Your Sins Are Forgiven

Please take your Bibles. Turn with me this morning to the Gospel of Luke in chapter 5.! The Bible had not been in the language of the people.

It was not accessible to them. It was in the hands of a privileged few who either represented it or misrepresented it to the people. And one of the reasons the church had strayed so far is because they had strayed from the Scriptures.

And so we seek to keep the revelation that God has given us in His Word at the heart of what we do when we worship at the heart of our lives. And part of what God's Word reveals to us is Jesus.

And we read of Him here in Luke 5, beginning in verse 17, and we'll read to verse 26. One day as He was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem were sitting there.

And the power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take Him into the house to lay Him before Jesus when they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd.

They went up on the roof and lowered Him on His mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said, Friend, your sins are forgiven.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone? Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

Which is easier? To say your sins are forgiven? Or to say, get up and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.

He said to the paralyzed man, I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home. Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on, and went home praising God.

Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, We have seen remarkable things today. Please turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke again, and this time chapter 7.

Begin reading in verse 36, and read to the end of the chapter. Hear now the Word of God. Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him.

So he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

And as she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him, and what kind of woman she is, that she is a sinner.

Jesus answered him, Simon, I have something to tell you. Tell me, teacher, he said. Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty.

Neither of them had the money to pay him back. So he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more? Simon replied, I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.

You have judged correctly, Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You did not give me a kiss, but this woman from the time I entered has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much.

But he who has been forgiven little loves little. Then Jesus said to her, Your sins are forgiven. The other guests began to say among themselves, Who is this who even forgives sins?

Jesus said to the woman, Your faith has saved you. Go in peace. When I was in college, we typed our term papers on typewriters.

And that means that when you made a mistake, you had to use some whiteout, and often it didn't match the white of the paper. Or one of those eraser pencils that sometimes could scratch a hole in the paper.

Neither were really helpful or good options, because they left evidence that there had been a mistake there.

Well, then came PCs. Personal computers. And now, I type on that. And with one push of the finger on the delete key, I can erase all my mistakes, such that people never even know that I made a mistake.

What would you give to have one of those delete keys for life? To delete those things that we've said and done that we later regret.

Our sins against others or against God. Those ways that we've broken his laws, his commands.

Things that make us guilty before him. Things that make us liable to judgment, deserving his eternal punishment. There are times when we feel that guilt as a heavy burden on our backs.

Or as a nagging heaviness in our soul. That guilt sometimes hides behind a fervor of religious activity.

That guilt often masks itself as depression, anxiety, fears, and phobias. And doctors all over the world are being asked to medicate these guilty fears away.

Give me a pill to make me feel better. But medicine can do nothing to fix the underlying problem. It only helps us forget reality.

Our guilt and sin before God. Don't we long to have our sin and guilt deleted? Forgiven, canceled, remembered, no more against us.

Well, I have good news to proclaim this morning. Because my Bible teaches me that there is such a way that our sins can be deleted. And it's not by taking a pill.

It's not by a button you push. A key you push. It is a person that you trust in. The Lord Jesus Christ.

Now this morning we've met two individuals who heard the sweetest words that a sinner has ever heard from the mouth of the Lord Jesus. Your sins are forgiven.

They're deleted. They're gone. Now we're not given the name of either one of these individuals. Just that one was a paralyzed man and the other was an immoral woman.

Isn't that interesting? We've got a man and a woman. Let's look first at the man. There in Luke chapter 5. Jesus was preaching and healing in Capernaum. But this man could not get there to hear Jesus.

He was paralyzed. He couldn't walk. But he had some good friends who each grabbed a corner of his mat and carried him to the place where Jesus was preaching.

When they got there the house was so full and people were backed up right through the doorway that they couldn't even get inside the building. But these were true friends.

These were good friends. And so they didn't quit. They found a way to make it up with their friend up to the top of the roof and opened up a hole in the roof and lowered their friend down right in front of Jesus.

Let's imagine for a moment that we were there. We're listening to preaching this morning. Imagine Jesus preaching. He's preaching the word of God. And there's this sound.

It kind of sounds like thunder or a herd of elephants on the roof. And then some dust filtering down and materials. And suddenly there's a sunlight poking its way right through the ceiling.

And all we see are hands making the hole bigger. And then eight eyeballs looking down at us. And then a mat with a man lying on it.

Lowered right here in front of Jesus. What an interruption. But to Jesus it was no interruption.

It was an opportunity to continue doing what he was doing. Preaching the gospel. And healing. And here was the opportunity. Lowered before him from the ceiling.

He takes the opportunity. And when he saw their faith. He said to the man. Friend.

Your sins are forgiven. Now that was a jaw dropping statement. These four friends had brought this man to Jesus. To have his paralysis healed.

And instead Jesus mentions his sins. How could Jesus be so callous.

As to speak of the sins of this poor handicapped man. The very side of which drew pity out of every human heart. But handicapped or not.

Jesus knew that he was a sinner. And Jesus knew that his paralysis. Was not the bigger problem.

His sin was a bigger problem than his paralysis. His paralysis would only handicap him for the rest of his life. But his sins would land him in hell forever.

And so he says friend. Your sins. Are forgiven. I wonder if you realize. That your biggest problem. In life is your sins.

Against God. Not. Your handicap. Not your health. Not your family problems. Not. Your finances.

Not the economy. But your sins. Against God. It's. The ways that you have broken. God's laws. For the wages of sin.

Is death. The second death. Of eternal separation from God. And. Suffering. Forever. And ever. In a place called hell. That's your biggest problem.

Your sin. And your greatest need is to have those sins forgiven. By God. And oh. The kindness of Jesus.

They brought this man for healing. And he gives him something better. He gives him forgiveness. Of sins. All of them. All of them. Deleted. Forever.

Cancelled. Remembered. No more. And if that. Was all that Jesus ever did for this. Person. It would make him.

Eternally grateful. To the son of God. If he spent the rest of his life. Handicapped. On a mat. But to live out his life.

Knowing every day. I am right with God. My sins are forgiven. And then will one day. When I die. I can die. Knowing my sins are forgiven. And I will be raised.

To newness of life. With a new body. With no handicap. To be forever. With the Lord. Oh. But Jesus. Does something. Even better. Even more than this.

Not better than this. But he does. He goes on. To do something more. Now. Perhaps some were then surprised. At Jesus mention. Of his sins.

But there were others. Who were stunned. For another reason. We learn. That the place. Was crawling. With Pharisees. And scribes. Teachers of the law. These were the religious. Leaders. Of the day.

And they'd come. From every village. Of Galilee. From. Throughout Judea. And from the capital. The religious center. Of Jerusalem. And they're suspicious. Of this Jesus. And the things they're hearing.

So they've come. To listen to him. Themselves. And when Jesus said. Your sins. Are forgiven. Their minds.

Went into overdrive. And they're thinking. To themselves. Who is this fellow. Who speaks. Such blasphemy. Who can forgive sins.

But God. Alone. Now they were right. On the second score. No one can forgive. Sins. But God. Alone.

These Pharisees. Knew more than some. Christian counselors. Today. Who are telling sinners. That their great need. Is to learn. To forgive. Themselves. Friends.

The Bible. Never. Ever. Teaches. Sinners. That they need. To learn. To forgive. Themselves. You see. All of our sin.

Is against God. And therefore. What we need. Is forgiveness. From God. And we need. To believe. His promise. Not forgive.

Ourselves. Sin. Incurs. A debt. Just like. When you put. That credit card. Down. It incurs. A debt. Every time. You sin. You incur. A debt.

That you owe. To God. You've. Offended. His majesty. His holiness. His righteousness. And now. You are. A debtor. To him. You owe him. Big time.

And forgiveness. Is the cancellation. Of that debt. Forgiveness. Is to remove. The indebtedness. All together. Declaring.

You no longer. O me. Now. No one. But God. Has that authority. To cancel. The debt. To forgive. Sins. Let's suppose. A man named Joe.

Owes you. Ten thousand dollars. It is not my prerogative. To come up to Joe. And say Joe. Your debts. Canceled. You would be up in arms.

And rightly so. Because it's not my right. Or authority. To forgive. His debt. Against you. No. That's your authority. Your right. As the creditor.

You alone. Have the right. To forgive this man. Of his sin. If you want to do that. That's. Your decision. To make. So with God. Since sin. Is against him. Only he.

Can forgive sin. So to see this. Jesus of Nazareth. Forgiving sin. Was indeed. Blasphemy. In the eyes.

Of these Pharisees. He's claiming. To do. What only God. Has the right. And authority. To do. Indeed.

It would be. Blasphemy. If. A mere man. Was claiming. To forgive sins. But what they failed. To see that day. Was that this man. Standing before him.

Before them. Was. God in the flesh. No mere man. Man. And. That's. The reason. Jesus. Forgives.

Sins. Because. He is God. And. Forgiveness. Of sins. Is his. Right. Sins. Are against him. And. Therefore. It's his.

Prerogative. To. Say. To the. Sinner. Your. Sins. Are forgiven. Sinner. He has. Authority. On earth. To forgive. Sin. Now.

As God. Jesus. Knows. What they're. Thinking. And he rebukes. Them. For their evil. Thoughts. About him. Thinking him. To be. Blaspheming. As a mere man.

And then he. Has a question. For them. Which is. Easier. He says. And kids. You answer. This question. Yourself. Which is. Easier. To say. Your sins.

Are forgiven. Or. To say. Get up. And walk. Which is. Easier. To say.

To this man. Your sins. Are forgiven. Or to say. To this lame man. Get up. And walk. Well. They. They don't answer. They're stumbling. Around.

They're stumped. Because. Both of these things. Are impossible. With men. Only God. Can forgive sins. And. Only God. Can instantaneously. Heal a man. Both.

Are works. Of God. And so. Jesus. Is going. To show them. That he. Is God. By doing. Two things. That only God. Can do. Healing the man. On the spot. And forgiving.

His sins. On the spot. Now. In one sense. It would be. Easier. To say. Your sins. Are forgiven. I say.

It would be. Easier. To say. Because. Who really. Knows. Whether in heaven. The record. Really. Is. Canceled. So.

It would. Really. Be easier. To say. Your sins. Are forgiven. But if. He says. Get up. And walk. It will. Immediately. Be seen. Whether or not. He has the power. To heal.

And therefore. Whether he has. The power. To forgive. Sin. And so. Jesus. Is going to. Kill both. Birds. With one stone. And so. He says. To these Pharisees.

That you. May know. That the son of man. Has authority. On earth. To forgive. Sins. He turns. To the paralyzed. Man. And says. I tell you. Get up.

Take up. Your mat. And go home. And immediately. He stood up. In front of them. Took what he had been. Lying on. And went home. Praising God. Everyone was amazed.

And gave praise. To God. They were filled. With awe. And said. We have seen. Remarkable things. Today. Indeed. They had. They had seen.

A paralyzed. Man. Walk. And a sinner. Forgiven. You see. Jesus taught. The invisible truth.

By what was visible. The healing. That could be seen. Proved the reality. Of the forgiveness. That couldn't be seen. By man.

Both are the works of God. And Jesus does them both. The man went home. Praising God. Seems he came. Seeking healing. He went home. With far more.

Eternal forgiveness. All his sins. Deleted. Gone. No longer. Any debt. Waiting to be paid.

To God's justice. And wrath. And we're meant. To learn. From this event. That Jesus Christ. Has authority. To forgive sins. Just as he has.

Authority. And power. To say. To disease. That paralyzes. Men. Be gone. And it obeys. And goes. So he has authority. To say to sin. Be gone.

You are forgiven. And it's done. The debt is. Canceled in heaven. And I just have one question. For you this morning. Friend. If Jesus Christ.

Has authority. To forgive sins. Then why don't you go to him. With your sins. And ask him. To forgive you. He will. He has authority. On earth. To forgive sins.

He's in heaven now. But he's not lost. His authority. To forgive. Did you come in here. Guilty. Before God. You can go home. Forgiving. You may not have come.

For forgiveness. You may have come. For any other. Number of reasons. But he's ready. He's here. Ready to forgive you. And send you home. A forgiven man. Or woman. Or boy. Or girl.

Now that kind of message. Spreads fast. Doesn't it? The word gets out. Jesus healed the man. And he forgave his sins. On the spot. And such a report.

Paved the way. For other sinners. To seek him out. And to trust in him. For forgiveness. And we meet such. A sinner. Over in chapter 7.

Then. Of Luke's gospel. The woman. We've seen the man. Now we see the woman. And as we come to Luke 7.

36. We. We find that Luke's. Message in his gospel. Is that the holy. Sinless. Son of God. Has come to seek. And to save.

Sinners. Real sinners. And that's why he ate. With sinners. That's why he went to them. And spoke with them. And so when a self-righteous. Sinner. A Pharisee.

Named Simon. Invites Jesus. To dinner. Jesus goes with him. He's the friend. Of sinners. Not just the down and outers. The immoral ones. But also the.

Respectable. Religious ones. And Jesus is found. Here in his home. Speaking the gospel. To him as well. And then. She. Made her appearance.

Her entrance. No name is given. Just. A woman. Who had lived. A sinful life. In that town. That's Luke's.

Polite way. Of saying. A prostitute. A harlot. And everyone knew her reputation.

The vile life she had lived. She was the. One that everyone spoke of. With disgust in their voice. Everybody knew the marriages.

That she had spoiled. And now of all the gall. To venture into Simon. The separated. Pharisee's house. There she is.

Coming was. The least of her crimes. Because. She goes at once. And stands behind Jesus. Kids. If you want to understand. This story.

This account of Jesus. You have to understand. How they ate in those days. They didn't sit up. All prim and proper. It. On their chairs. Before a table. The table was low.

Say. This is the table. It would be in the middle of the room. And everyone would lie on their side. With their head in. Toward the table. So that they could eat. Off of the table. Their feet.

Fanning out. All the way around the table. So you see. How easy it would be. For this woman. To come in. And to stand. Over the feet of Jesus. And at first. That's all she does.

Just stands there. Weeping. And those warm tears. Bounce off her cheeks. And fall down. Onto the feet of Jesus.

That were dirty. From travel. And she. Sheds them. With quantity. Enough to. Effectually. Wash his feet. And then she.

Stoops down. And lets down her hair. And using her hair. As a towel. She wipes. His feet. And kisses. His feet. And takes.

The alabaster jar. In which she had. This expensive perfume. And pours it. On. His feet. And Simon. The Pharisee.

Is just watching. Taking it all in. Oh. But his mind's running. His mouth's not speaking. But. His mind is going. A mile. A minute. He knew.

What kind of woman. This was. He knew. What she did. At night. What? And so. He says to himself. If Jesus.

Were really. A prophet. Then he would know. Who this woman is. And what kind of lady. She is. And he would. Shun her. Rather.

Than be defiled. By her touch. You see. This Pharisee. Cannot. Imagine. That Jesus. Would knowingly. Allow this sinful woman. To behave in this way. Towards him.

Just as earlier. The Pharisees. Failed to see. That the man before them. Was God in the flesh. So he fails to see. That the man before him. Has come to seek.

And to save. Sinners. Like this woman. Standing at his feet. To cleanse the defiled. He's not defiled. By their touch. They are cleansed.

By his touch. And so this Pharisee. Is ready to write. Jesus off. As a false prophet. A know nothing. He doesn't know. What kind of woman.

She is. Oh the irony. Of it all. He not only knows. Everything she's ever done. With any man. But he also knows. What's traveling. Through the mind. Of Simon.

As he watches. And so Jesus. Answered him. I like that. You say. How can he answer him? Simon didn't say anything.

No. Jesus answered. His thoughts. He's God. And he answers his thoughts. And says. Simon. I have something to tell you.

Tell me. Teacher. He says. And Jesus tells him a story. With a question at the end. He had a question for the Pharisees. In Luke 5. He's got a question for this Pharisee.

But first the story. Two men. Owed. Money. To a certain money lender. One owed him 500 denarii. And the other 50.

The one owed 10 times more. Than the other. Something like a year and a half wages. Compared. To just two months wages. But neither of them had the money.

To pay him back. So. He does a surprising thing. He canceled. The debts. Of both. And here's the question kids. Which one.

Will love him. Most. Which one. Will love him. More. And Simon tries to act. Half uninterested.

And says. Well I suppose. The one who had the bigger debt. Canceled. You have judged correctly. Jesus said. And Jesus now applies the story.

Showing that the two debtors. Were right there. In that room. The immoral woman. Who knew her many sins.

Had been forgiven her. And showed it by her lavish. And grateful love for Jesus. And Simon. The self-righteous. Pharisee. Who thought he only needed forgiveness. For a few sins.

Perhaps. And showed it by his lack of love. For Jesus. And the contrast. Couldn't be greater. Her great love. And his lovelessness.

And so Jesus turns toward the woman. As he's talking to Simon. We do that sometimes. Don't we? We're talking to this person.

And we're looking here. And Jesus is looking. Toward the woman. While he speaks to Simon. Do you see this woman? I came into your house, but you did not give me any water for my feet.

Now, that was just the common practice of hospitality that you offer to any guest you invited to your home. You didn't offer any water for my feet. But she, she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You did not give me a kiss. Again, the common greeting. At the door. A kiss on the cheek. But this woman.

Since I came in. Has been kissing my feet. And you did not even put cheap oil on my head as a refresher coming in out of the hot sun.

Again, the common practice for hospitality. But she has poured her expensive perfume on my feet. In every way you see her love outstripped.

Simon, the Pharisees. And then Jesus draws a telling conclusion. Therefore, I tell you, Simon. Her many sins have been forgiven.

Because she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little. Jesus doesn't leave it to question as to why this woman is pouring out such extravagant love.

It's because of her awareness of all she's been forgiven. That she pours out her love to the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's clear that she already trusted Christ.

To be her Savior. It's clear that she had already was assured of her sins being forgiven. We're not told where or when or how it all happened.

Whether she had heard Jesus in private conversation like that immoral woman at the well of Sychar. Or whether she was just one among many standing in the crowd as Jesus preached the gospel.

But she had heard the gospel. And she had trusted in Christ. And had an awareness that all her sins. Her past was deleted.

Cancelled. Forgiven. No wonder she stands weeping. Tears of joy. Tears of regret for what her past was.

But tears of gratitude to the Savior who has forgiven her all. It's obvious I say that she's already been forgiven.

Look how she loves. You see her love is not the cause of her being forgiven. It's not that Jesus says well she's loving me so much then I'm going to forgive her sins.

No no not at all. Love is not the cause of her forgiveness. It's the result of it. It's the proof of it. Love doesn't earn forgiveness. But love is produced by forgiveness.

Simon what you've seen here in your own house today is the love of a woman who is aware of her many sins. That have been freely forgiven. You've seen the debtor in my story.

Who knows that she owes far more than she can ever repay. And who knows that that debt has been cancelled freely for her. She knows that she's bankrupt but that I have cancelled her sins before God.

And her sins are gone. And in this whole encounter the self-righteousness of Simon is exposed. He sees no need of forgiveness.

He keeps all of the little rules that the Pharisees had made. He's so good. He's so righteous. He's so law abiding. And so his heart is rock cold toward Jesus who is the forgiver of sinners.

In fact it rather galls him that such sinners would be allowed into heaven. People that wicked. Sharing that place with me.

Exposed. And it was then that Jesus said to her the sweetest words the sinners ever heard from the Son of God.

Your sins are forgiven. She already knew that. That's why she loved Jesus so much. But now it's publicly declared because it's obvious that there were people in that room who still thought of her as the harlot.

And Jesus wants it publicly known. Her sins are forgiven. So in the presence of others he says your sins. Are forgiven.

And the guests are struck. And say among themselves. Who is this that even forgives sin? You see the same surprise as the Pharisees in John chapter 5.

Who is this? There's something about his identity here. Because he's forgiving sins. It does point us to who Jesus is.

Don't miss it. Luke is saying. This is no ordinary man. He forgives sins. He is God. But Jesus is also reaffirming her forgiveness. Christian do you not need to know from time to time that your sins are forgiven?

Do you not need that fresh kiss of forgiveness from the Savior to know that if we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

And that verse that lays there on the page and does nothing for our souls is brought home to our hearts with warmth. And we receive again the kiss of the Son of God.

And hear those words. The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin. Your sins, John, are forgiven, deleted, canceled, remembered, no more.

And Jesus then says to the woman, your faith has saved you. Go in peace. Notice he doesn't say your love has saved you. Children, you don't go to heaven because you love Jesus.

Love does not somehow save you. Faith saves you. Faith in Jesus saves you.

It's faith in Christ. Your faith has saved you. Because faith receives the free gift of forgiveness. Love does not receive the free gift.

Faith receives the free gift. Faith is the empty hands that are held out to receive forgiveness freely given from Jesus to undeserving sinners.

And that's what she had. She looked away from herself and anything in herself to earn salvation. And she looked to Christ and his promise of forgiveness.

And her faith went out to him and his promise. And so faith received the salvation and forgiveness of sins. Indeed, as Acts 10.43 says, All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

How do you receive forgiveness of sins? Through belief in who Jesus is and his promise of the gospel. On the spot forgiveness.

The moment you believe, the moment faith runs out and receives Christ, you're forgiven. All your sins canceled. Faith is first.

Forgiveness is next. And love is the response. That's what we see. Love flows from forgiveness. Friend, what you see in this woman without a name can be true of you.

Whoever you are, whatever you've done, if you trust in Christ to save you and believe this promise, he will forgive you. You came lost, you can go home saved.

You came guilty, you can go home forgiven. Now twice today we have heard Jesus say to sinners, your sins are forgiven. I want us to think before we close.

How can he say that? How can Jesus, the just and righteous, holy Jesus, look at a sinner who's wicked and defiled and say to them, your sins are forgiven.

We're just going to delete. We'll push the button. It's gone. There's no sin in this situation. Your sins are canceled.

No more debt owed. How can he do that? We must ask that question if we're to get to the bottom of either of these accounts. Well, you know the answer, some of you, but some of you may not.

It will cost Jesus dearly to say those words. Your sins are forgiven. Because for every sin he forgives, he's going to have to pay himself.

God is too holy just to let sin slide. Just to turn his eye and say, OK, we'll just not punish that sin. We'll just let the sinner go free. He's too holy.

He will not violate his justice and holiness to forgive any sin. Eternal hell is the payment for sin. That's what sin deserves. And that's what sinners must pay for their sins.

Under God's wrath. Hell. And there's only one other place where sin is fully paid for. And that's the cross of Christ.

Where God made him who had no sin to be sin for us. Where Christ died for sin. The just for the unjust that he might bring us to God.

God. And this Jesus Christ that we meet in Luke 5 and Luke 7 is on his way to a cross. And there he'll take upon himself all the sins of his people and he'll bear them to the place of punishment.

And there he will suffer all that the sinner had coming for his sin. And there a payment will be made. And all the sins of God's people will will be canceled.

Sold. By this payment. Of Jesus. The substitute curse bearing lamb of God. Jesus paid it all.

And that's the reason any sins. Can be forgiven. That's the reason Jesus can say to this immoral woman. Your sins are forgiven. That's why I can say to the paralyzed man. Your sins are forgiven. Because I'm on the way to a cross.

Where I'll receive what you guys deserve. Oh it cost him dearly to say these sweet words to us. And so we come to that middle cross outside Jerusalem.

And the son of God is hanging there. And men have done their worst to him. And now he must pay for the sins of his people.

And there are the sins of that immoral woman. They met him at Calvary. And there are the sins of that handicapped paralyzed man.

And they met him at Calvary. And he bears it. And the father strikes his son. He does not spare his own son. But wounds him.

Pierces him. Crushes him. And the deepest wound that pierced him was the stroke that just escaped. This is what must happen. Hell came to Calvary that day.

As Jesus suffered in the place of every sinner who trusts in him. It was no surprise to Jesus that day on the cross.

This is why he came. This is why he entered the world. To seek and to save that which was lost. Remember what he said on the night before his crucifixion.

This is my blood of the new covenant. Which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. This is why I've come. This is why I've come. That by my blood.

The payment of my life. I might forgive sins. Only two places where sins are paid for in full. Hell.

By the sinner himself. And it takes forever. And he's never out from under the debt. Or Calvary's cross. Where the sinner's substitute paid.

The infinitely worthy son of God. Is able to pay the debt in a finite number of hours. But to not trust in this savior to pay the debt for you.

Is to be left with the debt yourself to pay. So I must ask you. What are you doing with your sins? We've all got them. But what are we doing with them?

Are we bringing them to this savior of sinners? To forgive us freely. Or are we trying to medicate. Our awareness of sin away.

Are we trying to forget about it? Are we trying to ignore it? Or belittle it? Or justify it? Or are we trying to pay God back.

And do some good things. To try to take our sins away. Friend that doesn't lessen your sin one bit. Instead it increases your sin before God. Because you're treating sin as a little slight against God's holiness.

You think it's so small. What you've done against God. That your little puny good deeds can take away your sin. That is pride and arrogance. Such that heaven.

Sin increases your guilt. Oh you've heard of this savior. Come to him. And trust in him who forgives sin freely. The promise of sins forgiven is met with a yawn of indifference today.

Isn't it? Go out on the street and tell people that their sins can be forgiven. And they yawn. But there's coming a day when the forgiveness of sins will be the most precious thing in the universe.

Amen. It's called the day of judgment. When all men who have ever lived must stand before the great judge. And give an account of themselves.

And in that day to have one's sins forgiven will be the envy of the world. Because if you come to judgment with sins unforgiven.

It's eternal hell. There is a why going out from the place of judgment. Some go away into eternal punishments. And others go away into eternal life.

And it's not based on who did the most good deeds. No in fact the ones that go away in eternal life. Here's this immoral prostitute.

She's there. And over here the one going away to eternal destruction is this self-righteous religious Pharisee. What made the difference?

Her debt was canceled in full by the blood of Jesus whom she trusted in. His debt remains on his head to be paid forever because he was too proud to come as a hell deserving sinner to receive mercy alone from a gracious Savior.

Here she comes. She's got her day in court too. She's done enough things to make her cringe. But Jesus says your sins are forgiven.

Your sins are forgiven. They're canceled. They're deleted. They're remembered no more. Here comes that paralyzed man. Your sins are forgiven.

You know all that bitterness I had against God for my handicap? Your sins are forgiven. Remembered no more. And here you come.

And here I come. Do you see yourself there? What will you hear from this judge? Your sins are forgiven. You have rested your faith upon the life and death and promise of Jesus.

Come you who are blessed. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you by my father. Or depart from me you evildoer. I never knew you. Don't presume upon God's forgiveness.

Friend. Those alone who trust in Jesus now. Those alone who turn from their sins and come to Jesus to have them forgiven. And to be saved from them.

Only those receive forgiveness of sins. Only those have their sins canceled. But there is this idea that God forgives everybody. J.I.

Packer in his book Knowing God speaks of the French freethinker. Who didn't have time for Jesus Christ. And whose arrogant mind caused him to say all sorts of blasphemous things.

All of his life. But he was heard muttering on his deathbed. God will forgive. That's his job. As if God owes all men forgiveness.

Not so my friend. Do you know that there were angels that fell and sinned. And God did not send a savior for them.

Not one of them was ever forgiven. But he has reserved their place in hell forever. Friend. If God forgives human beings.

It will not be because he owes it to us. Because that's his job. It will mean that God has done for a poor helpless sinner like me.

What he's not done for an angel. That sinned against him. Amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved. A wretch like me.

Before we close. Can we play that what if game? What if. One of the multi-billion heirs in our country. Decided to be kind.

And decided that he would. Make an offer to pay off the debts. That were brought to him until his money was all gone.

There's no catch. There's no fine print. He's just that good. So that if you owe a debt. You can bring it to him. And he'll write out the check. No questions asked. Debt on a car.

A house. Credit card. Business. Doesn't matter. You better get there before the U.S. government does with their debt. Or it would all be gone.

Before you even got there. But some of you would be skipping school tomorrow. To get there. Some of you would be skipping work. You would be sparing yourselves no pain to get to that guy's house.

To have your debt canceled. Well let's quit playing the game. And let's come back to reality. Because the fact is. Is that we all.

Are in debt. To God. We all have sinned. And come short of the glory. We owe him. And none of us. Can pay back.

What we owe. We're all like those two people in the story. We have nothing to repay God. For our sins against him. But there is one.

Who is. Making an offer. To fully and freely forgive all debts. For any bankrupt sinner. Who brings their sins to him.

And trusts in him. To do so. It's real. It's real. The offer's been made. He'll cancel all your debts.

He's just that rich in mercy. He's just that loaded. With love. He's just that full of grace. He's that wealthy. And there's that much merit.

In his perfect life. In his atoning death. That if you bring your debt. Of sin to him. He'll cancel it. Forever. And he really wants you.

To take up. The offer. This morning. He really does. You know. He sends his messengers. His heralds. Into all the world. To announce this. This deal. Come to Jesus.

Just as you are. In your sin. And he will freely forgive you. And cancel your sin. Forever. Forever. And I'm one of those messengers. And you know something that's true of everyone.

You're. You believers. Are also those messengers. And what's true of every one of these messengers. Is that they too. Were bankrupt sinners. With nothing to pay. And they came to this savior.

And they cast themselves on his mercy. And he freely forgave us. And now we come to you. And say the deal is true. This is no phony. This is no falsehood.

This is for real. And do you know that Jesus. Will not be happy with me. This morning. If I just lay out. His offer before you.

With a take it or leave it. Attitude and say. Well there's the offer. He offers to cancel all your sins. If you'll just bring them to him. Now you do with it. What you will. No Jesus will not be happy with me.

If I do not urge you. To take him up on his offer. He's saying. Go for it sinner. Take it. My friend. Don't walk away from it. This morning.

He's here right now. And on the spot. Will cancel your sin. Now come to him. Why would you not come to him? Take words with you.

And return to the Lord. Say to him. Forgive all our sins. And receive us graciously. I'm nothing good to say for myself.

God be merciful to me. The sinner. For Jesus sake. And you my friend. Will go home to your house. Justified. Right with God.

Forgiven. Sins canceled. Forever. Believers. If your love for Christ. Is cold.

If our love for Christ. Is cold. We're forgetting something. We're forgetting. How much. We have been forgiven. And we're forgetting.

How. Our forgiveness. Was paid for. What's the answer? It sits back to the cross. Where our sins. Were punished on him.

And so we take our place. Beside this immoral woman. At Jesus feet. We take our place. With this paralyzed man. We too had feet. That would not go. In the way of God's commandments.

We. Were paralyzed. Spiritually. Weren't we? We would go our own way. And we take our place. Beside them. And we ask.

For mercy. Afresh. And we receive. The kiss. Of forgiveness. Whoever. Whoever. If you. Confess your sins. He is faithful. And just.

To forgive us. Our sins. And to cleanse us. From all. Unrighteousness. And a life. Filled with warm tears. For Jesus.

Warm love. And service. To Christ. Is produced. By remembering. What he's done. For us. Let's pray. Oh Lord.

We confess. That the things. Of sight. And sounds. Have possessed. Our minds. And our hearts. Such that we can. Hardly stand. In wonder. Unseen. Miracles. We've been.

Standing. Before them. Again. This morning. The wonders. That only Jesus. Can do. On the spot. Healing. On the spot. Forgiveness. And we think.

Of each one. Here. We think. Of the. Men. And women. Here. Who have received. That same. Sweet word. Your sins. Are forgiven. Oh work.

It into our hearts. As. For the very first time. That we might. Gladly. Offer ourselves. Up afresh.

To you. Out of. Thankful love. And open up. The eyes. Of some. Who are blind. To this reality. And show them. That this Jesus. Who offers.

Forgiveness. Today. Is coming back. In judgment. Oh. Help them. To run. To him. And to be found. In him. While the door. Of grace. Is open. We ask.

In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.