Morning everybody, welcome back to our church service. It's a real pleasure to be able to welcome you wherever you're tuning in from.
There's digital tea and coffee as usual afterwards and the details that you'll find either on Avanto or on your email.
Well, after our week of prayer, and thanks to everyone for taking part in that, it's wonderful to be able to gather our voices and our prayers together to show our concern for our family, friends, colleagues, nation, the nations of the world.
But we're back to a normal pattern this week. It's on Monday prayer at 8pm. Again, details on the email on Avanto.
And our community groups are back again studying through the Gospel of John.
And just to remind you that one of the reasons we're doing that is so that we might be able to use that word one-to-one resource to think about how we might be able to share the Gospel of John with a friend during this time in particular.
So again, everybody's welcome. If you've not been part of a community group before, please be in touch. We'd love to get you connected.
Now, our call to worship comes from Isaiah 55 this morning.
From the beginning.
That you may live.
Here's the wonderful invitation.
As God draws near to us, he invites us to draw near to him and to find that he satisfies the deep wants and longings in our hearts.
And so as we begin our time together, we're going to sing.
We're going to sing the hymn that we started learning last week, Jesus Strong and Kind.
Really thankful to Cailin for learning it and for this recording, which we can worship God with now.
Now, our Bible reading this morning comes from Matthew chapter 9.
Matthew chapter 9.
And we're going to read together the first 13 verses.
Now, we're going to concentrate our thoughts on verses 1 to 8.
So let's hear God's word together.
Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.
Some men brought to him a paralysed man lying on a mat.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man,
Take heart, son, your sins are forgiven.
At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves,
This fellow is blaspheming.
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said,
Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say, your sins are forgiven, or to say, get up and walk.
But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.
So he said to the paralysed man,
Get up, take your mat, and go home.
Then the man got up and went home.
When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe.
And they praised God, who had given such authority to man.
As Jesus went on from there,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth.
Follow me, he told him.
And Matthew got up and followed him.
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house,
many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples,
Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?
On hearing this, Jesus said,
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill.
But go and learn what this means.
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
So as we continue to think about the subject of faith together,
what we are invited to see here today from Matthew
is that we are called to have faith in the sin-forgiving power of Jesus.
When it comes to the telling of stories,
it feels like there are maybe two main styles,
two routes, as it were, to get to the same destination.
Some storytellers, they like to meander.
Every detail is gone into.
Every point of a conversation is addressed.
You find yourself maybe going on surprising sidetracks
and you wonder,
How in the world is this story ever going to get back to resolution?
You know, you sort of beg down.
This is going to be a while.
Other storytellers, very different, aren't they?
Very direct.
Straight to the point.
No elaboration.
And probably, if you take a few seconds
to think about your friends or your family,
you'll recognise those different storytelling styles.
I wonder which one you are.
Terrible storytellers.
I get the point.
Make it.
Try to move on.
Matthew, our gospel writer here,
he's a very direct storyteller.
A number of times where he records
things that happened in the life of Jesus,
he strips back the details
to focus on a main point.
So, boys and girls,
if you were to read this same story
in Mark or in Luke,
you would discover that really interesting
and surprising moment
where the friends,
yes, they bring the man to Jesus,
but they do that by
climbing up on the roof
and then digging the hole
through the ceiling.
You remember that story
where they dig the hole in the ceiling
and they lower the man down
on his mat
in front of Jesus
while the crowd in the house
are astonished at what's going on.
Why is Matthew so brief?
Because he wants us
to not miss his goal,
his point.
His point is that he wants to show us
the authority of Jesus in another way.
This thing to show us
the sin-forgiving power of Jesus.
So, he takes a laser-like focus
to the story
so that we come to see
that forgiveness
is Jesus' number one priority
for this man
and by extension for you and for me.
Matthew wants us to see
that forgiveness
is the greatest gift
that Jesus offers.
And Jesus offers that
coming to us with authority
as God with us.
So, let's think
for most of our time
we'll think about Jesus' priority
and think about
the gift of forgiveness.
So, in verse 1
we're told
very briefly
that Jesus has arrived home.
Capernaum was his hometown
and what he discovers
in verse 2
is a man with obvious need.
He is paralyzed.
But that's not all
Jesus discovered.
We're also told in verse 2
that Jesus sees
their faith.
Now, we're in a wider section
Matthew 8 to 10
where we see a lot
of Jesus' authority
being demonstrated
in different ways.
Authority over
a variety of illnesses.
A variety over
the forces of nature
like last week
when he stilled the storm.
Authority over demons.
So, presumably
these men
including the paralyzed man
recognized that Jesus
brings hope.
So, Jesus sees their faith.
So, how does Jesus respond
to their faith?
In verse 2
he said to the man
take heart, son.
There's encouragement.
There's welcome.
Then he says
your sins are forgiven.
Now, if you were to hear
the first part
of the sentence
you were part of the crowd
or you were
the paralyzed man's friends
I don't imagine
that's how you expected
to fill in the blank.
How you would expect
Jesus to conclude
that sentence
your sins are forgiven.
For the friends
as they
brought the man
to Jesus
for the man
as he came
on his mat
to Jesus
I'm sure
he would be thinking
I really want to walk
I really want
to be able to work
I would like
to be able to
worship
in the temple
perhaps
he says
I want to be whole
Jesus says
take heart, son
your sins are forgiven
what's happening here?
What's happening
is that Jesus
has looked deeper
into the man's problems
getting all the way
to his heart
and he's looked wider
he's looked beyond
just the temporary
to give hope
for eternity
and so Jesus
comes and he provides
in actual fact
the deepest help
and healing
now Jesus
could
and we discovered
in our story
that he did
heal the man's
body
but
that man
even after being
healed
he would still
face
disappointment
there would
still be
frustrations
and ultimately
there would
still be
death
so Jesus
wants to go
deeper
and wider
in the salvation
that he brings
there's a wonderful
little phrase
in Ecclesiastes
chapter 3
where we're told
God has put
eternity
into our hearts
we have
we have that
ache
for eternity
Jesus
understands
that knowing
eternal life
knowing
God
is where
we find
lasting
satisfaction
that's where
deep and
unending
joy comes
from
and to get
to that point
we need
forgiveness
we need
the barrier
of sin
between us
and God
to be removed
so we see
clearly
Jesus loved
the man
and remember
Jesus also
healed his
body
because Jesus
cares for us
physically
and spiritually
and that's
really good
for us
to remember
during this
crisis
but his
priority
is spiritual
and eternal
verse 6
I want you
to know
that the
son of man
has authority
on earth
to forgive
sins
Jesus
is clear
life
enjoying
God
matters
more
than a
life
enjoying
good
hell
can we
believe
that today
maybe it's
particularly
challenging
to believe
that today
that life
enjoying
God
matters
more than
life
enjoying
good
hell
Jesus
has gone
above
and beyond
in no doubt
everybody's
expectations
and maybe
some of you
listening in
are sports
fans and
you're feeling
the gap
with the
lack of
live sport
maybe
like me
you've been
tuning in
to the
last dance
the story
of Michael
Jordan
Chicago Bulls
on Netflix
each episode
tends to
focus on
a different
character
from the
team
and in
the Dennis
Rodman
episode
there's this
wonderful
moment
where after
a game
Dennis
Rodman
massive
tattooed
multicolored
haired
basketball
player
sees a
crowd of
fans
who are
waiting
beyond a
barrier
to get
an autograph
and one
little boy
sticks out
his autograph
book for
Dennis to
sign
and what
Dennis does
he signs
the autograph
sure
but then
he takes
a wee
second
and he
takes his
shoes off
his shoulder
and he
gives them
to the
boy
what a
gift
again hoping
he saves
them
and he
would be
worth
the
fortune
but in
a much
greater
way
Jesus
has gone
above
and beyond
what these
friends could
have asked
as they
brought
their
paralysed
friend
to Jesus
but maybe
we're asking
why does
Jesus put
forgiveness
first
why is
forgiveness
his first
priority
and maybe
it'll help
if we think
about the
storyline
of the
Bible
to help
to see
why that
would be
if we go
back to
the beginning
go back
to creation
God made
a perfect
world
and then
he made
the first
people
Adam and
Eve
and Adam
and Eve
they were
made
in the
image
of God
they were
made
to steward
to look
after creation
and they
were made
for a
relationship
with one
another
but they
were also
made to
enjoy
relationship
with
God
they
knew
God
walked
with
them
and
talked
with
them
so
people
were
made
for
enjoying
that
relationship
for enjoying
the glory
of God
receiving
life
in that
fellowship
with
God
but from
the beauty
of that
perfection
of life
in the
Garden of
Eden
the Bible
tells us
there was
a fall
there was
a rejection
of God
and his
word
which brought
sin
which led
to shame
which led
to hiding
from God
which led
to suffering
and ultimately
release
today
and Adam
and Eve
were sent
out of the
Garden
symbolic
of the
fact
that sin
severs
breaks
the
relationship
between
people
and God
so for
Jesus
the deepest
problem
then is the
problem of sin
deep in our
heart
it's the
problem of
ignoring God
in the world
that he has
made
it's refusing
to honour
God
or to love
him
to turn
our back
on our
father
to rebel
against God
as king
because that
sin
if it is not
forgiven
and covered
leads to
eternal
separation
so Jesus
came
with a
clear
priority
to carry
out a
mission
to
rescue
us
to
reconcile
us
to God
to make
peace
with God
to redeem
us
from a
slavery to
sin
leading to
death
by
forgiving
sin
through his
death
on the
cross
even
before he
was born
the angels
came to
to marry
his mother
and said
you are to
give him
the name
Jesus
because he
will save
his people
from
their
sin
so that's
Jesus'
priority
and Jesus'
greatest gift
is forgiveness
now I can
imagine today
you might very
well have a
list of
lockdown
if only
I had that
opportunity
if only
that freedom
hadn't been
denied me
then I
would be
happy
none
of those
if only
can fill
the eternal
ache
in your
heart
but Jesus
can and
Jesus wants
to and
Jesus does
as people
we plan
we dream
we make
our bucket
lists
we make
our five
year
plans
but we
need to
understand
that that
holiday
that career
that family
good though
they may
be
cannot
fill
the God
shaped
hole
in our
heart
Jesus
knows
the greatest
gift
that he
can give
the greatest
gift that
God can
give you
is to
give himself
Jesus
came as
God
with us
Jesus
came to
bring
forgiveness
so that
by faith
in Jesus
and his
work on
the cross
of his
dying
for sin
taking the
punishment
we deserve
by faith
by trusting
in Jesus
we can have
life
enjoying
God
which is
how we
were made
to be
and that's
life
enjoying
God now
and for
all
eternity
is Jesus
priority
my
priority
when I
think about
my life
when you
think about
your
life
do our
priorities
match up
with that
of Jesus
what about
when we
think about
our wishes
and desires
for the
people that
we love
even for
the prayers
that we
make
above all
do we want
people to
find forgiveness
so they can
know
life with
God
I
started
re-reading
C.S.
Lewis's
little book
The Weight
of Glory
and in
the essay
that gives
the book
its title
Lewis discusses
glory
and reward
in the
Christian faith
and what he
says is that
the great
glory
that we look
forward to
the reward
that is ours
ultimately is
to be
approved
of
by God
to be
welcomed
by God
to have
God
delight
in us
to have
God
love
us
here is
the ultimate
gift
here is the
great priority
and goal
that should
drive our
lives
and Jesus
came for
this reason
Jesus brings
forgiveness
for this reason
so we might
find our
joy
in God
possibly the
most famous
quote
from
that essay
is this one
let me read it
if we consider
the staggering
nature of the
rewards promised
us in the
gospels
it would
seem
our Lord
finds our
desires not
too strong
but too
weak
we are
half-hearted
creatures
fooling about
with drink
and sex
and ambition
while infinite
joy is
offered us
like an
ignorant
child
who wants
to go on
making mud
pies in a
slum
because he
cannot imagine
what is meant
by the offer
of a holiday
at the scene
we are
far too
easily
pleased
I wonder
and does
Lewis in his
assessment
does he reflect
your life and
mine today
Jesus'
priority
Jesus'
gift
is that we
be forgiven
so that infinite
joy may be
ours
they're
connected to
them
and it's
something that
the crowds
recognize or
at least some
of them
and there is a
great claim
that Jesus
is making
the religious
leaders they
certainly
understand this
and they're
shocked by
Jesus'
statement in
verse 3
Jesus having
said your sins
are forgiven
at this
some of the
teachers of
the law
said to
themselves
this fellow
is blaspheming
he is
misusing
the name
of God
by claiming
some of
the rights
of God
they understand
the implications
because to
forgive someone
you must have
been sinned
against
you think
about this
in a personal
relationship
if Tom
and Dick
have a fight
and Tom
hits Dick
Harry
person number
three he
cannot come
along and say
I forgive
you
only Dick
can do
that
so to
forgive
someone
you must
have been
sinned
against
and they
understand
that
and another
thing that
they understand
the religious
leaders is
that forgiveness
belongs to
God
in Psalm 51
in verse 4
David
confessing
sin says
against you
and you
only have
I sinned
other people
have been
sinned against
but primarily
it's against
God
God establishes
the rule
so every
time we
break those
rules
every time
we break
God's
commands
we are
sinning
against
God
and even
when we
sin against
another person
we are
sinning
against
an image
bearer
of God
and so
we sin
against
God
so the
religious
leaders
they understand
in a moment
that Jesus
is saying
I am
God
and as
God
I forgive
you
that's a
huge claim
isn't it
now the
heart of
the religious
leaders
opposition
is that
they reject
the claims
of Jesus
they refuse
to believe
he is God
Jesus
speaking of
their thoughts
says
why do you
entertain
evil thoughts
in your
hearts
and then
in verses
five and
six there
is the
question
which
is
easier
to say
your sins
are forgiven
or to say
get up
and walk
and this is a
question that
that provokes
quite a lot
of debate
when you read
different books
or you hear
people talk
I guess
for us
in the 21st
century
our instinct
might be
well
talk is
cheap
it's
easy in a
sense to
say your
sins are
forgiven
because there's
no proof
of that
therefore get
up and walk
is harder
because that
needs proof
but I
wonder if
that would
be how a
first century
religious person
might think
they might
say well
we know
that there
are other
people who
have healed
with the
power of
God
maybe it's
harder
to
to say
your sins
are forgiven
because that's
claiming the
rights and
the authority
of God
and to a
religious society
that took the
name of God
that took the
holiness of God
seriously
that's a hard
thing to claim
but what Jesus
does either way
it's hard to say
which is true
but either way
Jesus connects
forgiveness of sin
and the healing
of the man
to claim identity
of God
to claim
the power of God
especially the
power of God
to forgive sin
now on this
it's so important
for us
that we take
Jesus' claims
seriously
sometimes when
people don't
make a full
study of the
Bible
they maybe think
I like Jesus
I like he's a
good teacher
I like they went
around helping
people
like some of
his wise
teaching
but you can't
really ignore
when Jesus
claims to be
God as he does
in many many
many different
ways
in the 19th
century there
was a professor
at the Free
Church College
who went by
the nickname
of Rabbi
Duncan
and he was
followed in the
20th century
again by
C.S. Lewis
who both
present
a response
to the
claims of
Jesus
Rabbi Duncan
talks about
it as a
trilemma
you know
Jesus
when he makes
claims like
this he's
either a
liar
who is
deliberately
deceiving
people
he are
deliberately
deceiving
us on the
fact that he
can forgive
sins
he's either
a lunatic
who's completely
self-deluded
who's got
delusions of
grandeur
and imagines
he's God
when actually
he's just
a normal
person
who's
imbalanced
or
we take
his claims
seriously
we recognise
that he
is
Lord
he is
either
truly
evil
because
he's
claiming
to be
the way
to God
and millions
of people
have followed
Jesus
because of
those claims
because of
his truth
because of
his life
or
he's either
truly evil
or he's
truly good
he is
truly
God
there is
no halfway
house
if we take
Jesus'
claims
seriously
it doesn't
allow us
to sit
on the
fence
what's
what's at
stake
when it
comes to
thinking
about
Jesus'
identity
well if
we
trust
the
gospels
Jesus
is
God
who is
with us
who has
become
one of
us
to save
us
to forgive
our sin
to bring
to us
eternal
life
and eternal
hope
so it's
really
important
that each
one of
us
takes
seriously
the
identity
of
Jesus
because
of the
claims
that he
makes
and if
Jesus
is who
he claims
to be
how do
I respond
we see
two positive
responses to
Jesus in
our story
first we
saw the
men who
had faith
here is a
call to
trust in
Jesus
to trust
that he
is strong
and kind
to trust
that he
is the
saviour
that you
need
to trust
that he
can meet
your deepest
need
that he
can forgive
your sin
he can
bring you
peace
with God
he can
give you
hope of
eternal
life that
will never
end
of perfect
joy
and
so one
response is
B
the other
positive
response we
find in
here is
awe
and praise
the crowd
recognise
Jesus is
awesome
in the
truest sense
of the
word
they recognise
the authority
of Jesus
and they
praise God
for the
gift that
he brings
Jesus
came to
forgive
sin
that's not
something we
deserve
that's God's
grace
we deserve
judgment
we deserve
hell
but God
in his
kindness
sends Jesus
so we can
receive forgiveness
and we can
receive heaven
Jesus came
to transform
sinners
to change
our lives
to bring
infinite joy
and hope
in life
and death
how do we
respond
to Jesus
and to
what he
offers
maybe today
is the
time to
think about
the priorities
that you
are setting
for your
life
and for
your family
do they
match up
with that
of Jesus
do they
include
Jesus
are you
trusting in
Jesus who
came with
God's
authority
on God's
mission
to forgive
sin
by his
death
on the
cross
we're
invited to
have faith
in the
sin forgiving
power
of Jesus
an
time if
for
to
him
to
sit
in