2025 Faith Series (2), Faith, salvation and a new life
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2025-02-23 17:18
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Faith, salvation and a new life
Mark 2:1-17
Today's passage includes two events: Jesus heals a paralytic. This is about faith and salvation. And Jesus calls Levi. This is about a new life and mission.
I. Faith and salvation (1-12)
While Jesus was teaching in Capernaum, four people whose friend was paralyzed shouted, "Yeah, that's it!" They decided to bring their sick friend to Jesus believing that Jesus could heal him. But they confronted an obstacle, huge crowd. (negative connotation; they blocked access to Jesus) Even though they desperately begged, nobody was willing to make a way for them. But they never gave up.
Look at verse 4. "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." This is an extraordinary idea and act. Humanly speaking, they were reckless and insane.
In doing so, they cut in the line. They offended many people and interrupted Jesus’ teaching. Moreover, they damaged other’s property. The owner of the house might call the police. They would have to pay lots of money to repair the roof.
But it did not matter what might happen to them. Their compassionate hearts toward their sick friend were flaring so intensely that nothing could stop themselves from climbing up and digging a hole in another's roof.
While most people saw their reckless act and mad at them and condemned them, Jesus was different. Look at verse 5a says, “When Jesus saw their faith.” Jesus was deeply moved by their faith. What kind of faith? It is faith to come to Jesus in spite of obstacles and hindrances. Coming close to Jesus is faith. On the other hand, withdrawing from Jesus is unbelief. (Hebrews 10:38)
We live in a faithless and individualistic generation. We are tempted to give up when we face obstacles or hindrances. We are tempted to focus our own agendas. But when we come to Jesus, when we bring Jesus a friend or a sick or a neighbor, we experience a miracle from him. Strive to come close to Jesus and the church. They also had faith that Jesus could heal paralysis, an incurable disease. By faith, they were ready to pay the cost to bring their sick friend to Jesus. Jesus saw their faith and healed the paralytic.
In your life, do you have such friends who try hard to bring you to Jesus? Do you have a friend whom you really want to bring to Jesus? Then you are blessed man. And if your friends are your comrades in faith, you are very blessed because they are your lifelong assets.
Some people do not care having fellowship with Christians when they come to church. Their friendship with other Christians is shallow. On the other hand, they try to have a deep tie with those who have no faith. They may think they are smart because of human ties but in fact, they are foolish and poor because they cannot get help for their souls from their friends. .
Therefore, if you have friends, at least four who have faith in Jesus, you are very blessed. Have friendship with those who have faith. Invest and spend your heart and time with them, eating, praying and sharing your life. And bring your friends to Jesus. One of my prayers is to be surrounded by four men of faith who would any time give their hands to me when I am in need and when I need to do work of God.
Look at verse 5. "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'" Here ‘their faith includes the paralytic’s faith. At that time, paralysis was incurable. And the paralytics were regarded to be cursed by God. So such people did not want to be shown publicly. However, he accepted his friends’ invitation. He believed that Jesus could heal him.
"Son, your sins are forgiven." Jesus knew this man needed healing. The biggest problem and desire of him seemed his sickness and healing. What is your biggest problem and desire? For students, it would be high GPA and a good career. It could be healing, PR, financial stability, marriage, children or a successful business.
But to Jesus, his fundamental problem and the most urgent problem is his sin problem. So Jesus said, "Your sins are forgiven." Are we an exception? Is my biggest issue as a pastor teaching the Bible well? No, I need forgiveness from the Lord.
Let's think for a moment about why the paralytic is a sinner. Sickness is not a sin. Not all sicknesses are caused by sins. But surely, some cases, men are sick as the result of sins. We don't know how he became a paralytic and what his sins were.
Maybe he drank too much or burst out anger too often that his blood pressure became high and fell down. Nowadays, more people come down with STD (sexually transmitted disease.) One student couldn't overcome his lustful desire. He committed sin and boasted it. He became sick, gravely sick that he gave up his studies and hospitalized at the age of 21. Sin makes man sick.
The paralytic in this passage might commit sins after he became paralyzed. Out of despair, he might easily get angry and complain. And he might blame others and God. He might curse himself and the world. Paralysis made his mind and soul paralyzed as well. He became complaining and unthankful. These are sins.
When he took his friends’ invitation and came to Jesus, Jesus said, “Son, your sins are forgiven,” A that time, he did not resist it. He did not become upset. Instead, he must have acknowledged and repented his sins in silence. He had an awareness and confession of his sins. This is faith. Jesus saw his faith and healed him.
Unlike other religions and books, the Bible mentions man’s sin problem. Why? It is because man’s sin is the most serious and urgent problem to be solved and there is a solution to the problem of sin.
Why is sin a problem? It is because it ends in unending suffering on earth and eternal judgment of hell. What is sin? “Miss the target or failure to fulfill a goal that is God’s glory.”
Revelation 21:8 says, “But the fearful, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.”
Today, we came to God. Is it just one of our life routine? Is it to do our responsibility to God? However, if you and I hear from the Lord, “Son, your sins are forgiven,” we are truly blessed. This is salvation.
Nowadays, people do not even know what sin is though they suffer endlessly because of sin. Even if they know what sin is, they are helpless to do anything except trying to save more money. These days many want to heal sin with expensive psychiatric medicine or marijuana. But they don't work at all. In history, Jesus is the only one who has power to forgive sins. So Jesus wants us to come to him to receive the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home" (11). Then, "He got up, took his mat and walked out." (12) I believe that Jesus challenged his powerless and dependent body and mentality. “Get up by yourself!” And by faith, he got up by himself and began to walk. We are not to sit at our comfortable zone anymore. I pray that many young people may get up taking their mat and walk by faith in Jesus.
II. God’s calling and mission (13-17)
Look at verse 14a. "As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth." While most disciples were uneducated fishermen, Levi had a government job with possible education. He was not crushed by the hard situation of the world under Roman rule. Rather, he overcame the adverse situation and became a tax collector.
At that time, tax collectors were called public sinners with prostitutes because they worked for Rome and extorted money from their own people. Still, Levi became a tax collector believing that money would make him secure and happy.
In short, Levi became a selfish man.
These days selfishness is widely condoned. The devil has deceived many as if selfishness is the truth in this capitalistic society. But in God's world, selfish people are comparable to men with leprosy, because they are as harmful to others as a man with leprosy. Selfishness is as contagious as leprosy.
Levi came from a priestly tribe. He knew that he had both privilege and duty of leading temple worship, teaching the Bible, and praying for sinners. But now he was extorting money from his own people.
Contrary to his wishes to be happy with security, he was captured by the power of sin. Levi had a lucrative job, some money, probably fancy chariot and cozy house but he was very fearful under the shadow of guilt, shame and judgment. How did Jesus help him?
Jesus saw him. Jesus saw Levi’s loneliness, guilt, shame and spiritual thirst for a new life. To people's eyes, Levi was too dirty to look at. But Jesus saw the greatness of God in him, because he was created in the image of God. Jesus invited him, "Follow me." It was to restore his disfigured inner man with a new image of God.
When Jesus said, "Follow me," it means, "Come and learn of me and be my disciple." Levi was a man of ability, but it was misused. By calling him, "Follow me," Jesus wanted to help him until he became a useful and fruitful man of God.
Life is a choice. Levi now has two choices. Would I live as a tax collector continually that is easy, familiar, continue to make a lot of money and live comfortably? Or would I follow Jesus giving up everything in the world? What choice would you make?
Once Levi resigns, he would never retake the job again because someone else will take it right away. So, Levi’s choice to follow Jesus would be too costly. However, Levi got up and followed him. Wow! Look at his courage and determination! He chose Jesus. He gave up his good position and possession to followed Jesus. It’s like giving up a building worth $ 10 million to live as a missionary in a remote country. But Levi chose Jesus and followed him as his disciple. This is Matthew’s strong point. His life is ‘no turning back.’ I want you to live this kind of life. I want you to devote yourself to Jesus and eternal kingdom of God because it makes your life meaningful, fruitful and rewarding on earth and eternally.
Verse 14b says, “Levi got up and followed him.” “Got up” is ‘kum,’ meaning immediately. God’s calling is not something we may think long to respond. Levi responded immediately. He obeyed Jesus’ word. This is why Jesus called him as one of his disciples.
God said to Noah, “I will send a flood to destroy the earth. Build an ark for you on the top of the mountain.” It had never rained until then. And why would he build an ark on a mountain instead of near the sea? Do you understand? But Noah obeyed and he was saved with his family. God uses people who obey. Because we are not like Noah and Levi, we are not used and are always trapped in our own world like frogs in a well.
Brothers, be a man of obedience. Be bold in following God’s calling and doing his work. These days, people don't even go to church regularly. A student said, “My roommate says he is a Christian. But he goes to worship service not regularly.” The student looked a little confused. I taught him that worship is basic. However, do not stop at worship. Move forward with prayer and gospel work. I pray that some may be sent to other countries as missionaries. What is important in life is the obedience of faith to be used God for his eternal purpose.
Now, we see Levi’s new life. Verse 15 says, “While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house,” Levi experienced heavenly joy in his heart. Then he opened his house to have a feast with many sinners. What a great change! Levi was selfish. Now, he opened his house to have a feast in the name of Jesus. Christians are people who hold a feast for Jesus. They open their homes to invite people, feed them, and share the gospel.
However, there were Pharisees who criticized Jesus and his disciples. Look at verse 16. “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” The Pharisees were very privileged people who had the law of God. However, they forgot that they were a channel of blessing from God to the people of the world.
God said to Abraham, “All people in the world will be blessed through you.” Exodus 19 is the covenant between God and Israel. “You are a kingdom of priests and holy nation.” However, the Jews changed this to elitism (Judaism). They excluded and rejected tax collectors, prostitutes, sinners and foreigners. This causes chaos in our world, even now. The church is a place where everyone is embraced, even the marginalized. This is the reason why God has called us.
Pastor Tony Kampolo came to Hawaii to serve a church seminar. It was 2:00 am. As he was eating at a nearby restaurant at 3:00 am, 6-7 women who worked at a nightclub came into the restaurant. A woman named Agnes said, “It’s my birthday tomorrow.” Then the other women scolded her. “Birthday party for someone like you? Hey, forget it. No one celebrates people like us.” The pastor’s heart was touched. After they left, he asked the restaurant owner, “Who is that girl?” And he made a suggestion. “I want to have a birthday party for her tomorrow. I’ll pay for all the food.” The next day at 3:30 AM, a birthday party was prepared for her. She was so surprised and touched that she started crying and said. “Thank you. I want to take this cake and keep it for a few more days.” Pastor Tony prayed with her and blessed her in the name of Jesus. The restaurant owner was deeply touched by the pastor and asked, “Sir, what’s the church name? I want to go there.” He answered, “A church that celebrates for such women at 3:00 AM.”
The church seems to only look to God. We should also look to the side, our neighbors. Jesus says, “The greatest commandment is to love God and love your neighbors.” We should look to God and pour out the grace we have received from Him to our neighbors.
Look at verse 17. "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" Each of us is one kind of sinner--like the paralytic or like the tax collector. Without Jesus we cannot but live as sinners like paralytics and the tax collector. Without Jesus we are all sinsick. Jesus has come to heal and save sinners. Praise Jesus!
Mark 2:1-17
Today's passage includes two events: Jesus heals a paralytic. This is about faith and salvation. And Jesus calls Levi. This is about a new life and mission.
I. Faith and salvation (1-12)
While Jesus was teaching in Capernaum, four people whose friend was paralyzed shouted, "Yeah, that's it!" They decided to bring their sick friend to Jesus believing that Jesus could heal him. But they confronted an obstacle, huge crowd. (negative connotation; they blocked access to Jesus) Even though they desperately begged, nobody was willing to make a way for them. But they never gave up.
Look at verse 4. "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." This is an extraordinary idea and act. Humanly speaking, they were reckless and insane.
In doing so, they cut in the line. They offended many people and interrupted Jesus’ teaching. Moreover, they damaged other’s property. The owner of the house might call the police. They would have to pay lots of money to repair the roof.
But it did not matter what might happen to them. Their compassionate hearts toward their sick friend were flaring so intensely that nothing could stop themselves from climbing up and digging a hole in another's roof.
While most people saw their reckless act and mad at them and condemned them, Jesus was different. Look at verse 5a says, “When Jesus saw their faith.” Jesus was deeply moved by their faith. What kind of faith? It is faith to come to Jesus in spite of obstacles and hindrances. Coming close to Jesus is faith. On the other hand, withdrawing from Jesus is unbelief. (Hebrews 10:38)
We live in a faithless and individualistic generation. We are tempted to give up when we face obstacles or hindrances. We are tempted to focus our own agendas. But when we come to Jesus, when we bring Jesus a friend or a sick or a neighbor, we experience a miracle from him. Strive to come close to Jesus and the church. They also had faith that Jesus could heal paralysis, an incurable disease. By faith, they were ready to pay the cost to bring their sick friend to Jesus. Jesus saw their faith and healed the paralytic.
In your life, do you have such friends who try hard to bring you to Jesus? Do you have a friend whom you really want to bring to Jesus? Then you are blessed man. And if your friends are your comrades in faith, you are very blessed because they are your lifelong assets.
Some people do not care having fellowship with Christians when they come to church. Their friendship with other Christians is shallow. On the other hand, they try to have a deep tie with those who have no faith. They may think they are smart because of human ties but in fact, they are foolish and poor because they cannot get help for their souls from their friends. .
Therefore, if you have friends, at least four who have faith in Jesus, you are very blessed. Have friendship with those who have faith. Invest and spend your heart and time with them, eating, praying and sharing your life. And bring your friends to Jesus. One of my prayers is to be surrounded by four men of faith who would any time give their hands to me when I am in need and when I need to do work of God.
Look at verse 5. "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'" Here ‘their faith includes the paralytic’s faith. At that time, paralysis was incurable. And the paralytics were regarded to be cursed by God. So such people did not want to be shown publicly. However, he accepted his friends’ invitation. He believed that Jesus could heal him.
"Son, your sins are forgiven." Jesus knew this man needed healing. The biggest problem and desire of him seemed his sickness and healing. What is your biggest problem and desire? For students, it would be high GPA and a good career. It could be healing, PR, financial stability, marriage, children or a successful business.
But to Jesus, his fundamental problem and the most urgent problem is his sin problem. So Jesus said, "Your sins are forgiven." Are we an exception? Is my biggest issue as a pastor teaching the Bible well? No, I need forgiveness from the Lord.
Let's think for a moment about why the paralytic is a sinner. Sickness is not a sin. Not all sicknesses are caused by sins. But surely, some cases, men are sick as the result of sins. We don't know how he became a paralytic and what his sins were.
Maybe he drank too much or burst out anger too often that his blood pressure became high and fell down. Nowadays, more people come down with STD (sexually transmitted disease.) One student couldn't overcome his lustful desire. He committed sin and boasted it. He became sick, gravely sick that he gave up his studies and hospitalized at the age of 21. Sin makes man sick.
The paralytic in this passage might commit sins after he became paralyzed. Out of despair, he might easily get angry and complain. And he might blame others and God. He might curse himself and the world. Paralysis made his mind and soul paralyzed as well. He became complaining and unthankful. These are sins.
When he took his friends’ invitation and came to Jesus, Jesus said, “Son, your sins are forgiven,” A that time, he did not resist it. He did not become upset. Instead, he must have acknowledged and repented his sins in silence. He had an awareness and confession of his sins. This is faith. Jesus saw his faith and healed him.
Unlike other religions and books, the Bible mentions man’s sin problem. Why? It is because man’s sin is the most serious and urgent problem to be solved and there is a solution to the problem of sin.
Why is sin a problem? It is because it ends in unending suffering on earth and eternal judgment of hell. What is sin? “Miss the target or failure to fulfill a goal that is God’s glory.”
Revelation 21:8 says, “But the fearful, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.”
Today, we came to God. Is it just one of our life routine? Is it to do our responsibility to God? However, if you and I hear from the Lord, “Son, your sins are forgiven,” we are truly blessed. This is salvation.
Nowadays, people do not even know what sin is though they suffer endlessly because of sin. Even if they know what sin is, they are helpless to do anything except trying to save more money. These days many want to heal sin with expensive psychiatric medicine or marijuana. But they don't work at all. In history, Jesus is the only one who has power to forgive sins. So Jesus wants us to come to him to receive the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home" (11). Then, "He got up, took his mat and walked out." (12) I believe that Jesus challenged his powerless and dependent body and mentality. “Get up by yourself!” And by faith, he got up by himself and began to walk. We are not to sit at our comfortable zone anymore. I pray that many young people may get up taking their mat and walk by faith in Jesus.
II. God’s calling and mission (13-17)
Look at verse 14a. "As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth." While most disciples were uneducated fishermen, Levi had a government job with possible education. He was not crushed by the hard situation of the world under Roman rule. Rather, he overcame the adverse situation and became a tax collector.
At that time, tax collectors were called public sinners with prostitutes because they worked for Rome and extorted money from their own people. Still, Levi became a tax collector believing that money would make him secure and happy.
In short, Levi became a selfish man.
These days selfishness is widely condoned. The devil has deceived many as if selfishness is the truth in this capitalistic society. But in God's world, selfish people are comparable to men with leprosy, because they are as harmful to others as a man with leprosy. Selfishness is as contagious as leprosy.
Levi came from a priestly tribe. He knew that he had both privilege and duty of leading temple worship, teaching the Bible, and praying for sinners. But now he was extorting money from his own people.
Contrary to his wishes to be happy with security, he was captured by the power of sin. Levi had a lucrative job, some money, probably fancy chariot and cozy house but he was very fearful under the shadow of guilt, shame and judgment. How did Jesus help him?
Jesus saw him. Jesus saw Levi’s loneliness, guilt, shame and spiritual thirst for a new life. To people's eyes, Levi was too dirty to look at. But Jesus saw the greatness of God in him, because he was created in the image of God. Jesus invited him, "Follow me." It was to restore his disfigured inner man with a new image of God.
When Jesus said, "Follow me," it means, "Come and learn of me and be my disciple." Levi was a man of ability, but it was misused. By calling him, "Follow me," Jesus wanted to help him until he became a useful and fruitful man of God.
Life is a choice. Levi now has two choices. Would I live as a tax collector continually that is easy, familiar, continue to make a lot of money and live comfortably? Or would I follow Jesus giving up everything in the world? What choice would you make?
Once Levi resigns, he would never retake the job again because someone else will take it right away. So, Levi’s choice to follow Jesus would be too costly. However, Levi got up and followed him. Wow! Look at his courage and determination! He chose Jesus. He gave up his good position and possession to followed Jesus. It’s like giving up a building worth $ 10 million to live as a missionary in a remote country. But Levi chose Jesus and followed him as his disciple. This is Matthew’s strong point. His life is ‘no turning back.’ I want you to live this kind of life. I want you to devote yourself to Jesus and eternal kingdom of God because it makes your life meaningful, fruitful and rewarding on earth and eternally.
Verse 14b says, “Levi got up and followed him.” “Got up” is ‘kum,’ meaning immediately. God’s calling is not something we may think long to respond. Levi responded immediately. He obeyed Jesus’ word. This is why Jesus called him as one of his disciples.
God said to Noah, “I will send a flood to destroy the earth. Build an ark for you on the top of the mountain.” It had never rained until then. And why would he build an ark on a mountain instead of near the sea? Do you understand? But Noah obeyed and he was saved with his family. God uses people who obey. Because we are not like Noah and Levi, we are not used and are always trapped in our own world like frogs in a well.
Brothers, be a man of obedience. Be bold in following God’s calling and doing his work. These days, people don't even go to church regularly. A student said, “My roommate says he is a Christian. But he goes to worship service not regularly.” The student looked a little confused. I taught him that worship is basic. However, do not stop at worship. Move forward with prayer and gospel work. I pray that some may be sent to other countries as missionaries. What is important in life is the obedience of faith to be used God for his eternal purpose.
Now, we see Levi’s new life. Verse 15 says, “While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house,” Levi experienced heavenly joy in his heart. Then he opened his house to have a feast with many sinners. What a great change! Levi was selfish. Now, he opened his house to have a feast in the name of Jesus. Christians are people who hold a feast for Jesus. They open their homes to invite people, feed them, and share the gospel.
However, there were Pharisees who criticized Jesus and his disciples. Look at verse 16. “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” The Pharisees were very privileged people who had the law of God. However, they forgot that they were a channel of blessing from God to the people of the world.
God said to Abraham, “All people in the world will be blessed through you.” Exodus 19 is the covenant between God and Israel. “You are a kingdom of priests and holy nation.” However, the Jews changed this to elitism (Judaism). They excluded and rejected tax collectors, prostitutes, sinners and foreigners. This causes chaos in our world, even now. The church is a place where everyone is embraced, even the marginalized. This is the reason why God has called us.
Pastor Tony Kampolo came to Hawaii to serve a church seminar. It was 2:00 am. As he was eating at a nearby restaurant at 3:00 am, 6-7 women who worked at a nightclub came into the restaurant. A woman named Agnes said, “It’s my birthday tomorrow.” Then the other women scolded her. “Birthday party for someone like you? Hey, forget it. No one celebrates people like us.” The pastor’s heart was touched. After they left, he asked the restaurant owner, “Who is that girl?” And he made a suggestion. “I want to have a birthday party for her tomorrow. I’ll pay for all the food.” The next day at 3:30 AM, a birthday party was prepared for her. She was so surprised and touched that she started crying and said. “Thank you. I want to take this cake and keep it for a few more days.” Pastor Tony prayed with her and blessed her in the name of Jesus. The restaurant owner was deeply touched by the pastor and asked, “Sir, what’s the church name? I want to go there.” He answered, “A church that celebrates for such women at 3:00 AM.”
The church seems to only look to God. We should also look to the side, our neighbors. Jesus says, “The greatest commandment is to love God and love your neighbors.” We should look to God and pour out the grace we have received from Him to our neighbors.
Look at verse 17. "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" Each of us is one kind of sinner--like the paralytic or like the tax collector. Without Jesus we cannot but live as sinners like paralytics and the tax collector. Without Jesus we are all sinsick. Jesus has come to heal and save sinners. Praise Jesus!