WEBVTT

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 Good evening, everyone. If you've got your Bible there at Mark chapter 2, if you'd like to leave it open.

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 And I'm going to pray, and then we're going to take a look at that text.

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 Father God, we pray that you'll help us now, by your Spirit, to understand this text,

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 but particularly that we might get such a glimpse of who Jesus is and what he has done for us

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 so that we might be able to leave here as changed people, forgiven by you of all our trespasses against you.

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 And we ask it for your sake. Amen.

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 Well, it's been referred to a couple of times tonight already, and naturally throughout the media.

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 Ten years ago today, on Tuesday, September 11, 2001,

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 there was a series of four coordinated suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda upon the United States.

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 Approximately 3,000 people, including 19 hijackers, died in the attacks in what is remembered today

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 as the worst terrorist atrocity in human history.

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 The overwhelming majority of the casualties were civilians,

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 including nationals from 70 different countries.

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 For most of us, we can remember where we were when that awful news reached us.

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 I remember the moment vividly.

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 It was really early in the morning.

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 My alarm clock had gone off,

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 and my alarm clock just goes straight to a radio station,

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 and the news was on,

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 and in my sort of half-awake stupor in the morning,

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 I thought that I heard the lady say that the World Trade Towers had collapsed.

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 And I just thought, well, that's just not possible.

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 There are 110 stories.

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 And then when she said that it was the worst act we have seen in history,

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 I just went, this is true.

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 And I remember just jumping out of bed and running to the TV and turning it on,

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 and as soon as the TV came on, I saw the pictures of the planes hitting it.

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 I remember that moment vividly.

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 Our world has forever been changed by that evil event.

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 In fact, it's known as the day that changed the world.

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 And as we remember those events 10 years on,

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 I want to take us to this Bible passage, which was just read out to us.

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 It's about another life-changing event,

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 and naturally on the surface it's a life-changing event for one man,

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 but it is a life-changing event for one man,

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 which points us to a world-changing event.

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 It's an event which changes the world for everyone.

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 And so I want you to know straight up as I speak tonight

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 that Jesus is in the business of changing lives.

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 That's what he does.

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 He changes lives for good,

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 and that's what we are excited about here at St. Paul's as a church.

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 And so we are very pleased that you've joined us tonight on Back to Church Sunday

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 to at least get some of the good news of what Jesus,

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 who he is and what he's done for us.

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 So let's jump straight into it at verse 1.

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 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum,

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 the people heard that he had come home.

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 So many gathered that there was no room left,

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 not even outside the door,

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 and he preached the word to them.

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 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic,

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 carried by four of them.

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 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd,

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 they made an opening in the roof above Jesus,

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 and after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.

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 Okay, so there's this guy.

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 He's paralyzed, totally paralyzed,

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 and his friends get a stretcher.

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 They get a bed, if you like,

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 and they carry him to the house where Jesus is.

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 And when they arrived,

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 they discovered that lots of people have already got the front row seats.

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 It's a sellout.

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 There's no room left.

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 But they've got it all figured out.

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 These guys are fairly resourceful,

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 and they're pretty determined to get their buddy to Jesus.

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 And so they go up onto the roof,

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 and they dig a hole in the roof,

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 and they lower the guy right in front of Jesus.

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 You can imagine that's a pretty awkward moment.

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 Jesus is there delivering the sermon,

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 teaching all these people,

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 probably asking a heap of questions.

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 Next thing you know,

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 stuff starts falling down,

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 and right in front of him.

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 All of a sudden,

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 no one cares what Jesus is talking about anymore,

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 or we want to know what is he going to do in this moment.

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 It's a pretty awkward thing.

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 And I think for most people,

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 in a moment like that,

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 you're kind of grateful that you're not Jesus,

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 having to make some kind of a decision.

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 I don't know if you've ever been in a moment like that,

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 where something really bad's happening,

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 just glad,

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 geez, I'm glad I don't have to make the decision here.

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 I remember one day in church,

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 Chris was actually preaching in a previous church.

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 Chris was preaching,

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 and someone went,

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 let out this awful groan noise,

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 and went,

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 and I thought,

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 oh my goodness,

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 they're dead.

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 That's what I initially thought.

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 Apparently,

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 they just had low blood pressure,

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 and sort of fainted.

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 I think that's what happened.

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 But I was pretty convinced they were dead,

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 and I was just glad it wasn't me,

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 I'm preaching at that moment.

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 All eyes are on Chris,

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 what's he going to do?

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 It's one of those kind of moments.

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 No one is,

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 sorry,

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 Jesus is in a moment here,

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 with this person in front of him,

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 and it's very clear what they're wanting.

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 You cannot ignore this person,

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 Jesus.

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 He's the elephant in the room.

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 All eyes on Jesus,

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 what's the next move?

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 And the next move is there in verse five.

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 When Jesus saw their faith,

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 he said to the paralytic,

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 son,

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 your sins are forgiven.

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 Well,

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 that's not what they were expecting at all.

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 It's pretty obvious what these people want,

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 isn't it?

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 Don't they want this guy to walk again?

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 That's why they're there.

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 They've heard of Jesus healing people,

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 and so they're expecting that that's what he's going to do here.

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 And instead of healing the guy,

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 what Jesus does is he sets up a showdown with the religious heavies.

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 See it there?

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 In verse seven.

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 Sorry,

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 verse six.

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 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there thinking to themselves,

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 why does this fellow talk like that?

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 He's blaspheming.

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 Who can forgive sins but God alone?

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 You see,

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 the religious leaders knew exactly what Jesus was claiming when he declared to this paralytic,

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 your sins are forgiven.

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 They reasoned that Jesus' claim to be able to forgive this man's sin is tantamount to claiming God's authority for himself.

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 And technically,

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 if you're not God,

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 that's blasphemy.

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 And in first century Palestine,

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 it was punishable by death.

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 So you can kind of imagine it though,

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 can't you?

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 these people here being a little bit ticked off with Jesus at this moment.

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 You see,

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 I wasn't there 10 years ago in New York or in Washington.

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 I wasn't there.

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 And I don't even know any of the 3,000 people that died.

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 I don't know anyone personally who was affected.

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 I don't know any friends of friends of people who died even.

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 I don't even know anyone or any families.

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 So imagine me going to the perpetrators of this terrorism act and saying to them,

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 I forgive you.

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 On behalf of all the grieving families and friends and work colleagues out there,

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 I forgive you for what you've done.

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 How do you think those who have suffered the loss of loved ones would feel about that?

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 I reckon they'd be a little upset.

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 I think they'd probably potentially feel cheated.

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 They'd probably even be angry with me.

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 What right do I have to hand out their forgiveness to those people?

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 Surely it's the same with God.

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 How on earth could a mere mortal presume to forgive another human being for their sins

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 that they have committed against God?

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 It is offensive.

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 That's God's job to forgive sin.

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 And so the religious heavies were right.

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 You do need to be God in order to forgive sins.

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 But as normal, they missed the point.

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 The claim of Jesus here is huge.

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 He is either a deluded blasphemer with a very unhealthy view of his significance,

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 or Jesus is saying something very significant about himself

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 and something very life-changing for us.

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 His claim to have the authority to hand out God's forgiveness is, I think,

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 the most significant aspect of his authority.

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 It's a huge statement that he makes here.

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 And no other religious leader has ever made a statement like,

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 I can hand out God's forgiveness.

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 That I am, in fact, God.

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 Not Muhammad, not Krishna, not Buddha.

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 No one.

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 It's a bold statement.

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 But it's a bold statement that he doesn't back down from.

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 He could have easily have qualified it when some of the boo-hisses started to come in.

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 He could have easily qualified it and said,

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 well, what I really meant was that God forgives you for your sins.

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 But instead of backtracking,

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 he actually takes the opportunity to emphasize publicly

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 that God has authorized him to offer forgiveness to anyone he chooses.

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 Have a look at it there in verse 8.

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 Immediately, Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts.

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 And he said to them,

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 why are you thinking these things?

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 Which is easier?

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 To say to the paralytic,

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 your sins are forgiven,

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 or to say,

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 take up,

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 get up,

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 take up your mat,

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 and walk.

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 What's easier?

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 Well, see,

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 imagine now if someone punched a hole in the roof

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 and lowered a paralytic person right in front of me.

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 Not that they need to do that.

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 They could just come through the doors.

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 Enough room.

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 Imagine they did that,

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 and I had a choice of what I was going to say to them.

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 And obviously,

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 I could say many things to them at that moment.

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 But imagine I had a choice between

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 your sins are forgiven,

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 or get up and walk,

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 which is easier.

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 It's easier for me to say,

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 your sins are forgiven.

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 Who cares?

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 I mean,

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 how do you know

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 whether my words have any power at all?

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 But if I said to them,

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 get up and walk,

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 and they didn't,

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 you'd immediately know

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 that my words have no power.

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 And so,

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 verse 10,

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 but that you may know

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 that the Son of Man

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 has authority on earth

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 to forgive sins.

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 Turn to the paralytic.

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 I tell you,

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 get up.

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 Take your mat

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 and go home.

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 And he got up,

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 took his mat,

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 and walked out

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 in full view of them all.

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 This amazed everyone.

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 And they praised God,

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 saying,

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 we have never seen

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 anything like this.

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 You see,

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 the promise of forgiveness

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 of sins

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 is not some

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 cheap,

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 idle words

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 from a deluded man

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 trying to

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 say,

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 they're there there

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 and move on

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 so I can get on to do

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 with the real job

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 that I've come here to do.

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 How do we know

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 that they weren't

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 just empty words

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 with no way

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 of proving it?

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 Well,

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 Jesus

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 follows through

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 with his words.

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 He follows through

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 with the display

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 of God's power

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 that has been given to him.

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 But that you may know

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 that the Son of Man

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 has authority on earth

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 to forgive sins.

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 He said to the paralytic,

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 I tell you,

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 get up and take your mat

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 and go home.

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 And he did.

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 It would have been

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 an incredible moment

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 for that guy.

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 I mean,

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 I could just imagine

00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:51.520
 him being stunned,

00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:52.240
 speechless

00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:53.680
 with a huge smile

00:12:53.680 --> 00:12:54.379
 on his face

00:12:54.379 --> 00:12:55.500
 as all the implications

00:12:55.500 --> 00:12:56.360
 of his life now

00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:57.980
 started to sink in.

00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:00.320
 There was

00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:02.520
 no painstaking

00:13:02.520 --> 00:13:04.600
 process of rehabilitation

00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:05.980
 over months.

00:13:06.040 --> 00:13:06.540
 He got up

00:13:06.540 --> 00:13:07.480
 and he picked up

00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:08.620
 the bed that he came in on

00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:09.540
 and carried it out.

00:13:09.540 --> 00:13:09.620
 But

00:13:09.620 --> 00:13:14.179
 the amazing thing

00:13:14.179 --> 00:13:14.919
 about this encounter

00:13:14.919 --> 00:13:15.460
 with Jesus

00:13:15.460 --> 00:13:16.080
 is not

00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:17.259
 the lengths

00:13:17.259 --> 00:13:17.899
 that the men

00:13:17.899 --> 00:13:18.419
 went through

00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:19.000
 to get him

00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:19.860
 into the place

00:13:19.860 --> 00:13:20.600
 in the first place

00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:21.259
 and punch a hole

00:13:21.259 --> 00:13:21.820
 in the roof.

00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:24.039
 Even as spectacular

00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:24.620
 as it was,

00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:25.519
 it isn't even

00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:26.460
 that Jesus healed

00:13:26.460 --> 00:13:26.860
 a man

00:13:26.860 --> 00:13:27.480
 who had been

00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:28.600
 paralysed from birth.

00:13:30.460 --> 00:13:31.659
 What was happening

00:13:31.659 --> 00:13:32.159
 here

00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:33.659
 was much more

00:13:33.659 --> 00:13:34.360
 than an act

00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:35.180
 of kindness

00:13:35.180 --> 00:13:36.519
 by Jesus.

00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:38.560
 The most important

00:13:38.560 --> 00:13:39.440
 thing in this encounter

00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:40.760
 is the huge

00:13:40.760 --> 00:13:42.080
 and the public

00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:42.780
 claim

00:13:42.780 --> 00:13:43.660
 of Jesus

00:13:43.660 --> 00:13:44.260
 that he can

00:13:44.260 --> 00:13:44.640
 hand out

00:13:44.640 --> 00:13:45.020
 forgiveness

00:13:45.020 --> 00:13:45.640
 to people

00:13:45.640 --> 00:13:46.340
 who have

00:13:46.340 --> 00:13:47.320
 offended God,

00:13:47.460 --> 00:13:47.960
 people who have

00:13:47.960 --> 00:13:48.620
 ignored God,

00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:49.060
 people who have

00:13:49.060 --> 00:13:49.560
 gone about

00:13:49.560 --> 00:13:50.400
 their daily business

00:13:50.400 --> 00:13:50.840
 as if God

00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:51.740
 doesn't even exist,

00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:52.880
 as if they are

00:13:52.880 --> 00:13:53.260
 the sinners

00:13:53.260 --> 00:13:54.000
 of their world.

00:13:55.680 --> 00:13:56.180
 That

00:13:56.180 --> 00:13:56.880
 is the

00:13:56.880 --> 00:13:57.560
 extraordinary bit.

00:13:58.560 --> 00:13:59.060
 The healing

00:13:59.060 --> 00:14:00.080
 of the paralytic

00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:01.940
 was a visible sign

00:14:01.940 --> 00:14:03.080
 that God

00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:03.640
 could do

00:14:03.640 --> 00:14:04.480
 the invisible

00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:05.120
 miracle,

00:14:07.520 --> 00:14:07.780
 sorry,

00:14:07.779 --> 00:14:08.360
 that Jesus

00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:08.699
 could do

00:14:08.699 --> 00:14:09.339
 the invisible

00:14:09.339 --> 00:14:09.799
 miracle

00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:10.379
 of handing

00:14:10.379 --> 00:14:10.899
 out God's

00:14:10.899 --> 00:14:11.199
 forgiveness.

00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:15.860
 Jesus proved

00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:16.220
 here that

00:14:16.220 --> 00:14:17.039
 with everything

00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:17.579
 that we have

00:14:17.579 --> 00:14:18.299
 ever done

00:14:18.299 --> 00:14:19.579
 to offend

00:14:19.579 --> 00:14:20.039
 God,

00:14:20.139 --> 00:14:20.620
 to ignore

00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:21.139
 God,

00:14:21.799 --> 00:14:22.620
 he has the

00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:23.159
 power to

00:14:23.159 --> 00:14:24.039
 declare it

00:14:24.039 --> 00:14:25.819
 forgiven.

00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:27.899
 Gone.

00:14:29.059 --> 00:14:29.699
 Slate white

00:14:29.699 --> 00:14:30.139
 clean.

00:14:30.139 --> 00:14:34.679
 I was

00:14:34.679 --> 00:14:35.019
 talking to

00:14:35.019 --> 00:14:35.240
 someone

00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:35.679
 during the

00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:35.960
 week

00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:37.939
 who's

00:14:37.939 --> 00:14:38.860
 got a

00:14:38.860 --> 00:14:40.259
 criminal

00:14:40.259 --> 00:14:40.860
 record

00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:42.000
 that's

00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:42.379
 currently

00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:43.899
 with the

00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:44.159
 governor

00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:45.299
 and the

00:14:45.299 --> 00:14:45.600
 governor

00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:48.179
 has the

00:14:48.179 --> 00:14:48.679
 power to

00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:49.039
 issue

00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:49.600
 clemency

00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:51.679
 and I

00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:51.980
 said to

00:14:51.980 --> 00:14:52.100
 them,

00:14:52.199 --> 00:14:52.500
 so what

00:14:52.500 --> 00:14:53.059
 happens

00:14:53.059 --> 00:14:54.740
 if the

00:14:54.740 --> 00:14:55.019
 governor

00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:55.580
 gives you

00:14:55.580 --> 00:14:56.120
 clemency

00:14:56.120 --> 00:14:56.840
 at that

00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:57.000
 point?

00:14:57.059 --> 00:14:57.159
 What

00:14:57.159 --> 00:14:57.580
 happens?

00:14:58.259 --> 00:14:58.559
 And they

00:14:58.559 --> 00:14:58.720
 said,

00:14:58.759 --> 00:14:59.000
 it's like

00:14:59.000 --> 00:14:59.259
 the file

00:14:59.259 --> 00:14:59.519
 doesn't

00:14:59.519 --> 00:14:59.899
 exist.

00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:01.699
 It's like

00:15:01.699 --> 00:15:02.399
 it's gone.

00:15:03.980 --> 00:15:04.220
 And I

00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:04.379
 went,

00:15:05.539 --> 00:15:05.799
 that's

00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:06.480
 exactly what

00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:06.919
 happens when

00:15:06.919 --> 00:15:07.279
 you go to

00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:07.659
 Jesus.

00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:10.319
 All that

00:15:10.319 --> 00:15:11.080
 offense and

00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:11.460
 sin,

00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:11.939
 everything that

00:15:11.939 --> 00:15:12.580
 cuts us off

00:15:12.580 --> 00:15:13.100
 from God

00:15:13.100 --> 00:15:13.539
 and cuts us

00:15:13.539 --> 00:15:13.799
 off from

00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:14.019
 life,

00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:14.559
 it's just

00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:15.179
 gone.

00:15:16.860 --> 00:15:17.460
 And the

00:15:17.460 --> 00:15:17.860
 crowd was

00:15:17.860 --> 00:15:18.120
 right,

00:15:18.179 --> 00:15:18.759
 they haven't

00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:19.600
 seen anything

00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:20.699
 like this

00:15:20.699 --> 00:15:21.240
 before.

00:15:21.819 --> 00:15:22.279
 They have

00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:23.179
 witnessed a

00:15:23.179 --> 00:15:23.960
 life-changing

00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:24.860
 event for a

00:15:24.860 --> 00:15:25.139
 man.

00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:27.000
 Not just

00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:27.259
 that he

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:27.919
 walked away,

00:15:29.179 --> 00:15:29.840
 but that he

00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:30.340
 walked away

00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:30.660
 with a

00:15:30.660 --> 00:15:31.500
 clean slate

00:15:31.500 --> 00:15:32.639
 with God.

00:15:34.180 --> 00:15:34.879
 All his

00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:35.440
 sins forgiven.

00:15:36.519 --> 00:15:37.040
 But this

00:15:37.040 --> 00:15:37.620
 life-changing

00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:38.220
 event for the

00:15:38.220 --> 00:15:39.000
 paralytic is

00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:40.240
 not just a

00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:40.660
 life-changing

00:15:40.660 --> 00:15:41.160
 event for one

00:15:41.160 --> 00:15:41.639
 individual.

00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:44.080
 Jesus says

00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:45.700
 this about

00:15:45.700 --> 00:15:46.680
 himself a

00:15:46.680 --> 00:15:47.800
 little later

00:15:47.800 --> 00:15:48.519
 in Mark's

00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:48.780
 gospel.

00:15:48.899 --> 00:15:49.120
 He says,

00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:49.620
 the son of

00:15:49.620 --> 00:15:49.799
 man,

00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:50.100
 that's

00:15:50.100 --> 00:15:50.620
 talking about

00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:51.019
 himself,

00:15:51.480 --> 00:15:51.899
 did not

00:15:51.899 --> 00:15:52.259
 come to

00:15:52.259 --> 00:15:52.879
 be served,

00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:53.279
 but to

00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:53.779
 serve and

00:15:53.779 --> 00:15:54.019
 to give

00:15:54.019 --> 00:15:54.379
 his life

00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:54.639
 as a

00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:55.039
 ransom for

00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:55.299
 many.

00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:56.700
 Jesus

00:15:56.700 --> 00:15:57.580
 ultimately

00:15:57.580 --> 00:15:59.120
 makes good

00:15:59.120 --> 00:15:59.840
 on his

00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.399
 promise to

00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:00.779
 hand out

00:16:00.779 --> 00:16:01.060
 God's

00:16:01.060 --> 00:16:01.399
 forgiveness

00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:02.480
 by giving

00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:03.340
 his life

00:16:03.340 --> 00:16:04.440
 for us,

00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:05.840
 for all

00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:06.299
 of us.

00:16:07.799 --> 00:16:08.899
 The event

00:16:08.899 --> 00:16:09.600
 of Jesus'

00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:10.659
 death and

00:16:10.659 --> 00:16:11.320
 resurrection

00:16:11.320 --> 00:16:12.799
 is the

00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:13.440
 world-changing

00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:14.019
 event for

00:16:14.019 --> 00:16:14.340
 good.

00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:15.620
 Jesus

00:16:15.620 --> 00:16:16.019
 doesn't

00:16:16.019 --> 00:16:16.679
 just hold

00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:17.019
 out the

00:16:17.019 --> 00:16:17.700
 offer of

00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:18.060
 God's

00:16:18.060 --> 00:16:18.519
 forgiveness

00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:19.639
 to a

00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:20.100
 paralytic

00:16:20.100 --> 00:16:20.720
 2,000

00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:21.340
 years ago,

00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:21.799
 he offers

00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:22.159
 it to

00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:23.179
 us all.

00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:24.019
 He died

00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:24.679
 for our

00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:26.019
 sin against

00:16:26.019 --> 00:16:26.600
 God so

00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:27.080
 that we,

00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:27.759
 as he says

00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:27.960
 there,

00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:28.620
 the many

00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:29.820
 can be

00:16:29.820 --> 00:16:30.580
 forgiven for

00:16:30.580 --> 00:16:31.060
 our sin

00:16:31.060 --> 00:16:31.759
 against God.

00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:34.779
 I've

00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:35.200
 written a

00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:35.519
 little bit

00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:35.779
 of a

00:16:35.779 --> 00:16:36.419
 blurb about

00:16:36.419 --> 00:16:36.980
 it in

00:16:36.980 --> 00:16:37.320
 the front

00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:37.580
 of your

00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:38.100
 bulletin,

00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:38.879
 something

00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:39.320
 like,

00:16:39.680 --> 00:16:40.080
 good news

00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:40.460
 in four

00:16:40.460 --> 00:16:40.860
 minutes.

00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:41.899
 You'll

00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:42.500
 also notice

00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:42.980
 I've given

00:16:42.980 --> 00:16:43.440
 you six

00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.500
 minutes on

00:16:44.500 --> 00:16:44.899
 the first

00:16:44.899 --> 00:16:45.360
 line in

00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:45.600
 case you

00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:45.779
 are a

00:16:45.779 --> 00:16:45.960
 slow

00:16:45.960 --> 00:16:46.259
 reader.

00:16:46.860 --> 00:16:47.420
 That was

00:16:47.420 --> 00:16:47.860
 an editing

00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:48.420
 mistake.

00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:49.659
 But take

00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:50.100
 it and

00:16:50.100 --> 00:16:50.860
 read it.

00:16:52.180 --> 00:16:53.159
 I started

00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:53.700
 thinking it was

00:16:53.700 --> 00:16:53.980
 going to be

00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:54.519
 six minutes

00:16:54.519 --> 00:16:54.980
 and realised

00:16:54.980 --> 00:16:55.300
 I could do

00:16:55.300 --> 00:16:55.540
 it in

00:16:55.540 --> 00:16:55.879
 four.

00:16:56.120 --> 00:16:56.920
 So there

00:16:56.920 --> 00:16:57.300
 you go.

00:16:57.779 --> 00:16:58.200
 Take it

00:16:58.200 --> 00:16:59.000
 and read

00:16:59.000 --> 00:16:59.639
 this good

00:16:59.639 --> 00:16:59.940
 news.

00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:00.980
 It is so

00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:02.320
 simple and

00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:03.040
 yet so

00:17:03.040 --> 00:17:04.019
 profound.

00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:05.140
 And it

00:17:05.140 --> 00:17:05.740
 is so

00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:07.259
 crucial because

00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:08.620
 we live in

00:17:08.620 --> 00:17:09.400
 an unforgiving

00:17:09.400 --> 00:17:09.880
 world.

00:17:11.779 --> 00:17:12.360
 Grudges

00:17:12.360 --> 00:17:13.039
 from hurt

00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:13.539
 can be

00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:14.099
 carried to

00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:14.680
 our death

00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:15.099
 beds,

00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:15.859
 a slip

00:17:15.859 --> 00:17:16.179
 up at

00:17:16.179 --> 00:17:16.779
 work can

00:17:16.779 --> 00:17:17.119
 mean the

00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:17.619
 difference

00:17:17.619 --> 00:17:19.359
 between a

00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:20.259
 promotion or

00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:21.219
 a redundancy.

00:17:22.959 --> 00:17:23.559
 Words

00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:23.939
 said in

00:17:23.939 --> 00:17:24.480
 anger can

00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:24.699
 cause

00:17:24.699 --> 00:17:25.179
 divisions

00:17:25.179 --> 00:17:25.579
 between

00:17:25.579 --> 00:17:26.359
 friends and

00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:27.099
 families and

00:17:27.099 --> 00:17:28.000
 governments and

00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:28.859
 churches.

00:17:30.439 --> 00:17:31.419
 Sometimes there

00:17:31.419 --> 00:17:32.240
 is a refusal

00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:33.119
 to forgive

00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:34.059
 because the

00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:34.819
 hurt is just

00:17:34.819 --> 00:17:35.659
 too deep.

00:17:36.379 --> 00:17:37.179
 Sometimes guilt

00:17:37.179 --> 00:17:38.000
 is carried

00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:38.619
 because we

00:17:38.619 --> 00:17:39.159
 think that

00:17:39.159 --> 00:17:39.879
 my sin

00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:42.280
 is just

00:17:42.280 --> 00:17:43.160
 too big to

00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:43.720
 be forgiven.

00:17:44.860 --> 00:17:45.180
 And so

00:17:45.180 --> 00:17:46.000
 day after

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:46.460
 day,

00:17:46.760 --> 00:17:47.240
 week after

00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:47.640
 week,

00:17:47.840 --> 00:17:48.300
 and year

00:17:48.300 --> 00:17:49.020
 after year

00:17:49.020 --> 00:17:49.760
 after year,

00:17:49.980 --> 00:17:50.860
 we carry

00:17:50.860 --> 00:17:51.440
 the guilt

00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:53.060
 and it

00:17:53.060 --> 00:17:53.820
 just festers

00:17:53.820 --> 00:17:54.500
 away in

00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:54.820
 bitterness.

00:17:57.060 --> 00:17:57.680
 And into

00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:58.340
 our world

00:17:58.340 --> 00:17:59.060
 of sin

00:17:59.060 --> 00:18:00.020
 and carnage

00:18:00.020 --> 00:18:00.860
 and evil

00:18:00.860 --> 00:18:02.420
 and guilt

00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:04.060
 comes

00:18:04.060 --> 00:18:04.580
 Jesus.

00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:06.539
 He

00:18:06.539 --> 00:18:07.000
 announced

00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:07.620
 that despite

00:18:07.620 --> 00:18:08.400
 the unforgiving

00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:08.920
 nature of

00:18:08.920 --> 00:18:09.200
 much of

00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:09.740
 our world,

00:18:10.120 --> 00:18:10.779
 God is in

00:18:10.779 --> 00:18:11.320
 the business

00:18:11.320 --> 00:18:12.340
 of offering

00:18:12.340 --> 00:18:13.620
 us a

00:18:13.620 --> 00:18:14.460
 clean slate.

00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:16.700
 And so

00:18:16.700 --> 00:18:17.480
 Jesus has been

00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:18.140
 authorized to

00:18:18.140 --> 00:18:18.779
 announce it

00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:20.300
 and to

00:18:20.300 --> 00:18:20.800
 make good

00:18:20.800 --> 00:18:21.259
 on it.

00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:22.160
 no matter

00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:22.720
 how great

00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:23.240
 the sin,

00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:27.400
 even the

00:18:27.400 --> 00:18:29.660
 sin of

00:18:29.660 --> 00:18:31.519
 planning and

00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:34.259
 executing the

00:18:34.259 --> 00:18:36.400
 greatest terrorist

00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:37.400
 atrocity in

00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:38.140
 human history,

00:18:39.379 --> 00:18:39.980
 even that

00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:40.319
 sin,

00:18:42.140 --> 00:18:43.759
 it is

00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:44.259
 possible to

00:18:44.259 --> 00:18:44.799
 find complete

00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:45.859
 forgiveness in

00:18:45.859 --> 00:18:46.879
 Jesus even

00:18:46.879 --> 00:18:47.379
 for that.

00:18:49.859 --> 00:18:50.200
 And so

00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:50.500
 if you've

00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:50.920
 come here

00:18:50.920 --> 00:18:51.480
 tonight

00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:52.759
 paralyzed by

00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:53.500
 sin and

00:18:53.500 --> 00:18:53.860
 guilt,

00:18:54.500 --> 00:18:55.060
 you need to

00:18:55.060 --> 00:18:55.480
 know that

00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:56.180
 Jesus is in

00:18:56.180 --> 00:18:56.640
 the business

00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:57.180
 of forgiving

00:18:57.180 --> 00:18:57.420
 it,

00:18:57.820 --> 00:18:58.100
 of giving

00:18:58.100 --> 00:18:58.500
 you a

00:18:58.500 --> 00:18:59.400
 clean slate.

00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:01.120
 And so

00:19:01.120 --> 00:19:01.660
 turn to

00:19:01.660 --> 00:19:02.259
 Jesus for

00:19:02.259 --> 00:19:02.740
 forgiveness

00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:04.960
 and walk

00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:05.500
 out here a

00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:06.039
 new person.

00:19:07.080 --> 00:19:07.360
 Amen.