What is Faith? Faith in the sin-forgiving power of Jesus

Morning everybody, welcome back to our church service. It's a real pleasure to be able to welcome you wherever you're tuning in from.

There's digital tea and coffee as usual afterwards and the details that you'll find either on Avanto or on your email.

Well, after our week of prayer, and thanks to everyone for taking part in that, it's wonderful to be able to gather our voices and our prayers together to show our concern for our family, friends, colleagues, nation, the nations of the world.

But we're back to a normal pattern this week. It's on Monday prayer at 8pm. Again, details on the email on Avanto.

And our community groups are back again studying through the Gospel of John.

And just to remind you that one of the reasons we're doing that is so that we might be able to use that word one-to-one resource to think about how we might be able to share the Gospel of John with a friend during this time in particular.

So again, everybody's welcome. If you've not been part of a community group before, please be in touch. We'd love to get you connected.

Now, our call to worship comes from Isaiah 55 this morning.

From the beginning.

That you may live.

Here's the wonderful invitation.

As God draws near to us, he invites us to draw near to him and to find that he satisfies the deep wants and longings in our hearts.

And so as we begin our time together, we're going to sing.

We're going to sing the hymn that we started learning last week, Jesus Strong and Kind.

Really thankful to Cailin for learning it and for this recording, which we can worship God with now.

Now, our Bible reading this morning comes from Matthew chapter 9.

Matthew 9 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 9.

Matthew 9 · chapter mention

And we're going to read together the first 13 verses.

Now, we're going to concentrate our thoughts on verses 1 to 8.

So let's hear God's word together.

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.

Some men brought to him a paralysed man lying on a mat.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man,

Take heart, son, your sins are forgiven.

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves,

This fellow is blaspheming.

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said,

Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say, your sins are forgiven, or to say, get up and walk.

But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.

So he said to the paralysed man,

Get up, take your mat, and go home.

Then the man got up and went home.

When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe.

And they praised God, who had given such authority to man.

As Jesus went on from there,

he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth.

Follow me, he told him.

And Matthew got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house,

many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples,

Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?

On hearing this, Jesus said,

It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill.

But go and learn what this means.

I desire mercy, not sacrifice.

For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

So as we continue to think about the subject of faith together,

what we are invited to see here today from Matthew

is that we are called to have faith in the sin-forgiving power of Jesus.

When it comes to the telling of stories,

it feels like there are maybe two main styles,

two routes, as it were, to get to the same destination.

Some storytellers, they like to meander.

Every detail is gone into.

Every point of a conversation is addressed.

You find yourself maybe going on surprising sidetracks

and you wonder,

How in the world is this story ever going to get back to resolution?

You know, you sort of beg down.

This is going to be a while.

Other storytellers, very different, aren't they?

Very direct.

Straight to the point.

No elaboration.

And probably, if you take a few seconds

to think about your friends or your family,

you'll recognise those different storytelling styles.

I wonder which one you are.

Terrible storytellers.

I get the point.

Make it.

Try to move on.

Matthew, our gospel writer here,

he's a very direct storyteller.

A number of times where he records

things that happened in the life of Jesus,

he strips back the details

to focus on a main point.

So, boys and girls,

if you were to read this same story

in Mark or in Luke,

you would discover that really interesting

and surprising moment

where the friends,

yes, they bring the man to Jesus,

but they do that by

climbing up on the roof

and then digging the hole

through the ceiling.

You remember that story

where they dig the hole in the ceiling

and they lower the man down

on his mat

in front of Jesus

while the crowd in the house

are astonished at what's going on.

Why is Matthew so brief?

Because he wants us

to not miss his goal,

his point.

His point is that he wants to show us

the authority of Jesus in another way.

This thing to show us

the sin-forgiving power of Jesus.

So, he takes a laser-like focus

to the story

so that we come to see

that forgiveness

is Jesus' number one priority

for this man

and by extension for you and for me.

Matthew wants us to see

that forgiveness

is the greatest gift

that Jesus offers.

And Jesus offers that

coming to us with authority

as God with us.

So, let's think

for most of our time

we'll think about Jesus' priority

and think about

the gift of forgiveness.

So, in verse 1

we're told

very briefly

that Jesus has arrived home.

Capernaum was his hometown

and what he discovers

in verse 2

is a man with obvious need.

He is paralyzed.

But that's not all

Jesus discovered.

We're also told in verse 2

that Jesus sees

their faith.

Now, we're in a wider section

Matthew 8 to 10

where we see a lot

of Jesus' authority

being demonstrated

in different ways.

Authority over

a variety of illnesses.

A variety over

the forces of nature

like last week

when he stilled the storm.

Authority over demons.

So, presumably

these men

including the paralyzed man

recognized that Jesus

brings hope.

So, Jesus sees their faith.

So, how does Jesus respond

to their faith?

In verse 2

he said to the man

take heart, son.

There's encouragement.

There's welcome.

Then he says

your sins are forgiven.

Now, if you were to hear

the first part

of the sentence

you were part of the crowd

or you were

the paralyzed man's friends

I don't imagine

that's how you expected

to fill in the blank.

How you would expect

Jesus to conclude

that sentence

your sins are forgiven.

For the friends

as they

brought the man

to Jesus

for the man

as he came

on his mat

to Jesus

I'm sure

he would be thinking

I really want to walk

I really want

to be able to work

I would like

to be able to

worship

in the temple

perhaps

he says

I want to be whole

Jesus says

take heart, son

your sins are forgiven

what's happening here?

What's happening

is that Jesus

has looked deeper

into the man's problems

getting all the way

to his heart

and he's looked wider

he's looked beyond

just the temporary

to give hope

for eternity

and so Jesus

comes and he provides

in actual fact

the deepest help

and healing

now Jesus

could

and we discovered

in our story

that he did

heal the man's

body

but

that man

even after being

healed

he would still

face

disappointment

there would

still be

frustrations

and ultimately

there would

still be

death

so Jesus

wants to go

deeper

and wider

in the salvation

that he brings

there's a wonderful

little phrase

in Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

where we're told

God has put

eternity

into our hearts

we have

we have that

ache

for eternity

Jesus

understands

that knowing

eternal life

knowing

God

is where

we find

lasting

satisfaction

that's where

deep and

unending

joy comes

from

and to get

to that point

we need

forgiveness

we need

the barrier

of sin

between us

and God

to be removed

so we see

clearly

Jesus loved

the man

and remember

Jesus also

healed his

body

because Jesus

cares for us

physically

and spiritually

and that's

really good

for us

to remember

during this

crisis

but his

priority

is spiritual

and eternal

verse 6

I want you

to know

that the

son of man

has authority

on earth

to forgive

sins

Jesus

is clear

life

enjoying

God

matters

more

than a

life

enjoying

good

hell

can we

believe

that today

maybe it's

particularly

challenging

to believe

that today

that life

enjoying

God

matters

more than

life

enjoying

good

hell

Jesus

has gone

above

and beyond

in no doubt

everybody's

expectations

and maybe

some of you

listening in

are sports

fans and

you're feeling

the gap

with the

lack of

live sport

maybe

like me

you've been

tuning in

to the

last dance

the story

of Michael

Jordan

Chicago Bulls

on Netflix

each episode

tends to

focus on

a different

character

from the

team

and in

the Dennis

Rodman

episode

there's this

wonderful

moment

where after

a game

Dennis

Rodman

massive

tattooed

multicolored

haired

basketball

player

sees a

crowd of

fans

who are

waiting

beyond a

barrier

to get

an autograph

and one

little boy

sticks out

his autograph

book for

Dennis to

sign

and what

Dennis does

he signs

the autograph

sure

but then

he takes

a wee

second

and he

takes his

shoes off

his shoulder

and he

gives them

to the

boy

what a

gift

again hoping

he saves

them

and he

would be

worth

the

fortune

but in

a much

greater

way

Jesus

has gone

above

and beyond

what these

friends could

have asked

as they

brought

their

paralysed

friend

to Jesus

but maybe

we're asking

why does

Jesus put

forgiveness

first

why is

forgiveness

his first

priority

and maybe

it'll help

if we think

about the

storyline

of the

Bible

to help

to see

why that

would be

if we go

back to

the beginning

go back

to creation

God made

a perfect

world

and then

he made

the first

people

Adam and

Eve

and Adam

and Eve

they were

made

in the

image

of God

they were

made

to steward

to look

after creation

and they

were made

for a

relationship

with one

another

but they

were also

made to

enjoy

relationship

with

God

they

knew

God

God

walked

with

them

and

talked

with

them

so

people

were

made

for

enjoying

that

relationship

for enjoying

the glory

of God

receiving

life

in that

fellowship

with

God

but from

the beauty

of that

perfection

of life

in the

Garden of

Eden

the Bible

tells us

there was

a fall

there was

a rejection

of God

and his

word

which brought

sin

which led

to shame

which led

to hiding

from God

which led

to suffering

and ultimately

release

today

and Adam

and Eve

were sent

out of the

Garden

symbolic

of the

fact

that sin

severs

breaks

the

relationship

between

people

and God

so for

Jesus

the deepest

problem

then is the

problem of sin

deep in our

heart

it's the

problem of

ignoring God

in the world

that he has

made

it's refusing

to honour

God

or to love

him

to turn

our back

on our

father

to rebel

against God

as king

because that

sin

if it is not

forgiven

and covered

leads to

eternal

separation

so Jesus

came

with a

clear

priority

to carry

out a

mission

to

rescue

us

to

reconcile

us

to God

to make

peace

with God

to redeem

us

from a

slavery to

sin

leading to

death

by

forgiving

sin

through his

death

on the

cross

even

before he

was born

the angels

came to

to marry

his mother

and said

you are to

give him

the name

Jesus

because he

will save

his people

from

their

sin

so that's

Jesus'

priority

and Jesus'

greatest gift

is forgiveness

now I can

imagine today

you might very

well have a

list of

lockdown

if only

if only

I had that

opportunity

if only

that freedom

hadn't been

denied me

then I

would be

happy

none

of those

if only

can fill

the eternal

ache

in your

heart

but Jesus

can and

Jesus wants

to and

Jesus does

as people

we plan

we dream

we make

our bucket

lists

we make

our five

year

plans

but we

need to

understand

that that

holiday

that career

that family

good though

they may

be

cannot

fill

the God

shaped

hole

in our

heart

Jesus

knows

the greatest

gift

that he

can give

the greatest

gift that

God can

give you

is to

give himself

Jesus

came as

God

with us

Jesus

came to

bring

forgiveness

so that

by faith

in Jesus

and his

work on

the cross

of his

dying

for sin

taking the

punishment

we deserve

by faith

by trusting

in Jesus

we can have

life

enjoying

God

which is

how we

were made

to be

and that's

life

enjoying

God now

and for

all

eternity

is Jesus

priority

my

priority

when I

think about

my life

when you

think about

your

life

do our

priorities

match up

with that

of Jesus

what about

when we

think about

our wishes

and desires

for the

people that

we love

even for

the prayers

that we

make

above all

do we want

people to

find forgiveness

so they can

know

life with

God

I

started

re-reading

C.S.

Lewis's

little book

The Weight

of Glory

and in

the essay

that gives

the book

its title

Lewis discusses

glory

and reward

in the

Christian faith

and what he

says is that

the great

glory

that we look

forward to

the reward

that is ours

ultimately is

to be

approved

of

by God

to be

welcomed

by God

to have

God

delight

in us

to have

God

love

us

here is

the ultimate

gift

here is the

great priority

and goal

that should

drive our

lives

and Jesus

came for

this reason

Jesus brings

forgiveness

for this reason

so we might

find our

joy

in God

possibly the

most famous

quote

from

that essay

is this one

let me read it

if we consider

the staggering

nature of the

rewards promised

us in the

gospels

it would

seem

our Lord

finds our

desires not

too strong

but too

weak

we are

half-hearted

creatures

fooling about

with drink

and sex

and ambition

while infinite

joy is

offered us

like an

ignorant

child

who wants

to go on

making mud

pies in a

slum

because he

cannot imagine

what is meant

by the offer

of a holiday

at the scene

we are

far too

easily

pleased

I wonder

and does

Lewis in his

assessment

does he reflect

your life and

mine today

Jesus'

priority

Jesus'

gift

is that we

be forgiven

so that infinite

joy may be

ours

they're

connected to

them

and it's

something that

the crowds

recognize or

at least some

of them

and there is a

great claim

that Jesus

is making

the religious

leaders they

certainly

understand this

and they're

shocked by

Jesus'

statement in

verse 3

Jesus having

said your sins

are forgiven

at this

some of the

teachers of

the law

said to

themselves

this fellow

is blaspheming

he is

misusing

the name

of God

by claiming

some of

the rights

of God

they understand

the implications

because to

forgive someone

you must have

been sinned

against

you think

about this

in a personal

relationship

if Tom

and Dick

have a fight

and Tom

hits Dick

Harry

person number

three he

cannot come

along and say

I forgive

you

only Dick

can do

that

so to

forgive

someone

you must

have been

sinned

against

and they

understand

that

and another

thing that

they understand

the religious

leaders is

that forgiveness

belongs to

God

in Psalm 51

in verse 4

David

confessing

sin says

against you

and you

only have

I sinned

other people

have been

sinned against

but primarily

it's against

God

God establishes

the rule

so every

time we

break those

rules

every time

we break

God's

commands

we are

sinning

against

God

and even

when we

sin against

another person

we are

sinning

against

an image

bearer

of God

and so

we sin

against

God

so the

religious

leaders

they understand

in a moment

that Jesus

is saying

I am

God

and as

God

I forgive

you

that's a

huge claim

isn't it

now the

heart of

the religious

leaders

opposition

is that

they reject

the claims

of Jesus

they refuse

to believe

he is God

Jesus

speaking of

their thoughts

says

why do you

entertain

evil thoughts

in your

hearts

and then

in verses

five and

six there

is the

question

which

is

easier

to say

your sins

are forgiven

or to say

get up

and walk

and this is a

question that

that provokes

quite a lot

of debate

when you read

different books

or you hear

people talk

I guess

for us

in the 21st

century

our instinct

might be

well

talk is

cheap

it's

easy in a

sense to

say your

sins are

forgiven

because there's

no proof

of that

therefore get

up and walk

is harder

because that

needs proof

but I

wonder if

that would

be how a

first century

religious person

might think

they might

say well

we know

that there

are other

people who

have healed

with the

power of

God

maybe it's

harder

to

to say

your sins

are forgiven

because that's

claiming the

rights and

the authority

of God

and to a

religious society

that took the

name of God

that took the

holiness of God

seriously

that's a hard

thing to claim

but what Jesus

does either way

it's hard to say

which is true

but either way

Jesus connects

forgiveness of sin

and the healing

of the man

to claim identity

of God

to claim

the power of God

especially the

power of God

to forgive sin

now on this

it's so important

for us

that we take

Jesus' claims

seriously

sometimes when

people don't

make a full

study of the

Bible

they maybe think

I like Jesus

I like he's a

good teacher

I like they went

around helping

people

like some of

his wise

teaching

but you can't

really ignore

when Jesus

claims to be

God as he does

in many many

many different

ways

in the 19th

century there

was a professor

at the Free

Church College

who went by

the nickname

of Rabbi

Duncan

and he was

followed in the

20th century

again by

C.S. Lewis

who both

present

a response

to the

claims of

Jesus

Rabbi Duncan

talks about

it as a

trilemma

you know

Jesus

when he makes

claims like

this he's

either a

liar

who is

deliberately

deceiving

people

he are

deliberately

deceiving

us on the

fact that he

can forgive

sins

he's either

a lunatic

who's completely

self-deluded

who's got

delusions of

grandeur

and imagines

he's God

when actually

he's just

a normal

person

who's

imbalanced

or

we take

his claims

seriously

we recognise

that he

is

Lord

he is

either

truly

evil

because

he's

claiming

to be

the way

to God

and millions

and millions

of people

have followed

Jesus

because of

those claims

because of

his truth

because of

his life

or

he's either

truly evil

or he's

truly good

he is

truly

God

there is

no halfway

house

if we take

Jesus'

claims

seriously

it doesn't

allow us

to sit

on the

fence

what's

what's at

stake

when it

comes to

thinking

about

Jesus'

identity

well if

we

trust

the

gospels

Jesus

is

God

who is

with us

who has

become

one of

us

to save

us

to forgive

our sin

to bring

to us

eternal

life

and eternal

hope

so it's

really

important

that each

one of

us

takes

seriously

the

identity

of

Jesus

because

of the

claims

that he

makes

and if

Jesus

is who

he claims

to be

how do

I respond

we see

two positive

responses to

Jesus in

our story

first we

saw the

men who

had faith

here is a

call to

trust in

Jesus

to trust

that he

is strong

and kind

to trust

that he

is the

saviour

that you

need

to trust

that he

can meet

your deepest

need

that he

can forgive

your sin

he can

bring you

peace

with God

he can

give you

hope of

eternal

life that

will never

end

of perfect

joy

and

so one

response is

B

the other

positive

response we

find in

here is

awe

and praise

the crowd

recognise

Jesus is

awesome

in the

truest sense

of the

word

they recognise

the authority

of Jesus

and they

praise God

for the

gift that

he brings

Jesus

came to

forgive

sin

that's not

something we

deserve

that's God's

grace

we deserve

judgment

we deserve

hell

but God

in his

kindness

sends Jesus

so we can

receive forgiveness

and we can

receive heaven

Jesus came

to transform

sinners

to change

our lives

to bring

infinite joy

and hope

in life

and death

how do we

respond

to Jesus

and to

what he

offers

maybe today

is the

time to

think about

the priorities

that you

are setting

for your

life

and for

your family

do they

match up

with that

of Jesus

do they

include

Jesus

are you

trusting in

Jesus who

came with

God's

authority

on God's

mission

to forgive

sin

by his

death

on the

cross

we're

invited to

have faith

in the

sin forgiving

power

of Jesus

an

time if

for

to

him

to

sit

in