Sermon: Why Jesus Can NOT Answer Your Prayers ?

There are many Christians who come to this blog seeking answers to spiritual questions that have vexed their soul. Indeed, while most of the posts here are on the secular level, I want to address a perplexing question with an important message all praying Christians have had to face at one time or another: Why doesn’t Jesus answer my prayers?

Well beloved, let’s turn to God’s Word for the answer.

Open your Bible to the Gospel of Luke during this Easter Season and let’s let God Himself provide us an answer from His Word.

The first part of our Scripture Truth is found in Luke 23: 33 – 34 as the Romans were crucifying Jesus:

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

The question we are left with in this section is: Why does Jesus now have to ask God to forgive the Romans (and the Jews) when Scripture clearly tells us that Jesus forgave sins during his earthly ministry on numerous occasions?

We might notice some of these references:

A. “Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you." (Matt. 9:2)
B. “Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you.” (Mark 2: 5)
C. “Seeing their faith, he said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." (Luke 5: 20)
D. “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.” (Luke 7: 47)
E. “He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." (Luke 7:48)


Now let’s look to God’s Word once again for the second part of our answer. Turn with me to the Gospel of Mark 2: 3 & 5 – 12 and let’s notice what God’s Eternal Truth reveals to us.

And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. / / “And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.” And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Beloved, notice the answer here that God reveals to us in Mark verse 10: “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—(11. He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.”)

God’s Word clearly teaches us that the ability of Jesus to forgive sins is based on the differences between the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Mark as to Jesus’ earthly locations! In the Gospels, God did indeed give Jesus power to forgive sins because his feet are physically touching the soil of Israel, but when Jesus is crucified and looking down from the height of the cross, he had LOST his ability to forgive sin and now MUST ask God’s help; “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them . . . “, Why? Because his feet are off the ground!

Thus, we find two important dispensations taught in the Gospels. One where Jesus’ feet are on the ground of the Promise Land by which he is empowered by God to forgive sin and the second dispensation where Jesus is lifted up on the cross in which his feet are no longer touching the ground of the Promise Land, now requiring God to forgive their sin. Thus, Jesus (according to Paul) must make intersession to God in Heaven to forgive sins as Jesus’ feet are now far off the ground (Romans 8: 34)

Sinner, I trust this important message has been a blessing to you today and will put to rest, once and for all, why Jesus seems neither to hear nor answer your prayers for help.

Amen

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