he actually performs

00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:48.579
 the miracle.

00:31:48.939 --> 00:31:49.699
 But it's still an

00:31:49.699 --> 00:31:50.539
 interesting question.

00:31:52.139 --> 00:31:53.720
 The emphasis here is on

00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:54.619
 the word say.

00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:58.119
 Jesus asked, what's easier

00:31:58.119 --> 00:31:58.899
 to say?

00:31:59.699 --> 00:32:00.839
 Your sins are forgiven

00:32:00.839 --> 00:32:04.059
 or to say, arise, take

00:32:04.059 --> 00:32:05.819
 up your bed and walk?

00:32:06.019 --> 00:32:06.879
 Now that's a different

00:32:06.879 --> 00:32:07.339
 question.

00:32:09.379 --> 00:32:10.679
 And of course, it's easier

00:32:10.679 --> 00:32:12.759
 to say your sins are

00:32:12.759 --> 00:32:13.079
 forgiven.

00:32:13.079 --> 00:32:13.199
 Why?

00:32:14.679 --> 00:32:15.500
 Because I don't have to

00:32:15.500 --> 00:32:15.919
 prove it.

00:32:17.139 --> 00:32:18.259
 You can come to me today

00:32:18.259 --> 00:32:19.659
 and say, I really need my

00:32:19.659 --> 00:32:20.299
 sins to be forgiven.

00:32:20.399 --> 00:32:21.519
 And I could say, you're

00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:21.879
 forgiven.

00:32:23.579 --> 00:32:25.079
 And depending on if I'm

00:32:25.079 --> 00:32:26.039
 good enough at selling it,

00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:26.819
 you might believe it.

00:32:26.879 --> 00:32:27.619
 And others might too.

00:32:28.500 --> 00:32:29.500
 I don't have to provide

00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:30.299
 any kind of proof for

00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:30.519
 that.

00:32:32.019 --> 00:32:33.159
 But if you're paralyzed

00:32:33.159 --> 00:32:35.139
 and you come to me and

00:32:35.139 --> 00:32:36.000
 say, Jared, I'd really

00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:36.859
 like for you to heal me.

00:32:36.879 --> 00:32:38.240
 And I say, okay, arise

00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:39.139
 and take up your bed and

00:32:39.139 --> 00:32:39.460
 walk.

00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:42.379
 Nothing about that

00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:43.360
 statement matters unless

00:32:43.360 --> 00:32:44.460
 you actually get up off

00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:46.500
 your bed or heal of your

00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:48.380
 paralysis and go home

00:32:48.380 --> 00:32:48.760
 from it.

00:32:50.440 --> 00:32:51.920
 The point here is that

00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:54.000
 Jesus' word is action.

00:32:56.460 --> 00:32:57.300
 That's the point he's

00:32:57.300 --> 00:32:58.120
 getting across to these

00:32:58.120 --> 00:32:58.380
 men.

00:32:58.520 --> 00:32:59.700
 It's another reflection of

00:32:59.700 --> 00:33:00.380
 the display of his

00:33:00.380 --> 00:33:01.340
 divinity, his deity.

00:33:02.860 --> 00:33:03.700
 And so Jesus says,

00:33:03.780 --> 00:33:05.580
 whatever I say is true.

00:33:05.780 --> 00:33:06.980
 All of his words, his

00:33:06.980 --> 00:33:07.880
 words were never empty.

00:33:08.140 --> 00:33:09.040
 They were never misleading.

00:33:09.580 --> 00:33:10.440
 They were never lies.

00:33:10.440 --> 00:33:12.160
 His promises were always

00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:13.100
 fulfilled.

00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:15.160
 His word is always backed

00:33:15.160 --> 00:33:16.480
 up by truth and action.

00:33:17.080 --> 00:33:18.200
 So when we get to chapter

00:33:18.200 --> 00:33:19.279
 one and there's the demon

00:33:19.279 --> 00:33:21.180
 possessed man and Jesus

00:33:21.180 --> 00:33:22.900
 says that he's going to

00:33:22.900 --> 00:33:24.059
 cast him out, he immediately

00:33:24.059 --> 00:33:25.299
 backs it up with action and

00:33:25.299 --> 00:33:26.440
 the demon is cast out.

00:33:27.160 --> 00:33:28.000
 When we get to the end of

00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:29.019
 chapter one and we see the

00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:30.259
 leper that comes to Jesus

00:33:30.259 --> 00:33:31.900
 and Jesus says he wants him

00:33:31.900 --> 00:33:33.320
 to be cleansed, immediately

00:33:33.320 --> 00:33:34.740
 Jesus backs that up with

00:33:34.740 --> 00:33:36.240
 action and the man was

00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:36.840
 cleansed.

00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:37.519
 And then when the

00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:38.779
 paralytic comes and he's

00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:40.799
 seeking to be healed of

00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:42.619
 his paralysis, Jesus says

00:33:42.619 --> 00:33:43.940
 arise and take up your

00:33:43.940 --> 00:33:44.539
 bed and walk.

00:33:44.639 --> 00:33:45.779
 And then immediately it's

00:33:45.779 --> 00:33:46.859
 backed up with action and

00:33:46.859 --> 00:33:48.000
 Jesus actually does the

00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:48.279
 healing.

00:33:48.519 --> 00:33:49.859
 So when Jesus says your

00:33:49.859 --> 00:33:51.099
 sins are forgiven, he

00:33:51.099 --> 00:33:52.700
 fully intends to back that

00:33:52.700 --> 00:33:53.460
 up with action.

00:33:55.119 --> 00:33:56.119
 Because his words are

00:33:56.119 --> 00:33:56.779
 never empty.

00:33:57.899 --> 00:33:59.240
 They're never fruitless.

00:33:59.940 --> 00:34:01.059
 Now think about this.

00:34:02.779 --> 00:34:04.359
 While sin is forgiven by

00:34:04.359 --> 00:34:08.279
 God, no sin, no sin,

00:34:08.280 --> 00:34:12.100
 ever goes unpunished by God.

00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:14.920
 All sin is punished.

00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:18.960
 When Jesus told the man that

00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:21.340
 his sins were forgiven, he

00:34:21.340 --> 00:34:23.400
 did so knowing fully what he

00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:25.160
 would have to do in order for

00:34:25.160 --> 00:34:25.960
 that to be true.

00:34:28.220 --> 00:34:29.660
 His word is action.

00:34:32.780 --> 00:34:34.880
 God doesn't ignore our sins to

00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:35.460
 forgive them.

00:34:35.620 --> 00:34:36.540
 You realize that, right?

00:34:36.539 --> 00:34:40.179
 If your sins are forgiven, it's

00:34:40.179 --> 00:34:41.840
 not because you came to the

00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:43.300
 Lord and you just said, Lord,

00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:44.460
 I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have

00:34:44.460 --> 00:34:44.880
 done this.

00:34:44.920 --> 00:34:46.300
 And he just pretends to

00:34:46.300 --> 00:34:49.779
 ignore it, passes over you as

00:34:49.779 --> 00:34:51.239
 far as punishment is concerned

00:34:51.239 --> 00:34:52.400
 and just moves on.

00:34:52.460 --> 00:34:54.179
 The past is behind us, water

00:34:54.179 --> 00:34:54.779
 under the bridge.

00:34:54.900 --> 00:34:55.860
 That's not the way this

00:34:55.860 --> 00:34:56.719
 forgiveness works.

00:34:58.920 --> 00:35:00.400
 God in his grace will forgive

00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:01.639
 sin, but God in his justice

00:35:01.639 --> 00:35:03.539
 must punish sin.

00:35:03.539 --> 00:35:09.139
 What happens in salvation is not

00:35:09.139 --> 00:35:10.759
 that God turns a blind eye to

00:35:10.759 --> 00:35:12.679
 your sin and just decides to

00:35:12.679 --> 00:35:13.500
 forget about it.

00:35:13.820 --> 00:35:16.500
 He takes your sin and he puts it

00:35:16.500 --> 00:35:17.239
 on his son.

00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:20.219
 That's what's happening with

00:35:20.219 --> 00:35:20.619
 forgiveness.

00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:24.199
 How does that happen?

00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:26.039
 The cross.

00:35:26.039 --> 00:35:30.219
 Paul writing the Colossians said

00:35:30.219 --> 00:35:31.519
 it this way, that God has taken

00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:33.320
 the handwriting of ordinances that

00:35:33.320 --> 00:35:33.980
 was against us.

00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:35.179
 In other words, there's this,

00:35:35.239 --> 00:35:36.840
 there's this writing against us,

00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:39.759
 this legal justification for us to

00:35:39.759 --> 00:35:40.480
 be condemned.

00:35:41.179 --> 00:35:42.440
 We've broken the law.

00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:45.159
 And he wipes it clean.

00:35:45.279 --> 00:35:46.019
 How does he do that?

00:35:46.099 --> 00:35:48.420
 Paul says by nailing it to the

00:35:48.420 --> 00:35:49.539
 cross of Christ.

00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:52.219
 It's not that God ignores your sin.

00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:53.599
 It's that he puts your sin on

00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:54.139
 Christ.

00:35:54.739 --> 00:35:55.940
 He's our substitute.

00:35:57.159 --> 00:35:58.480
 Why did Jesus come?

00:35:59.179 --> 00:36:00.440
 Not to heal the man of his

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:00.980
 paralysis.

00:36:01.380 --> 00:36:03.039
 He came to die the punishment

00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:04.920
 that that man deserved to die.

00:36:06.920 --> 00:36:08.179
 There's plenty of scripture for

00:36:08.179 --> 00:36:08.519
 this.

00:36:09.059 --> 00:36:09.819
 It's a substitution.

00:36:10.519 --> 00:36:11.599
 He took our place.

00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:15.839
 Second Corinthians chapter five,

00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:18.699
 Paul said, for our sake, God

00:36:18.699 --> 00:36:19.779
 made him to be sin.

00:36:20.460 --> 00:36:21.759
 Who knew no sin?

00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:22.319
 Why?

00:36:22.320 --> 00:36:24.440
 That we might be made the

00:36:24.440 --> 00:36:25.440
 righteousness of Christ.

00:36:26.220 --> 00:36:27.960
 He made him to be sin.

00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:29.220
 What sin?

00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:30.180
 Our sin.

00:36:30.820 --> 00:36:31.200
 Why?

00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:33.019
 So we could be declared

00:36:33.019 --> 00:36:33.580
 righteous.

00:36:35.580 --> 00:36:38.080
 First Corinthians 15, Christ

00:36:38.080 --> 00:36:40.920
 Jesus died for our sins.

00:36:42.340 --> 00:36:44.600
 Not that he ignored our sins in

00:36:44.600 --> 00:36:45.539
 order to forgive them.

00:36:45.620 --> 00:36:46.920
 No, he actually took the

00:36:46.920 --> 00:36:49.500
 punishment for them so that we

00:36:49.500 --> 00:36:50.980
 could be declared righteousness.

00:36:50.980 --> 00:36:53.219
 First John chapter two.

00:36:53.860 --> 00:36:56.199
 He's the propitiation for our sins.

00:36:58.280 --> 00:37:00.599
 He has assuaged God's wrath,

00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:03.699
 satisfied it for all of eternity.

00:37:04.900 --> 00:37:06.940
 Not for our sins only, John writes.

00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:08.920
 The sins of the whole world.

00:37:08.920 --> 00:37:13.360
 So great is the love of God that he

00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:16.680
 suffered at the hands of men to pay the

00:37:16.680 --> 00:37:20.340
 price for the sins of men in order that

00:37:20.340 --> 00:37:23.420
 men could then be declared righteous.

00:37:25.900 --> 00:37:27.659
 That's the whole point of this passage.

00:37:27.659 --> 00:37:30.339
 Jesus is God.

00:37:30.339 --> 00:37:33.119
 That he has the authority to forgive sins.

00:37:33.440 --> 00:37:35.920
 And that sins can be forgiven because he paid the

00:37:35.920 --> 00:37:36.639
 price for them.

00:37:38.739 --> 00:37:41.779
 Not only did he read their minds and engage with their

00:37:41.779 --> 00:37:43.279
 minds, but then he blew their minds.

00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:45.399
 Look at verse 10.

00:37:47.719 --> 00:37:49.379
 Immediately, or excuse me, but

00:37:49.380 --> 00:37:55.420
 Jesus says, but that you may know the son of man have power on

00:37:55.420 --> 00:37:56.660
 earth to forgive sins.

00:37:57.660 --> 00:38:01.660
 And he said to the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, arise and

00:38:01.660 --> 00:38:03.860
 take up thy bed and go thy way into thy house.

00:38:04.519 --> 00:38:10.480
 And immediately he arose, took up the bed and went forth before

00:38:10.480 --> 00:38:12.000
 them all.

00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:16.480
 This is ultimately the purpose of Jesus's healings.

00:38:18.900 --> 00:38:21.960
 Jesus didn't use this man as a pawn.

00:38:22.059 --> 00:38:22.579
 That's not what it was.

00:38:22.679 --> 00:38:25.099
 There was real compassion in his heart for his condition.

00:38:27.420 --> 00:38:29.400
 It's just there was a priority of purpose here.

00:38:30.559 --> 00:38:31.599
 Priority was his sin.

00:38:32.460 --> 00:38:33.639
 The man had faith and repentance.

00:38:33.820 --> 00:38:34.960
 Jesus dealt with that first.

00:38:35.840 --> 00:38:37.159
 And then he came to the healing.

00:38:38.119 --> 00:38:41.000
 And it worked perfectly in the point that he was trying to make to the

00:38:41.000 --> 00:38:43.139
 scribes and to the others that were gathered that day.

00:38:44.019 --> 00:38:46.480
 He's speaking to these scribes who haven't said a word according to

00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:46.940
 the passage.

00:38:47.739 --> 00:38:51.280
 He reads their minds, engages, makes them think for a moment.

00:38:52.619 --> 00:38:56.860
 And then he says, the reason I'm doing this is so that you may know,

00:38:57.480 --> 00:39:02.559
 know for certain that I have power and authority to forgive sin.

00:39:04.360 --> 00:39:06.059
 That's the point of his miracles, folks.

00:39:06.940 --> 00:39:09.719
 To point to who he is, to what he can do.

00:39:09.719 --> 00:39:11.059
 It's not about the miracle itself.

00:39:11.619 --> 00:39:14.959
 And then as he says that, he turns back to the paralytic.

00:39:15.199 --> 00:39:17.000
 And there's this compassionate heart again.

00:39:17.939 --> 00:39:23.299
 And he looks at the man and he says, arise, take up your bed and walk.

00:39:24.579 --> 00:39:29.259
 And immediately, just like always happens, when Jesus cast out the demon,

00:39:29.379 --> 00:39:30.099
 it happened immediately.

00:39:30.099 --> 00:39:32.639
 When Jesus healed the leper, it happened immediately.

00:39:32.639 --> 00:39:35.719
 When Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law, it happened immediately.

00:39:35.719 --> 00:39:38.139
 And again here, he says, arise, take up your bed and walk.

00:39:38.279 --> 00:39:40.539
 And immediately, the man's legs are healed.

00:39:40.739 --> 00:39:41.980
 He immediately stands up.

00:39:42.099 --> 00:39:43.439
 Maybe he'd never even done that before.

00:39:43.480 --> 00:39:45.059
 We have no idea how long he was paralyzed.

00:39:45.879 --> 00:39:47.119
 And he picks up his bed.

00:39:47.239 --> 00:39:50.259
 And before everybody there, he walks out of the house and he goes home.

00:39:50.260 --> 00:39:53.420
 What's that about?

00:39:55.040 --> 00:39:58.660
 It's not so that we know that Jesus has the power to heal his legs.

00:39:58.840 --> 00:40:01.760
 It's so that we know that Jesus actually has power to forgive his sins.

00:40:02.220 --> 00:40:05.940
 Because the only person that could heal his legs is the person that could also forgive his sins.

00:40:08.360 --> 00:40:11.820
 Because Jesus read their minds, he engaged with their minds, then he blew their minds.

00:40:11.860 --> 00:40:14.060
 And then finally, we'll wrap it up with the curious crowd.

00:40:15.060 --> 00:40:15.880
 The curious crowd.

00:40:15.880 --> 00:40:17.900
 Look back with me at verse 12.

00:40:18.980 --> 00:40:20.820
 After the man is healed and he walks away.

00:40:22.260 --> 00:40:28.340
 It says, insomuch that they were all amazed and glorified God.

00:40:29.559 --> 00:40:31.320
 Saying, we never saw it on this fashion.

00:40:31.380 --> 00:40:32.960
 We never saw it happen like this.

00:40:33.300 --> 00:40:34.539
 Never seen anything like this before.

00:40:34.579 --> 00:40:36.480
 They were incredibly amazed.

00:40:37.440 --> 00:40:38.860
 They got what they had come for.

00:40:41.539 --> 00:40:43.180
 That's why most of them had gathered.

00:40:45.880 --> 00:40:51.740
 They did exactly what we might expect to do if this happened in our church today.

00:40:53.599 --> 00:40:54.780
 They rejoiced.

00:40:55.400 --> 00:40:56.280
 Why wouldn't they?

00:40:57.099 --> 00:40:58.820
 They even praised God for it.

00:40:58.880 --> 00:41:00.579
 And they rejoiced at what they had seen.

00:41:00.700 --> 00:41:01.760
 They were amazed.

00:41:01.880 --> 00:41:02.980
 They were awestruck.

00:41:03.820 --> 00:41:07.200
 But like so many people today, they missed the point.

00:41:07.740 --> 00:41:12.840
 And we know that because of what Matthew said in Matthew chapter 9 when he wrote about this.

00:41:13.220 --> 00:41:14.220
 Here's what Matthew wrote.

00:41:14.219 --> 00:41:16.939
 When the crowd saw this, they were amazed.

00:41:16.939 --> 00:41:22.199
 And they glorified God who had given such authority to men.

00:41:24.819 --> 00:41:27.199
 They were amazed by what Jesus had done.

00:41:27.259 --> 00:41:29.919
 But they had refused to accept who Jesus was.

00:41:30.459 --> 00:41:31.480
 That was the problem.

00:41:33.119 --> 00:41:38.399
 The entire exchange between Jesus and the scribes was meant to demonstrate that Jesus is God.

00:41:38.459 --> 00:41:39.519
 That's exactly what he said.

00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:43.960
 I am doing this so that you will know that I am God and I can forgive sins.

00:41:44.000 --> 00:41:45.039
 And he turns around and he does it.

00:41:45.099 --> 00:41:47.119
 And everybody completely forgets about it.

00:41:47.980 --> 00:41:50.320
 They're so amazed by the miracle.

00:41:50.880 --> 00:41:53.099
 They even praised God for the miracle.

00:41:53.239 --> 00:41:55.400
 But they did not believe Jesus.

00:41:56.460 --> 00:42:00.420
 It's as if they completely ignored the fact that Jesus had forgiven the man's sin.

00:42:00.780 --> 00:42:04.639
 It's as if they completely missed the fact that his greatest need was forgiveness.

00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:09.299
 The truth is they didn't care anything about forgiveness of sins.

00:42:09.460 --> 00:42:11.239
 That's not why they came there that day.

00:42:12.500 --> 00:42:16.000
 They couldn't have cared less that Jesus forgave that man's sins.

00:42:16.099 --> 00:42:17.759
 Even if they thought he had power to do it.

00:42:17.879 --> 00:42:18.619
 They didn't care.

00:42:19.359 --> 00:42:20.960
 That's not why they were there.

00:42:21.559 --> 00:42:23.859
 They were there to see something spectacular.

00:42:24.400 --> 00:42:27.579
 They wanted to be amazed by Jesus' powerful works.

00:42:27.719 --> 00:42:32.059
 They were curious about Jesus, but they did not believe Jesus.

00:42:32.059 --> 00:42:37.420
 That's the difference between people that are enamored with the Christian religion,

00:42:37.420 --> 00:42:39.099
 but don't actually make it to heaven.

00:42:40.440 --> 00:42:41.940
 They're curious about Jesus.

00:42:42.019 --> 00:42:43.219
 They're curious about his teaching.

00:42:43.340 --> 00:42:46.779
 They're curious about what he might or might not have done

00:42:46.779 --> 00:42:49.659
 as far as these miraculous works are concerned,

00:42:49.719 --> 00:42:51.960
 but they never actually believe him.

00:42:52.659 --> 00:42:53.559
 They missed the point.

00:42:55.699 --> 00:42:58.099
 A lot of people today, it's the same thing.

00:42:58.340 --> 00:42:59.259
 They just missed the point.

00:42:59.260 --> 00:43:03.400
 I mentioned earlier that when you know the entire story,

00:43:04.040 --> 00:43:07.540
 Jesus' statement about forgiveness of sin loses a bit of its impact.

00:43:09.240 --> 00:43:11.360
 For some of us, it loses its impact

00:43:11.360 --> 00:43:13.760
 because we ultimately don't really care about forgiveness.

00:43:15.540 --> 00:43:18.000
 We don't really see a need for it, for one.

00:43:19.020 --> 00:43:21.780
 And even if we recognize that we've done some bad things,

00:43:21.980 --> 00:43:23.540
 it's not really that bad.

00:43:24.300 --> 00:43:26.340
 And so it's not at the forefront of our mind.

00:43:26.720 --> 00:43:27.800
 We don't really care about that.

00:43:27.800 --> 00:43:30.700
 We want to see the spectacular.

00:43:31.900 --> 00:43:33.680
 We want to experience the power.

00:43:35.260 --> 00:43:37.400
 But a lot of us, we don't actually care about the forgiveness.

00:43:39.220 --> 00:43:40.620
 We're amazed by Jesus.

00:43:42.240 --> 00:43:43.620
 But we don't actually believe him.

00:43:45.280 --> 00:43:46.080
 What about you?

00:43:47.780 --> 00:43:49.160
 Are you just amazed by Jesus?

00:43:49.159 --> 00:43:52.699
 Are you enamored by him for one reason or another?

00:43:54.019 --> 00:43:56.099
 What's the need that you're hoping that he needs?

00:43:56.480 --> 00:43:56.980
 Is it physical?

00:43:57.239 --> 00:43:59.480
 Is it just supernatural in some way?

00:44:00.420 --> 00:44:04.000
 Or have you come to realize that Jesus is not just a man?

00:44:04.099 --> 00:44:05.819
 There's more to him than this.

00:44:07.519 --> 00:44:08.940
 This is God incarnate.

00:44:08.940 --> 00:44:14.099
 And this whole thing is not just to record for us the awesome things that he did.

00:44:15.380 --> 00:44:18.099
 This is to tell us how he came to redeem us from our sin.

00:44:18.099 --> 00:44:23.920
 And the difference between a person that claims to be a Christian and goes to hell

00:44:23.920 --> 00:44:28.819
 and a person that claims to be a Christian and actually is restored to God for eternity

00:44:28.819 --> 00:44:31.460
 is what they end up doing with Jesus.

00:44:33.400 --> 00:44:34.639
 Do you believe him?

00:44:34.639 --> 00:44:39.239
 Or are you just curious about it?