10-29-07 Jesus the paralyzed diety
Isiah 53:7
Title: Paralyzed to the cross
Before the sermon, if Christ were to speak directly to us, this might well be His very words:
A bottom line conclusion message from Christ:
- Your sins had me nailed there
- my love for you had me out of my mind
- another mind, that is, the mind of my father
Now a story: As told by a female paralytic
The following story, I heard on TV
while listening, I wrote as fast as I could (the details)
the best I can remember, this is the ladies story
When swimming in the Atlantic in 1967
- I loved sports was very athletic
- one of my favorite pastimes was as a hockey player and I also played baseball
- I dove off of a wharf in Chesapeak Bay with my female friend
- but I came back up face down in the water
- Now, My legs won’t work
- my hands are shriveled up and useless
- I am life-time bound to this wheel chair
I asked my friend to give me lots of pills
- I asked her to slice my wrists I would not feel a thing
- just let me bleed until I bleed to death
She climbed up into bed with me at the hospital
- and sang me a gospel song of Christ (about His suffering for me)
I was very bitter about life and only wanted to die
- Until I herd from Jesus who was bound to a tree
- Surely fear at times took its toll
- but he had a heart transplant that thought only of dying men
- his hands could not move
- His feet were held fast
- A spear took his last source of strength
His Fathers words, held him tightly to the cross
- His voice would not cry out
All I got from her song was this message from God:
"I gave my only begotton son, as a ransom for many! He could not get away from His task".
- Today: married to a wonderful husband with only love to hold us together
But today I had rather be paralyzed in my wheel chair and have the Lord
than to be standing erect, and have to live without Him
This is what I gained from her interesting story
Jesus was not a paralytic
- yet he was paralyzed by his own desires
Jesus was paralyzed to self
- He was a King (but did not broadcast it)
- He was our High Priest (for ever, after the order of Melchezideck)
- He was the Son of God (with all power over Heaven and Earth)
Jesus was paralyzed to selfishness ( no why me Father?)
Jesus was paralyzed to his own image (only to please the Father)
Jesus was paralyzed to his own emotions (no whimpering/whining)
Jesus was paralyzed against revenge (getting even)
Jesus was paralyzed against prejudices (who-so-ever-will let him come)
Jesus was paralyzed against putting woman in her place
(woman at the well)
- woman who washed his feet in tears and dried them with her hair
- she wasn’t a woman of integrity
- the two women at the tomb (go tell my disciples that I have risen)
Jesus was paralyzed to his own needs (i.e marriage or to own a home) (He had no place to lay his head).
Jesus was paralyzed to his own ambitions (only to do the will of my Father)
- when dying on the cross (He still had time for the thief
Jesus was paralyzed to pride
Jesus was paralyzed to his own financial needs (coin in fishes mouth)
Jesus was paralyzed towards fear (rebuked the wind and the sea)
Jesus was paralyzed towards fame, (satan offered him all the kingdoms of the world)
Lost humanity was so deeply etched into his heart
it made the pain of the cross of no over whelming significance
Jesus was paralyzed towards embarassment
cursed is the man who is hanged on a tree
he became sin for us
he took the spitting
he accepted the loss of some of his beard (being plucked out)
he accepted the false accusers accusations
- and he opened not his mouth
He was paralyzed towards loosing focus
He never forgot his purpose (“not to condemn the world, but to save”)
He accepted the mock scarlet purple royal robe
He accepted the kings crown (of thorns)
They took away most of his clothing (cast lots for one seamless part)
Mine and your sins nailed him to the cross
the nails could not have held him there
His compassion for mankind held him there
Roman law, nor Roman authority held him there
He was paralyzed to the cross by his own compassion
The Jesus that was deaf for a season
deaf to the insults, jeers, teases of satan (note: I never capitalize satan’s name)
deaf to the demands to “crucify him” from the Religious crowd
like Hitler’s followers that put many Jewish lives out
Chief Priests and the religious crowds
the crowd that wanted to cast him over a cliff
Jesus watched while Peter denied Him 3 times
- the rooster talked for Jesus
when he crowed, only Peter understood the message
Jesus stood before Pilot the Governor
- who examined Him
- to determine if He was the King of the Jews
- Jesus entire defense was “THOU SAYEST”
The chief priest and the elders accused Him
v36 he watched them (the soldiers) just “sit and watch him.”
- and “he answered nothing”
Jesus was speechless as he watched Barabbas being set free
He was speechless as they led Him to Golgotha’s Hill (place of a skull)
He was quiet while they nailed his accusation up over His head
“THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS”
He was quiet as they crucified two thieves beside him’ V38
he was speechless when they offered him vinegar to drink mingled with gall, and when he had tasted thereof He would not drink” (gall is sour wine). Matt 27:35
v26 He observed as they “parted his garments (divided them up) and cast lots for his (seamless) vesture”.
Jesus watched Pilot wash his hands (indicating innocence in the matter)
He was quiet as Pilot had Him scourged (flogged with a scourge)
scourge: a whip made of leather thongs, to lash; a tormenting punishment
- would resemble a horse bridle (one thong)
- and it has an s : thongs meaning more than one
The Jesus that was dumb for a season
Isiah said “to smite Him with the fist of wickedness” chap 58:4
Matt 26: 67 they spit in His face, and buffeted (beat) Him, and others smote (struck) him with the palms of their hands (slapped him) and commanded that He prophesy to them.”
again: they pulled out some of His beard
his accusers blasphemed him
they laughed at his claim to be “the son of God”
He did not boast himself, he answered: “ye say that I am”
the long sharp spear, didn’t even draw a comment (only blood and water)
he opened not His mouth
“like a lamb dumb before the shearer, so opened He not His mouth.” Acts 8:32
Once the entire ordeal was over,
He had to declare three victorious words only, “IT IS FINISHED”.
A similar story, to that of Calvary
Abraham took Issac into the mountain to do sacrifice
- Issac, his son, only wanted to know where the sacrifice was
- His fathers words comforted him “GOD WILL PROVIDE”
- not a lot of questions
- no real arguments
- only submission
God provided the sacrifice
- this sacrifice was a “type and shadow” of Christ’s later to come
For us, my friend God provided the only acceptable sacrifice
the spotless lamb
THE STORY ONE MORE TIME:
- it will have more meaning this time.
When swimming in the Atlantic in 1967
- I loved sports was very athletic
- one of my favorite pastimes was as a hockey player and I also played baseball
- I dove off of a wharf in Chesapeak Bay with my female friend
- but I came back up face down in the water
. Now! My legs won’t work
- my hands are shriveled up, and useless
- I am life-time bound to this wheel chair
I asked my friend to give me lots of pills
I asked her to slice my wrists
I told her, I would not feel a thing
just let me bleed until I bleed to death
She climbed up into bed with me at the hospital
- and sang me a gospel song of Christ (about His suffering for me)
I was very bitter about life and only wanted to die
- Until I herd from Jesus who was bound to a tree
- Surely, fear at times took its toll
- but he had a heart transplant that thought only of dying men
- his hands could not move
- His feet were held fast
- A spear took his last source of strength
His Fathers words, held him tightly to the cross
paralyzed by love John 3:16
His voice would not cry out
God spoke to me and said:
"I gave my only begotten son, as a ransom for many!”
- Today: married to a wonderful husband with only love to hold us together
But today I had rather be paralyzed in my wheel chair and have the Lord
than to be standing erect, and have to live without Him
(again, end of her story)
The worlds worst case of paralytic to day
is those who are paralyzed by sin
paralyzed by drugs, alcohol
paralyzed away from God’s wooing, to obey a life of carnality
paralyzed by pride, and a desire to please your flesh
paralyzed, to obey a life ruled by the flesh
a total stranger from the life with Christ in His spirit
Jesus can set you free.
call upon his name
come broken
repent of your sins
just as you are
ask him to rule and reign in your life
give him your broken life
accept his forgiveness, and a brand new life
“old things pass away, behold all things become new”
Then you too can sing this song:
I once was lost, but now I am found.
I once was blind, but now I see!
