The Forgiveness of Sins

Gospel of Mark chapter 2. Mark chapter 2 and verse number 1. Mark 2 verse 1, and again, he that is the Lord Jesus entered into Capernaum after some days and it was noise that he was in the house. Straightway when many were gathered together in so much that there was no room to receive them no not so much as about the door and he preached the word unto them and they come unto him bringing one sick of the palsy which was born of four when they could not come nigh unto him for the press they uncovered the roof where he was and when they had broken it up they let down the bed where in the sick of the palsy lay when Jesus saw their faith he said unto the sick of the palsy son thy sins be forgiven thee but there were some certain of the but there were certain of the scribes sitting there reasoning in their hearts why does this man thus speak blasphemies who can forgive sins but God only now they were right on that point verse 8 and immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves he said unto them why reason ye these things in your heart hearts whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy thy sins be forgiven thee or to say arise take up thy bed and walk but that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins he said to the sick of the palsy I said to the arise take up thy bed go thy way to the house and immediately arose took up the bed went forth before them all in so much that they were all amazed and glorified God saying we never saw it on this fashion now over please if you like to acts acts in chapter 13 acts chapter 13 Mark Luke John and acts in chapter 13 be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins by him all are that believe are justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses finally reading in Colossians now a little harder to find just keep turning Acts Romans Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians and then a little book in there called the Colossians for a very important verse chapter 1 chapter 1 and verse 13 Colossians 1 verse 13 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son and whom we have redemption through his blood even even the forgiveness of sins now we only fair to say that Brandon and I have known for a week now that we are to share we were asked to share this gospel meeting we have not consulted or considered what we're going to speak upon but I couldn't help but notice how many times she referred to the truth of the forgiveness of sins and that's really that what I want to close the meeting and speaking about tonight is the truth of having your sins forgiven now before we go any further than this let me ask you tonight are your sins forgiven you make sure your shoulders is I don't know that's proof they've never been forgiven because a person who has had their sins forgiven knows this they know where it happened where their sins were forgiven this man did imagine going to this man said your sins forgiven oh yeah where'd it happen he'd know he would take you to that house you see that house over there right over there there's a man in there called Jesus preaching the forgiveness of sins and he forgave my sins that's where it happened so I've already answered the second question who can forgive sins I mean here's people that likely do baby didn't even know anything about the forgiveness of sins but they knew this much they knew this much only God can forgive sins because it is only God that you have sinned against sure you can sit against your fellow man you consider sin against your own body the bodies the Bible says but ultimately all sin is against God and if ever you're going to be in heaven your sins must be forgiven this Bible says it so does yours so I don't want to think of a place of forgiveness tonight I want to think of the person of forgiveness the person that's what Colossians 1 says in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins somebody somewhere has to do the forgiving I mean if you come up to me as a total stranger said you know I've been forgiven and I said to you of what I don't know who forgave you I don't know I'm in company with this dear man tonight I live in rejoice in the knowledge that my sins are forgiven it is the only reason by which I can go to heaven tonight is that my sins have been forgiven as many times as I have passed through the United States customs you'll learn something almost every time okay I have reason to fly into this country a lot and just this last trip I am now required to file what they call an APIS plan which was with the Homeland Security it's called an electronic advanced passenger information service I must file that to the US government go on their website tell who's flying with me their date of birth their passport number the expiry number who are they staying what's the address where they're staying and so on do it all out the aircraft's already profiled I am profiled in there as the pilot I have to submit that and get back a release number before I can take off once I've got the release number I am good to go except one final thing I have to do I must call a port of entry in other words it's Bangor Maine Airport International Airport and tell him what time I expect to be in there on this occasion customs officer picked up the phone on the other end and I told him I had the APIS already signed and of course he could go on his computer find that and he said so see I'm flying a US registered airplane to the kindness of my brother who supplied me with one for number of years and my sons that now own the plane that I fly and others he says okay he said any aliens I said no all Canadians then you're an alien Wow what an ego buster an alien I thought this guy some guy tried to sneak into the country's million he's calling me an alien but I was you know I wasn't that he didn't like me but I was never born in this country you see for that's why as Brandon has said you must be born again to go to that country you've got to have a birth that forgive a birth that fits you for that country can I put this in there before you can have that birth into God's family your sins must be forgiven because the Bible says it so important is it that we have it in all three of what we call the synoptic Gospels okay we have it right here man in Mark chapter 2 and we have it in Luke chapter 9 or Matthew chapter 9 and Luke chapter 5 same thing that you may know that the Son of Man have power on earth to forgive sins God has said it let's go back I don't wear the customs kick here but go back to customs second last time I came in and the fella come over he's very friendly I've seen him a number of times he said you're back again I said yeah I got a question for you I says you know who I am yes I do I says you know I have a passport yeah I said I do you've seen it I says if I was to arrive here next week and I'd file my APIS all the numbers on it my date of birth passport number but I get off this airplane and I don't have my passport I've either lost it the plane or I've left it at home can I come into the country would you let me into the country I'll never go what he said he said I would but this country won't I would but this country won't listen friend as a friend I would let you into heaven but that country won't without your sins being forgiven without you being born again sir without you knowing dear lady that your Christ is your Savior and having that unforgettable moment when your sins were forgiven there is no possibility of ever being in heaven you couldn't sin is such a hideous thing you know we often say it up I'm not criticizing it for being said I think they have said it myself that we want sinners to see themselves as God sees them what happened I could never see myself as God sees me I have absolutely no idea how God looks upon sin apart from his what his word says it's more than hideous it's more than something that's just deplorable God can't tolerate it and he won't allow it into heaven and if you ever you're going to be in heaven coming from a Christian home knowing the verses in the Sunday school you must have dear girl your sins forgiven are they forgiven if they're forgiven when did it happen now I am NOT so much concerned about the time of the clock or the date on the calendar but they're real experienced when it was okay I had a neighbor and he claimed he was saved and he said that McCandless is only believe people were saved that had the calendar one hand in their clock and the other I don't think it was that bad but and you know that man could tell a fair clear story how we saved my father couldn't my father who lived in the state couldn't tell you the date on the calendar he knew about the year but he remember what had happened I told me repeatedly what I wish to ask him how did it happen he stuff to ask that come out got saved I didn't have to ask my mother she was the preacher of the family she told me how about you tonight come on father if you're one are you able to tell your boy here's how I got saved I had a father could do that how about you mother in the meeting tonight if you're a mother can you tell that girl or that boy here's how God saved your mother there's nothing like it nothing like it how delightful it is when it comes to the end of the road and look at a parent and realize yeah I can remember him telling me how he was saved how his sins were forgiven can you do that listen it isn't wanting to be able to do that so you get preachers off your back or Sunday school teachers that wouldn't ask you any more questions or that they wouldn't pray and mention your name up there in the pyramid as they did tonight but it's that you might not be in hell because my friend without your sins going to be forgiven you will be in hell Here comes a man, helpless, helpless, on a bed, nothing he can do for himself. What are you going to tell him? Go get baptized? What would that do for him? Join a church? That's not even a good idea.

I'm not condemning any church. What this man needed was the Savior. And where was the Savior? In the house.

What was he doing in the house? He said he was performing miracles. Not really. What's the Savior doing in the house? He preached the word unto them.

God so help us if we get removed from preaching the word unto you. So they brought this man up to the house and the house is packed. You know at that moment I think someone would say, ah listen we tried, we'll take him back, can't do anything.

These men weren't going to give up. No sir, nothing was going to stop them. The only option they had is to go up on that roof and let him down through the roof.

My, you would see the Lord Jesus there, he knew it was coming. He knew all things friend. He knew what that friend was.

He knew before a tile was lifted, before a tile was lifted, who was going to be in that house. Do you know the Lord Jesus knew before you were born. Now I may be looking at this children but I'm looking at you too.

God knew before you were born, you'd be sitting in this gospel meeting tonight. And he loved you so much that he made a provision through his son so you could have your sins forgiven. He sent him to Calvary's cross to die so your sins might be forgiven so you could know for sure I'm going to heaven.

No longer do I have that burden, it's gone. You could say or sing, my sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin not in part but the whole was nailed to his cross and I bear it no more.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord oh my soul. A number of years ago, in the United States this really happened. There was a very well-off family and there was a couple girls in that family and the one girl particularly was dad's girl.

She was a very attractive girl and dad loved his daughter. She was his pet. However, as that girl got older, she had other friends other than dad.

And she had no trouble having boys come to the house wanting to take her out, meeting her at school and so on. And she started to go with a boy and he didn't meet dad's approval. And dad said, hey listen, uh-uh, you can't, this isn't going to happen.

This is not for you dear, okay? Get it clear. You go with him, you don't come here. She heard him.

And as time went on, they started living together. Dad was still mad. She used to write her father letters.

He sent them back. Didn't even open them. Sent them back.

So she thought, well if I got married, my dad would, he'll have me in then. She got married. Did the best she could.

Just like you. Same thing. Letters kept coming back.

No way she could win dad. That girl wasn't stupid. She might have even been a tad smarter than her father.

She had a little boy born in that family. He was five years old. One day calling him by name, she says, we're going to grandpa's house.

He says, where's that? He'd never been there. She says, I'll tell you. But she said, I want to tell you what to do.

I'm going to let you off at the house. Mommy's going to back the car up. You're going to go up and ring the doorbell.

And when a man comes to that door, you just put your arms out to him and look at him. Well, little five-year-old thought he could follow those instructions. So the day come when the daughter very nervously drove down the street knowing where her parents lived, house where she lived.

And she let the little boy out at the sidewalk. And he made his way up to the door. She backed the car just up a little bit.

And she watched very carefully. Pretty soon, that father came right into the door, opened the door up and looked on that little boy. Just looked at him for a minute.

And up went those two little arms. The father still didn't do anything. But you know what the father saw? A boy that looked like him.

That father began to cry. He put his head down. He put his hands out.

He lifted that little boy and he hugged him. He said, I love you. He says, I love your mother.

He said, go back and tell your mother she can come in the house. Now what got that mother into that house? A love son. A love son.

That dear man could not resist. Resist a son that somewhat represented him. We're preaching one tonight that somewhat represents all of us.

He was God that became a man. As God he couldn't die. And he went to Calvary's cross.

And he shed his precious blood. He gave his life. So we could stand on the authority of Acts 13 and 38 and preach unto you tonight the forgiveness of sins.

We got the authority of the word of God. Honestly, understand tonight, this is not something drummed up in the gospel hall. This is something in the word of God that we can stand.

Listen to what the text says. Be it known unto your men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. And by him all are justified from all things from which it could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Wouldn't it be nice tonight, leave the hall, sins forgiven, without paying a dollar, without signing a membership card, just you doing business with God, realizing I'm the guilty sinner. I'm the one Christ has died for. He loved me so much.

You know there's a parallel story in the Bible of that. A man by the name of David. There wasn't a mean, say what you want, anybody.

There wasn't a mean bone in David's body. I know there's time when he acted out of character. There was not a mean bone in that man's body.

And because of a son that he loved, who had died, his name was Jonathan, he said I want to show kindness unto that house. He says is there any left of the house of Saul that I may show kindness unto him. Now he didn't love Saul, but he loved Jonathan, a love son.

They said well there is a man by the name of Mephibosheth. And they sent a message down to him. Come on up.

King wants to see you. Can't you see that crippled old man looking down and says, me? Why would he ever want me? Isn't that like you and the meeting tonight? I've had people to say to me on more than one occasion, why won't God save me? Listen my friend. As we've been hearing, don't look in the mirror, look in the word of God.

Why would he ever want to save you? Why would he ever want to save you? Why would he ever want to save me? Only one reason. He loved me. He loved me.

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. So it matters not tonight friend, whether you're Jew or Gentile, Catholic or Protestant, Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim.

Matters not tonight. God loves the world. Okay? The people in this world doesn't love what they do.

Hates their sin. But he loves you. But there's someone else he loved.

The Bible says he loved the son. Only because he loved the son can he extend that love to you. And loving his son he gave him on Calvary's cross so you could have your sins forgiven.

Come on. We have been morally constructed as human beings to understand that our sins have to be forgiven. I can go and talk to almost anybody anywhere and they realize somehow there's an almighty that has to be satisfied with me.

Now how they may go about that is whatever. But the truth of it is this. Your sins have to be forgiven.

Do you think that will ever happen in your life? Really? Ever? Think the day will ever dawn when you'll roll back that bed sheet and say thank God. My sins are gone. They're forgiven.

I don't care how far down into the gutter of sin you have gone. I do not care my friend. But I do care that there's a God that loves you and wants to forgive you.

The forgiveness of your sins. So very obviously there's a place where sins are forgiven. For me I go back to a little room, a bedroom up in the third story of our farmhouse in southwestern Ontario.

Flew within likely 50 miles of it yesterday where my sins were forgiven. Dear Peter Orszag, a man that's been out here I've preached a lot with. We go to St. Thomas and he'd always say, he'd call me Mac.

He says, Mac, take me out to the farmhouse. I knew what was on. We'd go out there.

He wasn't interested in the poultry barns. He wasn't interested in the implements. He says, take me by the house.

I can remember that big fist of his in the finger. He says, it was up there, wasn't it? It was up there, wasn't it? I said, it was up there. He said, what happened up there? Didn't get any big feeling.

Although I felt good. I had peace after. It was up there that I understood the truth of Luke 19 and 10.

The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. And just across the patio doors on the backside of our house on the deck, that verse likely in 10-inch letters is written right across one of these scrolls. My son-in-law put it on and people come into my house.

I love it. I like to see it. I have everything up the house except the chart.

But anyhow, they come in and they sit down, you know, and they look around and go, oh, you know, I want to say, it's not going to bite you. You're safe, okay? It's the best news you ever heard. There's someone who wants to save you.

You want to be saved? Then you'll want to know your sins forgiven because there's no such thing as being saved and your sins not being forgiven. Now, what about the person that forgives sins? I used to say an older man worked for them until he told me he was a little younger than I am. His name was Emery.

Emery had one thing in common with everybody in their shop. He owed the money. He was a small-time gambler.

Emery would borrow money off them to gamble. He borrowed $20 off me. I mean, I couldn't really say he was gambling with it, but I pretty well knew that's what he was doing.

I'd be away for meetings. I'd come home and, you know, he'd get busy talking. Hey, he used to call up the mission.

How'd the mission go? You know, he kept talking. He kept talking. You know why? Why do you think he kept talking to me? Why do you think he wasn't letting me have a word? Do you know why? He was afraid I'd ask for my $20.

Now, you might say, come on. Forget your $20. Wait a minute.

It wasn't yours. It was mine. You know something he never asked? He never asked for the forgiveness of it.

Joe Potter and I would come back from Woodstock. We'd come by a little church the other night, and I said, there's that cross. Red cross.

And it is. It's colorful. And it's imposing.

There it is. We came around the corner. This is the man now that owes everybody money.

He looked at that cross. He says, isn't that beautiful? I said, what's beautiful about it, Emory? I wasn't trying to be smart. I said, what's beautiful about it? He says, you know, it just looks good.

You know, isn't that sad to a lot of people? Just looks good. That's all it meant to him. Just look good on church building.

My friend, I'm not talking about wearing it around your neck, putting it on the wall of your house, having it on the dashboard of your car. I'm talking about the cross becoming a revealing truth to you that it was there. It was there where Christ made possible what happened to me in that third floor of our house in southwestern Ontario.

He died so my sins could be forgiven. The debt was owed to him. He forgave me.

God has forgiven me of my transgressions and of my sin. There's therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Wonderful to have your sins forgiven.

I sleep in a lot of houses, a lot of different beds, the kindness of the people, but I want to tell you the sweetest part about it is this. To come to the end of the day and whatever went wrong or right, upside down or otherwise, to know my sins are forgiven. Christ is my savior.

I'm going to heaven. Are you? Are you? Have you ever told anybody you were saved? Ever told anybody that you knew their sins were forgiven? I would just suggest likely that you're maybe here tonight because the one that invited you to this meeting has experienced that. Their sins are forgiven.

You know what they want? The best thing for you. Your sins to be forgiven. That's all.

And we're glad to tell you that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins. George Bernard Shaw said, forgiveness is a beggar's word. I'll pay my own way.

You know something? In his darkness, in his darkness, he was partly right. It is a beggar's word because I had nothing to pay, nothing, nothing to say. Just a guilty lost sinner coming to God just as I was without one plea.

There was nothing I could offer to God. Whatever God said about me was absolutely right. When that atheist died, Robert Ingersoll, his words put forth by his wife were these, it's understandable there'll be no singing at the funeral.

It's understandable there will be no singing at the funeral. What's an atheist got to sing about? Nothing. What have I got to sing about? Everything tonight.

About a Savior that died on Calvary's cross so I could know my sins forgiven. Think of anything better to sing about? Wonderful tonight. Our desire for you is that you would come to know what this man had to understand.

That not only forgiveness is preached, is provided, but it can be possessed tonight. By simple faith in Christ and the authority of the word of God, your sins can be forgiven. Shall we pray?