SICK
1. Some look at the human race and think that man is strong.
2. With all our inventions and our accomplishments, human beings have great power.
3. God says that man is weak.
4. God further says that we are not weak in one area or even two areas.
5. We are weak in many areas.
6. God has expressed this thought by using a special word in the New Testament.
7. A few moments ago the first nine verses of Acts 5 we read.
8. Peter and John were put on trial for healing a man who had been ill.
9. Peter said that this man had been “impotent.”
THE
WORD THAT IS TRANLSATED “IMPOTENT” IS A RATHER REVEALING TERM.
ONE SOURCE SAYS THIS WORD “DESCRIBES THE
A. In the gospels and Acts this word almost always describes physical illness.
B. The term is also used to describe several other things as well.
C. The word that Luke used describes man’s moral, spiritual, and physical problems.
D. Tonight I want to give you all the places where this word is used in the order that they occur.
E. Each passage will not be studied in detail but all the references will be given.
F. As we go along some points of application will also be provided.
G. The first place this word occurs is Mt. 25, Mt. 25:39, 43, and 44.
1). On the Day of Judgment Jesus will talk about those who were sick.
2). According to Jesus, Christians will have “visited” those who were sick.
3). In 6 verses Jesus made three references to visiting those who are sick.
4). The Lord’s use of this word reminds us of a duty.
5). As individual Christians we have a responsibility towards those who become ill.
6). We need to “visit” them and we can do that in a variety of ways.
7). On the judgment day God will have a record concerning our involvement with those who were ill.
8). The record that will be reviewed is the one that we are making right now.
9). When Peter and John met up with a non-Christian they helped him.
10). If the unsaved deserve attention, how much more the people of God?
2. If you have turned to Matthew 25 let’s skip to the next chapter.
3. The word we are looking at is used in Mt. 26:41.
4.
Mark’s account also has this word (Mk.
5. Mt. 26:41 – READ.
6. This passage is also familiar to many of us.
7. Some of the Lord’s closest friends were to watch while He went and prayed.
8. According to the text he Lord’s friends went to sleep.
9. They had good intentions but the flesh was “weak” (this is the same word that is used in Acts 4).
10. Here it does not mean physically sick; it means puny, frail.
11. This passage reveals to us a second truth.
A. Our human flesh is “weak.”
B. The disciples had good intentions but things did not go as they had planned.
C. How many of us sometimes have good intentions that turn out to only be intentions?
D. We have had a good idea and or perhaps good plans but nothing happened.
E. The Bible recognizes that our good intentions may not get off the ground.
F. This is a human weakness that we must try to overcome.
G. By illustration and by a special word we are warned about the weakness of our flesh.
12. The next place where the word occurs is Lk. 10:9.
13. Jesus told His disciples to go on a kind of limited commission.
14. As these men went and preached they also “healed the sick.”
15. They cured people’s medical problems.
16. These men returned and after the Lord’s death and resurrection the healings continued.
17. People who suffered from a variety of physical problems were healed.
18. The next occurrence of this adjective is Acts 4:9, the passage that was read.
19. After Peter and John cured a man they were brought before a tribunal.
20. After this matter had concluded the healings continued.
A. In Acts 5:15-16 it is said that people brought the sick to the apostles.
B. The apostles were not doctors but they had the power to cure diseases.
C. The word we are looking at is in both verses 15 and 16 of Acts 5.
D. READ Acts 5:15-16.
E. The word “sick” in these two verses emphasizes the compassionate nature of Christians.
F. When God’s people were able to help others they did.
G. This lesson is still relevant for our time.
21. The next place where we find this word being used by a New Testament writer is Rom. 5:6.
22. Paul said that when we were “weak” (ASV) “without strength” (KJV) Christ died for us.
A. If we did not have Jesus we would have no hope.
B. We would die and have no prospect of eternity with God.
C. We would be guilty of sin and have no chance for forgiveness.
D. Without God and the Lord we would have no spiritual power.
E. Paul’s use of this word should help us appreciate what Jesus did.
F. Some here have been so sick that they were completely without strength.
G. Some have been so weak they needed others do the most basic of things for them—
H. Move them, feed them, bathe them, and help them in and out of bed.
I. This word shows that this was our spiritual condition before Jesus died for us.
23. Another use of this term is 1 Cor. 1:25.
24. The Corinthians had a problem with “wisdom” (knowledge).
25. Some thought they were a lot smarter and wiser than people like Paul.
26. To help them with this problem Paul told them about God’s “foolishness.”
27. Here is what he said – READ 1 Cor. 1:25.
28. If we could say that God has any “weakness” His weakest part would still be far stronger than man.
29. Paul told the Corinthians that God is far above man.
30. He is so beyond us that Paul added this in verse 27 – READ .
31. Here is another example of the word.
32. God has used the things that are “weak” (puny, frail) to shame the strong.
33. Two examples of this are the Lord’s birth and death.
34. Jesus did not enter into the world in the way that a king would come.
35. Neither did he die as a king.
36. He hung on a cross and was buried in a borrowed grave.
37. God has often used things & people who seem to be insignificant/ unimportant to accomplish His will.
38. This word reminds us that God works in ways that are unlike what the world expects.
39. The word we are looking at occurs several other times in the First Corinthian letter.
40. Paul
used it in
41. These Christians felt like they were “strong” and Paul was “weak.”
42. The word is also used in 8:7, 9, 10.
43. These three verses are also relevant to Christianity in 2002.
A. Paul said that some members of the church have a “weak” conscience.
B. In the first century there were questions about meat.
C. Some felt like they could eat any kind of meat.
D. Others, because meat was often offered to idols, did not feel right about eating any kind of meat.
E. Those who had objections to eating meat were described as “weak.”
F. This is, they were people who were conscientiously opposed to certain practices.
G. Today Christians still face this same kind of issue.
H. Some are bothered by certain practices while others are not troubled.
I. Some members of the church enjoy Halloween; others see it as a day dedicated to Satan.
J. This was the same kind of situation that existed with the meat.
K. Some want to celebrate Christmas; others do not.
L. This word shows that on matters of judgments God’s people can differ.
M. If something is not a matter of doctrine we can have differing opinions.
44. If people conscientiously object to a matter of opinion, they have that right.
45. In 1 Cor. 8 Paul said that we do not want to become a “stumbling block to the weak.”
46. We do not want to offend the conscience of someone who is opposed to certain practices.
ANOTHER
PLACE WHERE THIS WORD IS FOUND IN THE CORINTHIAN LETTER IS 9:22.
A. In this single verses Paul used this word three times.
B. He said that since some were “weak” he became “weak” so he could gain the “weak.”
C. Here we learn that people are all different.
D. This passage uses the word to tell us that we need different techniques to reach people.
E. Paul used a variety of methods to help him evangelize.
F. Some people in the world are “weaker” than others.
G. Suppose that some of the unsaved in Paul’s day and time were bothered by golf.
H. Paul said, “If that bothers people I can work with them because I will not golf.”
I. Paul lived this way when he was among Christians and non-Christians.
47. In 1 Cor. 11:30 this word occurs again.
48. Paul said that some of the members at Corinth were “weak.”
49. God’s people were “weak” because they were guilty of sin.
A. In the 12th chapter Paul again spoke about weakness at Corinth.
B. Here is what he said in 12:22 – READ .
50. Our human body has some “weak” members.
51. Our little toe is certainly not as strong as our foot or our hand.
52. Paul applied this analogy to the church.
A. He taught that there are some members who are not as potent as others.
B. There are some obvious differences between a healthy 20 year old and someone who is 90.
C. Paul recognized that members of the church differ in so many ways.
D. In each congregation there are some members who are less prominent than others.
E. Yet, if we were to select the least prominent member of any congregation….
F. Perhaps this would be the person who has been confined to a nursing home for many years….
G. Paul said this “weak” member is “necessary.”
H. No matter who a person is, if they are part of the body they are necessary.
I. The word we are looking at says to each member of the church, “You are important.”
J. This word not only says that we are important, it says that we will always be important.
53. We may be old, poor, sick, or lose our mental faculties.
54. God says that we will still count. We are still part of the Lord’s spiritual body.
55. Let’s move on to the next place where this word occurs.
56. Some at Corinth said that Paul’s bodily presence was “weak” (2 Cor. 10:10).
57. That is, Paul was not impressive when people met him.
58. If this was literally true, it didn’t matter.
59. Everyone else may have had a better appearance than Paul but he was still part of the body.
60. Gal. 4:9 uses this word to describe the Old Testament system (it was “weak”).
61. It was not sufficient to justify mankind. We are no longer under that “weak” system.
62. In fact, Paul asked the Galatians why they were interested in the old law.
63. In 1 Thess. 5:14 Paul told God’s people to “support the weak.”
64. This can be related to what was noted from Mt. 25.
65. The people who are weak or ill need to be helped.
66. Heb. 7:18 uses our word “weak” to again describe part of the Old Testament system.
67. Peter was the last to use it.
68. He said that a wife is the “weaker” vessel (1 Pet. 3:7) and should thus be honored.
69. A single word in the New Testament shows that we are “weak” in so many ways.
70. If we want to be “strong” and healthy, there is a way.
71. This way is the way of the Lord. We become a Christian and stay faithful to Jesus.
72. Have we become a Christian and are we staying faithful?