Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrates His Divine authority

Afrikaanse vertaling volg onder die Engelse weergawe...

Introduction

When we do evangelism in the township, often we realize that people know something about our Lord Jesus Christ. People know well to associate Christmas to the birth of Christ and Easter to His death and resurrection. 

People know something about the miracles Jesus performed. You see this also in the media be it TV programs and movies.

But when it comes to the proclamation that ‘Jesus is the way the truth and light,’ or that there is no salvation and hope for men other than to believe in Him alone, most people feel very much perturbed. They would rather have you stop the conversation.

One author observed, “Sometime after my discoveries about the Bible and Christianity, I was riding in a cab in London and happened to mention something about Jesus to the driver. Immediately he retorted, “I don’t like to discuss religion, especially Jesus.” 

I couldn’t help but notice the similarity of his reaction to my own when the young Christian woman told me that Jesus Christ had changed her life. The very name Jesus seems to bother people. It embarrasses them, makes them angry, or makes them want to change the subject. You can talk about God, and people don't necessarily get upset but mention Jesus, and people want to stop the conversation. 

Why don’t the names of Buddha, Muhammad, or Confucius offend people the way the name of Jesus does? I think the reason is that these other religious leaders didn’t claim to be God. That is the big difference between Jesus and the others. It didn’t take long for people who knew Jesus to realize that this carpenter from Nazareth was making astounding claims about himself. 

It became clear that those claims were identifying him as more than just a prophet or teacher. He was making claims to deity. He was presenting himself as the only avenue to salvation and the only source of forgiveness of sins—things they knew that only God could claim.”

Brothers and Sisters such is what we find in our text this evening. I preach to you.

Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrates His Divine authority
1. By forgiving our sins
2. By His miraculous healing
 

By forgiving our sins

Brothers and Sisters, in our text this evening we read of the miraculous healing of a paralytic person. In the context of our reading, we find our Lord Jesus Christ announcing the presence of the kingdom of God so to say. This kingdom is displayed with some key acts of authority.

• Simon, Andrew and the sons of Zebedee respond to Jesus’ call without delay (1:16-20)
• Jesus teaches with amazing authority, “not as the teachers of the law" (1:22b)
• Jesus cast out an evil spirit: there we read, “What is this? New teaching – and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him” (1:27).
• Jesus banishes disease by healing many who had various diseases (1:34)

Truly, the kingdom of God is present! It is not surprising that Jesus becomes popular, we read in 1:37, “Everyone is looking for you!”

Brothers and Sisters that is the reason we read in the opening of our text, “A few days later when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.” 

While Jesus was in the house in Capernaum, everything seemed okay. There was a great feeling of tranquillity as our Lord preached the word to them. 

Everything changed from verses 3 and 4 where we read, “Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.”

One commentator puts it this way, “The friends obviously intend Jesus to heal their paralytic friend; that is their unspoken intent. The physical need is so obvious, no words are necessary. The physical need is so desperate, the friends are prepared to take the rather extreme measure of digging through the roof above Jesus’ head, to bypass the crowds that surround him (3-4).”

I guess the saying is true, ‘You do not have real friends until your friends do whatever it takes to get you to Jesus.’

To everybody’s surprise, Jesus does not immediately provide physical healing but rather he forgives the sins of this poor man. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 

When Jesus saw their faith, he included the paralytic because he most likely agreed to be carried by his friends. But for all this act of faith so that their friend would be healed again Jesus provides spiritual healing, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

This motif is a build-up from 1:40-45 which is part of our reading this evening. In the former Jesus heals a leper who is desperate for cleansing, we read there, “A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed,” (1:40-42).”

There is a clear connection between these two healings, as one commentator rightly observed, “Jesus demonstrates both the power and the willingness to purify those who are ceremonially unclean. Yet this encounter does not end there. Jesus gives the man a directive: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them (v. 44). 

Remarkably, Jesus is not defiled by his contact with this leper; rather, he is the One who makes clean those who are ceremonially unclean (cf. Lev. 14:2-32; 13:45-46). This story functions to picture and anticipate the forgiveness from the defilement of sin that Jesus provides in the encounter that follows (cf Mark 2:-12). 

By the ‘encounter that follows’, the commentator refers to the healing of the paralytic man in our text. There is a connection as I have just pointed out to you brothers and sisters.

When the paralytic man is brought to him, Jesus demonstrates His authority by forgiving his sins, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

This caused a stir, you can imagine. These people like many today thought of Jesus as a great prophet or a miraculous healer but never as Divine. We read the following in verses 6 and 7, “Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Is this not true? “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

The Israelites were acquainted with their history. They know a great deal about Abraham and Moses or even Elijah and some other great men of the Old Testament. None of these great figures have ever claimed to be able to forgive sins. It is no surprise that the Pharisees and the scribes understand what Jesus is doing, he is claiming to be God.

Brothers and Sisters, no man in the world can forgive sins. There is no parents or bishop or Pope who can forgive the sins of man but God alone. Children if your parents can say to you, ‘my child today I forgive you your sins,’ be sure that there is no truth in that. Why? Because we all born in sin. We struggle every day with our sins. That is the reason why we need a Saviour who is true Man and true God at the same time.

In forgiving the sins of the paralytic brothers and sisters Jesus is showing us his Divine power. You must go back to the Old Testament to grasp this. See for example Psalm 103:3-5: 
 , “Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s..”

Notice how forgiveness precedes the healing of diseases in verses 3. But chief among everything is that this Psalm is attributed to our Lord God. Only he can forgive sins and heal men from their sickness and diseases.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us,” the Psalmist continues. There are many other passages from the Old Testament like Isaiah 38:17 or Micah 7:19 which solemnly credit God for our forgiveness of sins. 

But here brothers and sisters we find the paralytic who experiences this amazing forgiveness, by faith, as a gift from God in the flesh, our Lord Jesus Christ. “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..”

Why did the Lord Jesus begin with the forgiveness of sin to this paralytic? Why did He start by healing him? Well, brothers and sisters, this might be obvious to many of you but we must remind ourselves. 

When Jesus saw the faith of these men he prioritized the greatest need of the paralytic. More than the physical healing this man needed spiritual healing. It is sin that brought all these miseries to this man and yes to all of us.

The gospel reveals the true problem. The real problem is that man is not right with God. We should realize that we are all sinful and that we need the gospel to make us right. We might not be engaged in crime or corruption as explained by society but our hearts are corrupt and harbor every sort of sin. 

We also need the gospel. I think I have mentioned this before from this pulpit but it is important to repeat.

Take for example how the government sets up all kinds of programs for offenders but you realize that until people know Christ as their personal Savior it all comes to nothing. People will re-offend or relapse to all sorts of addictions if their hearts are not changed.

Sadly, is that even Christians, those who experienced the power of the gospel in their lives are sometimes fooled by all these men- made initiatives to try and change persons’ behaviors, whereas we learn that righteousness is the result of planting done only by the living God.

“Throughout scripture, the sinful nature of the world is compared to darkness. The darkness of sin threatens to suck us into its evil ways. How can we withstand the strength of the world’s gravitational pull towards sin?
The bigger an object in outer space is, the stronger its gravitational pull. Something with a stronger gravitational pull than the world has to enter your life if you are to stay away from sin. 
God’s love is bigger than sin. You will be relieved of the pull of sin when the gravitational pull of God’s love – demonstrated at the cross of Christ – pulls your heart toward him.”

Brothers and Sisters, it Christ alone who can forgive our sins!

In this time of political unrest and rhetoric utterances that seeks to bring division to our country. Yes, I dare to say that in times of load-shedding and blackouts, let the church of God not be deterred. The greatest problem we face is the problem of sin! Men needs to be made right with God.

And it is only Jesus who can satisfy, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus Christ who conquered sin on the cross.

Let us rush to the second point.

2. By His miraculous healing

Brothers and Sisters, our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated His divine authority. We have seen in the first place that He does that by forgiving sins. In the second place, he does that by healing the paralytic man.

“But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Brothers and Sisters, our Lord Jesus Christ never did miracles for fun or curiosity. We read elsewhere, “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith,” (Matthew 13:58). The latter took place in Jesus’ home town.

The miracle was a demonstration of the divine power of our Lord Jesus Christ. He comes to announce to the world that the kingdom of God is at hand. This had to be done with the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit. It was never for gullibility but require a response in faith to God. 

Take for example how Jesus heals the paralytic, He only speaks and things happen. He only commands, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.” 

Dear congregation it is only God who can speak and things come to be as He says. You need to go back to the first pages of the bible. God spoke and everything was as it is today. 

We are told by the Apostle John that that very same Word which spoke, in the beginning, it was our Lord Jesus Christ, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made.”

Brothers and Sisters Jesus Christ is God. This is something people missed during His life on earth. Everything that people miss today especially the entertainment industry. 

The very thing which the church compromises as we want to fit in, in this world. Or maybe something we forgets as we faces challenges and struggles in our lives.

In this passage, our Lord Jesus Christ prioritises the spiritual aspect, which is forgiveness of sins. This is primary and most important.

Brothers and Sister, Jesus does not neglect the physical needs. He continues to provide healing. This encourages us to trust in him even in our bodily struggles and needs.

Conclusion

In 2004 Mel Gibson produced a movie called the ‘Passion of Christ.’ In this movie, Jim Caviezel cast as Jesus according to the movie. This movie was so popular that one of the pastors from the Pentecostal Church suggested using the movie for coming God Friday instead of preaching.

Brother and Sisters, even though Jim Caviezel succeeded in trying to demonstrate the horror of the cross but he can never truly act who our Lord Jesus is. Jesus was not one of the great prophets of Old but He is God-Man. He is to be worshiped.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrates His Divine authority

1. By forgiving our sins
2. By His miraculous healing

He is more than a Carpenter!

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

In every rough and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the vale.
When all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]

When he shall come with trumpet sound,
oh, may I then in Him be found,
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

Amen

------------------

Liturgie

Sing: Ps 103:6,7,11
Lees Mark 1:40-45; Mark 2:1-12
Sing: Ps 103:2,3
Sing: Ps 32:1,6
Sing: Geloofsbelydenis
Sing: Ps 30:3,8

Inleiding

Wanneer ons evangelisasie in die township doen, besef ons dikwels dat mense iets van ons Here Jesus Christus weet. Mense weet goed om Kersfees te assosieer met die geboorte van Christus en Paasfees met Sy dood en opstanding. Mense weet iets van die wonderwerke wat Jesus gedoen het. Jy sien dit ook in die media of dit nou TV-programme en flieks is. Hierdie stukkies kennis gee mense 'n soort lisensie om te laster en met die naam van ons Here te speel.

Maar wanneer dit kom by die verkondiging dat 'Jesus die weg is die waarheid en die lig,' of dat daar geen redding en hoop vir mense is anders as om in Hom alleen te glo nie, voel die meeste mense baie ontsteld. Hulle wil eerder hê jy moet die gesprek stop.

Een skrywer het opgemerk: “Ek het een of ander tyd ná my ontdekkings oor die Bybel en Christenskap in ’n taxi in Londen gery en toevallig iets oor Jesus aan die bestuurder genoem. Onmiddellik het hy geantwoord: "Ek hou nie daarvan om godsdiens te bespreek nie, veral Jesus."

Ek kon nie help om die ooreenkoms van sy reaksie met my eie raak te sien toe die jong Christenvrou vir my gesê het dat Jesus Christus haar lewe verander het nie. Dit lyk asof die naam Jesus mense pla. Dit stel hulle in die verleentheid, maak hulle kwaad, of laat hulle die onderwerp wil verander. Jy kan oor God praat, en mense raak nie noodwendig ontsteld nie, maar noem Jesus, en mense wil die gesprek stop.

Waarom beledig die name van Boeddha, Mohammed of Confucius nie mense soos die naam van Jesus dit doen nie? Ek dink die rede is dat hierdie ander godsdienstige leiers nie beweer het dat hulle God is nie. Dit is die groot verskil tussen Jesus en die ander. Dit het nie lank geneem vir mense wat Jesus geken het om te besef dat hierdie timmerman van Nasaret verstommende aansprake oor homself maak nie.

Dit het duidelik geword dat daardie aansprake hom as meer as net 'n profeet of onderwyser identifiseer. Hy het aansprake gemaak op godheid. Hy het homself voorgehou as die enigste weg na verlossing en die enigste bron van vergifnis van sondes – dinge wat hulle geweet het wat net God kon aanspraak maak.”

Broers en Susters is dit waaroor ons vanaand in ons teksvers te staan kom. Ek preek vir jou.

Ons Here Jesus Christus demonstreer Sy Goddelike gesag
1. Deur ons sondes te vergewe
2. Deur Sy wonderbaarlike genesing

Deur ons sondes te vergewe

Broers en Susters in die Here; in ons teks vanaand lees ons van die wonderbaarlike genesing van 'n verlamde persoon. In die konteks van ons lees, vind ons dat ons Here Jesus Christus die teenwoordigheid van die koninkryk van God so te sê aankondig. Hierdie koninkryk word vertoon met 'n paar sleutelhandelinge van gesag.

• • Simon, Andreas en die seuns van Sebedeus reageer sonder versuim op Jesus se oproep (1:16-20)
• • Jesus leer met wonderlike gesag, “nie soos die leraars van die wet nie (1:22b)
• • Jesus het 'n bose gees uitgedryf: daar lees ons: “Wat is dit? Nuwe lering – en met gesag! Hy gee selfs bevele aan bose geeste en hulle gehoorsaam hom” (1:27).
• • Jesus verdryf siekte deur baie te genees wat verskeie siektes gehad het (1:34)

Waarlik, die koninkryk van God is teenwoordig! Dit is nie verbasend dat Jesus gewild word nie, lees ons in 1:37, “Almal soek jou!”

Broers en Susters dit is die rede waarom ons in die opening van ons teksgedeelte lees: “Toe Jesus 'n paar dae later weer in Kapernaum ingegaan het, het die mense gehoor dat Hy huis toe gekom het. Hulle het in so groot getalle bymekaargekom dat daar geen plek oor was nie, selfs nie buite die deur nie, en hy het die woord aan hulle verkondig.”

Terwyl Jesus in die huis in Kapernaum was, het alles oukei gelyk. Daar was 'n groot gevoel van rustigheid toe ons Here die woord aan hulle verkondig het.

Alles het verander vanaf verse 3 en 4 waar ons lees: “Daar het 'n paar manne gekom en 'n verlamde man na Hom gebring wat deur vier van hulle gedra is. 4 Omdat hulle hom weens die skare nie by Jesus kon kry nie, het hulle ’n opening in die dak bokant Jesus gemaak deur daardeur te grawe en toe die mat waarop die man gelê het, laat sak.”

Een kommentator stel dit so: “Die vriende is duidelik van voorneme dat Jesus hulle verlamde vriend moet genees; dit is hulle onuitgesproke bedoeling. Die fisiese behoefte is so duidelik, geen woorde is nodig nie. Die fisiese nood is so desperaat, die vriende is bereid om die nogal uiterste mate te neem om deur die dak bokant Jesus se kop te grawe, om die skares wat hom omring te omseil (3-4).

Tot almal se verbasing verskaf Jesus nie onmiddellik fisiese genesing nie, maar hy vergewe eerder die sondes van hierdie arme man. “Toe Jesus hulle geloof sien, sê Hy vir die verlamde man: “Seun, jou sondes is vergewe.”

Toe Jesus hulle geloof sien, het hy die verlamde ingesluit omdat hy heel waarskynlik ingestem het om deur sy vriende gedra te word. Maar vir al hierdie daad van geloof sodat hulle vriend weer genees kan word, verskaf Jesus geestelike genesing, "Seun, jou sondes is vergewe."

Hierdie motief is 'n opbou van 1:40-45 wat deel is van ons leeswerk vanaand. In eersgenoemde genees Jesus 'n melaatse wat desperaat is vir reiniging, ons lees daar: "'n Man met melaatsheid het na hom gekom en hom op sy knieë gesmeek: "As u wil, kan u my reinig."
Jesus was verontwaardig. Hy het sy hand uitgesteek en aan die man geraak. "Ek is gewillig," het hy gesê. “Wees skoon!” 42 Dadelik het die melaatsheid hom verlaat en hy is gereinig” (1:40-42).

Daar is 'n duidelike verband tussen hierdie twee genesings, soos een kommentator tereg opgemerk het, “Jesus demonstreer beide die krag en die gewilligheid om diegene te reinig wat seremonieel onrein is. Tog eindig hierdie ontmoeting nie daar nie. Jesus gee die man 'n opdrag: “Pas op dat jy dit vir niemand vertel nie. Maar gaan wys jou aan die priester en bring die offers wat Moses vir jou reiniging beveel het, as ’n getuienis vir hulle (v. 44).

Opmerklik is dat Jesus nie besoedel word deur sy kontak met hierdie melaatse nie; Hy is eerder die Een wat diegene reinig wat seremonieel onrein is (vgl. Lev. 14:2-32; 13:45-46). Hierdie verhaal funksioneer om die vergifnis van die besoedeling van sonde wat Jesus voorsien in die ontmoeting wat volg uit te beeld en te antisipeer (vgl. Markus 2:-12). Met die ‘ontmoeting wat volg’ verwys die kommentator na die genesing van die verlamde mens in ons teks. Daar is 'n verband soos ek so pas aan julle broers en susters uitgewys het.

Wanneer die verlamde man na hom gebring word, demonstreer Jesus Sy gesag deur sy sondes te vergewe: “Toe Jesus hulle geloof sien, sê Hy vir die verlamde man: “Seun, jou sondes is vergewe.”

Dit het 'n opskudding veroorsaak, kan jy dink. Hierdie mense het soos baie vandag aan Jesus gedink as 'n groot profeet of 'n wonderbaarlike geneser, maar nooit as Goddelik nie. Ons lees die volgende in verse 6 en 7: “Nou het sommige leraars van die wet daar gesit en by hulleself gedink: 7 “Waarom praat hierdie man so? Hy laster! Wie kan sondes vergewe behalwe God alleen?”

Is dit nie waar nie? “Wie kan sondes vergewe behalwe God alleen?”

Die Israeliete was bekend met hulle geskiedenis. Hulle weet baie van Abraham en Moses of selfs Elia en sommige ander groot manne van die Ou Testament. Nie een van hierdie groot figure het ooit beweer dat hulle sondes kan vergewe nie. Dit is geen verrassing dat die Fariseërs en die skrifgeleerdes verstaan wat Jesus doen nie, hy beweer dat hy God is.

Broers en susters, geen mens in die wêreld kan sondes vergewe nie. Daar is geen ouers of biskop of Pous wat die sondes van die mens kan vergewe nie, behalwe God alleen. Kinders as jou ouers vir jou kan sê: ‘My kind vandag vergewe ek jou jou sondes’, wees seker dat daar geen waarheid daarin steek nie. Hoekom? Omdat ons almal in sonde gebore is. Ons worstel elke dag met ons sondes. Dit is die rede hoekom ons 'n Verlosser nodig het wat op dieselfde tyd ware Mens en ware God is.

Deur die sondes van die verlamde broers en susters te vergewe, wys Jesus vir ons sy Goddelike krag. Jy moet teruggaan na die Ou Testament om dit te begryp. Sien byvoorbeeld Psalm 103:3-5:

, “Prys die Here, my siel,
     en vergeet nie al sy weldade nie—
3 wat al jou sondes vergewe
     en genees al jou siektes,
4 wat jou lewe uit die put verlos
     en kroon jou met liefde en deernis,
5 wat jou begeertes met goeie dinge bevredig
     sodat jou jeug vernuwe word soos die arend s'n..."

Let op hoe vergifnis die genesing van siektes voorafgaan in vers 3. Maar die belangrikste van alles is dat hierdie Psalm aan ons Here God toegeskryf word. Net Hy kan sondes vergewe en mense genees van hulle siektes en siektes.

“So ver as die ooste van die weste af is, so ver het Hy ons oortredinge van ons verwyder,” gaan die Psalmdigter voort. Daar is baie ander gedeeltes uit die Ou Testament soos Jesaja 38:17 of Miga 7:19 wat God plegtig erken vir ons vergifnis van sondes.

Maar hier broers en susters vind ons die verlamde wat hierdie wonderlike vergifnis ervaar, deur geloof, as 'n gawe van God in die vlees, ons Here Jesus Christus. “Maar dat julle kan weet dat die Seun van die mens op aarde mag het om sondes te vergewe.”

Maar hoekom het die Here Jesus begin met die vergifnis van sonde aan hierdie verlamde? Hoekom het Hy begin deur hom te genees? Wel, broers en susters, dit kan vir baie van julle duidelik wees, maar ons moet onsself daaraan herinner.

Toe Jesus die geloof van hierdie manne sien, het hy die grootste behoefte van die verlamde geprioritiseer. Meer as die fisiese genesing het hierdie man geestelike genesing nodig gehad. Dit is sonde wat al hierdie ellende vir hierdie man en ja vir ons almal gebring het.

Die evangelie openbaar die ware probleem. Die eintlike probleem is dat die mens nie reg is met God nie. Ons moet besef dat ons almal sondig is en dat ons die evangelie nodig het om ons reg te maak. Ons is dalk nie besig met misdaad of korrupsie soos deur die samelewing verduidelik nie, maar ons harte is korrup en huisves elke soort sonde. Ons het ook die evangelie nodig. Ek dink ek het dit al voorheen van hierdie preekstoel genoem maar dit is belangrik om te herhaal.

Neem byvoorbeeld hoe die regering allerhande programme vir oortreders opstel maar jy besef dat totdat mense Christus as hul persoonlike Verlosser ken dit alles op niks uitloop nie. Mense sal weer aanstoot gee of terugval in allerlei verslawings as hulle harte nie verander word nie. Ongelukkig is selfs Christene, diegene wat die krag van die evangelie in hul lewens ervaar het, soms mislei deur al hierdie mensgemaakte inisiatiewe om mense se gedrag te probeer verander, terwyl ons leer dat geregtigheid die resultaat is van plant wat slegs deur die lewende God.

“Dwarsdeur die Skrif word die sondige natuur van die wêreld met duisternis vergelyk. Die duisternis van sonde dreig om ons in sy bose weë in te suig. Hoe kan ons die krag van die wêreld se swaartekrag na sonde weerstaan?
Hoe groter 'n voorwerp in die buitenste ruimte is, hoe sterker is sy aantrekkingskrag. Iets met 'n sterker aantrekkingskrag as die wêreld moet jou lewe binnegaan as jy van sonde wil wegbly.
God se liefde is groter as sonde. Jy sal verlos wees van die aantrekkingskrag van sonde wanneer die aantrekkingskrag van God se liefde – gedemonstreer aan die kruis van Christus – jou hart na hom toe trek.”

Broers en susters, dit is Christus alleen wat ons sondes kan vergewe!

In hierdie tyd van politieke onrus en retoriese uitsprake wat verdeeldheid in ons land wil bring. Ja, ek waag dit om te sê dat in tye van beurtkrag en blackouts, laat die kerk van God nie afgeskrik word nie. Die grootste probleem waarmee ons te kampe het, is die probleem van sonde! Mans moet reggemaak word met God.

En dit is net Jesus wat kan bevredig, deur die krag van die Heilige Gees. Ons Here Jesus Christus wat sonde aan die kruis oorwin het.

Kom ons beweeg na die tweede punt.

Deur Sy wonderbaarlike genesing

Broers en Susters, ons Here Jesus Christus het Sy goddelike gesag gedemonstreer. Ons het in die eerste plek gesien dat Hy dit doen deur sondes te vergewe. In die tweede plek doen hy dit deur die verlamde man te genees.

“Maar ek wil hê julle moet weet dat die Seun van die mens gesag het op aarde om sondes te vergewe.” Toe sê hy vir die man: 11 “Ek sê vir jou, staan op, neem jou mat en gaan huis toe.” 12 Hy het opgestaan, sy mat gevat en met die oog op almal uitgestap. Dit het almal verbaas en hulle het God geprys en gesê: “Ons het nog nooit so iets gesien nie!”

Broers en susters, ons Here Jesus Christus het nooit wonderwerke gedoen vir pret of nuuskierigheid nie. Ons lees elders: “En Hy het daar nie baie wonderwerke gedoen weens hulle gebrek aan geloof nie,” (Matteus 13:58). Laasgenoemde het in Jesus se tuisdorp plaasgevind.

Die wonderwerk was 'n demonstrasie van die goddelike krag van ons Here Jesus Christus. Hy kom om aan die wêreld aan te kondig dat die koninkryk van God naby is. En moes gedoen word met die demonstrasie van die krag van die Heilige Gees. Dit was nooit vir goedgelowigheid nie, maar vereis 'n reaksie in geloof aan God.

Neem byvoorbeeld hoe Jesus die verlamde genees, Hy praat net en dinge gebeur. Hy beveel net: "Ek sê vir jou, staan op, neem jou mat en gaan huis toe." 12 Hy het opgestaan, sy mat gevat en uitgestap met almal se oë.”

Liewe gemeente dit is net God wat kan praat en dinge kom tot stand. Jy moet teruggaan na die eerste bladsye van die Bybel. God het gepraat en alles was soos dit vandag is.

Ons word deur die apostel Johannes vertel dat daardie einste Woord wat gespreek het, in die begin, dit ons Here Jesus Christus was, “In die begin was die Woord, en die Woord was by God, en die Woord was God. Hy was in die begin by God. Deur Hom het alle dinge ontstaan; sonder Hom is niks gemaak wat gemaak is nie.”

Broers en Susters Jesus Christus is God. Dit is iets wat mense tydens Sy lewe op aarde gemis het. Alles wat mense vandag mis, veral die vermaaklikheidsbedryf. Die einste ding waarmee die kerk kompromieë aangaan soos ons wil inpas, in hierdie wêreld. Of miskien iets wat ons vergeet terwyl ons uitdagings en stryd in ons lewens in die gesig staar.

Afsluiting

In 2004 het Mel Gibson 'n fliek genaamd die 'Passion of Christ' vervaardig. In hierdie fliek het Jim Caviezel volgens die fliek as Jesus gerol. Hierdie fliek was so gewild dat een van die leraars van die Pinksterkerk voorgestel het om die fliek te gebruik vir komende God Vrydag in plaas van om te preek.

Broer en Susters, al het Jim Caviezel daarin geslaag om die verskrikking van die kruis te probeer demonstreer, maar hy kan nooit werklik optree wie ons Here Jesus is nie. Jesus was nie een van die groot profete van ouds nie, maar Hy is God-Mens. Hy moet aanbid word.

Broer en Susters, al het Jim Caviezel daarin geslaag om die verskrikking van die kruis te probeer demonstreer, maar hy kan nooit werklik optree wie ons Here Jesus is nie. Jesus was nie een van die groot profete van ouds nie, maar Hy is God-Mens. Hy moet aanbid word.

Broers en Susters, Ons Here Jesus Christus demonstreer Sy Goddelike gesag
1. Deur ons sondes te vergewe
2. Deur Sy wonderbaarlike genesing

He is more than a Carpenter!
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

2 In every rough and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the vale.
When all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]

When he shall come with trumpet sound,
oh, may I then in Him be found,
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

Amen