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Amazed

Glenn Blankenship
05/28/17 - Sunday

Amazed

Request “I Stand Amazed,” and, if possible, “The Lord Has Been Mindful of Me.”

 

The Healing of the Paralytic

Mk.2:1-12, And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7“Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

 

Ever heard an “unbelievable” story—something you'll talk about for a long time?

[Give quick/short/brief example, ie—Monica's FBI-breaking-in story—then comment on this scene from Mark.]

 

Healing the Paralytic

[from article “Spiritual V Physical Sickness”]

This same story recorded in Mark 2, Matthew 9, and Luke 5.

“they were amazed,” and said, “We never saw anything like this!” (v.12)

The crowd there had just been witnesses to a wonderful event, with many amazing things, leading up a climactic ending.

• The word was taught

• Faith was shown

• Sins were forgiven

• A man was healed

• Naysayers were “schooled”

 

We like being amazed, don't we?

We use that term a lot.

But does our amazement really compare with that of this crowd?

Have we been taught at the feet of Jesus the man?

Have we seen someone tear open the roof of a house just to bring a friend in?

Have we witnessed the son of man forgiving sins live and in person?

Have we seen a paralyzed person miraculously get up and start walking?

 

Of course, we've seen all this through scripture, which is enough for us, I believe we're told in Lk.16:31 [Dont' read, but for reference, “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”] But how does our amazement compare? We sing/just sang “I stand amazed at the presence of Jesus the Nazarene; and wonder how he could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean.” I hope we all meant those words as we sang.

Many amazing things in the Bible.

Too many to go through them all in one day.

Particularly picked out things that caused the people there at the time to be amazed; and should still to this day amaze us!

 

I. Death of Christ, Mt.27:45-54; Mk.15:33-39; Lk.23:44-49

A. Darkness

1. Just before Jesus died

2. 3 hours

3. In the middle of the day (noon-ish til 3-ish)

B. Curtain of the temple torn in two—from top to bottom

C. Earth shook, rocks split

D. Tombs opened, dead raised

E. Jesus cried out

1. Twice, but focus on...

2. The Second—the “overlooked”

a. What he said not mentioned in Mat. or Mk.

b. Luke's account: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

c. Caused the guards' and centurion's reactions: “Surely this man was innocent;” (Lk) π“Truly this man was the son of God” (Mt & Mk)

F. “all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.” (Lk.23:48)

II. 12-year-old Christ, Lk. 2, “amazed at his understanding and his answers”

III. Foreign languages, Day of Pentecost, Acts 2

IV. False Things/Simon the Magician, Acts 8:9-13, “But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

[Look at the end of the story--13Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.”]

V. Miracles of Christ

A. Demon-oppressed mute man, Mt.9:33, “the crowds marveled, saying, 'Never was anything like this seen in Israel.'”

B. Man with unclean spirit, Mk.1

1. “They were astonished at his teaching,” v.22

2. “They were all amazed,” v.27

C. Walking on Water/Feeding 5,000, Mk. 12:5-52 “And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52for they did not understand about the loaves”

D. Jairus's daughter, Mk.5:42, “immediately the girl got up and began walking..., and they were immediately overcome with amazement.”

E. Many others, Mt. 15:31, “the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.”

VI. Things at which we should be amazed

A. Creation/Nature

1. “God created the heavens and the earth,” Gen.1:1

2. “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. 7He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. 8Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! 9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.” Psalm 33:6-9

3. “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4

[Which brings us to the next point...]

B. God is mindful of us

1. Look again...“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4

[How often have you gone out at night and just stared up at the stars? The one—the only one who had/has the ability—that made all that/this is mindful of us!]

2. Wants us to be with his children

a. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Pet. 3:9

b. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” Lk. 13:34

c. He “desires all people to be saved,” 1 Tim. 2:4

C. The same things they were amazed at in Bible Times

1. Christ's miracles

2. Christ's life/fulfillment of prophesy—estimated hundreds of prophecies fulfilled

3. Christ's death

4. Christ's resurrection

a. If not, then the rest of this lesson doesn't matter.

b. If not, we have no hope

 

In closing...

Look back at Mt. 15:31.

“The crowd wondered” [same word for “amazed”] when they saw these wonderful things.

What is to be done with this amazement?

See the end of the verse.

“And they glorified the God of Israel.”