Believing in Jesus and His Truth
What’s do you call someone who believes their own lies?
There’s probably a fancy term for it that would tempt us to think about someone else out there – but Scripture doesn’t allow that for us – because the answer that Scripture gives is that we are all tempted, prone and at times do – deceive ourselves.
Our Epistle speaks of our sinful nature which still clings to as having is corrupt through deceitful desire.
We speak every Sunday, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.
We lie. And, we can begin to believe those lies which we tell others and tell ourselves.
Moreover, we are lied to.
Let us ever walk with Jesus, Follow His example pure; Through a world which would deceive us And to sin our souls allure.
We are lied to by the world and, we can begin to believe those lies, especially if it allows us to hear what we want to hear, say what we want to say, and do what we want to do.
If the Christian’s creed is “I believe in God…” the worlds creed is “I believe what I want to believe.”
Today, your Jesus walks with you and gives you again something amazing – He gives His Spirit to believe the truth – about yourself, about Him, about the world which would deceive us and sin which allure’s us – and it is centered around these words [Matthew 9:2]
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”
Their faith, was in the right person, Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life.
St. Mark reports that reports that so many were gathered [in that home Jesus was in] so that there was no more room, not even at the door….and when [the friends carrying the paralyzed man] could not get near Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the man who was paralyzed lay [Mark 2:1-12].
And the paralyzed man receives a Word of Truth to believe in, Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.
Here is the most important Truth that I can speak to you: Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.
Here is the most important Truth that you can speak to me: Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.
We have God’s Word. We have the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have baptism and the Lord’s Supper and the holy Christian Church and the communion of saints – all to point to us the forgiveness of sins that we believe in.
Faith and God’s Truth, God’s Word always go together.
When you believe in something that God’s Word warns you against, then you believe lies.
When you believe a promise that God’s Word has not given, then you are believing lies.
On the other hand, when God commands something and you don’t think it’s good, and God promises you something, and you don’t believe it as the most important truth you can know, you are calling God a liar.
Luther once preached to fellow Christians, “We Christians do not lack for the Word. God’s grace has given it to us purely and unadulterated. But we lacking in faith.”
Did you notice that the highlighted reaction to Jesus’ Word of truth Take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven was not faith, but it was to call Jesus a liar?
3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”
You have God’s Word abundantly today. In our liturgy, in our readings, in our Psalms and hymns and songs and sermon and Supper.
Say, Amen to it – yes, yes, this is true.
Say, Thanks be to God, for it – this is true.
Say, God has spoken, help me believe it, let the Church say Amen.
God help you believe Him. God help you believe the truth – namely if we can focus on one thing today – God help you believe this truth:
Take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven.
Why are you so troubled? Your sins are forgiven.
Why are you so afraid? Your sins are forgiven.
How you could possibly think that God doesn’t care about you as you suffer? Your sins are forgiven.
How could you possibly think that you and your family and church are too little for God? Your sins are forgiven.
How could you possibly think your sinful flesh and the world is more true than God’s Word of Truth? Your sins are forgiven.
Why do you think evil in your hearts? Your sins are forgiven.
The truth this Word brings is that God loves you, your maker and judge sees you as pure and holy, you are a child of the Heavenly, a brother and sister of Christ – you’re in the family of God.
The truth this Word brings in a tough world that deceives you and lies to you is to Take heart,
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” [John 16:33]
The truth is that suffering here is not a sign that God is mad at you. He’s not.
Take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven.
That these Words were bought and paid for by our Jesus who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried – reminds you that suffering has greater purposes than could ever imagine – so let us suffer well, believing God and loving neighbor and as our collect prayed:
being ready in both body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish whatever You would have us do.
4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Before our Lord gives the man who was paralyzed the Word of Rise, pick up your bed and go home”
He gave a paralyzed soul, worse than that, a soul dead in the trespasses and sins in which He once walked [Ephesians 2:1-2]
He gave that soul forgiveness – and where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.
Luther says, “God is not angry with you; now don’t you be angry with Him.”
Luther is getting at the lie that God’s commands are not for our good.
All of God’s Word – including His commands are always for your good and for the good of others.
And you believe God’s commands are for your good because you believe your sins are forgiven.
You believe God is not angry at you and you begin to not be angry at God- even when He warns you or rebukes you.
So put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
What do you call a person who believes God’s Word of Truth.?
That’s also you. For you also believe the Truth that you are baptized, you have put on Christ, that God is for you and Christ is in you.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.