LESSONS FROM THE GARDEN: ONIONS
Matthew 9:1-8
Sermon Objective: Christ’s love is designed to saturate the whole person giving new life and new purpose.
Supporting Scripture: Psalm 51; John 10:10; John 15:11; John 17:13; Romans 15:1
We are beginning a new series today called Lessons from the Garden. As many of you are probably aware, there are characteristics of many fruits & vegetables which we can use to illustrate Biblical principles and apply to life. That’s what we’ll be doing for the next few weeks. The upcoming series will include sermon on:
• The Asparagus (9:09-13)
• The Potato (9:14-17)
• The Garlic (9:18-26)
• The Strawberry (9:35-38)
Today’s sermon is A Lesson from the Onion.
INTRODUCTION:
I enjoy a good bagel. My favorite is jalapeño. I remember the time that I went to the bagel shop and got a dozen mixed fresh bagels. They placed them all in a bag and I took them home and placed them on the counter.
The next morning I reached in the bag and pulled out a cinnamon-raisin bagel for breakfast. I noticed that it had a slight taste of onion, thought this was strange, but ate it anyhow.
That evening I reached for another bagel, an apple-spice bagel and noticed it, too, had an onion flavor to it. This time the aroma and taste were much stronger. I discovered that two of the bagels in my mixed bag were onion bagels. It was too late by then; all of the other bagels in the bag had been permeated by the overbearing aroma -- every bagel in the bag tasted like an onion!
Have you ever left a cut onion in the fridge, or maybe the sealed container came open? The onion penetrates everything else inside.
This ability to affect the aroma and taste of other food items is one of the trademarks of the onion. It saturates everything around it.
I would liken this trademark to the love of Jesus.
This morning’s sermon is about a paralytic. But it is about more than just a paralytic. It is really about Jesus. In the story Jesus not only speaks to the paralytic -- HE SPEAKS TO YOU!
THE TEXT
1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.
2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . .” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”
7 And the man got up and went home.
8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
Let’s listen closely to three healing words which, when HEARD, will spread the love of Jesus through your spirit like an onion can influence the character of other foods.
#1. “BE OF GOOD CHEER” (V. 2)
The King James Bible translates “Take heart” as “Be of good cheer.” I like this interpretation better -- it is more picturesque; more graphic and illustrative of what we can expect from God’s love.
The first healing word we discover is joy. Have you ever noticed when a Christ-follower, filled with Christ’s meek and joyful Spirit, enters a room he/she has the ability to bring lift the countenance of everyone else there? I want to suggest that this is a trademark of God’s love -- it can transform and saturate the environment it enters.
I have mentioned this before but, there are many Christians who are inflicted with the “Eeyore syndrome”. They look at life much like Eeyore of Winnie the Pooh fame. They have the uncanny tendency (or curse) to see the negative, the pessimistic and dark side of life – even when the positive side is present and screaming to be experienced … just like the story of Jesus’ healing we just read. THANK GOD THE FRIENDS OF THE PARALYTIC WERE NOT EEYORES!
WHAT WE LEARN IN SCRIPTURE IS THAT JESUS’ JOY CAN BE AN ACT OF HEALING. IT IS EVIDENCE OF FAITH AND HOPE … NOT NAIVETÉ. IT IS EVIDENCE OF THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.
Vickie and I have some friends in Oklahoma named * and , who experienced this healing.
* and * have been married quite a long time and are a Godly couple. They have adopted three special-needs children as well as caring for their own and * is a doctor at an Indian clinic where he cares for the underprivileged.
But at * own admission she has never been happy. Never. Even after a couple of years of counseling with her husband and a Christian counselor. And then, all of a sudden, she realized, through the help of her counselor and the Scriptures that WHEN JESUS SAID “BE OF GOOD CHEER” HE WAS OFFERING GRACE THAT COULD ACTUALLY CHANGE ONE’S DISPOSITION!
Life turned a corner for her at that moment. Her countenance lifted. She was healed. She realized that God wanted her to be joyful and positive and that joyfulness was good not simplistic or naïve. With God’s grace and her husband’s support * began to “think on good things” and watch God’s joy be birthed within her.
It became contagious for the whole family. Everyone’s demeanor was lifted. Laughing, loving, and celebrating began to saturate their home.
God wants you to experience and live with joy too. And He has come to provide you with every tool you need to enjoy living; namely Himself. Listen to these verses:
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
John 15:11
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
John 17:13
Aren’t these words of Jesus encouraging? SIXTY ONE TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT GOD’S JOY, AND ITS ABILITY TO FLOOD YOUR SOUL, ARE MENTIONED. SIXTY-ONE TIMES!
This joy of Jesus makes it possible for the Apostle Paul to conclude his letter to the Romans with the words:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
“Be of good cheer” my brothers & sisters! Christ has come and his love will immerse your world! He wants to infiltrate your world with His joy much like an onion’s flavor infiltrates other food.
But not only does His love bring cheer (joy) it also provides for a deeper work, the next words of Jesus refer to these:
#1. “Be of Good Cheer” (v. 2)
#2. “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN” (V. 2)
The Jews who were looking for the Messiah had a special term they used to describe the pervading presence He would bring; “Shalom.” Shalom means “well-being” or “peace.” Like an onion influences everything around it, so “Shalom” will influence the whole world with God’s peace.
“Shalom” is an act of healing which God brings to earth and humankind.
Jesus knew that there could be no Shalom until the source of unrest is defeated -- that source is sin.
THE ONE WHO CAN HEAL HAS THE POWER TO ATTACK THE VERY ROOT OF SUFFERING -- SIN. Many times we try and cure with a pill what cannot be.
1. Guilt
2. Poor self-esteem
3. Many states of depression
4. Other physical ailments can also have moral/spiritual roots as a part of their cause (cancer, arthritis, heart trouble, etc.).
JESUS COMES TO FULLY ELIMINATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN FROM YOUR LIFE. HE COMES TO CLEANSE YOU & EMPOWER YOU TO LIVE IN VICTORY. HE WANTS TO SATURATE YOU WITH HIS HOLINESS MUCH LIKE AN ONION SATURATES OTHER FOOD ITEMS.
Sin and joy are inherently related. If one is present the other must flee. Now we would rather have the joy of a rich, full experience with God than we would the guilt of sin -- King David expresses our sentiments in Psalm 51:
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Jesus’ healing love can remove sin and its guilt in the twinkle of an eye. When Jesus says to you “your sins are forgiven” it is a settled fact. It heals the human heart and removes the nagging guilt.
#1. “Be of Good Cheer” (v. 2)
#2. “Your Sins are Forgiven” (v. 2)
There is one more transforming word in this passage:
#3. “GET UP AND GO!” (V. 6)
Whenever you eat foods with onion in it, their presence is almost unmistakable. They definitely change the experience.
When God has so touched a person that they are given his abiding joy (abiding presence) and sin’s guilt is removed … well it becomes obvious and changes the life’s experience in wonderful ways.
CHRIST’S JOY & GOD’S FORGIVENESS CAN PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP – IT REMOVES THE PARALYSIS OF SIN.
IT CAN GIVE A SENSE OF PURPOSE TO YOUR “COMING AND GOING” THAT YOU NEVER KNEW WAS MISSING.
1. The joy from Christ’s love motivates you to go.
2. The forgiveness of Christ’s love equips you to go.
3. The results of Christ’s love encourage you to go.
Before it was impossible -- you were dead, alien, and foreign to God and His ways. But now you can serve the creator of the universe in a way which is pleasing and effective! What a privilege!
JUST AS AN ONION CHANGES HOW OTHER FOODS TASTES, SO JESUS’ LOVE CHANGES HOW YOU ARE KNOWN. ONCE, THE ONLY MOTIVATING FORCE WAS YOUR SELF; NOW EVERYTHING YOU DO IN LIFE IS INFLUENCED BY LOVE OF CHRIST.
CONCLUSION:
Let me ask you a question:
WHAT PARALYZES YOU? What keeps you at ground zero and not able to enjoy life or religion?
JESUS BLAMES SIN & SAYS THE CLEANSING OF SIN IS THE REAL ANSWER. A clean heart is more important than a whole body.
• You can leave here today with an infusion of God’s joy.
• You can leave here today with the paralysis of sin removed.
• You can leave here today with a new source & sense of energy.
It is very simple to receive too. It is all found in the loving and redeeming work of the Savior.
Communion
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
