The Better Miracle

Lord, we ask that you would bless us as we hear your word,

that you would renew our minds, and you'll renew our hearts,

you'll renew our souls, that you'll meet us where we need it.

Lord, we thank you that these words are ancient,

and yet they are for us this very moment today.

We pray all these things in Christ's name. Amen.

Please be seated.

We've been going through the Gospel of Mark.

In fact, we're going to be going through the Gospel of Mark for some time,

and it really is, when you go through a whole narrative like this,

rather than just maybe a one-off sermon, you start to see patterns.

You start to see the intention of Mark, certain things that he is doing.

And one of the things that he is doing is that he is leading us to the cross.

We start to see bits of who this Messiah is and what he has come to do.

Before we get into it, I'm going to just share a bit of a story.

Years ago, I was really offended by a family member in a big way.

It was a very rude thing that was said.

And I lost my cool.

It was over the phone.

And I was 20 at the time.

And my anger came out in a physical way, and I smashed the phone.

I was so angry.

I've never seen red in my life.

I saw red.

I was bent.

I was bent with anger.

Anyways, didn't talk to this family member for months.

It wasn't the first time I've had an issue with this family member.

And anyways, it's summertime, and I'm at a summer camp.

And if you're at a Christian summer camp ever, it's like spirituality is like it's ramped up to like a 10 or 11.

Like you are on a high with Jesus, especially if you're 20.

And I just thought, man, you know what?

I've forgiven.

I've forgiven this family member.

I've got to phone them up.

I phoned up the family member.

It was six months, almost to the day.

And small talk, small talk, small talk.

And I said, you know, by the way, what you said in January, I forgive you.

He said, forgive me for what?

Oh, man.

I thought I forgave.

And within a moment, the red came.

I was in the car.

I didn't smash it or like drive it into the ditch.

Like it wasn't quite at that level.

But I realized then, and it's stuck with me ever since, forgiveness is something we need.

We also need to give desperately.

But it is darn hard to give it.

And it's hard to receive it.

We're going to learn a bit about forgiveness today.

How Jesus approaches it.

We're going to see that forgiveness is actually at the center of the cross.

And as Mark is leading us, setting these kind of breadcrumbs, so to speak, leading us to the cross,

we're going to see that forgiveness is something that is greater than we could have ever hoped for.

It is beyond the pale, the forgiveness of God.

It's, and I use this, it is scandalous.

It is a scandalous thing.

Jesus is proclaiming the gospel of God, the good news that he will destroy death and forgive sins forever by dying on the cross.

This is what we see right from the opening verses of the gospel,

that Jesus is the gospel himself, his life, his death, his resurrection.

And that an implication of the gospel is the kingdom of heaven breaking into the kingdom of earth.

And all of a sudden we get to see little flavors, little bits of flavors of the kingdom.

That restoration and healing start to take place wherever Jesus goes.

Cleansing and joy starts to take place wherever Jesus goes.

We learned about the cleansing of the leper last week.

The kingdom of God is breaking into the kingdom of earth.

We'll see how Jesus this week has the authority and the ability to forgive sins.

Not in the Daniel style of forgiving sins.

The 20-year-old Daniel style of forgiving sins.

Or maybe the 35-year-old Daniel forgiving sins.

Or your version of forgiving sins.

But true forgiveness of sins.

And we'll see this play out as Jesus interacts with a paralytic,

interacts with a traitor,

and how it kind of plays out at a dinner party.

So let's take a first look at the paralytic.

This is a very, very, very famous passage of scripture.

The lowering of the paralytic through the roof.

Let's take a read.

This is chapter 2 of Mark, starting in...

Isaiah 2 · chapter mention

Why don't we start in verse 2?

And many were gathered together,

so that there was no more room, not even at the door.

And Jesus was preaching the word to them.

Notice, Jesus is preaching.

Five times I've counted, since chapter 1,

Jesus is either preaching, teaching, or proclaiming.

And in all cases, what's implied is that

he is preaching, teaching, and proclaiming the gospel.

The good news of God.

And this is no different.

He is preaching the gospel.

And people are eager to hear.

I have a suspicion, though,

and we'll see that people are actually eager just to see a miracle happen.

Jesus has already done a few of them.

Anyways, the crowd is pressing in against Jesus.

Verse 3.

And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.

And when they could not get near him because of the crowd,

they removed the roof above.

And when they had made an opening,

they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.

So this house, it would not have been a big house.

There's no room.

It wouldn't have been an uncommon thing to remove a part of the roof.

It's pitch.

It's wood.

You remove it.

It's, I mean, seasonally, they'd have to repair the roofs anyways.

So it's not like for us.

It's like, oh, yeah, he tore up on my roof.

Thanks a lot.

$20,000 bill or whatever, you know.

In this case, the guys are just like, well, we need to get this paralytic down.

They open the roof and they lower this friend down.

And then all of a sudden the excitement starts in the story.

Verse 5.

And when Jesus saw their faith, talking about the four friends,

he said to the paralytic, son, your sins are forgiven.

It's very interesting what we have here.

Jesus, he is proclaiming the gospel.

People are there maybe to hear the gospel, but really to see some kind of miracle.

Jesus is a miracle worker.

He heals people.

He casts out demons.

He cleanses lepers.

And he's proclaiming the gospel.

This paralytic comes and there's like almost bated breath, I can picture.

And instead of healing him right off the bat, he says your sins are forgiven.

If we pause it right there, there is no miracle that is happening.

Jesus is just pronouncing words.

The wonderful thing about this is that Jesus is seeing the faith of the friends of the paralytic.

He sees their faith and then looks at the paralytic and forgives them of his sins.

And this isn't like a point in the sermon, a bit of an aside.

Don't give up on praying for your friends and family.

Do not give up.

If you've been praying for something, for some kind of breakthrough for years, don't give up.

God hears your prayers and they're precious to him.

And he might move the next prayer you pray.

He might do a miracle in your midst and change hearts or bring great healing.

This is what we have here.

These guys, in a sense, are interceding for their friend.

They're helping their friend.

They're sacrificing for their friend.

It's a bit of an aside.

Don't stop praying for those in your life.

Let's get back to the text.

Jesus, unlike any other religious leader in the Bible, he is pronouncing forgiveness of sins on his own authority.

The prophets, the kings, whoever, they are saying stuff in the Bible, saying like,

The Lord forgive you your sins.

The Lord forgive you of all of your infirmities.

All of your misdoings.

Jesus here, what does he say?

He says, Son, your sins are forgiven.

He is speaking with authority as if this man whom he just has met is under him.

He is over his authority.

And it's also very interesting that Jesus here, it seems like, so nothing specific is given in terms of what these sins are.

But it's, Jesus is, he's not just saying some kind of generic thing.

He is speaking to the heart of that young man on his cot, on his bed, and he's saying your sins are forgiven.

The very specific things about, the thing about sins is they're very specific to us.

In a kind of a weird way, our sins are the things that make us quite unique.

I mean, you might do the same kind of sin as somebody else, but it's unique to you in the situation.

Jesus looks at this young man and says, son, your sins are forgiven.

He speaks to his heart.

Jesus knows what's up.

He knows what this guy needs.

And he speaks directly to him.

Really, really incredible and also controversial, and this is kind of where it picks up steam.

Mark draws our attention to the next verses.

And in many ways, the scribes are going to say, verse 6 and 7.

But if you're being honest and following along and kind of putting your Christian history behind, if you can,

and you're reading this, you might ask the question,

who is, what kind of gall does Jesus have in saying this?

And the Pharisees say just this in verse 6.

Now, some of the scribes, the scribes of the Pharisees were sitting there questioning in their hearts,

why does this man speak like that?

He is blaspheming.

Who can forgive sins but God alone?

The thing here is that they're not wrong.

Verse 7, what does it say?

Who can forgive sins but God alone?

They're right.

Jesus never corrects that bit, does he?

Look what he says after.

He says, why do you question these things in your heart?

He is addressing how they're incensed with Jesus,

that he is a blasphemer in their books.

See, the scribes aren't wrong, but they're failing to see that Jesus,

there's something about him.

He is a divine man.

There is something wonderful about this man.

And isn't it so interesting that we can be almost right,

and yet be completely wrong?

We can get 90% or, you know, three quarters of things right,

and we can just slip up on one bit,

and it renders everything wrong.

And this is what's happening with the Pharisees here.

Jesus is perceiving in their spirit.

So not only does Jesus say something that only God does,

aka forgive sins,

but he is perceiving in their spirit.

He is reading their minds.

Who can read the mind of somebody?

I've, you know,

I think I have intuition with Christine, my wife,

where she can give a look,

and I'm just like,

I know exactly what she's thinking.

Maybe I nail it every now and then.

Not too, too often.

We don't have intuition.

We don't know.

We can't read people's minds.

You can know somebody very, very well and misread.

Jesus here, he is nailing it.

He is perceiving what they were thinking.

Only God can do such things.

Who knows the mind of men except God?

Who knows,

who can understand what's going on in the human mind,

in the human heart except God?

And it speaks to Jesus' divinity.

It continues.

Jesus says,

Why do you question these things in your heart?

Which is easier to say to the paralytic,

your sins are forgiven,

or to say, rise, take up your bed, and walk.

And we'll pause there.

What is easier to say?

I can say anything I want.

I can say, yeah,

your sins are forgiven you.

Nobody can verify that.

I just say stuff.

If I all of a sudden then said,

you know,

take up your bed and walk,

and nothing happens,

I mean, that's the harder thing to verify.

That's the harder thing of the two.

I can say whatever I want.

If that person doesn't get up,

it's not verified.

I'm a liar.

I'm a cheat.

I'm a swindler.

My words mean nothing.

Jesus here,

he says,

what is easier to say to the paralytic,

your sins are forgiven,

or to say,

rise up,

rise,

rise,

take up your bed,

and walk.

Verse 10,

but that you may know

that the Son of Man

has authority on earth

to forgive sins.

Then he looks to the paralytic,

I say to you,

rise,

pick up your bed,

and go home.

And the paralytic,

former paralytic,

rose and immediately

picked up his bed

and went out before them all,

so that they were all amazed

and glorified God,

saying,

we never saw anything like this.

Jesus,

he says to the man,

your sins are forgiven,

and then,

he validates that claim

that only God could make

by healing the paralytic.

Because the same authority

and ability to heal

is the same authority

and ability to forgive sins,

to truly forgive sins.

Only God and God alone

can forgive sins.

The authority is only God's,

and clearly here,

Jesus has that authority.

And for you folks,

if you have friends

that are Jehovah's Witnesses,

or are Muslim,

or people that are just skeptics,

atheists,

say something like,

Jesus never ever claimed to be God,

it was some manifestation

that came up later on,

the church made it up,

or Paul made it up.

Jesus, sure,

he doesn't say that I am God.

Everything in this section

screams that Jesus is God.

Everything.

That he has God's divine authority,

God's divine ability.

Only he can forgive sins.

Him and him alone.

Jesus heals the sinner,

but really, what does he do?

He forgives the sinner.

He is validated

as God himself

with all authority.

And this, then,

forgiveness

flavors the rest of this portion

of Scripture.

So,

he shows his forgiveness,

Jesus does,

by healing a paralytic,

but then also

with the call of a traitor.

Take a look with me

at verses 13 and 14.

Jesus went out again

beside the sea,

and all the crowd

was coming to him,

and he was teaching them.

Again,

Jesus is teaching.

He is proclaiming.

He is preaching the gospel.

Verse 14,

And as he passed by,

he saw Levi,

the son of Alphaeus,

sitting at the tax booth.

And he said to him,

Follow me.

And he rose

and followed him.

Levi,

also known as Matthew,

is a tax collector.

And he most certainly

was a traitor

to his people.

He was a collaborator

with a foreign power.

I don't think it's quite

apples to apples,

but I think something

that would maybe

be a bit more current

is, say,

the French

who collaborated

with the Nazis

during the war.

This foreign power

came in.

They were oppressive.

They taxed people

into poverty.

And this tax collector

was a Jewish man

who collected taxes

and stuffed his pockets,

lined his pockets

with money

that was forcefully taken.

There was no chance

that Levi was a part

of the religious community.

He was greedy.

He was on the outskirts.

He was considered

a traitor

to his own people.

He was an unclean person.

In fact,

there were two big rabbis

not too long

after Jesus' time

who disagreed

on just about everything.

But one of the things

that they agreed upon

was that it's totally

permissible to lie

to tax collectors.

They don't deserve

our honesty.

They're traitors.

I don't know

if there's some kind

of equivalent

in our day,

but the tax collectors

were not cool guys.

They weren't.

They're not like CRA people

or just bureaucrats

just doing their job.

These guys were corrupt.

They were corrupt.

They sold out

their own people.

Jesus shows up

just like with

Andrew and Simon

and James and John

in chapter 1

and he doesn't say,

Levi,

you need to get

your act together,

clean yourself up,

and then come follow me.

He just says,

follow me.

It's the same call

as the four other ones

in chapter 1.

He says,

follow me.

And what does Levi do?

He leaves his tax booth

and he follows Jesus.

We start to see

the beginning of restoration,

that forgiveness

is being extended

to somebody

who ought not

to be forgiven.

I mean,

he really shouldn't.

He should pay

for what he's done.

You know,

sometimes vengeance

feels good

and it feels right

and I'm not saying

it's,

I'm not condoning it,

but it's like,

like you're,

if you're being honest

with yourself,

like yeah,

that guy should just

be tossed in jail.

The key should be

melted down,

like not even

tossed in a river,

just obliterated.

Jesus says,

follow me

and he starts

to extend forgiveness

and all of a sudden

we start to see

that the forgiveness

that Jesus extends

is truly scandalous.

It is.

It knows no bounds.

There's no untouchables

to Jesus' forgiveness.

No matter what

we have done,

are we Levi?

And even if we were worse,

this text tells us

that the call

is for us as well.

It's beautiful.

It really,

it really is something.

And it,

it makes me uncomfortable.

Because the,

the,

the levels of forgiveness

that have been extended

to me,

we'll talk about this

in a bit,

God is calling me

to extend them to others

and I don't want to.

I really don't.

Maybe you don't either.

I don't know,

I don't know

if you,

if you want to either.

But Jesus extends

this forgiveness

to persona non grata

Levi.

It's,

it really is

something else.

And what is

Levi's response?

Yeah,

I'm taking it.

I'm,

I'm taking this,

this offer

and I'm following Jesus.

And this brings us

to the other thing

that shows us

about God's forgiveness

is the dinner party.

So it's,

it's clear,

we'll continue on,

verse 15.

It's clear that this is

at Levi's,

what's implied is that

it's at Levi's house.

But before we read it,

it's also implied here

that Levi isn't the host.

But Jesus is the host.

And as he reclined,

Jesus at table

in Levi's house,

many tax collectors

and sinners

were reclining

with Jesus

and his disciples.

For there were many

who followed him.

And the scribes

of the Pharisees

when they saw

that he was eating

with sinners

and tax collectors,

see unclean there.

Unclean.

No different

in many respects

than the leprous man.

Okay?

See,

see that.

Think unclean.

We'll go back

in verse 16.

And the scribes

of the Pharisees

when they saw

that he was eating

with sinners

and tax collectors,

those that were unclean,

said to Jesus' disciples,

why does he eat

with tax collectors

and sinners?

And when Jesus heard it,

he said to them,

those who are well

have no need

of a physician,

but those who are sick.

I came not to call

the righteous,

but the sinners.

And it's not as though

there are a class

of righteous people

that Jesus isn't referring to.

What he's saying is,

I've come for everybody

because everybody's a sinner.

There are none righteous.

I've come for everybody.

Who here looks like

the true,

unclean sinner?

Is it the tax collectors

and sinners?

Sinners is this kind

of generic term.

Or does it,

is it the Pharisees?

Like,

is there not room

at the table

for them too?

I think there would be.

Their pride wells up.

Their self-righteousness

wells up.

We are the religious ones.

These people

that were the tax collectors

and sinners,

they were either

too busy

or too poor

or just completely indifferent

to join any kind

of religious life

in Israel at the time.

Interestingly,

shepherds were a part

of that.

Shepherds,

I know we read about

shepherds

in King David,

King David being a shepherd

and Christ has

a beautiful picture

of a shepherd.

But shepherds became

the type that were

untrusted

because they weren't

a part of religious life.

prostitutes,

tax collectors,

beggars,

lepers,

you name it.

They were unable

to participate

in religious life.

And Jesus,

what does he do?

He doesn't whip them.

He doesn't just

give them a tongue lashing.

He eats with them.

He has table fellowship

with them.

You can invite anybody

over to your house

and if you feel comfortable,

you probably should

if you can.

But, you know,

it's nice to have dinner

with somebody.

To have table fellowship

with somebody

in the Bible,

it meant

that you were

embracing them.

That there was

a connection,

there was

a friendship,

there was

some sort of

deep,

deep bond.

And that's what's

happening with Jesus.

He is

the true host.

He is

forgiving the sinners

and the tax collectors.

And the basis

of this table fellowship

is truly forgiveness.

And although

we don't see it here

as though

the tax collectors

and sinners

are throwing themselves

at Jesus' feet

asking for forgiveness,

forgiveness,

we know that

in Scripture

that the basis

for table fellowship

is the forgiveness

of sins.

How do we know?

At the end of the age,

and if anybody

wants to turn to,

I'll just read it

off my notes,

Revelation chapter 19,

Revelation 19 · chapter mention

at the end of the age,

the redeemed of God,

those that He saves,

will dine with Him.

It's called

the marriage supper

of the Lamb.

And although Revelation,

the book of Revelation,

can be kind of intense

and difficult to understand

and, I don't know,

cause of all sorts

of controversy,

Revelation 19,

6-9,

I mean,

it is like the high point

of our existence,

of what we'll experience.

That we are forgiven

in such a way,

clothed with God's righteousness,

and we dine with Him.

Verse 6 of chapter 19,

Then I heard what seemed

to be the voice

of a great multitude.

This is John,

the Apostle,

speaking.

Like the roar

of many waters,

and like the sound

of mighty peals

of thunder,

crying out,

Hallelujah!

For the Lord,

our God,

the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice

and exalt

and give Him the glory.

For the marriage

of the Lamb

has come,

and the bride

has made herself ready.

It was granted

her to clothe herself

with fine linen,

bright and pure.

For the fine linen

is the righteous deeds

of the saints.

And verse 9 says,

And the angel said to me,

Write this,

Blessed are those

who are invited

to the marriage supper

of the Lamb.

And he said to me,

These are the true words

of God.

To dine with Jesus.

That there is no more

separation between us

and Him.

His forgiveness

goes down

to the last inch

of our being.

There's no more

of us

that is no longer

redeemed.

We're redeemed

completely.

If you are honest

with yourself

and you

ask yourself,

What sins

have I committed

that are very unique

to me?

That make me unique?

And if you are

honest and raw

with yourself

about that,

and you might feel

shame and guilt,

look to the cross

and know that God

has forgiven them all

if you only

cry out to Him.

If you only

leave the tax booth

and follow Him.

In the end,

it really isn't

the amount of faith

we have.

And we want to grow

in our faith.

We do.

But it's the object

of our faith.

That's what matters.

It does not,

it doesn't matter

as much

in many respects.

In fact,

it doesn't matter

at all

at how tight

my grasp

is on Jesus

if His grasp

on me

exists.

Because He'll never

let me go.

That's why

when we go through

tough times

where our faith

wanes,

it's like we have

no faith,

it feels like,

we can be sure

that God

in Christ

is not letting us go.

The object

of our faith

is what matters.

So Jesus

dines with sinners.

And it is this

beautiful picture

of what is to come

and all of a sudden

we start to see

a bit more

of who this Messiah is.

Mark is laying

these breadcrumbs.

He's leading us

on the trail

to the cross.

We're seeing

what Jesus is going

to do on the cross.

How He is going

to truly forgive

our sins.

He's going

to pay the penalty

on our behalf

so that we can

be in His presence

forever.

It's something

you could have

infinite lifetimes

to try to earn

and you won't

earn it.

It's incredible.

It is remarkable.

How do we respond?

Well, there's

a few different ways.

We can look

at the four

friends

lowering their

paralytic friend

through the roof.

We can look

at Levi

and how he

leaves his tax booth.

Those are all

I think really good

things to look at

as an example

of how we are

to respond

to Jesus.

But Jesus

in verse 14

of chapter 1

really verse 15

when Jesus

comes on the scene

his first words

that he says

in Mark's gospel

it says

the time is fulfilled

and the kingdom

of God

is at hand.

Repent and believe

in the gospel.

The response

is to repent

and believe.

It is.

Jesus says it.

And in the same

message

he either

preaches

teaches

or proclaims

it's the same

thing.

Repent

and believe

in the gospel.

So what does it

mean to repent?

I think

it's being honest

about our sin.

We need to recognize

that we need

deep forgiveness.

We need to not

justify the fact

that we are

tax collectors

and sinners.

And our society

is set up

in such a way

maybe even

your mind

is set up

in such a way

that justifies

sin.

The way

we see need

and choose

not to

meet it

not because

we don't have

the means

or the time

or the ability

because we're selfish.

Or the things

we do with our bodies.

How we view

sexuality.

We have this

kind of subjective

nature about it.

How we

abuse people

with words

or deeds.

We are mean.

We are

just

low level

abusive

in maybe

sometimes

the way

we treat people.

Whatever it may be

we can easily

justify our sin.

The call

of repentance

is to just

be honest.

Be honest

with your need

for Jesus.

That's it.

I mean

it really

is just

first and foremost

recognize

that we

are in need

of him.

We can't

live a godly

life.

We are the

tax collectors

and sinners

in the story

by the way.

Just in case

you were thinking

you were

maybe

I don't know

somebody a bit

more nicer

in the story.

I'm the

sinner and tax

collector

in the story.

Maybe you're

even the

Pharisee

or the

scribe.

The call

is still

the same

to repent

and believe

so we

repent

we throw

ourselves

at the

mercy

of

Jesus

we stop

justifying

we stop

seeing truth

as subjective

but objective

that there is a

truth that there is a

way to truly live

and the second thing

is to believe

and it is to have

faith in Jesus

and again

it is

it matters

more about

who our faith

is in

than how much

faith we have.

We want to continue

to grow in faith.

I can't say that

enough

but we have

our faith

and trust

in Jesus.

We need to be

careful

that we're not

like the crowds.

The crowds

in the gospel

of Mark

for whatever

reason

show up

and Jesus

has compassion

on them

he teaches

them

but they

get in the

way

the crowds

do.

They get in

the way

of this

whole healing

of the

paralytic.

The crowds

aren't

they don't

exactly have

the best

reputation

here.

Remember

Jesus

when he's

going to

get

crucified

where are

the crowds

then?

It's really

easy to

think

I am

close to

Jesus

because I

am a

part of

the church.

I am a

church goer

and it's

really good

to go to

church

and to be

around

church people.

It really

is.

But let

that not

be confused

with having

genuine

faith in

Christ.

To be

more of

like the

Levi

who follows

Jesus

rather than

the crowds

that just

hang around

looking for

a show

or maybe

the benefit

of being

a part

of a

community

or being

a part

of a

more of

like a

respectable

person or

a part of

polite society.

I don't mean

necessarily like

within our

community but

within the

group.

I don't

know.

Whatever

thing that

you think

coming to

church will

do,

it has to

start with

Christ.

Repent and

believe.

And it is

hard and I'll

close with

this.

We're not

going to

get to

the second

part of

Mark until

sometime in

the new

year.

We're going

to go up

to chapter

nine and

then we'll

switch it up

for a few

weeks or

something like

that and

then we'll

come back

to Mark.

But when we

come back to

Mark,

whenever that

will be,

I think

maybe the

fall of

2022,

there's this

really beautiful

picture where

this desperate

man comes to

Jesus and

begs that

Jesus would

do a miracle

for his

boy.

And he

says to

Jesus,

I believe,

help my

unbelief.

That is

becoming a

prayer in

my life

because I

realize,

Lord, I

believe,

actually I

don't,

help me.

My faith is

small.

I don't

trust that

you can

really

forgive my

sins.

That you

are the

one who's

really going

to restore

me.

And cleanse

me.

And that I

truly have a

spot at

your table.

But the

prayer is,

I believe,

help my

unbelief,

I believe,

even with a

tiny shred,

you can

pray,

of faith,

that you

are the

one who's

doing this

work.

And I

think it

brings great

joy to

God.

And that he

will work

in our

hearts to

grow that.

And we

grow,

by the

way,

with

fellowshipping

with one

another,

by reading

his word,

by praying

with one

another,

by lifting

each other

up,

carrying each

other's

burdens,

not trying

to get

some kind

of new

result by

the same

sinful

decisions.

Friends,

our God

has set a

table for

us.

It is

what we

will be

doing for

eternity.

Let's

really press

into that.

Heavenly

Father,

we thank

you so

much for

the truth

of your

word.

We thank

you that

Jesus

indeed came

to heal

the sick

and not

the well,

to call

the sinner

not the

righteous.

Lord,

help us

to never

think that

in our

own strength

we can

be the

righteous,

that we

are well,

but it's

only through

your Son

that we

are made

righteous,

only through

your Son

that we

are forgiven,

only through

your Son

that we

are cleansed.

Lord,

by your

Spirit,

do a big

work in

our hearts,

we pray,

in Jesus'

name.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.