The Gospel According to Luke - Luke 5:12-26

16 March 2025

The sermon says that Jesus did not come simply to improve life, but to rescue people who are cut off from God by sin and helpless to return on their own. Through the stories of the leper and the paralyzed man, it shows Jesus as the one with both the compassion to draw near to human brokenness and the authority to cleanse, heal, and forgive. Rather than shrinking back from the unclean and suffering, Jesus moves toward them, welcoming those who come in humility and faith.

It also contrasts this faith with the pride of the Pharisees, who could see Jesus’ power but would not admit their own need. The sermon urges listeners not to let shame, self-righteousness, or obstacles keep them from Christ, but to come honestly to him for mercy. It also highlights the persistence of the paralytic’s friends as a model for bringing others to Jesus and points to prayer as the way Jesus himself remained anchored in the Father.