Helping the Helpless

N.T.#95 "Helping the Helpless"

June 20, 2023

Matthew 9-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

His friends knew He could do it. They knew He would come through for them. He had done it before. He was their only hope for their friend. Four friends carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus. Yet what is so amazing about this is that they did not give up whenever the house was too crowded for them to get to Jesus carrying their friend. It wasn't a maybe faith, but He could and He would help faith. This helpless and hopeless man had caring friends. 

Weren't they obsessed with their mission to get their disabled friend to Jesus? Desperately, they lugged the guy and cot up to the roof of the house, opened a spot in the roof, and lowered him down to Jesus. The friends could have given up whenever they could not get close to Jesus inside the house, but they did not. The cripple could have said, "No way, you might drop me and kill me." 

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

In Luke 10 we read about the good Samaritan, who helped the injured man, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 

Are we taking time to help the disabled, the helpless, the hopeless? What kind of friend are we?

LET IT GROW

Jesus saw the faith of the 5 men. Wasn't it GREAT FAITH? 

What does great faith do?

• It focuses one's belief on Jesus Christ. He alone is the answer to the needy and helpless of the world, no matter who they are.
• It acknowledges that a need does exist and must be met.
• Great faith is doing all one can do to meet the need. 
• It persists until the need is met.                                                                                                       Did you notice those 5 men said nothing, as far as it is recorded? What did Jesus do first? He forgave the crippled man of his sins. Of course, that caused problems with the scribes-they accused Jesus of blaspheming. The amazing thing about all of this is that Jesus forgave the man, not that He healed the man. Do you believe Jesus is truly living, the Son of God, risen from the dead? Do you believe He loves you so much that He wants to save you? Simply ask, and Jesus will. [Resource: The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible]

LET IT GO

Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me. On and on it goes. What a Savior!

It overwhelms and satisfies my soul.

Open our eyes, Lord Jesus, to see the needs of others and meet those needs.