Mathew 28:19-20a; Key Verse: 28:19a
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.”

The Risen Jesus planted Resurrection faith in the heart of his disciples who were fragile in their faith. (1-15) After his resurrection, Jesus received all authority in heaven and on earth. (18) This means Jesus could rule the world with power and authority and become the judge of the living and the dead. Jesus is the King of kings who is in charge of all people’s life and history. The Risen Jesus then gave the eleven disciples a command. What kind of command did Jesus give his disciples?

First: Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.

Look at verse 19a. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.” After Jesus planted resurrection faith, he asked his disciples to go out and make disciples of all nations. In order to practice Jesus’ great commission, they must first go out to a foreign country as a missionary and stay there. Exactly 40 years ago, the first UBF nurse missionaries came to Germany. They had to face many difficulties, for example, overcoming cultural and language barriers. But these nurse missionaries accepted Jesus’ great commission and went to their mission field. By faith and prayer they tried to master the language and overcame the culture shock.

The second step is to make disciples of all nations. Jesus did not just call 12 disciples and preach to them. He trained them and raised them as disciples. Therefore, we must not only plant the words of God, but also train disciples of Jesus. This is Jesus’ command. Some people think making disciples of Jesus is the special mission purpose of only UBF. But it is not. It is Jesus’ Great Commission which all servants of God must obey. These days, those who are retired from their jobs in UBF become missionaries again and go out to other countries as “silver missionaries” like M. Isaac Lim, M. Moses Chang and Dr. Joseph Chung. Young leaders also go to other countries as short term missionaries. This means old or young can go to other countries as missionaries.

Second: Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Look at verse 20a. “Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” We Christians must teach people how to obey the words of Jesus. Here we learn what the Risen Jesus’ heart’s desire is. He wants all peoples of all nations to obey the word of God, which gives them eternal life.

In order to raise disciples, we must not only teach the word of God, but also help them to obey it. It is not easy for us to have 1:1 Bible study with young students. And it is hard to teach them to keep and obey the word of God. Therefore, we recognize that raising disciples is not an easy task. However, we must make a deep love-relationship with our Bible students like Jesus, teach them the word of God, and help them obey it. Let’s pray that we may raise 100,000 missionaries by 2041 and send them out to all people of all nations.

In conclusion, Apostle Paul’s time was like our time, facing post modernism, materialism and hedonism (Ro. 1:18-32). Adultery, hedonism and idol-worship were rampant and stood as a great obstacle to the work of God.

But the Apostle did not shrieked back. He challenged the time with intensive Bible study and raising disciples of Jesus. Likewise, through the gospel-centered servants of God, God has established his salvation work in this corrupted and idol-worshipping Europe. When they put their hearts to the work for Bible study and disciple making Europe will once again be restored back to God.

Now I would like to give three prayer topics
First, We must concentrate on one-to-one and intensive Bible study.
Second, We must concentrate on disciple-making ministry.
Third, Please pray to pioneer all European campuses and Muslim countries.

THE WORD OF THE LORD GREW IN POWER

Acts 19:1-21
Key verse 19:20

“In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”

God blessed Apostle Paul’s ministry in Ephesus abundantly. What was the secret of his great spiritual success? We want to know this secret in order to learn how to serve God’s work and see a great work of God in Europe. May God give us Apostle Paul’s wisdom and vision.

I. Paul’s Intensive Bible Study With the Twelve Disciples (1-10)

Look at verse 1a. Apostle Paul was now on his third mission journey. “After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and travelled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. […] He took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.” (Acts 18:23; 19:1b) Ephesus was a prosperous city, located on the trade route between Rome and the East. It was an important market place. Many merchants came from all parts of the world to trade. The city was cosmopolitan and multicultural. There were many rich people there. The dream of all young students in Ephesus was to be rich, in order to buy “Diesel” jeans or nice horses or a beautiful house. They wanted to enjoy life. Their motto was: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1Cor. 15:32) They drank a lot and gave their bodies over to sexual pleasures. Prostitution was widespread in Ephesus. In their Coliseum, people enjoyed many games like gladiator fights. In Ephesus there were also numerous philosophies and different kinds of ideas. This made people very proud of their intelligence. Ephesus was also the center of the worship of Artemis, called Aphrodite by Greeks and Diana by Romans, the goddess of beauty and fertility. People who lived in Ephesus were absolutely dominated by this idolatrous and corrupt environment. There were even displays of sorcery and occultism. It was people’s life style in Ephesus. It seemed that it was impossible to plant the word of God in this citadel of Satan. But Apostle Paul challenged the immoral and idolatrous Ephesus, and engaged in a fierce spiritual battle. How? Did he gather Christian armies to attack the city and take possession of it? No. Paul engaged in battle with a powerful spiritual weapon: the Gospel of Christ.

Look at verses 1b-7. When Paul arrived in Ephesus, he found some disciples. In speaking with them, Paul realized that they were too serious. They never laughed, even when Paul told a joke. Paul discovered they had no joy. He asked them: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” He asked, “Then what baptism did you receive? “John’s baptism,” they replied. They lived ascetic lives and everyday they repented of their sins by beating their chest. They fasted several times a week and tried to live a pure life, but they had no joy, peace and freedom. So Paul preached the message of salvation in Jesus to them: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1) When they heard this good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, they were filled with joy. Then Paul placed his hands on them and prayed for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. When they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they praised God for the first time: “Hallelujah! Glory to God! Glory to Jesus, the horn of salvation!” They were born again! Wow! In this way, Paul had a good start in his ministry in Ephesus.

Look at verses 8-9a. Paul was greatly encouraged. He had a vision to evangelize all Ephesus. As usual, Paul entered the synagogue once a week and spoke boldly with passion and enthusiasm for three months arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. But unexpectedly, some of the listeners became obstinate and refused to believe, perhaps they decided not to believe. Not only this, they publicly maligned the Way. They poisoned the hearts and mind of the people. Even the faith of the twelve disciples was swayed by the opposition. What did Paul do in this critical moment? Look at verses 9b-10a. “He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years…” The gospel cannot be changed in any situation, but the method can be changed according to each mission field. Paul realized that the traditional method did not work, so he changed the strategy drastically. Paul left them and focused on those who had spiritual desire. He had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. People had a fixed idea that the word of God had to be preached only in the synagogue, but Paul rented the lecture hall of Tyrannus. The Tyrannus school was a place where philosophers and speakers came to teach. In the morning, the rooms of this school were therefore used for lessons of philosophy and during the warmth of day, from 11am-4pm, they were empty and people had a work break. Paul took advantage of this time. Because of this, it was the perfect place and time for Bible study.

As we see in the previous chapters, Paul was a lay missionary, a tentmaker. (20:34-35) He worked in the morning, to support his needs and those of his companions and then went to the hall of Tyrannus after his job. After work many people like to relax by drinking beer or going to a fitness club or having a siesta. However, as soon as Paul was done with his work, he ran to the lecture hall of Tyrannus and held Bible discussions for several hours. Thus far Paul proclaimed the message of the gospel one-sidedly and publicly, but then he realized that it did not work. So he adopted the Socratic method: questions-and-answers based on the word of God. Paul did not preach, rather, he encouraged all the participants to take part in Bible study very positively. People like to talk. That is why Paul used this method for Bible study. Many people participated in these meetings including the twelve disciples who grew stronger in the word of God.

Look at verse 10. “This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.” Paul had Bible studies in Tyrannus, not weekly like in the synagogue, but daily for 2 years. That meant they had 730 Bible studies all tolled. Wow! 730 Bible studies! This is another secret of Paul’s fruitful ministry in Ephesus: intensive Bible study. It was not Paul’s own idea. Paul learned this from Jesus. Jesus taught the word of God on a daily basis from early morning to late night. Through this intensive Bible study, Jesus’ disciples were changed from mundane people into great spiritual men of God.

Daily Bible study is not easy; it requires much energy and strength. It is impossible to do it on a daily basis out of mere obligation. It is only possible when we have a shepherd heart. When we look at the gospel, we find Jesus was filled with a shepherd heart.

One day after hard work, Jesus and his disciples took a vacation to a solitary place, but many who saw them leave ran on foot and got there ahead of them. What a great burden! The vacation was ruined! However, when Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So out of a shepherd heart, he began teaching them many things. (Mark 6:30-34) Paul learned Jesus’ shepherd heart. In Acts 20:19, Paul confessed, “I served the Lord with great humility and with tears.”

In the beginning, Paul’s Bible study in the lecture hall of Tyrannus seemed absolutely insignificant to many people. It was just “Paul’s Bible Club.” But the word of God worked and grew in the hearts of the participants. This mustard-seed-like Bible study became so famous that “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.” (10b) It was an amazing work without a cell phone, radio, TV, e-mails, or facebook. The gospel was spread throughout the province of Asia from mouth to mouth. Those who had been touched by the word of God spoke about it to their parents, friends, neighbours, and invited them to come to participate in Paul’s Bible study. And in this way, their numbers increased continuously. A great work of the Holy Spirit had been kindled in Ephesus.

II. A Great Spiritual Awakening in Ephesus (11-21)

Look at verses 11-12. God supported Paul’s ministry of the word with extraordinary miracles. The power of God in Paul was so strong that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. During every meal, people watched attentively as Paul wiped his mouth, and as soon as the meal was finished, they fought for Paul’s napkin which was full of traces of sauces and chocolate, and put it over their face to be healed.

Look at verses 13-16. Many people became envious of Paul’s ministry. Among them were seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish chief priest. One day, they were called to heal a demon-possessed man. They gathered around him, raised their hands and shouted together: “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, we command you to come out.” The evil spirit said to them: “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. These verses teach us that without the help of the Holy Spirit, we cannot copy the ministry of God’s word.

Look at verse 17. When the news of this event was spread throughout the all region, a deep feeling of fear came over them all. Many of them came and openly confessed their evil deeds (18). Those who for two years had refused to believe finally came to the Lord with tears of repentance and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour. It was the work of the Holy Spirit.

This movement of repentance was accompanied by concrete acts. According to verse 19, “A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.” Fifty thousand drachmas is equal to more than 3 million Euros. Idolatry was so serious in Ephesus that many people kept scrolls of sorcery and practiced it in their own houses. At that time, books were handwritten and very expensive. Such a quantity of scrolls shows how much importance people put in these occult practices. But by the grace of God, now they were in this public place and threw their scrolls of sorcery into the fire. They wanted to live a new life in Jesus.

Let’s read verse 20. “In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” The Ephesians considered sorcery and idolatry normal. They thought that it was part of their culture and lifestyle. They had no consciousness of sin. They were tormented by demons. However, when they accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour through intensive Bible study, they realized that they were sinners before God. When they confessed their sins, their sins were forgiven. They were filled with heavenly joy in their hearts. They were liberated from the power of demons, so they were no longer afraid and burned all the scrolls of sorcery. This was a courageous act of faith. It was only possible through the power of God’s word. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and overpowered all kinds of evil forces, and it was a great victory in God.

When we look at the situation in Europe, we can find many similarities with Ephesus. People have so many idols: money, physical appearance, cars, video games, sport, internet. Humanism and immorality have pervaded our daily lives. Sexual immorality has never been stronger than since the advent of internet. Alcohol and drug abuse continues to rise. Violence keeps increasing. Even Christians go away from God and live a compromising life. They have no power to influence the world, but are dominated by the world. The majority of our UBF churches in Europe are house churches consisting of one or two families. Some people may wander: “How can we conquer idolatry and the sin of a whole country since we are so few?” When Paul focused on a few disciples and intensive Bible study, he overcame the sinful Ephesian culture and even all the province of Asia was changed. Likewise, we can overcome European culture through intensive Bible study and disciple-making ministry. We must believe that when even one person is changed, the whole country can be changed as well. We will surely see a great awakening in Europe!

25 years ago, God started a new work in France through one Korean missionary. Later, God sent more missionaries. Many French students came and left. It seemed impossible to change the proud French intellectuals strongly rooted in humanism and traditional Christianity. But the missionaries planted the word of God faithfully and courageously in French students. When missionaries persevered, God finally changed typical French students through 1:1 Bible study. Later God established French house churches that co-work with the missionaries. Now, there are growing disciples who have made a decision to dedicate themselves to the French gospel ministry. 20 years ago, I was invited to 1:1 Bible study. I was a typical young French man. I was raised in a lovely family and received traditional Catholic education, but I had no idea about sin. Through 1:1 Bible study, I discovered that I was lost and that I was under God’s wrath. I was a sinner who gave in to sinful desires and I was a man of anger. I had neither hope nor vision. But God put his hope in me. God changed me. When I repented and accepted that Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins, I was liberated from guilt and fatalism and began a new life. But this change was not only for me. Through my change, God gave us vision and hope that many French young people might come to Christ and that France could be changed and be used as a holy nation to bless all European countries and many countries in the world, especially French speaking nations.

Let’s return to the text. By seeing the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in Ephesus, Paul had the vision that the entire world would be evangelized by the gospel of Jesus. Let us see verse 21: “After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. ‘After I have been there,’ he said, ‘I must visit Rome also.’” Paul believed that God would conquer Rome with the gospel as he had done in Ephesus. Paul was burning with vision to spread the gospel to the whole world through Roman roads. God blessed his vision, and around 250 years later, Rome became a Christian city.

Through this passage, we learned that Paul devoted himself to the Holy Spirit in Ephesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit, he could work hard as a tentmaker, Bible teacher and disciple maker. As a result, Paul could challenge the prevailing godless culture of Ephesians and the Holy Spirit brought a great awakening in all Asia. The awakening in Ephesus was so impressive that it resounded throughout the Christian world. May God give us a challenging spirit and the vision to serve European people with intensive Bible study and disciple-making ministry, so that we will see a great awakening in Europe! Amen!

JESUS HAS RISEN

Mathew 28:1-20
Key verses 28:6

“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”

“Hristos voskrese.” This is the traditional Easter greeting in Bulgaria; it means “Christ has risen.” And the answer is “Voistina voskrese.” which means, “Truly he has risen.” So Bulgaria is full of witnesses of the Risen Christ at Easter time. When I was a boy, I hated Easter, but loved Christmas. I loved Christmas because my birthday is on December 24th and I received double the amount of presents. I hated Easter because I had to say these traditional Easter greetings which neither I nor others actually believed in. But now things have changed and I love Easter more than Christmas because Jesus has truly risen. He saved me and gave me a clear life direction. Tonight we will hear the message of the Risen Christ and learn the meaning of the resurrection. The Risen Christ gave a Great commission to his disciples. Let’s learn what this commission means to us.

I. He has risen (1-6)

Look at verse 1. It was early Sunday morning, at dawn. It was still dark. Two women came to Jesus’ tomb. They were Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who was the mother of James. Mark’s gospel says that they went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with perfumes (Mk 16:1). But this was very dangerous, especially for women. Jesus’ tomb was outside of Jerusalem. They had to pass the Roman soldiers guarding the tomb and remove the heavy stone which weighed over a ton. They could do so because they loved Jesus with all their hearts; however, their hearts were full of sorrow and despair because of Jesus’ death. Jesus was everything to them, but now he was dead. They had no hope for the future. They were under the power of death. Death is the biggest problem of all human beings. Death takes away everything, all the glory and the power, beauty, wealth and so on and so forth. Nobody can avoid death. Recently people all around the world were in grief because of the unexpected death of Michel Jackson, the king of pop. That is why everyone fears death and falls into despair and fatalism.

Look at verse 2. Suddenly, there was a violent earthquake in Jesus’ tomb. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled back the stone and sat on it victoriously. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow (3). The angel’s appearance is very important because it symbolizes the glory and power of Jesus’ resurrection, defeating darkness and death. The angel was so bright that even the strong Roman soldiers were afraid of him and they shook and became like dead men (4). In this way, all the hindrances were completely removed for these two women.

Look at verses 5 and 6, “The angel said to the women, ‘Don’t be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Jesus was raised from the dead and defeated the power of death. This is the good news which gives us real hope for our lives. Jesus solved our death problem through his resurrection and there is no need to fear death anymore. Look at verse 6a again. “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” Here “just as he said” means that the resurrection of Jesus is not an accident but a fulfillment of his promise. The resurrection of Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s salvation plan for all mankind.

After the angel declared ‘Jesus has risen’, he invited the two women to see the evidence themselves, “Come and see the place where he lay.” In any court in the world, the judge requests clear evidence to be able to give the final verdict. That is why the angel said to the women to come and see the empty tomb. Jesus’ tomb was empty. That is the first proof of Jesus’ resurrection. More evidence is the witnesses of the Risen Christ. These two women became the first witnesses. The Risen Christ also appeared to the disciples. In 1 Corinthians 15, Apostle Paul says that the Risen Christ appeared to more than 500 people at the same time. Paul himself met the Risen Christ on the way to Damascus. But the strongest evidence is the changed lives of the witnesses. They were completely changed – from weeping Mary to happy Mary, from fearful disciples to brave apostles, from hopeless fishermen to shepherds of the people, from doubting Thomas to a man of conviction, and from Saul, the persecutor, to Paul, the apostle for the gentiles. They were all changed by the Risen Christ and lived joyful and victorious lives. Praise Jesus.

II. Go and tell (7-15)

Look at verse 7. “Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Right after the message of the Risen Christ, the angel gave the women a mission to go quickly and tell the disciples. In verse 10, Jesus also repeated this command to the women, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me”. Why was this so important?

There is a famous story that can help us understand the importance of telling the good news of the Risen Christ. You probably know the story of the longest Olympic athletic race – the marathon. It is named after the Greek town of Marathon where one of the biggest battles between Persia and Greece took place. When the Greek army won the great victory over the more numerous enemy, they immediately sent a messenger to Athens to deliver the good news. The messenger ran so fast that when he reached Athens he could only whisper “victory” and collapsed dead. Here we can see how important someone to bring the good news of great victory is. The good news of the Risen Christ is much more important than any other news. The Bible says “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” (Ro 10:15). Therefore we should be more willing to go and tell the message of the resurrection with more determination than the marathon runner.

What happened then? Verse 8 reads, “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” Wow! What a change in these women’s hearts! They had been so depressed. Their hearts had been totally hopeless and in great despair. But now the news of the Risen Jesus filled them with great joy. What is more, they were changed into women of mission. They used to be just two women who couldn’t make any difference. But they received the power to influence the whole world, starting with the disciples. Through the resurrection faith of these few believers, the great Roman Empire was converted to Christianity and the whole world was blessed. The message of the Risen Christ for the last 40 years has also changed several desperate students in Europe, like me. And God will surely use these changed students to revive Europe as a missionary sending continent.

Verses 11-15 tell us how the religious leaders plotted to cover up Jesus’ resurrection. They bribed the Roman soldiers with a large sum of money into lying that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus during the night. The religious leaders tried their best to hide the truth of the resurrection. But they could not stop the truth. It was impossible to suppress the news of the Risen Christ.

III. Go and make disciples (16-20)

These verses are called the Great Commission. The eleven disciples followed Jesus’ command to go to Galilee. There they met him face to face. When they saw him, they worshipped him. The word “worship” is used only when the object of worship is God. This means that the disciples have recognized and honored Jesus as God Himself. Only Jesus is worthy to be worshipped because he conquered the power of death. The phrase that some of the disciples doubted show that resurrection is not something natural for everyone to believe in. But still, despite their doubt, they became witnesses of the resurrection and Jesus gave them the Great Commission.

Look at verse 18. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’” Before Jesus gave them the Great Commission, he declared his authority. Jesus has the authority to judge, to forgive sins, to drive out evil spirits, and to give eternal life.

Let’s read together verse 19. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” First, we have to go. Without going, nothing happens. This is the first step of obeying Jesus’ Great Commission. Nowadays, through internet, we can go anywhere in the world without leaving our room. Actually this is not what Jesus meant. Going requires a great sacrifice. But when we go, people can hear the good news and meet the Risen Jesus more personally. Jesus showed a good example by coming to us from heaven. If Jesus had not come into this world, there would be no salvation. Therefore we must go. After we go, what should we do? Go sightseeing, conduct business, or play football? No. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples.” Here we see that Jesus’ Great Commission is different from verse 7. Now the command is not only to tell the good news, but to make disciples. To make a disciple means to help a person to believe in Jesus Christ and grow in the knowledge of him. It means to help him to bear fruit. So the ultimate goal is to help the disciples be disciple-makers.

But how can we achieve that? Verse 19b says that we should baptize. Baptism is a public ceremony declaring one’s commitment to live for Jesus. So we should help others to know Jesus and to make a decision to commit themselves to him. In verse 20a, we see that we should also teach others to obey everything that Jesus has commanded. Christian life is a life of obedience. Finally Jesus gave a promise to his disciples. It is the promise to send the Holy Spirit. Jesus has not left his disciples alone. He is with them forever through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will give them the power and wisdom to carry out the Great Commission.

Before I met Jesus, I was fatalistic about my life. I hopeless and not only broke my rackets out of anger but also drank alcohol and smoked. I eventually dropped out of the university enjoying the pleasures of the flesh with my girl friend. But in 2005, Jesus met me through one to one Bible study. At the European Summer Bible Conference that year, Jesus spoke to me through his word “It is finished.” He paid the full price of my sins. The Risen Christ gave me a new hope and purpose for my life. The Risen Christ gave me power to leave behind my sinful life and to graduate. The Risen Christ gave me a clear direction and life-mission to become a shepherd and a Bible teacher for Bulgarian students. Furthermore, the Risen Christ gave me vision to obey his Great Commission and become a missionary to Arabic nations. Praise Jesus. May God change many students in Europe through the resurrection of Jesus and his Great Commission. Amen.

JESUS SAID, “IT IS FINISHED.”

John 19:16b-37
Key Verse 19:30

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

The cross is the symbol of Christianity. We can find the cross on every church steeple and on every altar. Young people like to wear silver or gold cross necklaces and young women even like to wear cross earrings. But many, who decorate themselves with crosses, do not know its exact meaning. In the past, the cross used to be a symbol of shame, failure and suffering. But after Jesus’ time, the cross became a symbol of victory, life and glory. Today, let us learn about the true meaning of the cross as we think about Jesus’ crucifixion, especially, his last words “It is finished.”

I. Jesus was crucified as the King of the Jews (16b-27)

In chapter 18, Pilate, the Roman governor, interrogated Jesus, but found no basis for a charge against him. However, in order to please the Jews he compromised and sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion.

Look at verses 16b and 17. “So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).” Usually, the condemned had to carry the cross beam, which weighed about 70 kg, by themselves. Jesus was completely exhausted, hungry and thirsty as a result of the last interrogation. The Roman soldiers had flogged him mercilessly with their whips, which had metal pieces attached to the ends. Jesus’ back was a torn up, bloody mess. When he was at the brink of death, the Centurion stopped their cruel torture. Afterwards, the soldiers mocked him by making him wear a purple robe, they gave him a stick as a sceptre in his hand and pressed a crown of thorns onto his head. “Hail, King of the Jews!”, they said. They spat in his face and struck his head. Finally, they put the heavy beam on his shoulders. On the way to the place of execution, Jesus collapsed several times. The soldiers forced Simon, who stood there watching the scene, to carry Jesus’ cross. When they arrived at Golgotha, they began the crucifixion.

Look at verse 18. “Here, they crucified him.” They tore off Jesus’ clothes and laid him on the cross. A soldier reached out for a heavy hammer and long iron nails. He placed one of those nails above Jesus’ wrists, and with heavy blows, drove it into the cross, straight through Jesus’ wrists. Biting pain filled Jesus’ whole body. Blood gushed out of the wounds. The soldier repeated the process on the other side. Finally, he pressed Jesus’ feet on top of one other and drove a long nail through them into the wood. Then they used ropes to erect the cross. At that moment, indescribable fiery pain and muscle cramps shook Jesus’ body. The torment that Jesus had to endure with every single breath is beyond description. In verse 18b, Jesus was crucified between two criminals. In this way he was regarded as the worst criminal.

Why was Jesus, who was completely innocent, executed in this most shameful and painful manner? Isaiah foretold, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering…. Surely, he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows…He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds, we are healed” (Isa 53:3-5). According to Isaiah’s prophecy, Jesus was crucified in our place. We deserve to be punished in this most painful and shameful way because of our sins. However, Jesus was despised and rejected, he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows in his body. He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. Thank you Jesus.

What is “sin”? Sin is breaking God’s commandments. Someone who disobeys a public traffic law will be punished. I heard that Switzerland has the strictest list of fines. For example, a person can be fined 10 € for riding a bicycle without a properly functioning bell. ‘Ding, ding, ding..’ “This sound is not o. k. It must be ‘ding dang dong’ You have to pay 10€. God gave us his holy commandments. But who can abide by all of God’s commandments? Sin means to miss the point of one’s life, to live our lives without God, to be ungrateful to God. Sin causes us to exclude God from our lives, so that we strive for self-fulfillment and live according to our lust and desires, seeking personal honour instead of God’s honour. However, many people nowadays are numb towards sin. They think that sin is harmless, even amusing. However, when we look at the crucified Jesus, we realize just how serious sin is. When we look at the crucified Jesus, we realize that the wages of sin is death (Ro 6:23). It’s not 10 €, but death.

However, death is not the end. We also have to face God’s judgment and eternal condemnation. Many people falsely think that once we die, everything will be over. That’s why many people commit suicide when confronted with difficulties. But the Bible states very clearly that death is not the end of life. Hebrews 9:27 says, ”Just as a man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.“ And then they will be thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur (Rev 21:8). We can already see the consequences of sin in this life: fear, restlessness, a nagging, bad conscience, depression and so on. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe has the world’s highest suicide rate and cases are rising among young people. In Europe about 175 people per million per year commit suicide and the number of attempted suicides is estimated to be 10-15 times higher. People suffer so much under the power of sin. But Jesus took all our sins on his body to free us from eternal punishment.

Look at verse 19. ”Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.“ In those days these notices revealed the crime of the crucified person. But Jesus’ case was different. This verdict was written in three major languages: Hebrew – the mother tongue of the Jews, Latin – the global language, and Greek – the language of the culture. This reveals that Jesus died as the Saviour of the world. What does this notice mean? Jesus grew up in Nazareth, in Galilee. There he began his messianic ministry and performed many miracles. “Jesus of Nazareth” means that Jesus is the good shepherd, who was full of mercy. “Jesus of Nazareth“ was a friend to the lonely tax collector, Levi, and a true husband to a Samaritan woman. ”Jesus of Nazareth“ gave eyesight to the blind and made the lame walk. Jesus is everything to everyone. “The King of the Jews,“ means that Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is the promised Messiah. The King of the Jews rules our hearts with truth, love and peace. The King of the Jews is our one true hope.

When the high priests saw the this notice, they became angry. They protested and said, “Do not write ‘the King of the Jews’ but that this man claimed to be King of the Jews.“ But Pilate replied, “What I have written, I have written. Don’t be rebellious, go away!” Look at verses 23,24. While Jesus hung on the cross, the soldiers divided his clothes and cast lots for his gown. They cruelly used Jesus’ crucifixion for small material gain. They were ruthless, merciless, and greedy. But this happened so that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Jesus’ mother and the other two Marys were also standing under the cross. They cried endlessly. When Jesus saw his mother, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to the disciple who was next to her, “Here is your mother.” How beautiful is Jesus who truly understands the suffering of one person and gives true comfort in the midst of terrible suffering. In this way Jesus revealed his true humanity.

II. Jesus accomplished God’s salvation work (28-37)

Look at verses 28-30. “Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’” This short sentence, “I am thirsty.“ reveals how resolutely Jesus struggled to obey God’s will, even to the point of death on the cross. “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” The day Jesus died was the day before the Passover. Therefore the Jews did not want the dead bodies to remain hanging on the cross. So they went to Pilate and asked him to break their legs and take them down. The soldiers broke the criminals’ legs but saw that Jesus had already died. Verse 34 reads, “Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.” The blood and water gushing out of Jesus’ body indicate that Jesus’ blood circulation had completely collapsed. John continued, “The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.” Some people believe that Jesus’ death was just an illusion or a man-made story. But as an eye witness of this event John testified with clear conviction that Jesus indeed died and that his death on the cross is a historical fact (24,28,36,37). Let’s read verse 30a again. “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’” What does “It is finished” mean?

First, it means that the Scriptures were fulfilled. Through Jesus’ death on the cross the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled down to the last detail. Here the author teaches us that the Bible is the truth of God in which we can place all our trust. Regarding Jesus’ death, John tells us that Jesus’ death was not just a coincidence or fate or the consequence of his sins. Rather, it was God’s plan and the climax of the redemptive work in God’s history.

Second, Jesus finished his mission. Whenever I get home and look around I always find several things unfinished, for example, the washing up, the homeworks of my children or some repairs. Do you know Franz Schubert? He is a famous Austrian composer. But he did not even bother to finish one of his symphonies. So they called it: ‘The Unfinished’. But Jesus was different. Jesus finished his mission. No one, except Jesus, the Son of God, said the words “It is finished.” in the last moments of his life. Most people are full of sadness, bitterness or fear of death in the last moments of their lives. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s last words were, “More light, more light!“ Mark Twain apparently led an enviable life, but on his deathbed, full of regret, said, “If I could live one more time… ” Jesus’ last words, however, were full of victory, because he knew that his mission would be fulfilled with his death. Jesus’ last words reveal that his death was not a failure, but was the victory over the power of sin and death.

Third, God’s salvation work was completed. With Jesus’ death on the cross God’s salvation plan was completed. In the time of the Old Testament the priest had to atone not only for his own sins but also for the sins of the people with the blood of numerous slaughtered animals. This atonement lasted only for a moment and this process had to be repeated, as soon as someone sinned again. However, Jesus Christ offered himself, shedding his blood as a ransom sacrifice for our sins. Jesus died for our sins and the effect of his forgiveness for our sins is eternal, because Jesus is sinless and he is alive eternally through his resurrection. When Jesus said, “It is finished”, the original text uses the present perfect tense. According to the Encyclopedia the present perfect tense is used to express action that has been completed with respect to the present. That means that Jesus’ sacrificial atonement is still valid in the present. His atonement offering has the power to save not only people who lived 2000 years ago, but also you and me who are living today.

With his death on the cross, Jesus completed God’s plan for our salvation 100%, not 99%, or 99.9% but 100%. Jesus paid the full price for our sins in order to save us. If Jesus had paid just 99% of the price, we still would have to pay 1% by our own efforts. But this doesn’t work, because we are completely depraved. We would not be able to pay back even 1% of our guilt. Even if we gave all our money or our whole lives and died as martyrs for God, this would be nothing, because our own blood is unholy and sick with sin. It is only by God’s grace that we are saved. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” On the cross, God’s love is fully revealed to mankind. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him, shall not perish, but have eternal life”. Everyone who comes to Jesus by faith can receive God’s love of forgiveness. All we have to do is accept God’s precious gift, Jesus, who died for our sins as the lamb of God.

When Martin Luther was still a law student, he was caught in a heavy thunderstorm. He feared being hurt by lightening and promised that he would become a monk if God saved his life. As a monk he tried to please God by praying daily, fasting, and working hard in order to overcome his sin. He even undertook a long journey to Rome, where he went on the “Holy Steps” and prayed earnestly at every step from the bottom to the top. But when he reached the last step he only had wounded knees but didn’t receive God’s peace in his heart. The more he tried to fight against his sin, the more he despaired. Finally, he came to know the true meaning of the Cross of Jesus by meditating on Romans 1:17, which says, “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” Luther realized that Jesus already paid the price for his sins and that he only had to accept God’s grace of forgiveness by faith. When he did so, God’s peace entered his heart. Moreover, God changed his life and worked through his life mightily, using him preciously for the reformation of the corrupt church in his time.

I was full of pride and self-glory and strived for my own honour. I wanted to please people and receive their attention with my jokes and their recognition through my good achievements at the university. I became very adaptable to please everybody. However, through this I was caught in a web of lies. In addition, I was always afraid of being rejected by people. It was not possible for me to speak in front of a large crowd without sweat attacks and becoming red in the face. So when I was invited to 1:1 Bible study by Msn. Mary Shin, I was very surprised that she spoke so easily in her specific German to me and invited me out of the blue. But through 1:1 God touched my heart. On the cross, Jesus gave himself to me in order to atone for my selfish pride and my wrong desires of seeking my own honour. When God revealed his perfect love of redemption to me through Jesus’ victorious words on the cross, “It is finished.” I accepted it by faith. Then God gave me assurance that all my sins were forgiven and that I was saved by grace. God’s love filled my heart and freed me from my dependence and fear of men. God gave me true joy and peace. His love also set me free to go and invite people to 1:1 Bible study and to our Sunday worship services. The Cross of Jesus changed me from an unworthy and hopeless sinner to God’s chosen instrument for world campus mission. Praise Jesus!

Europe is a wonderful continent. But there is one main problem: more and more sin is being relativized. The consequences are an increase in corruption, violence, and constant acts of desperation, like suicides and massacres. Loneliness, lack of personal relationships, sexual immorality and false teachings like occultism and idol worship are also increasing. The economic and political union cannot be Europe’s true hope, as long as Europe is being destroyed inwardly by the bad influence of sin. God’s only hope for Europe is the Cross of Jesus. The Cross of Jesus changes sorrow into joy and shame into glory. The Cross of Jesus changes defeat into glorious victory. In the Cross of Jesus there is power by which our personal sin problem will be solved completely. At this hour let us hear and accept Jesus’ victorious last words on the cross, “It is finished.” by faith. May the Cross of Jesus change Europe into a blessing and a missionary sending continent.

But Seek His Kingdom

Luke 12:13-34
Key Verse 12:31

“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”

In this passage Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool, a man who completely missed the aim in life. It is a warning not to lose our hearts in a materialistic world, but to prepare treasure in heaven. Then Jesus tells his disciples: Do not worry. Instead he gives them a new life direction: Seek the kingdom of God, and these things will be given to you as well.

I. The Rich Fool (13-21)

Look at verse 13. Jesus was surrounded by a big crowd as usual. Someone said to him. “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me (13).” We do not know much about this man, but what we do know is that his father died and his brother took all of the inheritance. The elder brother should have divided the inheritance according to the Law of Moses, but he took it all for himself. There were experts for these cases that this man could have hired; an inheritance lawyer or an arbiter. But they also wanted money for their work. Only Jesus never took money for his help. So this man came to Jesus to use his authority to get his money.

Now look at V14. “Jesus replied: Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you? A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Jesus refused to help this man in the way he asked. Instead he warned him and the crowd: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.”

Greed is an excessive desire for money, wealth and power. According t to Colossians 3:5, the real problem of greed is that the greedy person values money or possessions more than God. Greed destroyed the relationship to his brother. Greed blinded him not to know what he really needed.

Jesus said: “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (15b). Life is much more than possessions. You can win the whole world, but you will not have more life. Because life comes from God, not from possessions. Genesis 2:7 says, “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” As human beings we need a relationship to our Creator to experience real life, happiness and meaning.

Jesus wanted to help the people understand this better. So he started to tell a parable (16b-19). The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” He really worked hard, sowed, reaped, tore down his barns, and built bigger ones, he was very diligent. He was an exemplary successful and rich man. People envied him, because they saw his wealth and success. At this moment there are also many people trying to build their lives like this rich man.

But then something unexpected happens. Jesus continues (V 20): But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” At this moment, the parable gets a new perspective. For the almighty God shows up and calls the smart man a fool. Suddenly all the crops become so worthless, his barns, his town and his whole life become like dust in sight of the almighty Creator of the Universe. The next day the man would be dead. Then his sons or someone else could fight over the inheritance. But he himself would stand before God. And what possessions would he have then? What would be the essence of his life? His grain or crops? His saved money on the bank? He realized, that before God he had nothing! Jesus closed the parable: “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God” (V21).

The crowd now was very quiet. You don’t have seven lives like in a computer game. You have only one life. There is no rehearsal or do-overs. You are already living it. And this man had lived his only life as a fool in the eyes of God. That’s what should not happen to anyone of us. So, we have to understand: Why was this man a fool?

First, he was foolish, because he did not give thanks to his creator (Ro 1:21). He took all the good things for granted, thought he had produced all by himself, with his own hands, and now would enjoy it for himself alone. But he forgot: God is the giver of his life. God sent rain and sunshine to let his crops grow. God gave him two healthy arms to sow and reap, the intelligent brain to be successful, and all his possessions. If God had not provided him with all these things, he would have starved from hunger. He should have given God his creator thanks and glory, but he did not (Ro 1:21). He made his own plans, and lived as if there was no God. The Bible says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Prov 9:10)

Second, this man was a fool, because he did not prepare himself for the future (Mt 25:1-13). He was created like you and I in the image of God designed for an eternal life. The rich fool prepared his physical life on earth well. He collected crops on earth. But he did not prepare a treasure for his eternal life. God rebuked him: You fool!

We are living in a materialistic world. We make our plans and value on material possessions in the same way this rich fool did. In the time of financial crisis many people have to realize that they believed in the security of money and this security turned out to be an illusion. If God called you today – what treasure in heaven would you have? Have you prepared your treasure in heaven?

Many medical students are very enthusiastic and idealistic. But when they start working as medical doctors in the hospitals, reality catches them and some even start to hate their patients. A successful collegue of mine is done with medicine. He is almost a professor but does not want to work in the medical field any more. Many dreams of our college days fade away, and there are so many people who realize too late that along the way they have sold their hearts. Many students work hard to learn how to make money. But without knowing God they end like the rich fool. There are so many rich fools in Europe.

We should put our hope not in money or our possession. We should put our hope in God and his eternal kingdom.

II. Do Not Worry, But Seek His Kingdom! (22-34)

Then Jesus turned to his disciples. They were different from the rich fool. They left everything to follow Jesus. They worried about what to eat everyday. Look at Verse 22.23: Jesus told them, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.” The truth is: Life is more. Jesus started to teach that there is no need to worry. And he explained why. There are two reasons.

First, God cares for you every day (V24). There a raven flew over their heads and Jesus said: “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” Because I work in a neonatal intensive care unit I often take care of little patients. Some of them are born weighing under 400 g. They really resemble a little bird. But when we have to transport one of these babies you see at least 4, sometimes more, people working together concentrating and offering any help to save this small life, the nurse, the neonatologist, two firemen. Because it is a human being even though it is so small. There is no question that one human life is more valuable than all the money of the world. You are so much more valuable than the birds. Be sure that God cares for you! – But the disciples still worried. So Jesus went on to teach them.

Second, worries do not benefit you in any way (25-26). Look at Verse 25: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” In fact worrying can shorten your life, worrying takes a lot of energy, but never improves your situation even a little bit. Jesus went on (V26): “Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

There a lily was showing her beauty and Jesus pointed to her: “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!” (27-28)

He even cares for the beauty of his children. He wants his real beauty to shine through you. Don’t waste your energy in worrying. What shall we do then?

Let’s read verse 31 together: “But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” The Kingdom of God is where God reigns. Jesus was always focused on the Kingdom of God. He prayed: Your kingdom come! – before asking for the daily bread. Jesus taught his disciples to seek His kingdom first, then all other things would be given to them as well.

When M. Dr. Samuel Yoo prayed on the bedside of his severely ill daughter Grace, seeking the Kingdom of God by serving God’s mission in Uganda, God not only healed his daughter’s disease completely. He also made Missionary Samuel a great blessing for many Ugandan medical students by raising them as devoted disciples of Jesus and also as medical doctors themselves. But God also let his dream come true, to build a mission hospital in Uganda, directly in front of the Makarere University. God blesses us, when we seek his kingdom first.

Deciding for a hard Bible study instead of spending the prime time in front of the TV or internet. That is seeking the kingdom of God. And in the end you will be more refreshed by Bible study, the more you invest your heart into it. Investing money in winning a soul for Jesus instead of taking all for a more comfortable life on your own. That is seeking the kingdom of God. By doing so you will be a good steward of your God given life. You will become rich in his eyes. You will win a treasure in heaven.

In Verse 34 Jesus concluded: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Build your treasure in heaven and your heart will be saved.

I am, what we call a “second gen”, because I was born as the son of Sh. Volker and M. Petra Keller. I grew up in a blessed surrounding like a prince. 2½ years ago I married my beautiful wife Maria and we were sent out to pioneer to Düsseldorf. Suddenly we were on our own having Sunday worship service with only one messenger and one listener. We felt lonely and forgotten. But we decided to seek His kingdom and trust in Gods promise. Today I can testify that he cared for us every single day. He has blessed us with a much deeper and personal relationship to Him. Week after week we grew in our love for him and to each other. He guided us into the dependence of him alone, and at the same time into a new freedom. I give God alone thanks for being our faithful God who is our true treasure. Seeking the kingdom of God really is the most blessed and adventurous life you can choose.

Conclusion:
Don’t be a fool, but be rich toward God. Don’t worry. But Seek His Kingdom!

YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN

Mark 2:1-17
Key verse 2:5

“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

In this passage, Jesus meets two men, one who is paralysed, the other a tax collector. On the face of it, these men couldn’t be more different. One spent each day imprisoned by his body unable to move, the other was apparently very capable and driven by making money. Yet when we look at them more closely, we find they both suffered from a deep inner problem of sin. They had no hope, one lay on his mat the other sat at his booth, unable to change. Yet Jesus had hope for them. With a few simple words Jesus forgave their sins and completely transformed their lives. I pray that through this message we may meet Jesus who has the authority to forgive all our sins.

Part 1 “Get up, take your mat and walk.” (1-12)

Look at verses 1,2. Jesus had been staying in lonely places outside Capernaum to avoid the crowd. Now, a few days later he returned to his home in Capernaum but still people found out. Everybody wanted to see and listen to Jesus. They filled up his house until there was no room even outside the door. For they had not known anyone to preach with such power and authority. Jesus preached the word to them because, more than physical healing or improving their material situation people most needed the life of God, they needed to repent and believe the good news.

Look at verse 3,4. “Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.” We can imagine the scene, at least four men came carrying this paralysed man on the mat. Paralysis is usually incurable; it means that even though one might be mentally alert there is no control over the body. We can only think of the frustration he, must have felt. As a boy he couldn’t join the other kids playing football or tennis. For long hours each day he was just left to think and watch the world go by; his spirit gradually becoming more dependant and demanding on others.

Yet it seems the man had friends who really wanted to help. But what could they do, it seemed impossible? One of them had heard about Jesus who had miraculous power to heal people. “Let’s take him to Jesus, If only we get him to Jesus he will be healed, let’s go!” Yet as they got to Jesus’ house they were met with an obstacle. The people crowding around Jesus would not let them pass. Maybe they started by politely asking, but that didn’t work, Perhaps they resorted to rugby tactics to drive their way through but that didn’t work either. It was exhausting enough carrying the man, but to try and fight their way through was impossible. Still they tried to find a way.

They circled the crowd and managed to get up on the roof. In those days roofs were constructed with wooden planks with brush wood and mud laid over the top. It would have been relatively easy to make a hole large enough to lower the man down but it must have caused a great disturbance. Can you imagine trying to give a message with large amounts of wood and clay falling from the roof? It began with some dull thudding. As people looked up they probably got dust in their eyes and begun to cough. People must have been indignant by the brazen rudeness of these men. They had jumped the queue, they had interrupted Jesus and they had caused criminal damage. They had no manners, they were insensitive and clumsy; they did not know how to behave, but they had spirit and they loved their friend. Once the dust had cleared and the noise died down people must have watched to see what Jesus would do next.

Look verse 5. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” The people probably expected him to rebuke the men for their disruption and vandalism. Like children in a classroom they wanted justice from the teacher. Yet Jesus didn’t rebuke them, he saw their faith. “Their faith” included the faith of the paralysed man himself. What was their faith? First, they had faith that Jesus had the power to heal. No one else could heal the man but they believed Jesus could. Second they had faith in Jesus’ love, that if they brought him, Jesus wouldn’t turn him away but would accept him. Their faith in Jesus meant they didn’t give up, but tried by any means to get him to Jesus. This meant they were creative and took initiative. They could not go through the crowd, they could not get around them, and so they went over them. They thought spatially! I’m an artist but these men are better than me, I need to learn from them, their so imaginative. Their faith in Jesus also meant they co-worked well together. Getting the man’s dead weight onto a roof is no easy task. They couldn’t do on their own or if they all had different ideas. But when they denied themselves and worked together in one spirit they could each play their part like well trained commandoes. Let’s learn from these men and what ever obstacle or situation we face, let’s challenge by faith in Jesus.

Look at verse 5 again. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” People tend to look at visible, physical problems rather than seeing spiritually. Looking at this man, they could see his paralysis and might feel sympathy and pity for him. They would say his paralysis was his most serious problem and if healed, the man would be happy. After all, being healed would transform his life. But Jesus said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus accepted this man as his son and forgave his sins. He wanted the man to understand he loved him as he was but also he needed his sins forgiven.

We can think why? Sin means a broken relationship between God and man. It is an invisible problem and so people tend not to think it’s so serious. Yet sin paralyses a man’s heart and distorts and corrupts his soul. It cripples his character and makes him a slave to the devil. Sin robs him of spiritual fruit and life’s meaning. Ultimately it leads to eternal condemnation in hell. Therefore, far more serious and debilitating than physical paralysis, is the paralysis that comes from sin. These days, people worry about the world financial crisis. They blame it on poor regulation but in reality it’s the fruit of sin and men’s greed. Sin is at the root of all human suffering. One could think because this man was paralysed he would not have much opportunity to sin but when we understand sin is not so much what we do but a matter of the heart we can see this man equally needed Jesus’ forgiveness. He, like any man, would be vulnerable to lust, pride, and ingratitude to God. He could be racked by bitterness and fatalism about his condition and become dependant and demanding on others.

It’s important here to understand how sin paralyses a person spiritually. People tend to think of sin as “the bad things I do.” However, sin also means “the things I should do, but neglect to do.” For instance, it’s no good being respectable or moral if I deny my neighbour Jesus’ love or fail to give them the gospel. Am I sinless, if I enjoy Jesus’ grace and truth while thousands of students suffer each day in spiritual ignorance and darkness? In that sense laziness, complacency, fear, and pride can all be examples of spiritual paralysis. The point Jesus was making to this paralysed man was that his physical condition wasn’t the problem, rather it was the sin in his heart, which prevented him from living for the glory of God. Yet when he was forgiven by Jesus he could enjoy peace, joy and a new purpose in God. There are many examples of people who are physically disabled living fruitful, victorious lives for the glory of God. One was Amy Carmichael. After an injury she became bed bound for the last 20 years of her life. She could have become frustrated that her active mission life had come to an end. Instead she realised God wanted her to pray more. These last years became her most fruitful as she lived and prayed wholly for the glory of God.

There was one group of people who were not so happy with Jesus. Look at verses 6,7. The Pharisees’ last question was very correct. Who can forgive sin? Only God can forgive sin because sin is against God alone, therefore no man can forgive sin. Yet, where the teachers of the law were wrong was to think that Jesus was just a ‘fellow’ talking. Look at verse 8,9 “Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, get up take up your mat and walk?” Jesus presented the issue clearly. Until then no one had made a paralysed man walk with his words. It seemed impossible, yet even that was easier than forgiving sin. Even Peter, later healed a cripple with his words but could not forgive sins (Acts 3). Words are easy to say, anybody could say, “Your sins are forgiven”–what matters is the authority behind them.

Look at verse 10, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” Jesus here declared his authority to forgive sins. Throughout history man has tried to solve his sin problem by himself whether by different kinds of sacrifice or undergoing severe trials. People have tried to solve their sin through strict law or self-discipline and fasting. People try to solve their sense of sin by doing good works and charity or living a noble life– but without God’s authority such things are meaningless. John Newton was a man who had sent many slaves into captivity; he had the blood of hundreds on his hands. How could he be forgiven? He couldn’t forgive himself; no amount of good work would cancel out his sin. We find the answer in the hymn he wrote, “Amazing Grace.” …Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found…. He found forgiveness from the authority of Jesus. Jesus could claim such authority because he is the Son of God. He alone was the sinless lamb sent by God who later would go to the cross and shed his blood for the sin of the world. He was the one God chose, the only one God accepts, who has the authority to forgive sins.

Jesus wanted the man and the Pharisees and the people to know he had this authority. Therefore in verse 11and 12 he proved his authority was genuine by performing a miracle that could be done only with God’s approval and power. “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praise God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.” By healing the man Jesus demonstrated that he is the Son of God sent by God to forgive our sins. Everyone has sinned, but there is no sin that Jesus cannot forgive. All we have to do is simply bring our sin to him, trusting in his authority. This is not a theory. When we come to Jesus with our sin we can personally experience and know his forgiveness in our hearts.

Before meeting Jesus I was very much paralysed by sin. Outwardly I seemed fine, yet the temptation of lust, the influence of friends and my desire to party and smoke drugs left me powerless and unable to change. I could not get out of bed in the mornings, I could not concentrate or study, and I felt there wasn’t purpose or reason to do so. I was controlled by a combination of laziness fear and guilt, knowing I should be living differently but unable to move. It was only when I met Jesus, and personally heard his words, “Son, your sins are forgiven” could I find both the problem and the answer in Jesus. I realised my sin was against God and I needed to repent. When I asked Jesus to forgive me I found I was reborn and released from my paralysis. It was Jesus who gave me his power and the peace to live differently, to live a renewed and dynamic life for the glory of God. Since serving students of the past ten years I have seen that my experience isn’t unique. Students in London are naturally very capable, yet many are paralysed by depression, guilt, fear and a deep fatalism about their lives. Young minds that should be thinking about the meaning of life and seeking God’s will and vision, instead lie on their mats unable to get up. One guy I know, was a very intelligent and sincere man, but he was paralysed by depression and a deep sense of meaninglessness. He was very dark and gloomy and powerless. Yet when he brought his sins to Jesus, he began to change. I pray we may hear Jesus’ words personally “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Part 2. “Follow Me” (13-17)

Look at verses 13,14. Jesus was perhaps teaching even as he walked along. He saw this man Levi sitting at his booth. Tax collectors were regarded as official sinners, those people whose way of life, along with prostitutes, was considered so wicked that they were shunned by the rest of society. No one likes paying taxes. I’m an artist, I have to give 50% to my gallery then 30% to the government, I hate taxes. But tax was particularly unpopular in Israel because it continually reminded the people that they were now ruled by Rome. For that reason tax collectors were considered traitors. They were also known to be corrupt extortionists, who personally profited through the suffering of others. So when people saw Levi at his booth, they saw an official sinner, an outcast of society, a national traitor and a deeply selfish man.

We might ask how Levi got there. After all, when you ask kids what they want to be when they grow up, few answer, “I want to be a tax collector. I want to betray my people and end up a toxic sinner that no one wants to be with.” We don’t know his life but we can imagine. Maybe people were always talking about doing something noble or moral, but “Come on!” Levi thought. “Money is where it’s at.” Maybe others hadn’t tasted poverty like he had. He was determined never to be poor again. He studied hard to get a scholarship to LSE where he studied tax, he excelled income tax, VAT, customs and excise and the more subtle ways of squeezing as much money as possible out of people. For his PhD he even proposed new taxes. Even his fellow tax collectors thought he was extreme. But he didn’t care. He wanted money. He was certain money would guarantee his happiness, fulfilment, future security, and if it meant losing friends, well that’s ok, he could buy others. When he graduated he soon found a job in Capernaum and was able to buy a large house with a swimming pool and an HD TV the size of his wall. The trouble was it was always empty. People crossed the street to avoid talking to him. He saw their deep resentment even when they pretended to be friendly in order to get a favour from him. He knew even his wife didn’t love him but had married him for his money. His kids were ashamed of him and when he came to school they pretended he was someone else’s dad.

So there he was, sitting at his booth condemned by society and all alone. He was trapped in a life he couldn’t change. He had lost his dignity, his self-esteem, integrity, honour and his identity; things he had not valued in his youth but now he had lost them he couldn’t get them back. It was too late. People wouldn’t let him change or forget, he would always be “the tax collector.” From Levi, we can see that what a person follows, and the choices he makes early in life has a huge consequence later on; what we follow ultimately influences who we become.

Look at verse 14 again. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and he got up and followed him.” Jesus saw Levi, not like others saw him, but with the hope of God. Jesus saw an unhappy man who until now had followed the wrong thing, but he also saw his great potential. He saw inside his heart a spiritual hunger to live differently, and seek God. Everyone is born in the image of God and deep down even the most unlikely people have a spiritual desire to know God and find his vision for their lives. Levi had followed money and had lost everything, now Jesus called him, “Follow me.”

What did Jesus mean by, “Follow me”?, From now on Jesus wanted him to go where he went, to live with him each day, to learn to obey his words and imitate his love and compassion on others. Jesus had forgiven Levi but now he had to change his life time habit and overcome his selfishness. By following Jesus he could learn God’s heart for those who were sick and in deep need of God’s truth. To follow Jesus meant to follow his life until he was moulded into the very character of Christ. It meant learning to deny himself and take up his cross. It meant each day growing in a personal relationship with Jesus as his Christ and Saviour. This was an invitation to completely transform his life and find God’s hope and vision for him. “Follow me”, these two words meant he could leave his selfish life behind and be used by God to bring the world the gospel of St. Mathew.

Levi must have been so happy! He spent his money and threw a big party for everyone who was willing to come. It seemed that the only people who came were his old tax collector friends and other sinners along with Jesus and his disciples. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” The Pharisees were blind to their sin and so could not accept they were sick. Instead they judged other people, and would not come to Jesus. Jesus cannot help us with our sin unless we are honest and humbly repent. Like a doctor he does not judge us but simply wants to heal us.

I shared with you how I met Jesus, but frankly the words “Follow me” were a bit of a challenge. Unlike Levi I was not so quick to jump up and follow Jesus. I was worried that following him would mean giving up my freedom and having no fun, I wanted to be creative and an intellectual, not live as a disciple. But when I began to follow Jesus, I realised nothing compares, that this is God’s greatest blessing. God blessed me in my work, my mission life, through 8 years of marriage; we have just had a beautiful baby girl, Sarah. I didn’t lose my freedom but found a new freedom, and a much greater vision to live for the glory of God and bear fruit for him.

Before concluding let’s read verse 5 once more. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

In conclusion, sin paralyses people, sin makes people selfish, sin leaves people without hope. However, when we come to Jesus, he forgives our sins and transforms our lives. “Son, your sins are forgiven.” We thank God for Jesus’ authority to forgive our sins.