"THE CRITICS ARE COMING"
Luke 5:17-26 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

Mark 2:6-7 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?

The conflict over FORGIVENESS OF SIN, has gone on in the minds of men and women for ages. The religious leaders, the scribes, and Pharisees were among the critics of Jesus’ day and we have plenty among us in our own day, who question if “Jesus has power to forgive sins”. The SCORNERS in the crowd were the Pharisees and doctors of the law (Scribes) sitting by. These religious leaders “were there to cause trouble,” to pick flaws in the teaching and conduct of Jesus. The popularity of the Lord has aroused their jealous heart. One gets the feeling these Critics would rather see PEOPLE SUFFER than have JESUS HEAL THEM. Though they had a high position in their religion, the were low in their character. As we said this is not an uncommon thing in our day, even in fundamental circles, some sure are lacking in Christian CHARACTER.

Dr. Luke Would have us notice three thing this morning about this event.
I. THE SCORNERS WHO CRITICIZED THE MIRACLE. 
Luke 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

(a). The Sitting Of The Scorners.
Luke 5:17 ..... “there were Pharisees and doctors of the law= (Scribes) sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem”....
1. When God is doing a work in any church, the critics will be on the spot to criticize. 
2. In 26 years of pastoring I have never pastored a church where at least one or two member at sometime or another get OUT OF SORTS, SOUR, and SULLEN ready to scorn the PASTOR.

(b). The Selfishness Of The Scorners.
.Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
1. They failed to understand and see that JESUS WAS GOD manifested in the flesh. 
2. Jesus Was SPEAKING OF FORGIVINGNESS OF SINS. John 1:1-3; John 20:31, I John 1:1. why could not the Scribes and Pharisees understand He was God? THE SERVANTS, John, Peter, James, and others had no problem at all with it. DO YOU KNOW WHO JESUS IS?
II. THE SERVANTS WHO CARRIED THE MAN.
Luke 5:18-19 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

(a). The Privilege Of The Servants.
Luke 5:18 “And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy”...
1. What a Privilege to bring others to Jesus. Mark tells us that four men brought him on a stretcher-like bed. These four men have left us some good lessons about Christian service. It took COMPASSION, COOPERATION, COMMITMENT, to get them man to Jesus.

(b). The Problems Of The Servants.
Luke 5:18-19 .... “and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, ...”

Mark 2:4 “And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, = “the crowd”

1. THE CROWD OR CHRIST: The four men were determined to get the paralytic to Jesus, when they got to the DOOR they were BLOCKED by the CROWDS. We are going through the Andrew Soul winning Program on Sunday Nights, but may I say if you do not have the same kind of determination and commitment in service for our Lord, you will find a thousand reasons to quit when difficulties comes your way. There are many, many difficulties and hindrances to the work of God. One of the biggest hindrances is the CROWD. If you go along with the CROWD you will never get anyone to CHRIST. It will be the CROWD or the CHRIST!!!!!

(c). The Persistence Of The Servants.
Luke 5:19 .... “they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.”

Mark 2:4 ... they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

1. The four men “went upon the housetop” and they “uncovered the roof” then “they broke it up” to let the large bed down through the roof of the house.
2. The roofs of the houses in those days were flat, the roof had hard beaten earth or rubble underneath, and was paved with brick, stone, or any other type of hard substance, surrounded by a railing. The home owners spent a lot of time on the roofs especially during the evenings in warm weather. A stairway led to the roof from the outside and in some cases from the inside of the house. The four servants carried the paralytic up the stars which was very hard to do, then uncovered the roof, broke it up, to create a hole big enough to let the stretcher-bed down before Jesus.
III. THE SAVIOUR WHO CONTROLLED THE MIRACULOUS.
Luke 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Luke 5:24-25. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

(a). The Revelation Of The Saviour.
Luke 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Luke 5:24-25. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, 

1. CURED OF SIN AND SICKNESS: The Lord did two things. First Salvation is always by FAITH, and when “HE SAW THEIR FAITH” “their faith” speaks of not only the four men that brought the paralytic to Jesus, but it speaks VOLUMES ABOUT THE PARALYTIC’S FAITH. It was his faith that got the other men to take him to Jesus. NOTICE WHAT JESUS SAID: Jesus said, “that ye MAY KNOW that the SON OF MAN HATH POWER UPON EARTH TO FORGIVE SINS. The only place you can get your sins forgiven is on earth. Eph 2:8-9; John 3:16; 

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 10:7-9 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,

The place for forgiveness of SINS is while we ARE UPON THIS EARTH, once we leave this LIFE, it too LATE TO HAVE OUR SINS FORGIVEN. Jesus turned to the paralytic, and said “Arise” the man arose and walked on his own two legs. It is evident that if Jesus HAS THE POWER REMOVE SICKNESS, HE HAS THE POWER TO FORGIVE SINS.

(b). The Rewards Of The Paralytic.

Luke 5:25-26 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
1. Salvation is not something we receive sometime at a future date, “IMMEDIATELY” he rose up before them, took his bed and walked. The Word of God tells us that if we BELIEVE ON JESUS WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE now. What a blessing,. What a time of fellowship these FIVE men had and what a STORY THEY HAD TO TELL. We have a STORY TO TELL also, and it must be told now before life is over.