Posts
Luke 5
Pastor Greg
March 9, 2014
Read:
Luke 5:12-16 (NKJV)
And it happened when He was in a
certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell
on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can
make me clean." [13] Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying,
"I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately the leprosy left him. [14]
And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the
priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just
as Moses commanded." [15] However, the report went around concerning Him
all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by
Him of their infirmities. [16] So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness
and prayed.
1. Leprosy had an insignificant
beginning.
(Hansens Disease - shuts down
your ability to feel anything. So you could burn yourself, or loose limbs and
not feel it.)
Leprosy is a lot like sign, very
little sins, just like very little changes in a leper.
"Sin is pleasurable for a
time, then fills with a lifetime of regret."
A few moments of passion can lead
to a lifetime of regret.
2. Leprosy worked almost
imperceptibly. (Don't really notice it at first)
3. Leprosy spread quickly.
4. Leprosy was infectious.
That is why there are leper
colonies.
This is why the bible says not to
be unequally yolked with other believers or nonbelievers.
It's a lot easier for a
nonbeliever to pull a believer down, then to pull a nonbeliever up.
1 Corinthians 15:33 (NKJV)
Do not be deceived: "Evil
company corrupts good habits."
5. Leprosy was a state of living
death.
1 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV)
speaking lies in hypocrisy,
having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
In an advanced state of sin, you
don't even notice it anymore
6. Leprosy was incurable.
1. This leper had an honest
awareness of his condition.
(v.12)
"Lord, if You are willing,
You can make me clean."
Our place is to ask; His place is
to answer as He chooses.
Seeing ourselves for who we are
is the first step to becoming who we need to be, a new creation in Christ!
2. Jesus will touch those who
come to Him reverently and in desperation.
(v.12) And it happened when He
was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus;
and he fell on his face
3. The third factor in receiving
Jesus’ touch is having active faith.
(v.12) and he fell on his face
and implored Him, saying
Sin controls people through two
opposing lies:
1. We are not sinners.
2. We are sinners, but we are so
bad we are beyond help.
“Then He put out His hand and
touched him.”
(v. 13)Luke 5:13 (NKJV)
Then He put out His hand and
touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately the
leprosy left him.
Read:
Luke 5:17-26 (NKJV)
Now it happened on a certain day,
as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting
by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the
power of the Lord was present to heal them. [18] Then behold, men brought on a
bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.
[19] And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the
crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the
tiling into the midst before Jesus. [20] When He saw their faith, He said to
him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." [21] And the scribes and the
Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?" [22] But when Jesus perceived their
thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your
hearts? [23] Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say,
'Rise up and walk'? [24] But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on
earth to forgive sins"-He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say
to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." [25] Immediately
he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his
own house, glorifying God. [26] And they were all amazed, and they glorified
God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things
today!"
These guys did what it took to
get their friend to Jesus. You will always find opposition in bringing your
friends to Jesus. (v19) "And when they could not find how they might bring
him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down
with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus."
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10,12 (NKJV)
Two are better than one, Because
they have a good reward for their labor. [10] For if they fall, one will lift
up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one
to help him up. [12] Though one may be overpowered by another, two can
withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
It’s not always easy to bring
people to Jesus.
Mark 9:20 (NKJV)
Then they brought him to Him. And
when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the
ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
Luke 5:19 (NKJV)
And when they could not find how
they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and
let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.
Luke 5:20 (NKJV)
When He saw their faith, He said
to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."
Jesus' word does not go out and
return void.
Luke 5:21 (NKJV)
And the scribes and the Pharisees
began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can
forgive sins but God alone?"
Having your sins forgiven is the
most important thing!
