Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Faithful Friends and a Forgiving Saviour

Transcript

Faithful Friends and a Forgiving Saviour · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
Okay, let's begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise. We're singing in Psalm 47,
0:05
the Sing Psalms version, Psalm 47, page 62. We can sing the whole of this psalm together,
0:12
verse 1 to 9. On nations clap your hands and shout. Let joyful cries to God ring out. How
0:18
awesome is the Lord most high, great King who rules the earth throughout. We'll stand to sing
0:24
the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
0:30
Let joyful cries to God ring out. How awesome is the Lord most high, great King who rules the earth throughout.
1:00
He has sung to believe and read. The nations who have been a foe.
1:07
The nations who have been a foe. In blessing, Jacob, whom he loved, our heritage.
1:09
The nations who have been a foe. In blessing, Jacob, whom he loved, our heritage.
1:11
of the nations who have been a foe. In blessing, Jacob, whom he loved, our heritage.
1:13
of the nations who have been a foe. In blessing, Jacob, whom he loved, our heritage.
1:20
in blessing, Jacob.
1:22
of the nations who have been a foe. In blessing, Jacob, whom he loved, our heritage.
1:27
of the nations who have been a foe. In blessing, Jacob, whom he loved, our heritage.
1:33
A heritage for us, he chose.
1:43
One dance on earth with shouts of joy,
1:51
the Lord now in the trampled sight.
2:00
Sing praise, sing praise to God most high,
2:10
to God our King let praise abide.
2:20
For God is King of all the earth,
2:28
sing sounds of praise to Him alone.
2:38
For crucifixions from on high,
2:46
He sets upon His holy throne.
2:55
The victor's call, the nations come,
3:05
To yield themselves to England's court.
3:13
To Him belong the shields of air,
3:23
Exalted with me is the Lord.
3:31
Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.
3:37
Now let us pray.
3:38
Our gracious Father in heaven,
3:42
we come before you with much thanksgiving today
3:45
for your goodness to us and you,
3:47
for every blessing that is ours in Christ,
3:50
for the blessing of your word as we open it up
3:53
and as we sing your praise,
3:55
and the blessing that there is in learning from your word
3:58
and even learning your word,
3:59
as we have already mentioned about the memory verse
4:02
that the young ones are learning.
4:05
We thank you that together we can learn these words
4:08
and seek to understand them,
4:11
the wonder of the Lord who is our shepherd
4:13
and the way He shows us His goodness
4:15
in bringing our wandering steps back to His way
4:18
and leading us in the straight paths of righteousness
4:21
and all that is to reveal and to display His great name.
4:26
We thank you that there is so much to encourage us in these words,
4:30
that we have in Jesus one who is over us
4:34
and one who is with us.
4:36
He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords,
4:39
and yet He is also one who the Bible describes as a friend
4:43
who stays closer than any brother.
4:46
And we thank you for all of these truths
4:48
that we find in your word,
4:50
and we pray to know it together,
4:52
that as the young ones go through to the Twinnies,
4:56
the Sunday school, the Bible class,
4:58
that together as they learn around your word there,
5:00
that they will be built up by it.
5:03
Encourage us through it.
5:05
Encourage those who are teaching,
5:06
Lord, be with them and help them.
5:08
And help us all together to be a prayerful people
5:12
for all of us as a family together,
5:14
from the youngest to the oldest,
5:16
that you would remember us in all our different needs.
5:19
And we do thank you that you know us by name,
5:21
and we pray that we will know you by name,
5:24
that we will come and praise the name of Jesus and you today,
5:27
and give all praise and glory to you,
5:30
as we thank you for all you do for us.
5:32
And we ask all the forgiveness of our sins,
5:35
in Jesus' name.
5:36
Amen.
5:40
Just a word to the young ones,
5:41
before you go out through next door to the hall.
5:44
What a beautiful day it is today,
5:47
and has been the last few days.
5:48
It's so good to see the sun shining.
5:52
I'm just thinking today about our names.
5:55
We all have a name.
5:57
I'm sure, hands up if you have a name.
6:01
Everybody's here.
6:02
All your hands should go up.
6:04
Everyone here has a name.
6:06
And we've all got a name,
6:07
and the amazing thing is that Jesus knows us all by name.
6:11
He knows our names as well.
6:13
I often forget people's names.
6:16
I've mentioned it before.
6:17
I'm hopeless at trying to remember people's names.
6:20
But Jesus, he doesn't forget anybody's name.
6:23
He remembers every one of us,
6:25
and he knows us all by name.
6:27
And our names are very important.
6:30
They're our identity.
6:31
They mark us out as to who we are.
6:34
And we need our names for different things.
6:36
For example, this week I was phoning a company about a bill,
6:42
and they had to ask me questions
6:43
so that my identity would be confirmed by them.
6:46
So they asked, what's your name?
6:48
And I had to give them my name.
6:50
And then they asked, what's your account number?
6:53
I had to give them my account number.
6:54
What's the first line of your address and your postcode?
6:57
You had to go through all this process
6:59
of them finding out and confirming who I am.
7:03
And very often we have to do that.
7:05
And there's other places we might have to do it as well.
7:08
For example, you might need one of these.
7:12
A passport.
7:13
If you're flying away, maybe even going abroad,
7:16
you need a passport.
7:17
There are people at the desk.
7:18
They need to know who you are.
7:20
So you have to give them your passport,
7:21
and you present it.
7:22
And your passport has a picture of you.
7:25
Thankfully, you can't see my picture.
7:27
It's too far away.
7:28
But they'll look at it,
7:29
and they'll confirm that it's you.
7:32
And they often say to me, that can't be you.
7:33
You look far too young to be that person in the picture.
7:37
But we have to identify ourselves.
7:40
Or maybe if the police pull you over,
7:43
and they stop you,
7:43
they ask for your driver's license
7:45
so they can identify who you are.
7:48
So there's all kinds of different ways
7:51
we have to be identified,
7:52
to tell people who we are.
7:55
But when we come to Jesus,
7:58
he already knows who we are.
8:01
So what do you think is more important?
8:04
It's more important that we know who he is.
8:07
And this morning,
8:08
as we're looking in the Gospel of Mark together in the service,
8:11
we're going to be thinking about the identity of Jesus,
8:14
who he is,
8:16
and why that's important to us.
8:19
He knows us by name,
8:21
every one of us.
8:22
But when the day comes,
8:24
a day will come when he will come back to this world,
8:27
and we all have to come before him.
8:29
And he'll call us by name.
8:32
But he'll ask us,
8:33
well, who am I to you?
8:35
There's a passage in Mark chapter 8.
8:38
It mentions a question that Jesus asks of the disciples.
8:42
He says,
8:43
all these people are talking about who I am.
8:46
They're saying,
8:46
I could be Elijah,
8:47
I could be one of the prophets.
8:49
But he turns to the disciples and says,
8:51
but what about you?
8:53
Who do you say that I am?
8:55
And it's Peter who replied,
8:57
you are the Christ.
8:58
You are the Christ.
9:00
You are Jesus Christ.
9:02
He recognized who he was.
9:04
He identified with him.
9:06
And that's the key for ourselves today as well.
9:08
Jesus knows us.
9:11
And as we have to come to him,
9:13
we have to know who he is.
9:15
And he speaks to us through his word.
9:17
And we learn about who he is.
9:20
And not just a name.
9:22
He is Jesus Christ,
9:24
the Son of God.
9:26
He is the one who came to save us from our sins.
9:29
He is the one who came because God loves us so much
9:32
that he sent Jesus into this world to be our Savior.
9:38
That's who Jesus is.
9:40
And may he be that to us all,
9:42
that we would see that he is the Christ,
9:45
that he is Jesus,
9:46
the Son of God.
9:48
And that by putting our trust in him,
9:50
we are identifying with him.
9:53
And he loves us in that special way.
9:56
And that we would love him with all our hearts.
10:00
So let's find our identity
10:02
and know who Jesus is
10:05
and be part of his great family.
10:09
Well, we're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.
10:12
Let's pray.
10:13
Our Father, which art in heaven,
10:16
hallowed be thy name.
10:17
Thy kingdom come.
10:19
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
10:23
Give us this day our daily bread.
10:26
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
10:30
And lead us not into temptation,
10:32
but deliver us from evil.
10:34
For thine is the kingdom,
10:36
the power and the glory forever.
10:38
Amen.
10:40
Amen.
10:40
Well, we're going to sing again.
10:44
Our second singing is in Psalm 130
10:46
in the Scottish Psalter.
10:48
Find this on page 421.
10:51
And we're going to sing the whole of this psalm.
10:54
Psalm 130, page 421.
10:58
A great psalm of crying out to God
11:01
and finding that assurance
11:03
of his presence with us
11:06
and his great redemption towards us
11:09
as it's describing.
11:11
Lord, from the depths to thee I cried.
11:13
My voice, Lord, do thou hear.
11:15
And to my supplications' voice
11:17
give an attentive ear.
11:20
So we'll stand to sing the whole of this psalm
11:22
to God's praise.
11:23
Lord, from the depths to thee I cried.
11:38
My voice, Lord, do thou hear.
11:45
And to my soul,
11:50
the nations' voice
11:55
give an attentive ear.
12:02
Lord, who shall sound his love, O Lord,
12:12
to smile at me with thee?
12:20
For you, O Lord, the nations' voice
12:29
Give anật and saved.
12:40
start is the Prince'sال
12:41
guarantee.
12:41
Or информatee sounds
12:42
give an lumière of this psalm
12:43
and Wizard,
12:43
and to hear to the膘 of touch on针elle.
12:45
For Him, O Lord, above the âIL,
12:47
S going into eÄld EÁ here
12:47
but ye lanes in theinden,
12:48
b방 lens thesamiel and chi�� the cl pertaining
12:49
to succession,
12:50
is in
12:52
his word
12:54
for
12:56
God may
12:58
God
12:59
for glory
13:02
was
13:04
my
13:05
courage
13:08
for the
13:10
Lord
13:12
I
13:14
sing
13:16
or
13:17
God
13:18
may path
13:20
to watch
13:22
the
13:24
glory
13:25
might
13:27
to see
13:30
that
13:31
Jesus
13:33
I am
13:35
open
13:36
in the
13:38
heart
13:39
are
13:41
within
13:42
there
13:44
to see
13:46
he
13:48
and
13:49
when
13:51
Jesus'
13:53
redemption
13:56
is
14:00
event
14:01
within
14:05
and
14:06
all
14:07
All His chariotes, in His church of reading.
14:27
We can turn together now to read God's word in the Gospel of Mark.
14:32
Mark chapter 1, taking up our reading at verse 40.
14:36
And we're reading into chapter 2.
14:42
Mark chapter 1, taking up our reading at verse 40.
14:45
You'll find this around page 1009 of the church Bibles.
14:51
Like I say, we're reading into chapter 2.
14:53
And chapter 2 in particular is where our focus is going to be as we see these friends bringing a paralytic friend to Jesus that he might make him well.
15:02
And the wonderful blessing was that not just was he healed physically, but he was reminded of the greatest gift of all, the forgiveness of sin.
15:12
We take our reading in chapter 1 at verse 40.
15:15
And a leper came to him, imploring him and kneeling, said to him,
15:19
If you will, you can make me clean.
15:23
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him,
15:27
I will be clean.
15:30
And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
15:34
And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once and said to him,
15:39
See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded for a proof to them.
15:50
But he went out and began to talk freely about it and to spread the news,
15:56
so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but he was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
16:06
And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.
16:12
And many were gathered together so that there was no more room, not even at the door.
16:18
And he was preaching the word to them.
16:21
And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
16:26
And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him.
16:32
And when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
16:37
And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
16:42
My son, your sins are forgiven.
16:46
Now some of the scribes were sitting there questioning in their hearts,
16:50
Why does this man speak like that?
16:52
He is blaspheming.
16:54
Who can forgive sins but God alone?
16:58
And immediately Jesus perceived in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves,
17:04
said to them,
17:05
Why do you question these things in your hearts?
17:09
Which is easier to say to the paralytic,
17:12
Your sins are forgiven,
17:14
or to say,
17:15
Rise, take up your bed, and walk?
17:18
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,
17:24
he said to the paralytic,
17:25
I say to you,
17:26
Rise, pick up your bed, and go home.
17:29
And he rose and immediately picked up his bed,
17:33
and went out before them all.
17:35
So they were all amazed,
17:38
and glorified God,
17:39
saying,
17:40
We never saw anything like this.
17:44
And so on.
17:45
And may God bless that reading from his word.
17:48
Well, we'll again engage in a word of prayer.
17:50
Let us pray.
17:51
Lord, our gracious God,
17:55
as we come reading your word together,
17:58
we thank you for the very power that there is in your word.
18:02
We thank you that as we read there,
18:05
we see Jesus gathered together with a large crowd,
18:09
and he was preaching the word to them,
18:12
a reminder to us of the importance
18:14
of being gathered around the word of truth,
18:18
and to hear what you as Lord and God are saying to us,
18:23
to recognize that this is no ordinary word,
18:26
no ordinary book,
18:27
but this is a book that gives life,
18:29
that reminds us of where life is found,
18:32
and the hope that there is in Jesus Christ,
18:35
hope that is there for all who will call upon him.
18:39
And we thank you for the great example that we have read of,
18:42
of the longing that there was to be with Jesus,
18:45
of the longing that there was there to be near him.
18:49
And yet, as we will see as we read into this passage,
18:52
that there are those who are so loving towards him,
18:56
and yet there are others who question him and doubt him,
18:59
and seek to condemn him.
19:02
And that is the world in which we live today as well.
19:05
We thank you that your word is still powerful,
19:07
and it is active,
19:08
it is mighty to save.
19:10
And we thank you for every way that is bearing fruit
19:13
to all ends of the earth.
19:15
We thank you that that is a promise in your word,
19:18
that as it goes out,
19:19
it never returns empty or void,
19:22
but accomplishes every purpose for which you send it forth.
19:26
And so we ask that blessing on your word here today,
19:30
that it would go out with that same power,
19:33
and that today it would return to you,
19:35
accomplishing much,
19:36
accompanying your word.
19:38
May your spirit be with us.
19:40
May your spirit,
19:42
Holy Spirit,
19:42
open our hearts to receive your word,
19:45
and to rejoice in it.
19:47
And that even today,
19:48
there would be rejoicing in heaven,
19:50
over one sinner who repents.
19:53
And we ask,
19:54
Lord,
19:54
that that would be true for us here,
19:56
as it might be true for many,
19:58
who gather around your word this day,
20:00
throughout our town,
20:02
throughout our communities,
20:03
our islands,
20:04
our nation,
20:04
and the world.
20:05
We thank you that your word goes out to all ends of the earth.
20:10
And we pray,
20:10
Lord,
20:11
that your kingdom will come in power.
20:14
And so hear our prayers,
20:16
O Lord,
20:16
as we offer them up through the name of our Lord and Savior,
20:20
Jesus Christ,
20:21
that one who is the Son of God.
20:25
We thank you for what we read of our Lord Jesus in this passage,
20:30
and throughout your gospel of Mark,
20:32
and also throughout your whole word of truth.
20:36
We thank you that it points us constantly towards our greatest need of all,
20:42
that forgiveness of sin.
20:44
And so we confess our sin anew to you today,
20:46
asking forgiveness for them all,
20:49
for our sins that we,
20:50
in our thoughts,
20:51
in our words,
20:52
and in our actions,
20:53
and even in our inaction,
20:54
the things that we omit and do not do.
20:57
Lord,
20:57
pardon us,
20:58
we pray.
20:59
And hear us,
21:00
Lord,
21:00
as we cry out to you.
21:02
May we come,
21:03
even as the beggar at the side of the road,
21:05
who cried out to Jesus,
21:07
Jesus,
21:08
Son of David,
21:08
have mercy on me.
21:10
May that be our cry today,
21:12
that you would have mercy upon us.
21:14
Have mercy upon us as a people.
21:16
Remember us,
21:17
Lord,
21:17
in all our different needs.
21:18
We especially remember those who are mourning today,
21:21
as we hear of bereavement in our own midst,
21:24
as a congregation,
21:25
and in our communities around us as well.
21:29
Lord,
21:29
we do pray for your comfort,
21:31
thankful for the Holy Spirit,
21:33
who is the comforter.
21:34
And may that spirit surround those who are mourning today,
21:38
Lord,
21:38
that they would know in their grief and in their sorrow,
21:41
they would know the love of Jesus,
21:44
the one who is there for them,
21:45
the one who is with them.
21:47
Lord,
21:48
we do pray for those who are unwell in hospital,
21:51
or confined to their homes,
21:53
those who are going through different trials at this time,
21:56
as we hear and see so many things going on around us.
21:59
We think of work circumstances around us,
22:02
and we see people struggling financially because of lack of employment,
22:08
or uncertainty of employment.
22:11
We do pray,
22:11
Lord,
22:11
for a blessing upon us as a community here,
22:15
to see you provide for us,
22:17
Lord,
22:17
to provide work,
22:18
to provide for our homes and our families,
22:20
to provide us with wisdom and instruction from you,
22:24
to provide for those who are leaders over us,
22:27
Lord,
22:27
to give them wisdom,
22:29
to give them help,
22:29
to give them your spirit,
22:31
to lead and to guide,
22:33
to rule wisely,
22:34
to rule our people as a nation,
22:36
O Lord,
22:36
with the wisdom of your word and your truth.
22:40
We do pray,
22:41
Lord,
22:41
that there will be a turning to you in the midst of the avenues of power in
22:45
Westminster and Holyrood,
22:47
and a royal family as well,
22:49
Lord,
22:49
we pray and commit them to you as well,
22:51
asking for your blessing over our king and the queen and the family as well,
22:57
Lord,
22:57
that they would know your blessing upon them,
23:00
and that they would know what it is to rule wisely as well.
23:04
We pray that for our world too,
23:06
when we see the turmoil around us,
23:09
the uncertainty that surrounds us day by day,
23:11
the tragedies that are so often before our eyes,
23:15
there are so many things going on,
23:17
when we think of the Middle East and the Ukraine and the Far East,
23:21
and so much that we see in our screens,
23:24
but there's so much that's hidden from us as well.
23:27
The persecution of your people,
23:29
the suffering of people far and wide,
23:32
and yet nothing is hidden from you.
23:34
You know us by name,
23:36
you know each one,
23:37
and Lord,
23:37
we pray,
23:38
have mercy upon us,
23:39
draw us close to yourself,
23:41
have pity on us,
23:42
and make your face to shine upon us,
23:45
that we would see your blessing on us as nations of this world.
23:49
Hear our prayers,
23:50
Lord,
23:50
continue with us,
23:52
be with us in the week ahead,
23:53
and all that it entails,
23:54
as we seek to honour you,
23:55
and serve you,
23:57
in our homes,
23:57
in our families,
23:58
in our workplaces,
23:59
and as a congregation of your people,
24:01
and as a wider church as well.
24:04
May you lead us,
24:04
and guide us,
24:05
in these days,
24:06
we remember our young people,
24:08
as they will meet this coming Saturday,
24:11
and in Renes,
24:11
for the big free rally.
24:13
We thank you for all the work of the camps,
24:15
over the summer,
24:15
and we pray for your blessing,
24:18
to continue to come upon the young ones,
24:20
who attended,
24:21
and for a blessing on their day together,
24:23
God willing,
24:24
this week ahead.
24:25
Watch over us,
24:26
and we pray,
24:27
guide us by your spirit,
24:28
and hear us in all our prayers,
24:30
as we ask all,
24:31
in the name of our Lord and Saviour,
24:33
Jesus Christ,
24:34
and for his glory.
24:35
Amen.
24:39
Before we turn back,
24:41
to look at our passage in Mark,
24:42
we'll sing again,
24:43
this time in Psalm 103,
24:46
the Scottish Psalter version,
24:49
page 370,
24:53
Psalm 103,
24:55
verse 13.
25:00
We'll sing down to verse 18.
25:03
Such pity as our father hath,
25:05
and to his children dear,
25:07
like pity shows,
25:08
the Lord to such,
25:09
as worship him in fear,
25:11
for he remembers we are dust,
25:13
and he our frame well knows,
25:15
frail man,
25:16
his days are like the grass,
25:17
as flower in field,
25:19
he grows.
25:20
We'll sing from verse 13,
25:22
down to verse 18,
25:23
and we stand to sing,
25:24
and we stand to sing to God's praise.
25:25
Amen.
25:26
Amen.
25:26
Thank you.
25:56
Thank you.
26:26
Thank you.
26:56
Thank you.
27:26
Thank you.
27:56
Thank you.
27:58
Thank you.
28:00
Thank you.
28:02
Amen.
28:03
Amen.
28:04
Amen.
28:05
Amen, O praise.
28:13
Well, we can turn back to our reading in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 2.
28:17
We're looking at this section from verse 1 down to verse 12,
28:21
where Jesus heals this man who was brought to him on a stretcher,
28:25
a paralytic man brought to him by his friends.
28:29
But when we see what Jesus says to them in verse 5,
28:35
it kind of leaves the people astonished, I think, in many different ways.
28:40
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
28:43
My son, your sins are forgiven.
28:50
Who is Jesus?
28:52
That's the question that we start with today.
28:54
Who is Jesus?
28:56
How do you answer that question?
28:59
Do you answer it from a personal point of view
29:02
when you're able to say who he is to you?
29:04
Do you answer it in a general kind of way when maybe you've heard about Jesus
29:09
and you try to explain who he is from history or from what you've heard over the years?
29:16
Well, we're thankful that God has given us his word
29:20
because it is his word that answers that question for us.
29:24
And in the Gospel of Mark,
29:28
who is Jesus is the kind of question that you see being answered from the very beginning to the very end.
29:35
And Mark's Gospel in the first verse gives us a great answer of who Jesus is.
29:41
It says there in verse 1,
29:43
There is an answer of who Jesus is.
29:52
He is the Son of God.
29:55
Is that how we know him?
29:57
Is that how the people in Mark's day knew him?
30:01
Some did.
30:02
Some did.
30:03
But as we see, others didn't.
30:05
And others wouldn't accept Jesus for who he is.
30:09
But who is Jesus to you today?
30:13
Well, as you go through the Gospel of Mark,
30:16
you find, as Mark is writing,
30:19
he's revealing to us the identity of Jesus in amazing ways.
30:22
As from the very outset in chapter 1,
30:26
you see Jesus starting to perform miracles.
30:31
You see him teaching in ways that leave people astonished,
30:35
astounded as to the kind of teaching that they're hearing,
30:38
teaching like they've never heard before.
30:41
So there's this sense of astonishment,
30:43
this sense of bewilderment about who Jesus is.
30:47
You see at the end of chapter 1 that Jesus had to go out into the open places
30:51
because even towns couldn't receive him
30:54
because such numbers were coming.
30:56
It says they were coming from every quarter.
30:59
They were hearing about the things that Jesus was doing
31:02
and the miracles that he was performing
31:05
and the teaching that he was giving.
31:07
And they were astonished.
31:10
And they wanted to know who is this Jesus.
31:15
But it was more than just his miracles,
31:17
more than just his teaching.
31:19
As you go through the Gospel of Mark,
31:20
you see Jesus begin to say he came to suffer.
31:24
He came to give his life as a ransom for many.
31:27
The Son of God came to give his life on the cross.
31:31
And as you come to the end of the Gospel,
31:33
that's what you see, the death of Jesus.
31:37
But then on the third day, he rose again.
31:42
So this is the Jesus that Mark is showing us in his Gospel.
31:45
But who is Jesus to us today?
31:50
Do you see his identity?
31:53
Do you see who he is?
31:55
And do you identify with him?
31:59
Do you identify with him?
32:00
So Mark's Gospel moves so quickly.
32:05
There's a sense of just moving from one place to another so quickly.
32:09
There's a lot going on.
32:11
And in chapter 2, as we come to this section,
32:13
you see that after being out and about,
32:15
large crowds following him,
32:17
he's returned to Capernaum,
32:19
the place that's called home.
32:21
And as he's gathered here in a home,
32:25
there's a large crowd that's already started to gather.
32:29
And they're coming probably to see
32:32
the kind of things that Jesus has already been doing.
32:36
See more miracles.
32:38
Hear more teaching.
32:40
He's there teaching the Word to them.
32:43
But now he's going to reveal his identity
32:46
and who he is in terms of another reason
32:48
that he came into this world.
32:51
For the forgiveness of sin.
32:55
He came because he has so much more to offer
32:58
than just miracles and healing.
33:01
He has salvation.
33:03
He has the offer of eternal life.
33:07
He is the Son of God.
33:11
So what does Christianity have to offer to us today?
33:15
What does Christ have to offer to us today?
33:19
It's more than just coming to hear words.
33:22
It's more than just gathering in a fellowship together,
33:26
enjoying the friendship of one another.
33:29
What would you offer to someone
33:31
who you're inviting to come to church?
33:34
Would you say,
33:35
come and find a friendly group of people?
33:38
Come and find a nice fellowship where we can have a cup of tea
33:43
or a cup of coffee together.
33:45
Come and find a break for yourself in the day,
33:48
a place to come.
33:50
Is that all that we would have to offer?
33:52
Well, you see,
33:55
what Jesus shows here is the priority of his ministry.
33:59
And he shows his priority as these group of men
34:02
bring a friend who is a paralytic.
34:04
He's unable to walk.
34:06
He'd have been shunned by society in this day,
34:08
but he had friends around him.
34:11
And what they wanted was to bring their friend to Jesus.
34:15
And that's the greatest thing that we have to offer
34:18
here today to our people.
34:21
As we gather together,
34:22
as we invite others to come in,
34:24
we have an invitation to come to Jesus.
34:28
To Jesus.
34:30
And to be friends in the same way
34:32
as these ones who carried this paralytic to Jesus were.
34:37
Doing anything and everything
34:38
to bring our people to see Jesus.
34:40
and to hear the message of the great message
34:43
of forgiveness of sin that is on offer.
34:48
Is that the kind of friends and friendship
34:50
that we are showing to those around us today?
34:54
Are we friends in that true sense of the word
34:57
where our longing is for others to come
34:59
and see the friend who is Jesus
35:02
and to know him as Lord and Savior?
35:08
There was an article a number of years ago
35:10
that offered a prize
35:12
for the best definition of a friend.
35:16
Best definition of what a friend is.
35:19
And a number of people,
35:20
thousands of people sent in their answers
35:22
as to what this would look like,
35:24
what this was.
35:26
And the winning answer was this,
35:27
a friend is the one who comes in
35:29
when the whole world has gone out.
35:34
A friend is one who comes in
35:35
when the whole world has gone out.
35:38
It's someone who is there.
35:42
And that's the kind of friends
35:43
that this man had.
35:45
When the rest of society
35:46
would so easily abandon anyone
35:48
who was a burden,
35:50
anyone who was a burden on them
35:51
as a family or as a community,
35:53
you think of the blind beggar
35:55
later on in the Gospel of Mark
35:57
who was outside the town
35:59
begging at the side of the street.
36:01
He was shunned.
36:03
And so were many
36:04
who had problems,
36:05
physical, mental,
36:07
all these kinds of problems.
36:08
They were shunned.
36:10
But here you see
36:11
the true beauty of friendship.
36:15
Friendship and the longing
36:16
to help
36:17
and to bring their friend to Jesus.
36:22
And so are we these kinds of friends.
36:27
And how do we see Jesus today?
36:29
How do we identify Jesus today?
36:32
And how do we identify with him?
36:35
So there's three things
36:36
I want us to see in this passage.
36:38
The first thing is the faithful friends,
36:41
those who bring the paralytic in.
36:43
Then we see the faithless crowd.
36:46
How many of the crowd
36:47
were just lacking faith
36:49
and even just rejecting
36:50
and shunning Jesus.
36:52
But then we see the wonder
36:53
of the forgiving Savior.
36:55
So the first thing is
36:58
the faithful friends.
37:01
Jesus has just returned
37:03
from the desolate places
37:05
that we see at the end
37:06
of chapter one
37:07
where many were coming
37:09
from every quarter
37:10
to hear him
37:11
and to see him
37:11
doing many miracles
37:13
and different things.
37:15
But now he's returned
37:16
to Capernaum.
37:18
And as he has returned,
37:20
we see in verse two,
37:21
many were gathered together
37:22
so that there was
37:23
no more room in the home.
37:26
And he was there
37:28
preaching the word to them.
37:32
So you can just picture this.
37:34
A large crowd
37:36
is gathered in this home
37:37
and the house is full
37:39
so that even at the door
37:40
there's no room to get in.
37:42
It's impossible to get in.
37:44
There's just people everywhere.
37:47
And into this setting
37:48
come these four men
37:49
carrying a paralysed friend.
37:51
And they're determined
37:53
to get him to Jesus.
37:55
And they're looking for any way
37:57
to get him to Jesus.
37:58
And they're not going to give up.
38:00
They're not going to stop
38:01
until they can bring him to Jesus.
38:04
They have this faith.
38:06
They have this faith
38:07
that they know that Jesus can help.
38:10
Jesus can help their friend.
38:13
And so they're determined
38:15
to come to Jesus.
38:18
And so they look for every opportunity
38:19
to find a way in.
38:22
And they're bringing him to Jesus
38:24
that they might heal him.
38:26
Believing that he is able to help.
38:31
And is that the belief
38:33
that we have today?
38:34
You know, when you know
38:35
the Lord Jesus in your own heart
38:37
and you're talking to someone else,
38:39
inviting them to come
38:41
and hear about Jesus,
38:42
do you believe it?
38:44
Do you believe what you're saying?
38:46
Do you believe with all your heart
38:48
while you're presenting Jesus
38:49
as to who he is?
38:52
As to the power that he has?
38:55
Still today,
38:56
he has this power
38:57
to forgive sins.
39:00
And you notice that
39:01
as these men bring their friend,
39:03
the paralytic, to Jesus,
39:04
and when they manage
39:06
to dig down through the roof
39:08
and they manage to lower him down,
39:10
and Jesus sees their faith,
39:13
what does he say
39:15
to the paralytic?
39:17
He says in verse 5,
39:19
My son, your sins
39:20
are forgiven.
39:24
And you might think to yourself,
39:25
well,
39:26
surely they're going to be disappointed.
39:29
They've brought him
39:30
because he's not able to walk.
39:32
And yet,
39:33
this is the response
39:34
that he gives.
39:34
My son, your sins
39:36
are forgiven.
39:37
You get no hint
39:38
of disappointment here.
39:41
It's like this wonder
39:42
of his teaching
39:43
is just awestruck.
39:46
Your sins
39:47
are forgiven.
39:50
And this resonates
39:51
in the room
39:52
in different ways.
39:54
There are those
39:55
who are friends of Jesus
39:57
who hear this
39:58
and are amazed
40:00
at the offer
40:00
of forgiveness of sins.
40:02
But there are others,
40:03
as we'll see in a moment,
40:04
who just see this
40:06
as an abomination.
40:07
They see this
40:08
as just so wrong
40:10
in what he's saying.
40:11
How dare he say this
40:13
that he might forgive
40:14
the sins
40:15
of someone.
40:18
But as we're inviting
40:19
people
40:20
to Jesus,
40:21
surely that's the most
40:22
important thing
40:23
for us.
40:26
That they would know
40:27
Jesus saying,
40:28
your sins
40:29
are forgiven.
40:32
Because there is
40:33
the greatest peace.
40:35
There is the greatest
40:36
blessing
40:37
that anyone
40:38
can receive.
40:40
It may not be
40:41
that healing comes.
40:42
We see here it does.
40:44
But even as we're
40:45
inviting people
40:46
to Jesus,
40:47
there may not be
40:47
a physical healing.
40:50
But the greatest
40:51
thing they can receive
40:52
is the forgiveness
40:53
of sin.
40:55
That is what matters.
40:58
Because that is what
40:59
counts
40:59
for eternity.
41:01
So we are to be
41:04
faithful friends
41:06
inviting people
41:07
to Jesus,
41:08
to invite
41:09
all
41:09
to Jesus.
41:12
These faithful
41:13
friends,
41:14
Jesus sees them.
41:15
And what does he see
41:15
in them?
41:17
He sees
41:18
their faith.
41:20
He sees
41:21
their faith
41:22
in verse 5.
41:23
When Jesus saw
41:24
their faith,
41:27
he saw
41:27
their faith,
41:28
he saw their
41:28
determination
41:29
to come
41:30
to him.
41:31
How does
41:32
Jesus
41:33
see you?
41:35
How does he
41:36
see your faith?
41:38
Do you have
41:38
that faith
41:40
today?
41:41
How does he
41:41
see others
41:42
around us
41:43
today?
41:44
The wonder
41:45
of how Jesus,
41:46
he doesn't condemn
41:47
them for bringing
41:48
this paralytic.
41:50
He doesn't condemn
41:50
them later on
41:51
for bringing
41:52
children as many
41:53
do.
41:54
You see,
41:54
it's so often
41:55
that Jesus,
41:56
he doesn't matter
41:57
who comes.
41:58
It doesn't
41:59
matter who
41:59
they are.
42:01
They all need
42:01
to hear
42:02
the same
42:03
message.
42:03
They are all
42:04
precious to
42:05
him.
42:06
A couple of
42:07
years ago,
42:08
there was a
42:08
very moving
42:09
series of
42:10
adverts put
42:11
on the
42:11
television about
42:12
the NHS.
42:14
And they were
42:14
trying to
42:15
highlight the
42:16
stigma of
42:17
addiction and
42:18
trying to
42:18
break the
42:19
stigma.
42:20
And the
42:20
adverts were
42:21
powerful.
42:22
They were
42:22
moving.
42:24
And in one
42:24
of the
42:25
adverts,
42:25
there was
42:26
a woman
42:26
sitting in
42:27
her room
42:27
at home.
42:28
Obviously
42:28
she was an
42:28
actor,
42:29
but you
42:30
can just
42:30
picture this
42:31
in so
42:31
many people's
42:32
lives.
42:33
Broken
42:33
by drug
42:34
addiction.
42:36
And the
42:37
woman was
42:37
just speaking
42:38
about her
42:39
issues.
42:40
And it
42:40
was the
42:41
last words
42:42
that were
42:43
so powerful
42:44
when she
42:44
was saying
42:45
about how
42:45
others would
42:47
see her.
42:48
She was
42:48
saying,
42:49
like,
42:49
you won't
42:49
feel I'm
42:50
worth the
42:51
time of
42:52
day because
42:53
I have a
42:54
drug problem.
42:56
That's how
42:56
she would
42:57
expect to
42:58
be seen
42:58
by others.
43:01
Is that
43:01
how Jesus
43:02
would see
43:02
her?
43:04
Or would
43:04
Jesus see
43:05
her as
43:06
someone who
43:06
needs
43:06
forgiveness
43:07
of sin?
43:09
The way
43:09
Jesus sees
43:10
all of us.
43:11
We all
43:12
have our
43:12
problems.
43:13
We're all
43:14
unworthy.
43:15
And yet
43:15
Jesus looks
43:16
on us and
43:16
has that
43:17
longing that
43:18
we would
43:18
know the
43:18
forgiveness
43:19
of sin.
43:20
these
43:23
friends,
43:24
they don't
43:25
come wondering
43:26
if Jesus
43:26
can do
43:27
it.
43:28
They come
43:28
in faith,
43:30
knowing the
43:31
power that
43:31
Jesus has
43:32
and the
43:33
power that
43:33
leads to
43:34
the forgiveness
43:35
of sin
43:36
because there
43:36
is the
43:37
identity of
43:38
Jesus that
43:38
they know.
43:40
The identity
43:40
that we see
43:41
at the
43:41
beginning of
43:41
the gospel
43:42
in chapter
43:43
1,
43:43
verse 1,
43:44
the beginning
43:44
of the gospel
43:45
of Jesus
43:46
Christ,
43:47
the Son
43:48
of God.
43:50
They have
43:51
faith and
43:52
they are
43:53
faithful friends
43:54
bringing their
43:55
friend to
43:56
Jesus who
43:57
is able to
43:58
forgive.
44:00
And so may
44:01
we have that
44:02
faith too.
44:03
And may we
44:04
have that
44:04
faithfulness in
44:06
bringing others
44:07
to see the
44:07
wonder of
44:08
Jesus who
44:09
can forgive
44:10
sins.
44:12
So we are
44:13
the faithful
44:13
friends.
44:13
Secondly,
44:14
then we have
44:14
the faithless
44:15
crowd.
44:17
There are
44:17
those in
44:18
the crowd
44:18
who doubt
44:19
who Jesus
44:20
is.
44:20
They don't
44:20
see the
44:21
identity of
44:21
Jesus as
44:22
the Son
44:23
of God.
44:25
It says
44:26
there in
44:26
verse 6,
44:27
some of the
44:27
scribes were
44:28
sitting there
44:29
questioning in
44:30
their hearts,
44:30
why does this
44:31
man speak like
44:32
that?
44:33
He is
44:33
blaspheming.
44:34
Who can
44:35
forgive sins
44:36
but God
44:37
alone?
44:39
So they're
44:40
sitting there,
44:40
they're grumbling
44:41
as you see it
44:42
so often in
44:43
the gospel as
44:44
people are
44:44
seeing Jesus
44:45
and especially
44:46
those who
44:47
were in
44:47
position of
44:48
authority,
44:49
in position
44:50
of power.
44:51
They saw
44:51
Jesus as
44:52
a threat
44:53
to themselves
44:53
and they
44:55
were probably
44:56
claiming the
44:57
Old Testament
44:58
scriptures,
44:59
scriptures like
45:00
Isaiah 43
45:01
verse 25
45:03
where God
45:03
says,
45:04
I, even
45:05
I, am
45:06
he who
45:07
blots out
45:07
your transgressions
45:08
for my own
45:10
sake and
45:10
remembers your
45:11
sins.
45:12
No more
45:13
that God
45:14
alone is
45:15
able to
45:16
forgive sin.
45:17
And so
45:18
who is
45:19
this?
45:20
Who is
45:20
this intruder?
45:21
Who is
45:22
this man
45:23
Jesus who
45:23
claims to
45:24
be able to
45:25
forgive sins?
45:27
He is
45:28
blaspheming,
45:29
they say.
45:30
Who can
45:30
forgive sin
45:31
but God
45:32
alone?
45:32
And they
45:33
are right,
45:33
only God
45:34
can forgive
45:35
sin.
45:37
But they
45:38
miss the
45:38
identity of
45:39
who Jesus
45:40
is.
45:41
That he
45:42
is Jesus
45:42
Christ,
45:43
the son
45:44
of God.
45:47
He is
45:47
God
45:48
incarnate.
45:50
He is
45:50
God who
45:51
has come
45:51
down to
45:52
us in
45:53
the person
45:54
of Jesus
45:55
Christ.
45:57
And yet
45:57
they see
45:58
him as
45:59
a threat.
46:00
They
46:00
didn't get
46:01
what they
46:02
wanted from
46:03
him.
46:03
They
46:03
didn't get
46:04
what he
46:04
expected
46:05
from him.
46:06
He was
46:06
taking
46:07
their
46:08
authority,
46:09
so he
46:09
saw
46:09
them
46:10
as a
46:11
threat.
46:13
And there's
46:13
a number
46:13
of occasions
46:14
in the
46:15
scriptures
46:15
where you
46:15
find when
46:16
people
46:16
didn't get
46:17
what they
46:17
wanted from
46:18
Jesus,
46:18
they turned
46:19
away.
46:20
If they
46:21
found things
46:21
too difficult,
46:22
they turned
46:23
away.
46:24
A great
46:25
example is
46:25
in the
46:26
Gospel of
46:26
John at
46:27
the end
46:27
of chapter
46:27
6,
46:28
verse 60
46:29
through to
46:30
verse 71.
46:31
It says
46:32
many of the
46:32
disciples turned
46:33
away because
46:34
they found
46:34
his teaching
46:35
too difficult.
46:38
They turned
46:38
away.
46:39
And that's
46:40
the time
46:40
when Jesus
46:41
turned to
46:41
the disciples
46:42
and said,
46:43
will you
46:43
also go
46:44
away?
46:45
And Peter
46:46
had that
46:46
great response
46:47
to whom
46:48
else can
46:49
we go?
46:50
You have
46:50
the words
46:51
of eternal
46:52
life.
46:53
They knew
46:54
the importance
46:55
and the
46:55
identity of
46:56
Jesus.
46:57
You alone
46:58
have the
46:59
words of
46:59
eternal
47:00
life.
47:02
The
47:02
troubles of
47:02
this world,
47:03
they'll be
47:03
there,
47:04
but you
47:04
have a
47:05
greater
47:05
purpose.
47:06
You have
47:07
a greater
47:07
power and
47:08
authority
47:08
than
47:09
anything
47:09
else
47:09
in this
47:10
world.
47:12
But many
47:12
turned away
47:13
faithless,
47:14
not believing
47:15
the identity
47:16
of who
47:17
Jesus
47:18
was.
47:20
And it's
47:20
amazing how
47:21
people can
47:22
come into
47:22
a church
47:23
and go
47:24
away because
47:25
they don't
47:25
get what
47:26
they want.
47:27
I've seen
47:28
it over the
47:29
years in
47:29
different ways.
47:30
I remember
47:30
once some
47:31
people coming
47:32
into a
47:32
church and
47:33
they were
47:33
wanting to
47:34
hear Gaelic
47:34
singing.
47:35
singing.
47:35
And when
47:36
they came
47:36
in and
47:36
asked if
47:37
there was
47:37
Gaelic
47:38
singing,
47:38
they heard
47:38
that there
47:39
wasn't
47:39
that day,
47:40
they went
47:41
away.
47:43
What was
47:43
important was
47:44
the singing.
47:45
They missed
47:45
out on the
47:46
gospel.
47:48
Another time,
47:49
some people
47:49
came in
47:50
looking and
47:51
asking if
47:51
there was
47:51
going to
47:51
be food
47:52
served in
47:53
church.
47:54
And when
47:54
they heard
47:54
that it
47:55
was just
47:55
a cup of
47:55
tea and
47:56
a biscuit
47:56
afterwards,
47:57
they went
47:57
away.
47:59
They didn't
47:59
wait for
48:00
any other
48:00
service.
48:01
They missed
48:01
out on the
48:02
gospel.
48:03
gospel.
48:04
What's
48:05
important to
48:05
them wasn't
48:06
who Jesus
48:07
is,
48:08
it was
48:08
their own
48:09
needs.
48:11
And that's
48:12
the danger
48:12
for ourselves
48:13
as well,
48:14
that we put
48:14
ourselves
48:15
first and
48:16
our own
48:17
desires,
48:17
our own
48:18
needs first
48:18
and not
48:20
the needs
48:20
of knowing
48:21
Jesus as
48:22
the Son
48:22
of God.
48:25
And it's
48:25
amazing when
48:26
you look at
48:26
Capernaum
48:27
here.
48:28
Capernaum,
48:29
a place where
48:30
Jesus did
48:31
so much in
48:31
his earthly
48:32
ministry.
48:32
so much
48:33
teaching.
48:34
He was
48:35
there preaching
48:35
the word
48:36
to them.
48:37
And they
48:37
saw all
48:38
of these
48:38
things
48:38
happening.
48:40
And yet
48:41
so many
48:41
still remained
48:42
hardened and
48:44
unconverted.
48:46
And it
48:46
stands as a
48:47
warning to
48:48
us today.
48:50
In the
48:50
gospel of
48:51
Matthew,
48:52
Capernaum is
48:53
used as a
48:54
warning.
48:55
In verse
48:56
23 of
48:57
chapter 11,
48:58
it says,
48:58
And you,
48:58
Capernaum,
49:00
will you be
49:00
exalted to
49:01
heaven?
49:02
You will
49:03
be brought
49:03
down to
49:04
Hades.
49:05
For if the
49:08
mighty works
49:09
done in you
49:09
had been
49:10
done in
49:10
Sodom,
49:11
it would
49:11
have remained
49:12
until this
49:13
day.
49:14
But I tell
49:15
you that it
49:16
will be more
49:16
tolerable on
49:17
the day of
49:17
judgment for
49:18
the land of
49:18
Sodom than
49:20
for you.
49:21
What's he
49:21
saying there?
49:22
He's saying
49:23
you have seen
49:24
the blessings,
49:26
the presence
49:27
of Jesus,
49:28
the preaching
49:28
of Jesus,
49:29
and you've
49:30
turned away.
49:32
So it will
49:33
be more
49:33
tolerable on
49:34
the day of
49:34
judgment for
49:35
the land of
49:35
Sodom.
49:38
And there's a
49:38
warning for us
49:39
in that today as
49:40
well.
49:40
That passage in
49:42
Matthew when there's
49:42
that warning is
49:43
just before it
49:44
says about Jesus
49:45
having all
49:47
authority and
49:47
saying,
49:48
Come to me,
49:49
all you who
49:50
labor and are
49:50
heavy laden,
49:51
and I will
49:52
give you rest.
49:54
It's to find
49:55
rest in
49:56
Jesus.
49:58
And it's a
49:59
warning to us
49:59
today because of
50:00
the blessing of
50:01
the gospel in
50:02
our midst.
50:04
The gospel has
50:05
been present in
50:05
our island for
50:07
a few generations
50:09
now.
50:10
The blessing of
50:11
having the word
50:12
preached and yet
50:13
so many will say
50:14
no, not for
50:16
me.
50:18
It will be more
50:18
tolerable on the
50:19
day of judgment
50:20
for the land of
50:21
Sodom than for
50:22
you.
50:22
That's the stark
50:23
warning.
50:24
that the
50:27
faithless people,
50:28
there's a warning
50:29
there that
50:31
salvation is
50:32
found in
50:33
Christ alone.
50:35
We need
50:35
forgiveness of
50:36
sins and this
50:37
is found in
50:38
Christ alone.
50:40
Somebody once
50:41
said, where God
50:42
places a full
50:43
stop, let no
50:46
man put a
50:46
question mark.
50:48
And if you look
50:49
at that in the
50:49
context of this
50:50
passage in verse
50:51
five, Jesus
50:52
sees this faith of
50:53
these men and
50:54
says to the
50:55
parletic, your
50:56
sins are
50:58
forgiven.
51:00
Full stop.
51:01
Your sins are
51:03
forgiven.
51:05
But what do the
51:06
scribes say in
51:08
verse seven?
51:09
Why does this man
51:09
speak like that?
51:10
He is blaspheming.
51:12
Who can forgive
51:13
sin but God
51:14
alone?
51:15
There's a
51:15
question mark.
51:17
They're questioning
51:18
who this Jesus
51:19
is.
51:19
there's a doubt
51:22
there.
51:23
But if he said
51:24
it, if he's able
51:26
to say your sins
51:27
are forgiven,
51:28
that's it, full
51:29
stop.
51:30
People will come
51:31
to church with
51:32
doubts and
51:33
questions and
51:34
worries and
51:34
fears.
51:36
We have to say
51:37
there's a full
51:38
stop.
51:39
When you put your
51:40
trust in Jesus,
51:41
your sins are
51:43
forgiven.
51:45
They are cast
51:46
into the depths
51:47
of the sea.
51:49
There is
51:50
redemption
51:50
found in
51:52
Jesus.
51:55
Well, there's a
51:55
faithless crowd.
51:58
Let's not be
51:59
found in the
52:00
midst of them.
52:02
But the final
52:02
thing we want to
52:03
see here is the
52:04
forgiving
52:05
Savior.
52:08
As I say, Mark
52:09
moves so quickly
52:10
and when you come
52:11
into chapter two,
52:12
it's amazing how
52:12
much has already
52:13
happened.
52:14
Where Jesus is
52:15
showing his
52:16
authority already,
52:17
his authority
52:17
over people.
52:19
In verse 16,
52:21
he calls the
52:22
first disciples,
52:23
he says,
52:24
follow me and
52:25
I will make you
52:26
fishers of men
52:27
in verse 17.
52:29
And they leave
52:29
everything and
52:30
follow him.
52:31
He has this
52:32
power, he has
52:33
this authority.
52:35
And then
52:35
immediately they
52:36
start to see
52:36
his power and
52:37
authority.
52:38
He heals a
52:39
man with an
52:40
unclean spirit.
52:41
He goes on to
52:42
heal many.
52:43
Then he
52:43
preaches in
52:44
Galilee.
52:44
Then he
52:45
cleanses a
52:45
leper.
52:46
There's so
52:46
much going
52:48
on already
52:48
here.
52:50
He's showing
52:50
authority in
52:51
so many
52:52
different ways.
52:54
But now we
52:55
see his
52:56
greatest
52:56
authority.
52:58
That he is
52:59
able to
53:00
forgive sin.
53:02
And when you
53:02
look at verse
53:03
nine through
53:04
to verse
53:04
twelve in
53:05
chapter two,
53:07
Jesus says,
53:07
which is
53:08
easier to say
53:09
to the
53:09
paralytic,
53:10
your sins
53:10
are forgiven,
53:11
or to say,
53:12
rise, take up
53:13
your bed and
53:13
walk.
53:15
But that you
53:16
may know that
53:16
the Son of
53:17
Man has
53:18
authority on
53:18
earth to
53:19
forgive sins.
53:20
He said to
53:20
the paralytic,
53:21
I say to
53:22
you, rise,
53:23
pick up your
53:24
bed and go
53:25
home.
53:25
And they
53:26
both happened
53:26
together.
53:28
He was able
53:28
to walk and
53:30
he knew
53:30
forgiveness of
53:31
sin.
53:33
What was
53:33
more important?
53:37
Surely the
53:37
forgiveness of
53:39
sin.
53:39
sin.
53:40
It's
53:40
wonderful that
53:41
he was
53:41
healed.
53:43
But the
53:43
greatest gift
53:44
of God is
53:45
salvation in
53:46
Jesus Christ.
53:48
It's the most
53:48
important thing
53:49
that we need
53:51
to hear.
53:53
And that's
53:53
what Mark is
53:54
showing us
53:54
throughout his
53:56
gospel.
53:57
The identity
53:58
of who Jesus
53:59
is.
53:59
Beginning in
54:00
that first
54:01
verse of
54:02
chapter one,
54:02
the beginning
54:03
of the gospel
54:03
of Jesus
54:04
Christ, the
54:05
Son of
54:07
God, to
54:09
seeing here
54:09
in verse
54:10
12, the
54:11
response.
54:13
They were
54:13
all amazed
54:14
and glorified
54:15
God, saying
54:16
we have never
54:17
seen anything
54:18
like this.
54:22
In chapter
54:23
four, verse
54:23
41, as they're
54:25
caught in the
54:25
storm and
54:26
Jesus calms
54:27
the storm,
54:29
the disciples
54:30
were filled
54:30
with great fear
54:31
and said to
54:32
one another,
54:33
in verse 41,
54:34
who then is
54:35
this, that
54:36
even the wind
54:37
and the sea
54:37
obey him?
54:39
There's this
54:39
identity of
54:40
Jesus being
54:41
revealed over
54:42
time.
54:43
Who is this
54:44
that even
54:45
the wind and
54:46
the waves
54:47
obey him?
54:49
Then you
54:49
come into
54:50
chapter eight
54:50
and there's
54:51
all this
54:51
discussion going
54:52
on.
54:52
Who is
54:53
Jesus?
54:55
Some are
54:56
saying Elijah
54:56
or one of
54:57
the prophets,
54:57
but Jesus
54:58
turns it on
54:59
his head and
54:59
says, but
55:00
who do you
55:01
say that I
55:02
am?
55:03
And that's
55:03
the question
55:04
today, our
55:05
identity of
55:06
Jesus.
55:07
Who is he?
55:08
Well, Peter
55:09
answered in
55:10
chapter eight
55:10
verse 29,
55:12
you are the
55:14
Christ.
55:16
You are the
55:17
Son of God.
55:20
So this
55:21
revelation is
55:22
there through
55:22
his word.
55:24
And then you
55:25
come to
55:25
chapter 15,
55:27
on the cross,
55:29
on the
55:29
crucifixion,
55:30
and it's
55:30
almost like
55:31
it just comes
55:32
full circle.
55:33
Jesus
55:34
revealing,
55:35
Mark saying
55:36
to us,
55:37
this is the
55:37
beginning of
55:37
the gospel
55:38
of Jesus
55:38
Christ,
55:39
the Son of
55:40
God.
55:40
In chapter
55:41
15,
55:42
verse 39,
55:43
you have the
55:43
Roman centurion
55:44
looking on,
55:44
and what does
55:45
he say?
55:46
He says,
55:47
truly,
55:49
this man
55:49
was the
55:50
Son of
55:51
God.
55:53
This is
55:53
who Jesus
55:54
is.
55:57
There's a
55:57
Jewish
55:57
proverb that
55:58
says,
55:59
a friend
55:59
is one
56:00
who warns
56:01
you.
56:03
Well,
56:04
Jesus came
56:05
to warn
56:06
us.
56:07
He came
56:08
to warn
56:08
us.
56:09
In chapter
56:09
1,
56:10
verse 15,
56:11
the time
56:11
is fulfilled,
56:12
the kingdom
56:12
of God
56:13
is at
56:13
hand,
56:13
repent,
56:15
and believe
56:15
in the
56:16
gospel.
56:18
Believe
56:19
in Jesus
56:20
Christ,
56:21
the Son
56:22
of God.
56:25
We don't
56:26
see him,
56:27
but we
56:29
hear him.
56:30
He is
56:31
preaching
56:32
to us
56:33
today.
56:34
He is
56:35
the one
56:35
who is
56:36
able to
56:36
say,
56:37
your sins
56:38
are forgiven.
56:40
He is
56:41
the one
56:41
who is
56:42
able to
56:43
make you
56:43
well.
56:45
But you
56:45
say,
56:45
I can't
56:46
see him.
56:47
How can
56:48
I trust
56:48
him?
56:50
Well,
56:50
he sees
56:51
you,
56:52
and that's
56:53
what counts.
56:55
There's a
56:56
story told
56:57
of a
56:58
house that
56:59
caught fire
56:59
one night,
57:00
and there
57:02
was a
57:02
young boy
57:03
still in
57:03
the house
57:04
and he
57:04
was forced
57:05
to flee
57:05
up to
57:06
the roof.
57:07
And his
57:08
father had
57:08
got out
57:08
of the
57:09
house and
57:09
he was
57:09
looking up
57:10
to his
57:11
son,
57:11
he was
57:11
hearing him
57:12
screaming.
57:14
And he
57:14
was shouting
57:14
up to
57:15
his son,
57:15
jump,
57:16
I'll catch
57:17
you.
57:18
He knew
57:19
the boy
57:19
had to
57:20
jump.
57:21
He knew
57:21
it was the
57:21
only way
57:22
to get
57:23
to safety.
57:24
And so he
57:24
was shouting,
57:25
jump,
57:26
I'll catch
57:27
you.
57:28
But as
57:29
the wee
57:29
boy was
57:30
looking down,
57:30
all he
57:31
could see
57:31
was smoke
57:32
and flames
57:32
and darkness.
57:34
He couldn't
57:34
see his
57:35
father.
57:36
He could
57:36
hear the
57:36
voice,
57:37
but he
57:37
couldn't
57:37
see him.
57:39
And he
57:39
was afraid.
57:42
And the
57:42
father was
57:43
still shouting,
57:43
jump.
57:45
And the
57:46
boy was
57:46
saying,
57:47
but dad,
57:47
I can't
57:48
see you.
57:50
And the
57:50
father replied,
57:51
but I can
57:52
see you.
57:54
And that's
57:54
all that
57:55
matters.
57:56
And so
57:57
the boy
57:58
jumped.
57:59
And the
58:00
father caught
58:01
him.
58:02
And that's
58:03
the gospel.
58:05
We say
58:06
we can't
58:06
see Jesus.
58:08
How can
58:08
we know
58:08
he's real?
58:10
We have
58:11
to put
58:11
ourselves
58:12
into his
58:13
hands
58:13
to take
58:15
that leap
58:15
of faith,
58:17
to come
58:18
believing
58:20
in him
58:20
as the
58:21
son of
58:22
God,
58:23
the one
58:24
who is
58:24
able to
58:25
forgive
58:26
our sins.
58:28
That is
58:29
the Jesus
58:29
that we
58:31
see here.
58:32
Do we
58:33
see his
58:33
identity?
58:35
Do we
58:35
see him
58:36
as the
58:37
son of
58:38
God,
58:38
the Christ,
58:39
the Messiah,
58:40
the one
58:41
who came
58:41
to save
58:42
his people
58:42
from their
58:44
sins?
58:45
Do you
58:46
identify
58:46
with him
58:48
as he
58:50
identifies
58:51
to you?
58:53
He came
58:54
for sinners.
58:57
And we
58:57
are all
58:58
sinners.
58:59
But we
59:00
are all
59:01
to put
59:01
our trust
59:02
in him
59:03
and to
59:04
invite
59:05
others
59:05
so that
59:07
as we
59:07
know Christ
59:08
and the
59:08
forgiveness
59:08
of our
59:09
sins,
59:10
that we
59:10
would be
59:11
like these
59:11
men who
59:12
brought
59:13
their
59:13
friend to
59:14
Jesus,
59:14
that he
59:15
might be
59:15
well,
59:17
that we
59:17
would say
59:18
to others,
59:19
come,
59:20
come to
59:21
Jesus.
59:22
He is
59:23
the one
59:23
who can
59:24
forgive your
59:25
sins and
59:27
make you
59:27
well.
59:29
Let's
59:30
identify
59:30
with Jesus,
59:32
the son
59:32
of God,
59:34
and let's
59:34
have faith
59:35
in him
59:36
and encourage
59:37
others to
59:38
come and
59:39
know that
59:40
power of
59:41
salvation
59:42
in him.
59:43
Let us
59:44
pray.
59:46
Our
59:46
Father in
59:47
heaven,
59:47
we do
59:48
rejoice in
59:49
your goodness
59:50
to us,
59:50
that you
59:51
speak,
59:51
you call
59:52
us to
59:52
yourself
59:53
through
59:53
your
59:53
word,
59:54
and even
59:55
in times
59:55
when we
59:56
cannot see,
59:57
even in
59:57
times when
59:58
we doubt
59:58
and we
59:59
seem to
59:59
lack
1:00:00
faith,
1:00:01
that you
1:00:01
still call
1:00:02
us to
1:00:02
yourself,
1:00:03
that you
1:00:03
are the
1:00:04
one who
1:00:04
is able
1:00:04
to forgive
1:00:05
us our
1:00:06
sins and
1:00:06
to make
1:00:07
us new.
1:00:08
So,
1:00:08
Lord,
1:00:08
hear our
1:00:09
prayers and
1:00:10
help us
1:00:10
to be
1:00:11
faithful as
1:00:12
friends to
1:00:13
others,
1:00:13
inviting to
1:00:14
Jesus,
1:00:15
that there
1:00:15
we would
1:00:16
find that
1:00:17
friend who
1:00:17
stays closer
1:00:18
than any
1:00:19
brother,
1:00:20
and the
1:00:20
one who
1:00:20
says,
1:00:21
you are
1:00:21
my
1:00:21
friends if
1:00:22
you do
1:00:22
as I
1:00:23
command.
1:00:24
Hear our
1:00:25
prayers and
1:00:25
go before us
1:00:26
in the rest of
1:00:27
this day,
1:00:28
pardoning our
1:00:28
sin in
1:00:29
Jesus' name.
1:00:30
Amen.
1:00:30
We'll
1:00:35
conclude by
1:00:36
singing to
1:00:36
God's
1:00:37
praise in
1:00:37
Psalm 138.
1:00:39
We'll sing
1:00:40
Psalms
1:00:41
version,
1:00:41
page 179.
1:00:49
Psalm 138,
1:00:51
we'll sing
1:00:51
from verse 1
1:00:52
to verse 5.
1:00:54
I'll praise
1:00:54
you,
1:00:54
Lord,
1:00:55
with all my
1:00:55
heart.
1:00:56
Before the
1:00:56
gods,
1:00:57
I'll sing
1:00:57
your praise.
1:00:58
I'll bow
1:00:58
towards your
1:01:00
holy place
1:01:01
and bless
1:01:01
your holy
1:01:02
name always.
1:01:04
We'll sing
1:01:04
from verse 1
1:01:05
to 5 to
1:01:05
God's
1:01:06
praise.
1:01:06
We stand
1:01:07
to sing.
1:01:08
am Evan
1:01:08
goes
1:01:10
to
1:01:10
Christ.
1:01:11
harder
1:01:12
to
1:01:12
be
1:01:13
HD
1:01:13
in
1:01:14
music
1:01:17
,
1:01:17
Vern
1:01:27
to
1:01:27
I
1:01:27
own
1:01:27
power
1:01:28
in
1:01:29
y
1:01:29
va
1:01:31
時
1:01:32
preventing
1:01:33
be
1:01:34
忍
1:01:34
tać
1:01:35
who
1:01:36
Amen.
1:02:06
Amen.
1:02:36
Amen.
1:03:06
Amen.
1:03:36
Amen.
1:03:47
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right.
1:03:49
We'll close with the benediction.
1:03:51
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
1:03:56
rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore.
1:04:01
Amen.
1:04:06
Amen.
1:04:36
Amen.