As I read through Luke 5 today and jotted down notes for this week's Discipleship Course at Calvary Chapel Sydney, I was blessed with many gems. Priceless truth can be gleaned when we spend a little time carefully reading God's Word. A single word has great power to shed light to our understanding, dispelling incorrect assumptions.
Take Luke 5:17, for instance. It reads, "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." As Jesus taught, Luke focused on the Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by. These men were eminent scholars, famous teachers themselves. The following sentence should be a surprise to all - especially to those learned men - the power of the LORD was present to heal them. Now these were likely able-bodied men, some having traveled great distances to hear Jesus. They would have been offended to think they of all people needed anything from Jesus. They were the masters, and here was this young man without any formal training who spoke gracious words with authority.
Little did they know an object lesson would be presented before them. The power of the LORD was present to heal them, and during Christ's discourse suddenly dust and debris fell from the ceiling. Shafts of light passed through swirling dust as the roof was uncovered and a paralysed man was lowered down. Luke 5:18-19 says, "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." It was obvious the paralysed man was in need of physical healing, and a careful reading shows Jesus had the power and will not only to heal bodies but forgive lost sinners. I expect the masters were annoyed to be thus intruded upon and all eyes were fastened upon the young Teacher who exuded infinite wisdom beyond His years. Those judgmental Pharisees and self-righteous rulers of the Jews unknowingly saw themselves spiritually sprawled upon that dirty cot, for they saw themselves as blameless as they penned scathing critiques concerning the supposed blasphemous statements of Jesus.
Jesus said, "Man, your sins are forgiven." Jesus healed the man before them all to show He indeed had power over sin, for it is sin which brought disease, sin, and death into the world. There was a healing beyond the physical which was needed in every person in that room. Jesus healed him, but there was power to heal and save them. Later in the chapter Jesus was criticised for eating with sinners to whom He replied in Luke 5:31-32, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Only the power of the LORD can cleanse a man from sin, and the only means to receive this healing is through faith in Jesus Christ. In sin we are all as that paralysed man, and Jesus looks upon us with compassion and grace. Many think themselves in no need of a physician who are dying, and only those who see their need will seek healing. Praise God Jesus has come, and through Him the power of God is present to save all!
Take Luke 5:17, for instance. It reads, "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." As Jesus taught, Luke focused on the Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by. These men were eminent scholars, famous teachers themselves. The following sentence should be a surprise to all - especially to those learned men - the power of the LORD was present to heal them. Now these were likely able-bodied men, some having traveled great distances to hear Jesus. They would have been offended to think they of all people needed anything from Jesus. They were the masters, and here was this young man without any formal training who spoke gracious words with authority.
Little did they know an object lesson would be presented before them. The power of the LORD was present to heal them, and during Christ's discourse suddenly dust and debris fell from the ceiling. Shafts of light passed through swirling dust as the roof was uncovered and a paralysed man was lowered down. Luke 5:18-19 says, "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." It was obvious the paralysed man was in need of physical healing, and a careful reading shows Jesus had the power and will not only to heal bodies but forgive lost sinners. I expect the masters were annoyed to be thus intruded upon and all eyes were fastened upon the young Teacher who exuded infinite wisdom beyond His years. Those judgmental Pharisees and self-righteous rulers of the Jews unknowingly saw themselves spiritually sprawled upon that dirty cot, for they saw themselves as blameless as they penned scathing critiques concerning the supposed blasphemous statements of Jesus.
Jesus said, "Man, your sins are forgiven." Jesus healed the man before them all to show He indeed had power over sin, for it is sin which brought disease, sin, and death into the world. There was a healing beyond the physical which was needed in every person in that room. Jesus healed him, but there was power to heal and save them. Later in the chapter Jesus was criticised for eating with sinners to whom He replied in Luke 5:31-32, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Only the power of the LORD can cleanse a man from sin, and the only means to receive this healing is through faith in Jesus Christ. In sin we are all as that paralysed man, and Jesus looks upon us with compassion and grace. Many think themselves in no need of a physician who are dying, and only those who see their need will seek healing. Praise God Jesus has come, and through Him the power of God is present to save all!
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