In the book of Luke plays gospel according to St. Luke, a famous passage, well-known passage. And it's the healing of the man sick, the palsy. So we'll pick up our reading on Luke chapter five and verse 17. Luke five and verse 17, please. And we'll read to verse 26. It says so, and it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And behold, man brought in a bed, a man which was taken with a palsy, and they sought means to bring him in and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up on the housetop and led him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering, said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? Whether it is easier to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Rise up and walk? But ye may know that the Son of Man hath power upon earth to forgive sins. He said unto the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, we have seen strange things today. Let us pray. Father, thank you that, oh Lord, we are able to be in your house tonight. I know of no other place I'd rather be, oh Lord. and in your house, in your presence. This is your day. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will be glad and rejoice in it. Lord, thank you, Lord, for your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. And I pray, Lord, as we look into thy word, that you give us understanding. Give us, O Lord, I pray, the eyes to see wondrous things out of thy word. For we ask them in your Son's name. Amen. We have here again our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He, because of what the previous miracle that he did, that is the healing of the leper. Luke tells us in this chapter 5 again of this gospel that in verse 15 he says, and speaking of the man again that was healed of his leprosy. so much more when there are fame abroad of him, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed." Jesus beloved, because of the miracles that he had done, it was no longer any room that could contain the people that would come and hear him. Mark tells us, again you go read this account of the book of Mark, that when these men brought the paralytic there was no such room not at the door. And I know this is a familiar story, a familiar passage of Scripture. But I want to bring out some things that Luke points out for us. Number one, I want to see the audience that Luke brings out. Who is before our Savior Jesus Christ? Secondly, in verse 17 we read, the power of the Lord was present to heal them. Now Luke is the only one that brings out this phrase, the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And thirdly, I want to see the demonstration of this power. Number one, in the paralytic having his sins forgiven. And secondly, in the paralytic walking home. So after the Lord healed the leper, his fame grew. Great multitudes came to hear him speak and to be healed of their diseases. The Savior withdrew himself in the wilderness and prayed. As a matter of fact, if you read this chapter, he borrowed one of the boats and from the seashore he would teach his people. There was a great multitude that followed him. The city doesn't say in verse 17, he says, and it came to pass on a certain day. It's Capernaum, his city, his own city. It's not his own house because the Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head. He returns to Capernaum where our text begins in Luke 5 and 17. His teaching in the house, news travels that he's there, and another multitude fills the house to the point that there's no more room. Mark notes that there was no room to receive them. No, not so much as about the door, Mark 2 and verse 2. In this multitude, we find the common people. Those plagued by infirmities, those who desire to hear him preach, and of course his disciples. This day also brought out the Pharisees. If you read verse 17 he says, and it came to pass on a certain day as he was teaching, there's Pharisees and doctors of the law and they're sitting by. There's also scribes according to the other evangelists. So Luke points out, beloved, where they come from. His fame has spread quickly and Luke points out in verse 17, they came from, notice what he says, very specific, out of every town of Galilee and Judea, and of course Jerusalem is not a town but it's a city, but they come from that city also to here. Now what is the purpose of them being there? They come, beloved, to investigate. They come to scrutinize. They come to find something against this young preacher. Their hearing was not like the others who heard him gladly. Rather, they looked for a way to accuse him of violating Moses' law. After all, remember who this group is. The Pharisees are those zealous of the law. The doctors earned their respect by studying the law, And the scribes copied the law, so who would know better than them about such matters? After all, this young preacher did not receive training or formal training from them. He did not go from any of their schools. When said this man this knowledge? When said this man these letters, this learning? These teachers were the formal. They're the outright people. But they lack something. Very important. Although Luke does not say it right out. They lack faith. They lack saving faith. The power of the Lord is present to heal them. And though we say, well maybe it didn't include the doctors and the Pharisees and the scribes. Maybe that's why some were healed and some were not. But we're going to look at that phrase in a bit. They lack saving faith. Their blindness did not allow them to see the Savior before them. Their deafness did not allow them to hear the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. But we find them there, as Luke points out verse 17, they're just sitting by, sitting, listening. This is the greatest preacher there ever has been. This is the greatest sermons they ever will hear. As Luke points out in another passage, the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. They were full of grace. Now, notice what Luke says, verse 17 at the end. The power of the Lord was present to heal them. And this is the point. of this record before us. This is Luke's point set before us. What exactly does this mean? And how does it connect with what follows? What does Luke bring it out? Well, what follows? What follows is the demonstration of his power, of his power, his authority, It's authority to forgive sin. And it's authority, beloved, to tell this man to rise up and take up his bed and walk. How so? Well, beloved, if we look at this scriptures, if we look at our story, what is a man's greatest needs? What is the man's greatest needs? And this passage, beloved, is used to teach us the Lord's power, the Lord's omniscience, the necessity of faith, man's greatest needs, and also, Luke puts this in verse 24, the revelation of the Son of Man. Which I'm not even going to get to. I'm not even going to get to. But I will mention some things. Brother Joe, I thought this was just about a man getting healed. And it is. Miraculously healing. But there's more than just that. Luke reveals, beloved, in this race, more than a physical healing. It is power or authority to forgive sins. Remember what they said at the end. Notice their own argument. Because when he said, thy sins are forgiven thee, they reasoned, verse 21, who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? But the power of the Lord is present to heal them. Where does Luke get this? Where does the beloved physician get this? Remember, it must have been something marvelous for Luke being a doctor to see men recovered of their leprosy. Men seeing, men hearing, women again with their issue of blood healed. It must have been something marvelous for this doctor to see and record it and pin it down for us. But where does he get this phrase, the power of the Lord was present? Beloved, this is based on what God revealed to Moses. the book of Numbers. In the book of Exodus, Moses asked the Lord, show me your glory. Show me your glory. The Lord tells him, you cannot see my glory, you cannot see my face and live. But I will pay, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and you can see my back parts, but you cannot see my face. And the story goes on that the Lord descended, beloved, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord gracious, long suffering, rich in goodness, mercy, forgiving, iniquity. Later on when Moses, beloved, they've sinned against God since they left the land of Egypt. God has been merciful. God has been patient. And Moses, beloved, intercedes for them because God is about to destroy them. And this is what Moses says in Numbers 14. In Numbers 14 and verse 17, please. And I believe this is what it's included in the power of the Lord was present to heal them. I've heard it once, it's twice have I heard it. The power belongeth unto God. Also unto thee belongeth what? Mercy. Because thou renderest to every man according to his works. Numbers 14 and verse 17. He says, and now I beseech thee. Know what he says? Let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is long-suffering, so great mercy. Notice what he says, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation, pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even unto now. And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word. Moses asks, let, again look what he says, let the power, verse 17, of my Lord be great according as thou has spoken. The Lord alone can forgive sins. Deuteronomy 32 please. Deuteronomy 32. And in verse number 39. I'm not going to read the whole thing but just verse 39. See now that I, even I am he, and there is no God with me, I kill and I make alive, I wound and I what? And I heal. Neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. And you see that demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ's ability, beloved, to forgive this man, or his authority, better said, to forgive this man and to heal this man. I believe that's what Luke brings out. Now based on what David said also, Psalm 103, not only Moses, but what David had said. In Psalm 103, verse 1 through 3. I think we sing that song. Well, we don't sing it, but y'all probably sing it. In Psalm 103, verses 1 through 3. It's because we don't know it in Espanol todavía. But it says, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth what? All thy diseases. That's the power of the Lord. And again, we could go to the New Testament. I'm not going to go there tonight. But beloved, this is, there is great and powerful power present to heal those who come to Christ. And the story confirms it. There is great and powerful power present to heal those who come to Christ. And the story of the paralytic man confirms this. How is so? This man who is paralytic, it's a compound word, paraluo, which means loose on one side. Or perhaps the whole body, I don't know. But that's not exactly what it means. This man is brought by four men. Because of his infirmity, he could not come to where Jesus was. He had to be brought by four. Now, they understand this. Let's go back to our text. They understand this. As this beloved physician brings it out. In Luke chapter 5 and verse 18. He says, and behold, he says, man brought in a bed, a man which was taken with a posse, and they sought means to bring him in and to lay him before, or lay him before Jesus, before him. Their thought is this, they understood if they could just bring this man before Jesus, he would be healed. They sought, look what it says again, they sought means to bring him in. Remember there's a multitude, it's crowded. But remember what the scripture says, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Now this situation, it's impossible. Because the master is totally surrounded, and they seek means to bring him in. But here we have, beloved, remember what I said, this is also speaks of faith. Because their faith is tested. Verse 19, they could not find but what way they might bring him in. The door is crowded. The windows are crowded. Everybody's around, surrounded. Remember that instance with the woman of the issue of blood? That Jesus said, who touched me? And Peter says, why do you say who touched you? There's a multitude. They thronged him. They pressed him. Many of us, no doubt, would make excuses. if we would see the multitudes, if we would see the crowd. Or we would say, you know, we'll try another day. Or just simply give up. Look at the crowd. There's no way to reach the master, but not them. Oh beloved, to have this type of faith, To have not only this type of faith, but faithful men and women who do not easily give up. Oh, to know what it means that the Lord is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Is there obstacles? Sure, there is. There's the crowd. Secondly, the man is a paralytic. How are you going to carry this man? He's not, he's not helping. He can't help you. I mean, I don't know if he ever carried, let's say the man's 120 pounds. That's a lot of dead weight. That's heavy to carry up a roof. He's not helping. You want to carry this man and his bed up the roof and once on the roof, say you get on top of the roof, how do you know where the master is? Because notice Luke brings it out in verse number 19 at the end. His couch into the midst before Jesus, right before the Lord Jesus Christ. Where do you make this aperture? Where do you make the hole in the roof? I'm very vivid when it comes to imagination. Sometimes I've got to control myself. I've got to control Ruben, but I've got to control myself sometimes. So I can see this great crowd gathered. The master's teaching, and all of a sudden you see a head coming down. You see the bed coming down the ceiling. Down from the ceiling. And it's right brought down before Jesus. Now beloved, look what he says. When Jesus saw this, verse 20 he says, and when he saw their faith, that's his omniscience. Because not only does he see their faith, verse 21 he says he sees their heart. These Pharisees, these scribes, these doctors of the law, they're cavilating, they're reasoning, they're dialogismos in their heart. You know, Romans brings that out. They're reasoning. In Romans chapter 1, they became wise in their dialogismos, in their dialogues within their hearts. The reasoning. Jesus sees their faith and Jesus also, verse 22, he perceives their thoughts and he answers them. There's his omniscience. He sees their faith. He sees their thoughts or perceives their thoughts. Now, it's kind of strange, isn't it? Because the reason they come It's because they want their friend healed. They want to see their friend healed. But Jesus doesn't address that first. He addresses, beloved, the most important need. The forgiveness of his sins. And he does so, beloved, the scripture says, verse 20, and when he saw their faith, I love it. I know what it's like to have lost children, lost parents, lost friends. I know it grieves your heart. You know, my greatest thing is I don't want to see them die and go to hell. I don't. I don't. I said, can I bring them to Christ? As these men brought this paralytic? I mean, this man again, he can't come to Jesus. He can't come to where the Master is. And I don't know if what really was the reason for his sickness. I'm not going to say it was his sins. I'm not going to say that. But Jesus sees, beloved, his greatest need, in verse number 20, is that his sins be forgiven them. And now let me share something. This scripture is the one that God used to save my soul. It's always been precious. Always has. I always have. Jesus, brother Joe, I believe, saw their faith not when they laid the man before him, I think he saw them way when they took up the man. Way before that he saw them. I believe, even though the scripture doesn't say, I believe he saw them, beloved, even when they were taking the man up the roof, when they started taking up the tiles, he knew they were there. When they picked up their friend, and they carried their friend, they loaded him up to the roof. When they uncovered the first tile, beloved, he was aware all the time. And how far does their faith take them? What is the reward of their faith? This man, verse 20, look at the reward of their faith. He says, man, thy sins are forgiven thee. Now, you know, as we were speaking this evening, you know, we have little children that are just learning. And children, some have no idea, bless their soul, have no idea what sin is. You have to explain to them what sin is, because they don't know. I mean, they know what sin is, don't get me wrong. They know how to do the part, they just know the definition of it. But have you ever had the weight of sin upon your soul? Have you ever known the wretchedness of your own heart? Have you ever seen yourself polluted, vile? The ugliness of sin. Not sin, but sins. Plural, verse number 20. All I know is that when God saved my soul, And even when Brother Joe spoke to me about possibly preaching, I still, Brother Joe, have this thought. You remember you asked me, I said, Brother Joe, I'm not worthy. You remember that? I said, I'm not worthy, Brother. I'm still not worthy. But his answer, wise answer, said, when will you be worthy? I'll never be worthy. I'll never be worthy. Because I know, beloved, I know the wretchedness of my heart. I know what, how clean, pure, holy God is. I know what separates me from God, and I know who sent the Savior to the cross. It was my sins. And the greatest words I heard that day, Luke doesn't say it, but Matthew does. These are the greatest words that I've heard And Matthew brings it out in Matthew chapter number 9. That's it brother. That's it brother. You know what, you know what I, you know what I, you know, my wife, I want to share something. My wife has a very bad habit. That she picks up dogs. Stray dogs. Stray dogs. She feeds them. Then they don't want to go away. They don't want to go away, brother. I try to be mean. I try to be mean. I try to be mean. I try to run them off, get out of here. All they do is they go around, wait till I leave, and they come back. I'm serious. I'm serious. I'm serious, sis. I'm not making that up. I couldn't make these things up. But the other day when she was, I don't know what she was doing, I came out. And we have this dog, now those of you that know Spanish, I named her, she named her, what did you name her? Shy. I named her La Fea. La Fea, the ugly one. The ugly one. I'm sitting down and she comes. Remember, I treat her bad. She's rubbing her head on my knees, brother. She's doing all these things. She's being friendly. I said, God, I wish I could be as faithful as this dog right here. That dog taught me something, brother. Amen. Amen. Because all I am, as Mephibosheth said, all I am is a dead dog. Who am I that I should eat at the king's table? Who am I? So when these words came to my heart, Son, in Matthew 9 and verse 2, I mean me now, and as we sang, or you make mentions, behold one manner of love, The Father had bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. And notice here, because sin brings you down. Sin brings you down. You know, the Spanish is so graphic. Animo. Animo. And when you're cast down. Animo. Your breath goes out. Here is, be of good cheer. You're like, He told blind Bartimaeus, He's crying, Son of David, have mercy on me. Be of good cheer. The Master is calling you. Here, beloved, this is precious and always be precious. It wasn't one sin, it was a multitude of sins. That's why I preach the Gospel, Brother Joe. Because I know it changes man. It saves man. He said, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee. And Beloved, I don't put weight on feelings, I don't But I do believe that day I was so relieved. All my sins, all my sins were forgiven, all my sins. But you know, it takes faith. It is through faith that we receive the forgiveness of sins. The just shall live by faith. But beloved, the power to forgive sins is the Lord's alone. I can forgive you. Brother Joe can forgive you of your sins. He can't say you're forgiven. He doesn't have that authority. No man has that authority. It's the Lord alone. And that's what the scripture brings out, is power, is authority to forgive sins. How can so be? Psalm 32. And that is their greatest needs. It's not, beloved, a prosperity, live well, health. It's not a better family. It's not a better education. That's not what man needs. Man needs the forgiveness of their sins. And Psalm 32. What a blessed Psalm this is. Psalm 32, we're gonna read one text, verse number five, please. Notice what David says here. Psalm 32, verse five. I acknowledge my sin unto thee. Your kids don't know that. As I started, kids don't know that. We have little two, three-year-olds, four-year-olds, you know, they say, you know what sin is? You ever sinned? And none had sin. I'm serious, brother, none had sin. They'll say no. And you point, I'm serious, I'm not making this up. Well, have you ever lied to mommy and daddy? No. No. You ever hit brother or sister? No. But isn't that our nature, brother? I don't want to acknowledge that I've been wrong. I don't want to acknowledge that I may not be perfect. I want to acknowledge there may be some dark things in my heart. But David says, when I acknowledge my iniquity, I'm not here. I said I will confess my transgression unto the Lord and I'll forgive his iniquity of my sin. Who can forgive sins? God alone can forgive sins. God alone has the power to forgive our sins. And Jesus sees this man's greatest needs. It's the forgiveness of sins. As he said so also, beloved, with this woman. Then the book of Luke chapter 7 and verse 47. Since not only men, there's women also. In Luke chapter 7. And I'm not going to read the whole story, but it has to do with Simon and this woman that was a sinner. And I always ask, you know, Simon says, well, if this guy, if this man knew, not this guy, this man knew that this woman is a sinner. And I said, well, how do you know that she's a sinner? How did he know that she was a sinner? Luke chapter seven. I'm just going to read verses 47 and 50. It says, wherefore I say unto thee, her sins which are many. Many. They're forgiven. She loved much. That little dog, they love so much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same love is little. And he said to her, thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say with themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace." Now, Jesus has authority to forgive sins, you know that? And he says, beloved, because he's the son of man. John chapter 5. Who is the son of man? Why does He use this title, the Son of Man? I mean, He is the Son of God. In man, He is the Son of God. But He's also the Son of Man. In the question that He posed to Peter, Whom say I, the Son of Man, am? Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Then He also, you know, when Stephen's dying, brother, He says, I see the Son of Man. It's the Son of Man. And then Jesus says, when the Son of Man shall come in His glory. He could have said the Son of God. It's all the same. But why does He say the Son of Man had power to forgive sins? We find this in John chapter 5. Look what he says. You ever been to court? I hope you're not. I hope you don't get arrested. The worst thing you can say is I'm guilty. You know that? I found that out, right? That's the worst thing you can say. Because then the judge can just throw the book at you. Christ is both the judge and the one who executes judgment. John chapter five, notice what he says in verse 22. The Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. And the Son is the one who said, thy sins are forgiven thee. If the Son says your sins are forgiven, they're forgiven. Why? Verse 23, that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which sent him. And we'll read at verse 27. And hath given him authority, God has given him authority, to execute, what? Judgment also. He judges, Christ judges. Nobody told a woman caught in adultery. Where's your accusers? Where are they all your accusers? Because they all began to leave, one by one, their conscience accusing them. No man accuseth you? Neither do I. Oh, brother, the bliss, as the writer says, of this glorious thought. I glit my sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more." Christ, beloved, says verse 27, He has given him authority to execute judgment also because He is, He is, He is a Son of Man. When the Son of Man shall come in His glory and all angels before Him, He'll set the goats on the left and the sheep on the right. The Son of Man. The Son of Man had nowhere to lay His head. Foxes have holes, birds have nests, but the Son of Man had nowhere to lay. Who is the Son of Man? That's what they want to know. Who is the Son of Man? He's telling them. He said, that's what he said. There's doctors, there's Pharisees, there's scribes. They should have known the scriptures, brother. They should have known. They should have known. They should have bowed before the Savior. They should have bowed down and asked for forgiveness just like this man did. Verse 30, John chapter 5. I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge. He judges. But notice what he says in verse 30. My judgment is what? It's just. It's just, brother. When he told his man, your sins are forgiven, he's being just. But how can he be just? And the justifier? At the same time, brother. Is there iniquity in Him? There's no iniquity in Him. Has He ever judged wrong? No, He hasn't. He judges not according to our appearance, but He judges righteous judgment. His judgment is trust. Notice, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. Who is the Son of Man? Ben Adam. Jesus Christ. It doesn't mean He's just a man. Does it mean that He's just human nature? No, no, no. No, He is 100% human. He is beloved, born of a virgin. He is. Is He a prophet? No, he's more than a prophet. Because he's Aeolus named son of man. Son of man. But is that what he is? Just a prophet or a man? Oh, he's more than that. Let's close with this one. Now, I'll let your pastor explain this one, okay? Daniel chapter 7. He's telling them. How long do you make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. I told you before. My sheep hear my voice. And they follow. He's telling them clearly. How many times did He tell them? He is the Christ. The prince. He is the king. He told him he's the son of God. He told him he's the son of God. John chapter 5. John chapter 10. But here, beloved, He tells them, He's that Son of Man, the one seen by Daniel, in Daniel chapter 7. And that's what, I'm just going to read it, Brother Joe. I'll let you, you know, explain that. Because I think you're doing, you said, an eschatological overview or something like that. So, I'll let you do it. First, let's start at verse number 9. And I beheld to the thrones were cast down, Daniel chapter 7, verse 9. and the ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, the hair of his head like the pure wool, his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him. Thousands, thousands ministered unto him, and 10,000 times 10,000 stood before him. The judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld, then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake, I beheld, even to the beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beast, they had their dominion taken away, Yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. And I saw in their night visions, verse 13, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven. and came to the all ancient of days and they brought him near before him and there were given him dominion and glory and a kingdom and that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed I said amen amen brother yes that's the son of man Authority? Judgment? Dominion? That's why he tells this man. You want to see the proof? Because they reason in their hearts. We want proof. We want to see. I love this. Luke chapter 5. What does he do? What's easier to say? Thy sins are forgiven thee? Sure, that's easier to say. Leo, if I told you sins are forgiven, there's no evidence. They couldn't see that. If Jesus, I mean, humanly speaking, if Jesus would tell that to the man, they couldn't see that. There's no outward evidence. Or rise up and walk. But, verse 24, that you may know, that the Son of Man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, he saith, or he said unto the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, arise, take up thy couch, and go into thine house. What a sight for Luke. I mean, he's probably used to dealing with therapy and recovery. Beloved, this man immediately Verse 25, he rose up before them, took up that whereon he laid, he departed his outhouse, and what is he doing? He's glorifying God, brother! He's glorifying God! But not only him. They were all amazed. And they glorified God and were filled with fear. saying, we've seen strange things today. Oh, God be pleased, brother, that we may see His Spirit working, that we may also leave glorifying God. Not saying strange things, but we have seen the power of God working in our midst today. Let's pray.