Back to church Sunday 2011
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 11th September 2011
Passage: Mark 2:1-12
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 Good evening, everyone. If you've got your Bible there at Mark chapter 2, if you'd like to leave it open.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 And I'm going to pray, and then we're going to take a look at that text.
00:00:09 --> 00:00:16 Father God, we pray that you'll help us now, by your Spirit, to understand this text,
00:00:16 --> 00:00:23 but particularly that we might get such a glimpse of who Jesus is and what he has done for us
00:00:23 --> 00:00:30 so that we might be able to leave here as changed people, forgiven by you of all our trespasses against you.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 And we ask it for your sake. Amen.
00:00:34 --> 00:00:40 Well, it's been referred to a couple of times tonight already, and naturally throughout the media.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:47 Ten years ago today, on Tuesday, September 11, 2001,
00:00:47 --> 00:00:55 there was a series of four coordinated suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda upon the United States.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:04 Approximately 3 people, including 19 hijackers, died in the attacks in what is remembered today
00:01:04 --> 00:01:09 as the worst terrorist atrocity in human history.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 The overwhelming majority of the casualties were civilians,
00:01:13 --> 00:01:19 including nationals from 70 different countries.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:26 For most of us, we can remember where we were when that awful news reached us.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 I remember the moment vividly.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 It was really early in the morning.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:33 My alarm clock had gone off,
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 and my alarm clock just goes straight to a radio station,
00:01:37 --> 00:01:41 and the news was on,
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 and in my sort of half-awake stupor in the morning,
00:01:44 --> 00:01:51 I thought that I heard the lady say that the World Trade Towers had collapsed.
00:01:51 --> 00:01:55 And I just thought, well, that's just not possible.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:56 There are 110 stories.
00:01:56 --> 00:02:04 And then when she said that it was the worst act we have seen in history,
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 I just went, this is true.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:11 And I remember just jumping out of bed and running to the TV and turning it on,
00:02:11 --> 00:02:15 and as soon as the TV came on, I saw the pictures of the planes hitting it.
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 I remember that moment vividly.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:26 Our world has forever been changed by that evil event.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 In fact, it's known as the day that changed the world.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 And as we remember those events 10 years on,
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 I want to take us to this Bible passage, which was just read out to us.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 It's about another life-changing event,
00:02:41 --> 00:02:45 and naturally on the surface it's a life-changing event for one man,
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 but it is a life-changing event for one man,
00:02:47 --> 00:02:51 which points us to a world-changing event.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 It's an event which changes the world for everyone.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 And so I want you to know straight up as I speak tonight
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 that Jesus is in the business of changing lives.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:01 That's what he does.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 He changes lives for good,
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 and that's what we are excited about here at St. Paul's as a church.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:12 And so we are very pleased that you've joined us tonight on Back to Church Sunday
00:03:12 --> 00:03:16 to at least get some of the good news of what Jesus,
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 who he is and what he's done for us.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 So let's jump straight into it at verse 1.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum,
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 the people heard that he had come home.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 So many gathered that there was no room left,
00:03:32 --> 00:03:33 not even outside the door,
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 and he preached the word to them.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic,
00:03:38 --> 00:03:39 carried by four of them.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd,
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 they made an opening in the roof above Jesus,
00:03:45 --> 00:03:49 and after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:51 Okay, so there's this guy.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 He's paralyzed, totally paralyzed,
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 and his friends get a stretcher.
00:03:55 --> 00:03:56 They get a bed, if you like,
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 and they carry him to the house where Jesus is.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 And when they arrived,
00:04:01 --> 00:04:07 they discovered that lots of people have already got the front row seats.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 It's a sellout.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 There's no room left.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:12 But they've got it all figured out.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 These guys are fairly resourceful,
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 and they're pretty determined to get their buddy to Jesus.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 And so they go up onto the roof,
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 and they dig a hole in the roof,
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 and they lower the guy right in front of Jesus.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 You can imagine that's a pretty awkward moment.
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 Jesus is there delivering the sermon,
00:04:29 --> 00:04:30 teaching all these people,
00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 probably asking a heap of questions.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:33 Next thing you know,
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 stuff starts falling down,
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 and right in front of him.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:37 All of a sudden,
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 no one cares what Jesus is talking about anymore,
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 or we want to know what is he going to do in this moment.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 It's a pretty awkward thing.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:46 And I think for most people,
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 in a moment like that,
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 you're kind of grateful that you're not Jesus,
00:04:51 --> 00:04:52 having to make some kind of a decision.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 I don't know if you've ever been in a moment like that,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 where something really bad's happening,
00:04:57 --> 00:04:57 just glad,
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 geez, I'm glad I don't have to make the decision here.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 I remember one day in church,
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 Chris was actually preaching in a previous church.
00:05:04 --> 00:05:04 Chris was preaching,
00:05:04 --> 00:05:05 and someone went,
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 let out this awful groan noise,
00:05:08 --> 00:05:08 and went,
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 and I thought,
00:05:11 --> 00:05:11 oh my goodness,
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 they're dead.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:14 That's what I initially thought.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:15 Apparently,
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 they just had low blood pressure,
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 and sort of fainted.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 I think that's what happened.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 But I was pretty convinced they were dead,
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 and I was just glad it wasn't me,
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 I'm preaching at that moment.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 All eyes are on Chris,
00:05:25 --> 00:05:26 what's he going to do?
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 It's one of those kind of moments.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:33 No one is,
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 sorry,
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 Jesus is in a moment here,
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 with this person in front of him,
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 and it's very clear what they're wanting.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 You cannot ignore this person,
00:05:43 --> 00:05:43 Jesus.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 He's the elephant in the room.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:46 All eyes on Jesus,
00:05:47 --> 00:05:47 what's the next move?
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 And the next move is there in verse five.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 When Jesus saw their faith,
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 he said to the paralytic,
00:05:53 --> 00:05:53 son,
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 your sins are forgiven.
00:05:58 --> 00:05:58 Well,
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 that's not what they were expecting at all.
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 It's pretty obvious what these people want,
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 isn't it?
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 Don't they want this guy to walk again?
00:06:06 --> 00:06:06 That's why they're there.
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 They've heard of Jesus healing people,
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 and so they're expecting that that's what he's going to do here.
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 And instead of healing the guy,
00:06:13 --> 00:06:17 what Jesus does is he sets up a showdown with the religious heavies.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 See it there?
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 In verse seven.
00:06:20 --> 00:06:20 Sorry,
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 verse six.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:25 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there thinking to themselves,
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 why does this fellow talk like that?
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 He's blaspheming.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 Who can forgive sins but God alone?
00:06:34 --> 00:06:34 You see,
00:06:35 --> 00:06:41 the religious leaders knew exactly what Jesus was claiming when he declared to this paralytic,
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 your sins are forgiven.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:55 They reasoned that Jesus' claim to be able to forgive this man's sin is tantamount to claiming God's authority for himself.
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 And technically,
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 if you're not God,
00:07:00 --> 00:07:01 that's blasphemy.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 And in first century Palestine,
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 it was punishable by death.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:10 So you can kind of imagine it though,
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 can't you?
00:07:11 --> 00:07:16 these people here being a little bit ticked off with Jesus at this moment.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 You see,
00:07:19 --> 00:07:23 I wasn't there 10 years ago in New York or in Washington.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 I wasn't there.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:30 And I don't even know any of the 3 people that died.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 I don't know anyone personally who was affected.
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 I don't know any friends of friends of people who died even.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 I don't even know anyone or any families.
00:07:41 --> 00:07:48 So imagine me going to the perpetrators of this terrorism act and saying to them,
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 I forgive you.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:56 On behalf of all the grieving families and friends and work colleagues out there,
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 I forgive you for what you've done.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:08 How do you think those who have suffered the loss of loved ones would feel about that?
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 I reckon they'd be a little upset.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 I think they'd probably potentially feel cheated.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 They'd probably even be angry with me.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:21 What right do I have to hand out their forgiveness to those people?
00:08:25 --> 00:08:26 Surely it's the same with God.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:36 How on earth could a mere mortal presume to forgive another human being for their sins
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 that they have committed against God?
00:08:39 --> 00:08:39 It is offensive.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 That's God's job to forgive sin.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 And so the religious heavies were right.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:51 You do need to be God in order to forgive sins.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 But as normal, they missed the point.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 The claim of Jesus here is huge.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:10 He is either a deluded blasphemer with a very unhealthy view of his significance,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:19 or Jesus is saying something very significant about himself
00:09:19 --> 00:09:23 and something very life-changing for us.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:29 His claim to have the authority to hand out God's forgiveness is, I think,
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 the most significant aspect of his authority.
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 It's a huge statement that he makes here.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:41 And no other religious leader has ever made a statement like,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 I can hand out God's forgiveness.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 That I am, in fact, God.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 Not Muhammad, not Krishna, not Buddha.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 No one.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 It's a bold statement.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 But it's a bold statement that he doesn't back down from.
00:09:58 --> 00:10:02 He could have easily have qualified it when some of the boo-hisses started to come in.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 He could have easily qualified it and said,
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 well, what I really meant was that God forgives you for your sins.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:11 But instead of backtracking,
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 he actually takes the opportunity to emphasize publicly
00:10:14 --> 00:10:20 that God has authorized him to offer forgiveness to anyone he chooses.
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 Have a look at it there in verse 8.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:26 Immediately, Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 And he said to them,
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 why are you thinking these things?
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 Which is easier?
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 To say to the paralytic,
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 your sins are forgiven,
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 or to say,
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 take up,
00:10:39 --> 00:10:39 get up,
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 take up your mat,
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 and walk.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 What's easier?
00:10:46 --> 00:10:46 Well, see,
00:10:46 --> 00:10:50 imagine now if someone punched a hole in the roof
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 and lowered a paralytic person right in front of me.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 Not that they need to do that.
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 They could just come through the doors.
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 Enough room.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 Imagine they did that,
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 and I had a choice of what I was going to say to them.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 And obviously,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 I could say many things to them at that moment.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 But imagine I had a choice between
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 your sins are forgiven,
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 or get up and walk,
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 which is easier.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 It's easier for me to say,
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 your sins are forgiven.
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 Who cares?
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 I mean,
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 how do you know
00:11:21 --> 00:11:25 whether my words have any power at all?
00:11:25 --> 00:11:29 But if I said to them,
00:11:30 --> 00:11:30 get up and walk,
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 and they didn't,
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 you'd immediately know
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 that my words have no power.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:38 And so,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:39 verse 10,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 but that you may know
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 that the Son of Man
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 has authority on earth
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 to forgive sins.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 Turn to the paralytic.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 I tell you,
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 get up.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:51 Take your mat
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 and go home.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 And he got up,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 took his mat,
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 and walked out
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 in full view of them all.
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 This amazed everyone.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 And they praised God,
00:12:00 --> 00:12:00 saying,
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 we have never seen
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 anything like this.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:05 You see,
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 the promise of forgiveness
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 of sins
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 is not some
00:12:09 --> 00:12:09 cheap,
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 idle words
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 from a deluded man
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 trying to
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 say,
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 they're there there
00:12:14 --> 00:12:14 and move on
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 so I can get on to do
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 with the real job
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 that I've come here to do.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 How do we know
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 that they weren't
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 just empty words
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 with no way
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 of proving it?
00:12:23 --> 00:12:23 Well,
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 Jesus
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 follows through
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 with his words.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 He follows through
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 with the display
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 of God's power
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 that has been given to him.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 But that you may know
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 that the Son of Man
00:12:36 --> 00:12:36 has authority on earth
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 to forgive sins.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 He said to the paralytic,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:39 I tell you,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 get up and take your mat
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 and go home.
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 And he did.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 It would have been
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 an incredible moment
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 for that guy.
00:12:49 --> 00:12:49 I mean,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 I could just imagine
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 him being stunned,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 speechless
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 with a huge smile
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 on his face
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 as all the implications
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 of his life now
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 started to sink in.
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 There was
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 no painstaking
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 process of rehabilitation
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 over months.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:06 He got up
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 and he picked up
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 the bed that he came in on
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 and carried it out.
00:13:09 --> 00:13:09 But
00:13:09 --> 00:13:14 the amazing thing
00:13:14 --> 00:13:14 about this encounter
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 with Jesus
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 is not
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 the lengths
00:13:17 --> 00:13:17 that the men
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 went through
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 to get him
00:13:19 --> 00:13:19 into the place
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 in the first place
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 and punch a hole
00:13:21 --> 00:13:21 in the roof.
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 Even as spectacular
00:13:24 --> 00:13:24 as it was,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 it isn't even
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 that Jesus healed
00:13:26 --> 00:13:26 a man
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 who had been
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 paralysed from birth.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 What was happening
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 here
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 was much more
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 than an act
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 of kindness
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 by Jesus.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 The most important
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 thing in this encounter
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 is the huge
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 and the public
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 claim
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 of Jesus
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 that he can
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 hand out
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 forgiveness
00:13:45 --> 00:13:45 to people
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 who have
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 offended God,
00:13:47 --> 00:13:47 people who have
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 ignored God,
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 people who have
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 gone about
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 their daily business
00:13:50 --> 00:13:50 as if God
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 doesn't even exist,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 as if they are
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 the sinners
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 of their world.
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 That
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 is the
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 extraordinary bit.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 The healing
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 of the paralytic
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 was a visible sign
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 that God
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 could do
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 the invisible
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 miracle,
00:14:07 --> 00:14:07 sorry,
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 that Jesus
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 could do
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 the invisible
00:14:09 --> 00:14:09 miracle
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 of handing
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 out God's
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 forgiveness.
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 Jesus proved
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 here that
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 with everything
00:14:17 --> 00:14:17 that we have
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 ever done
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 to offend
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 God,
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 to ignore
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 God,
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 he has the
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 power to
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 declare it
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 forgiven.
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 Gone.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 Slate white
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 clean.
00:14:30 --> 00:14:34 I was
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 talking to
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 someone
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 during the
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 week
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 who's
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 got a
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 criminal
00:14:40 --> 00:14:40 record
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 that's
00:14:42 --> 00:14:42 currently
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 with the
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 governor
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 and the
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 governor
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 has the
00:14:48 --> 00:14:48 power to
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 issue
00:14:49 --> 00:14:49 clemency
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 and I
00:14:51 --> 00:14:51 said to
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 them,
00:14:52 --> 00:14:52 so what
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 happens
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 if the
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 governor
00:14:55 --> 00:14:55 gives you
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 clemency
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 at that
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 point?
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 What
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 happens?
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 And they
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 said,
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 it's like
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 the file
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 doesn't
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 exist.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 It's like
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 it's gone.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 And I
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 went,
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 that's
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 exactly what
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 happens when
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 you go to
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 Jesus.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 All that
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 offense and
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 sin,
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 everything that
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 cuts us off
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 from God
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 and cuts us
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 off from
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 life,
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 it's just
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 gone.
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 And the
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 crowd was
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 right,
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 they haven't
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 seen anything
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 like this
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 before.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 They have
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 witnessed a
00:15:23 --> 00:15:23 life-changing
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 event for a
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 man.
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 Not just
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 that he
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 walked away,
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 but that he
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 walked away
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 with a
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 clean slate
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 with God.
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 All his
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 sins forgiven.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 But this
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 life-changing
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 event for the
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 paralytic is
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 not just a
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 life-changing
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 event for one
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 individual.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 Jesus says
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 this about
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 himself a
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 little later
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 in Mark's
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 gospel.
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 He says,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 the son of
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 man,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 that's
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 talking about
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 himself,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 did not
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 come to
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 be served,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 but to
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 serve and
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 to give
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 his life
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 as a
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 ransom for
00:15:55 --> 00:15:55 many.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 Jesus
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 ultimately
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 makes good
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 on his
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 promise to
00:16:00 --> 00:16:00 hand out
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 God's
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 forgiveness
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 by giving
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 his life
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 for us,
00:16:05 --> 00:16:05 for all
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 of us.
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 The event
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 of Jesus'
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 death and
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 resurrection
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 is the
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 world-changing
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 event for
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 good.
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 Jesus
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 doesn't
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 just hold
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 out the
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 offer of
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 God's
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 forgiveness
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 to a
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 paralytic
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 2
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 years ago,
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 he offers
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 it to
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 us all.
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 He died
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 for our
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 sin against
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 God so
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 that we,
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 as he says
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 there,
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 the many
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 can be
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 forgiven for
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 our sin
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 against God.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 I've
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 written a
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 little bit
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 of a
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 blurb about
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 it in
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 the front
00:16:37 --> 00:16:37 of your
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 bulletin,
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 something
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 like,
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 good news
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 in four
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 minutes.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 You'll
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 also notice
00:16:42 --> 00:16:42 I've given
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 you six
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 minutes on
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 the first
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 line in
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 case you
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 are a
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 slow
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 reader.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 That was
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 an editing
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 mistake.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 But take
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 it and
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 read it.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 I started
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 thinking it was
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 going to be
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 six minutes
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 and realised
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 I could do
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 it in
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 four.
00:16:56 --> 00:16:56 So there
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 you go.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 Take it
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 and read
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 this good
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 news.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 It is so
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 simple and
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 yet so
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 profound.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 And it
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 is so
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 crucial because
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 we live in
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 an unforgiving
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 world.
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 Grudges
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 from hurt
00:17:13 --> 00:17:13 can be
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 carried to
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 our death
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 beds,
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 a slip
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 up at
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 work can
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 mean the
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 difference
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 between a
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 promotion or
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 a redundancy.
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 Words
00:17:23 --> 00:17:23 said in
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 anger can
00:17:24 --> 00:17:24 cause
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 divisions
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 between
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 friends and
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 families and
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 governments and
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 churches.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 Sometimes there
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 is a refusal
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 to forgive
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 because the
00:17:34 --> 00:17:34 hurt is just
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 too deep.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 Sometimes guilt
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 is carried
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 because we
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 think that
00:17:39 --> 00:17:39 my sin
00:17:39 --> 00:17:42 is just
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 too big to
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 be forgiven.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 And so
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 day after
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 day,
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 week after
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 week,
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 and year
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 after year
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 after year,
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 we carry
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 the guilt
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 and it
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 just festers
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 away in
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 bitterness.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:57 And into
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 our world
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 of sin
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 and carnage
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 and evil
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 and guilt
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 comes
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 Jesus.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 He
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 announced
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 that despite
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 the unforgiving
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 nature of
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 much of
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 our world,
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 God is in
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 the business
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 of offering
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 us a
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 clean slate.
00:18:16 --> 00:18:16 And so
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 Jesus has been
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 authorized to
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 announce it
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 and to
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 make good
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 on it.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 no matter
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 how great
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 the sin,
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 even the
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 sin of
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 planning and
00:18:31 --> 00:18:34 executing the
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 greatest terrorist
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 atrocity in
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 human history,
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 even that
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 sin,
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 it is
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 possible to
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 find complete
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 forgiveness in
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 Jesus even
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 for that.
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 And so
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 if you've
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 come here
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 tonight
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 paralyzed by
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 sin and
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 guilt,
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 you need to
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 know that
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 Jesus is in
00:18:56 --> 00:18:56 the business
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 of forgiving
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 it,
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 of giving
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 you a
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 clean slate.
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 And so
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 turn to
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 Jesus for
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 forgiveness
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 and walk
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 out here a
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 new person.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 Amen.