We learn from Jesus' miraculous healing of a leper and a paralytic that he didn't just come to bring a surface healing of physical ills of the world, but to bring a much more profound and deep spiritual healing that our sin necessitates. Our biggest problem is not our suffering, but our sin. And that's why we need the Saviour. To listen to the audio, go to http://www.newcitychurch.ca/#/resources/sermons and find the message, "The Paradox of Jesus", given by Pastor John Ferguson on June 2, 2013 at New City Church in Calgary.

1. Luke 5:12-26
Page 861 in our guest Bibles.
Today’s Scripture:

3. Paul Edgecomb
didn’t believe
in MIRACLES.
Until one day
HE MET ONE.

4. The Gospel of Luke
5:12-26
“The Paradox
of Jesus”
image: Nick Wheeler
Look for Jesus bringing about the miracle of new life
where there had been only a living death.

5. SCENE #1
Luke 5:12-16

6. And while he was in one of the
LUKE 5:12
cities, there came a man
full of leprosy....

7. LUKE 5:12
And when he saw Jesus, he fell on
if you will, you can make me clean....
his face and begged him, “Lord,

8. And Jesus [ filled with compassion -
LUKE 5:13
Mark 1:41 ], stretched out his hand
and touched him....

9. LUKE 5:13
the leprosy left him....
be clean.” And immediately
And Jesus [ filled with compassion -
Mark 1:41 ], stretched out his hand
and touched him, saying, “I will;

10. And he charged him to tell no
LUKE 5:14
one, but “Go and show yourself
to the priest, and make an
Moses commanded, for a proof
offering for your cleansing, as
to them....”

11. But now even more the report about
LUKE 5:15-16
him went abroad, and great crowds
gathered to hear him and to be
would withdraw to desolate places
healed of their infirmities. But he
and pray....

12. SCENE #2
Luke 5:17-26

13. On one of those days, as he was
LUKE 5:17
teaching, Pharisees and teachers
of the law were sitting there, who
Galilee and Judea and from Jeru-
had come from every village of
lem....”

14. “This seems a bit
EXCESSIVE; why should
they gather like this to
check out a young
prophet who is doing and
saying strange things? The
ANSWER is that their
particular cause—for which
they were from time to
time prepared to take
drastic action—

15. “...was the coming
KINGDOM OF GOD;
and if someone else
appeared on the scene
who seemed to be talking
about the same thing but
GETTING IT ALL WRONG,
they wanted to know
about it.”

16. And the power of the Lord was with
LUKE 5:17-19
him to heal. And behold, some men
were bringing on a bed a man who
was paralyzed, and they were seek-
ing to bring him in and lay him before
Jesus, but finding no way to bring

17. him in, because of the crowd, they
LUKE 5:19
went up on the roof and let him
down through the tiles into the midst
before Jesus....

18. And when he saw their faith, he
LUKE 5:20
said, “Man, your sins are
forgiven...”

19. And the scribes and Pharisees
LUKE 5:21
began to question, saying, “Who is
this who speaks blasphemies?
Who can forgive sins but God
alone...?

20. When Jesus perceived their thoughts
LUKE 5:22-23
he answered them, “Why do you
question in your hearts? Which is
easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven
you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’...?”

21. “...But that you may know that the
LUKE 5:24
Son of Man has authority on earth
to forgive sins...”

22. “...behold, with the
clouds of heaven,
there came one like
A SON OF MAN....
And to him was given
dominion and glory
and a kingdom, that
all peoples, nations,
and languages
should serve him.
~ Daniel 7:13-14

23. ~ Daniel 7:13-14
“...his dominion is an
everlasting dominion
which shall not
pass away, and
HIS KINGDOM
one that shall not be
destroyed.”

24. “...But that you may know that the
LUKE 5:24
Son of Man has authority on earth
to forgive sins” --he said to the man
who was paralyzed-- “I say to you,
rise, pick up your bed and go
home.”

25. “And immediately he rose up before
LUKE 5:25-26
before them and picked up what he
had been lying on and went home,
glorifying God. And amazement
seized them all, and they glorified
God and were filled with awe,

26. saying, “We have seen extraordinary
LUKE 5:26
things today.”

27. Why does Luke include this story
in his historical biography
of Jesus?
Important Question

28. Our biggest problem
is not our suffering.
It is our sin.

29. That’s why we need
the Saviour.
Our biggest problem
is not our suffering.
It is our sin.

30. BELIEVE IT1
image: ilkin

31. image: Luz Bratcher
2 RECEIVE IT

32. FATHER DAMIEN
“Apostle to the Lepers”
1840-1889
MISSIONARY
to the
LEPER COLONY
(1000+ lepers)
in Molokai, Hawaii

33. “God made him
who knew no sin
TO BE SIN for us....”
~ 2 Corinthians 5:21
“He himself bore our sins
IN HIS BODY on the tree [i.e., the Cross]....
By his WOUNDS you have been HEALED.”
~ 1 Peter 2:24

34. SHARE IT
3
image: Marcus Arthur

35. Then he opened their minds to understand
the Scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it
is written, that the Christ should SUFFER and
on the third day rise from the dead, and that
repentance and FORGIVENESS OF SINS
should be PROCLAIMED in his name to all
the nations, beginning in Jerusalem.’ You are
WITNESSES of these things.
~ Luke 24

36. BELIEVE IT
RECEIVE IT
SHARE IT

37. Nick Wheeler: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7762644@N04/3658481865/
flickr images courtesy of:
ilkin: http://www.flickr.com/photos/17392664@N00/2768018399/
Luz Bratcher: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24633783@N00/3285444766/
Marcus Arthur: http://www.flickr.com/photos/20722444@N00/224674200/
from: http://fanzone50.com/DW/FtrDamien.html