How is it that He Eats and Drinks?

What is appropriate behavior for the people of God and their leaders?  In our passage for today, we see Jesus and his disciples eating and drinking.  We see Jesus eating and drinking with tax collectors and others who were known as sinners.  And it is in the midst of his eating and drinking where we see more opposition rise up against Jesus.  In both of the scenes in this passage there is opposition against Jesus and both rounds of opposition are ultimately asking the same thing.  They are both questioning the appropriateness of Jesus’ conduct and his behavior in leading his disciples.  This passage wonderfully shows his Jesus actions are quite appropriate, and finds the basis of their appropriateness in the gospel.

Passage: Mark 2:13-22
Author: Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Sermon originally preached during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 03/02/2008 in Novato, CA.
Other Scripture Readings: Leviticus 23:26-32; Revelation 19:5-6

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Power on Earth to Forgive Sins

Passage: Mark 2:1-12
Author: Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Sermon originally preached during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 02/24/2008 in Novato, CA.
Other Scripture Readings: Psalm 103; Isaiah 53; Romans 3:9-26

In our passage for today, Jesus makes a rather bold claim. He claims that he has the power on earth to forgive sins. When Jesus declared that the paralytic’s sins were forgiven, he caught everyone’s attention. Some responded with faith to Jesus’ claim, but many with doubt and skepticism. Such a bold claim, dare I even say, an outrageous claim, demanded some sort of proof. If true, it would suggest that Jesus came with the very authority and power of God himself. And our passage beautifully shows how Christ’s claim was vindicated, verified through his miraculous healing of the paralytic.

Click here for the manuscript.

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