Joseph Prince - Is God Holding Your Sin Against You Today?
You know, when Jesus was on earth, it’s as if… listen carefully. You can check throughout the Scriptures: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John when Jesus was on earth. You know, when he heals people, he never, never imputed their trespasses. He acted as if he is not counting their sins against them. When he healed them, he acted like there is no sin. In fact, listen, there is sin. We know there is sin, but he would always start with this premise, right? «Go your way». I’m sure that person has sin. Amen?
All those that came to Jesus, back then, they were not born again. Christ has not yet died. I’m sure they, of course, they have sin in their life, but he never called out their sin. In one instance he called out the sin just to say, «Your sins are forgiven you. Rise, take up your bed, and walk». Amen. He healed people as if he’s not counting their sins against them. He treated them as if their sins are not put to their account. Can we treat people like that, or do we qualify people before they are healed?
You never see Jesus saying things like, «Okay, those of you who have unforgiveness in your heart, all of you gather together. I’m going to pray for you later. You get right first. You just step aside on this side of the mountain, all right? I’m going to come to you later on. And those of you who are married but you’re not talking to one another, okay, all of you get right first, amen. You get one side here on my left here, amen. You get right. You better set this right before I pray for you or else the power of God cannot flow. And those of you, you know you have bad thoughts, unclean thoughts, and lustful thoughts and all that, my power cannot touch you unless you really get all that right. Make sure you get right in those areas and then I’ll touch you». Never.
The Bible says, «As many as touched him were made whole». I’m sure that that as many are as many sinners. They have sin in their lives. And, friend, why don’t we let people receive their healing and then the goodness of God will lead them to repentance? And that’s why I believe that God can even touch sinners and heal them and then the goodness of God leads them to repentance. Amen. Amen. Let’s keep on reading. All right, so he’s not imputing their trespasses to them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now, that’s the word of reconciliation. God has given us the responsibility, amen. He has commissioned us with the word of reconciliation. And what is the word of reconciliation? Drop down. «Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God».
So notice it’s not God be reconciled to you. God is reconciled to you. The problem is not on God’s part. Just like the prodigal son, the father was always scanning the horizon for the son who was lost, right? The father was looking out for him. The father had no animosity in his heart towards his son who has rebelled against him, amen. The father was always looking for him. He must have for him to run at the moment he got a sight of his son. So, friend, God doesn’t have to be reconciled to you. You need to come to him and be reconciled to him because you have believed the wrong thing about him, amen? That’s the gospel message that we need to preach. God is not counting your sins against you. God is waiting for you to come home. But in some quarters they will say this is just easy, you know, grace.
This is a greasy grace, this is sloppy agape. No, friend. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ and to say something like this about the gospel of Jesus Christ is to insult the blood of Jesus. The grace is not cheap because it was the blood of Christ that was shed. You cannot put a price tag to the blood of Christ, my friend. It’s priceless. And, friend, this is the gospel for Paul says in Romans 1, verse 17, «I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ». The fact that he says, «I’m not ashamed,» is that there is reason and cause that people are trying to give him to be ashamed, and usually it is the people that believe in keeping the law, all right? But Paul says, «I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation».
It is the power of God to salvation, and the word salvation here… please don’t think of salvation as just being saved from hell. It is more than that. The word «soteria» here, by the way, is the Greek form of Yeshua. The word for salvation is an all-encompassing word, and the noun is soteria. The verb is sozo, and sozo is used, in many places where Jesus healed someone, he would say, «Your faith has sozoed you». You will find the word «sozo» there. In other words, healing is sozo, amen? So the word «soteria» includes health, healing, amen, your welfare, your preservation, your protection, amen, your family well-being, your own well-being, amen? It’s all in that word «sozo,» complete salvation; and then in the life to come, eternal life, amen, which means it’s not just not going to hell solely.
A lot of people, they think when they think of salvation, «Okay, we escape hell». Remember the word «sozo» is also used for saved. When Jesus said to the woman who was healed, «Daughter, be of good comfort,» amen, «your faith has healed you,» the word there’s saved you, healed you, sozo you in reference to bodily healing. And, friend, God wants you well. John says, «Beloved, I wish above all things…» And John will not wish something that is not in God’s heart, and John said to Gaius in 3 John 2, «I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers».
Look right now at Luke 13. At Luke 13, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. Now, notice it was on the Sabbath. «And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years». This woman had a spirit of infirmity 18 years. Notice for how long has she been suffering this. Eighteen years. There’s no insignificant details in the Bible, and even numbers mean something in the Bible, amen? Like, one is always unity, two is agreement, three is resurrection, four is number of the earth. The four winds: north, south, east, west, amen? Five is the number of grace. Six, number of man. Seven, number of completion, amen, praise God. A number of perfection as well, praise God. And numbers mean something. When numbers are double, it means something. And also when you look at a number like 18, it’s actually 6 plus 6 plus 6. So it’s the number of the Antichrist.
You know that her being bowed down is not God’s will. Her being bowed down, in no way raising herself up is not something that God wants for her. It’s a spirit of the devil that’s involved in this, amen? So one thing we learn from this passage is very clear. It’s a spirit of infirmity. So stop saying when someone has a disease and all that, a condition, «Oh, God is teaching you something». Stop that. It’s easy to say that to others until you or your loved one becomes a victim of that. Okay, friend, no. Let’s believe God, amen? Okay, so back to this. But God wants you healed, amen.
And notice the Bible says that this woman was bowed down the spirit of infirmity 18 years and could in no way raise herself up. So she identified people by their toes. «But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, 'Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.' And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, 'There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.'»
All right, notice he dare not talk to Jesus straight. He said to the crowd. He says that men ought to work… notice his mentality was what? Men ought to work. Notice where his ought is at. His ought is on working. Men ought to work. Look at where Jesus’s ought is. «The Lord then answered him and said, 'Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, think of it, for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? '»
So Jesus’s ought is this. Ought not this woman that Satan has bound be loosed? The mentality of the ruler of the synagogue because he had a law mentality is men ought to work. Jesus ought is that woman ought to be loosed. When the Lord looks at you, he says you ought to be loosed, you ought to be freed, you ought to be liberated. Amen. You ought to be healed. How can you be a son of Abraham, a daughter of Abraham, remain in this bondage? He says to you, woman, you are loosed. Man, you are freed from your infirmity. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus, amen? «And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitudes rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him».
Look at verse 15 one more time. Jesus talk about, «Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey…» Keep that in mind, ox or donkey. These two animals, keep that in mind. «And lead it away to water it». So watering your animals, and these animals here is a picture, many at times animals in the picture is a picture of you and I, amen? Like an ox, «Thou shalt not muzzle the ox,» talking about the minister that preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ. So ox and donkey are these two words, just keep that in mind first. Notice healing is actually watering them, and that’s why in the book of Leviticus when it comes to leprosy water is used a lot and we know it’s not referring to natural water, my friend.
So water, spiritually speaking, is the Word of God. The more of the Word you receive… notice the ox and donkey is thirsty and you bring them away to water it. That’s how you solve. But he was talking about sickness and disease. The context is talking about sickness and disease. So in other words giving them water is healing the sick. So water is a secret here. In the next chapter, Luke 14, Jesus was in a synagogue invited by one of the rulers, let’s read that. «Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy». Swelling all over his body, dropsy. «And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? ' But they kept silent. And He took the man and healed him, and let him go. Then Jesus answered them, saying, 'Which of you, having a donkey or an ox…'»
Again, a donkey or an ox. Just like the previous chapter in the case of the woman, he talk about the donkey and an ox to water it. But notice Jesus’s perspective of people that are sick. Does he look at them saying, «It’s because of your sin that you are sick. It’s because you have not done this and this and this that you are sick,» amen? «It’s because of your rebellion that you are sick. You deserve it». Is that the mentality that Jesus has? Let’s read. «Which of you,» Jesus says, «having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit…» Jesus likened people who are sick as just stumbling into a pit. Usually when you fall into a pit, you don’t know the pit is there.
So the way Jesus saw sick people are people, they are sick today because they fell into a pit, and the pit here is referring to a well. It can be filled with water or dry cistern like the one they threw Joseph in. In Israel, that’s what makes a pit. And notice Jesus says when someone falls into a pit, they don’t walk into a pit and they fall. I know the experience because when I was in college I remember one morning going to school and I did not know at the turn where I’m supposed to make a turn the workers have removed the manhole and they didn’t cover it. And I was looking ahead and I fell right into the manhole, but I fell upright. All I knew is that the whole world went up. I scratched my leg and the teacher had to put some ointment on it and all that, but I remember the experience. I’m so glad I didn’t fall, you know, on my face. I fell straight.
So the experience is not good falling into a pit, all right? So Jesus look at people who are sick as people who fell into a pit. But notice he used again these two animals, donkey or an ox. Is there a divine hint there? I believe there is, and that’s the wonderful thing about Scripture. You know, when you study Scripture, every little word, every little nuance, every little hint, right, tells you there’s something greater that he wants you to study. So not long ago, you know, the Lord led me to a study of this donkey and ox, and if you look at the context here… by the way, Jesus says, «'If a donkey or an ox fall into a pit, will you not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day? ' And they could not answer Him regarding these things».
If you look at the Scripture that we used last week, Exodus 22, verse 9, let’s look at that. Remember talking about you must say, when you lost something or someone stole something from you, you must say, «That thing is mine. Health is mine. Peace of mind is mine». Amen? «Family well-being is mine». Hallelujah. You must say that. «For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey…» I wonder why these two leads the group, right? Remember you must say, «This is it. This is mine». Now let’s go to Exodus 21, the chapter before this. «And if a man opens a pit,» like what they did in my case when I walked to school, «or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls in it…»
Notice the ox and donkey falls into it. Now stop here. Do you think that when Luke 14 just now when Jesus talk about the donkey, both in Luke 13, the woman who was suffering for 18 years, right, Jesus talked about the ox and the donkey led away for watering. And in Luke 14, the man who had a dropsy Jesus healed him and said that, you know, he’s like an ox or a donkey that fell into a pit. If you have an ox or a donkey, he told the Pharisees, will you not immediately pull him out? Amen? Instead of criticizing him, will you not pull him out? To look to Jesus. Every need is for us to look to Jesus and see him as the answer. And what a wonderful answer. What an indescribable answer, a lovely answer. What a beautiful one, amen, our Lord Jesus. You see his heart of compassion even for the sick. Amen?
But notice his opposition came from people who knew the law, people that… in fact, the desire to keep the Sabbath is part of the Ten Commandments, isn’t it? You shall remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, right? So when we study, I’m showing you how to look at the law in the… you see, people say that Pastor Prince don’t teach from the Old Testament. I teach a lot from the Old Testament, but the Old Testament today is for us to bring Christ out of it. The Emmaus Road, Jesus, beginning at Moses, the first five books, right, and the prophets, he began to expound in them things concerning himself. So every verse, every character in the Bible has a reference to Christ, to his work, or to his ministry.
And here I believe it’s referring to Luke 14 and Luke 13, the two miracles of healing there because an ox and donkey is mentioned about falling into a pit. Very interesting, isn’t it? «The owner of the pit shall make it good». Now, who is responsible? The one who opened the pit or the one who had the pit that’s opened but didn’t cover it. He did not blame the one that fell in, he blamed the one who opened the pit and actually he was a Pharisee that opened the pit, amen?
Remember Jesus says that, «I am the good shepherd. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers». He was referring to the Pharisees, those who fight for the law and disqualify people all the time and it’s always like letting them, «You’re not worthy to receive». They might not say it outwardly, but they are saying, «You’re not clean enough to receive this. You’re not worthy enough to accept this. It’s because of your sin somewhere that you’re not receiving this».
I remember years ago someone in our church approached someone who lost their baby and said, «You know, God showed me that you lost your baby because of some sin in your life». Now, that is what we call Phariseeism. That is something that is so cruel if… had I been there, I would have… praise the Lord. Thank you, Jesus, I’m saved, I’m born again. Hallelujah. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart. Now, I would not have tolerated that. But that couple came back to one of our leaders and shared. You know, you don’t have to accept such nonsense, my friend. Amen, amen. If there is a need, Jesus stands ready to meet it. Hallelujah?
Now, go to Exodus 23 now. So we’ve covered 22, 21, now 23. Now before we go to 23, go back to 21 again. There’s something very interesting. Like I said, you know, when you read your Bible even at home, if you come to the passage of the law, there’s a lot of things in the law that elucidate on Jesus and his beauty. Here I’m going to show you that even these verses refer to Jesus’s ministry. Look at the verse before this verse 33, verse 32. «If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels…» The owner of the ox will give to their master 30 shekels of silver and the ox shall be stoned. Thirty shekels of silver. Does that remind you of something? Yes. Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. Amen?
Same here, 30 shekels of silver. So it’s an allusion to Jesus. This entire, all these verses are pointing to our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus, so it’s a price. Thirty piece of silver is the price of a male servant or a female servant. As you can see, if an ox gores a male servant, then the one who owns the ox must pay to the master of the servant 30 shekels of silver, right? So Jesus came as a servant, and this is one beautiful aspect of our Lord Jesus. If you look carefully, this is Exodus 21. Exodus 21 is right after Exodus 20 where God gave the Ten Commandments for the very first time. And you know what’s the very first verse of Exodus 21? It says these are the statutes that you are to observe. The very first statute, he talks about a Hebrew servant.
If a Hebrew servant has been serving you for 6 years, the 7th year you are to let him go free. Now, if you gave him a wife during his time with you, okay, then he will go free but his wife and his children will remain behind. But if he says, «I don’t want to leave…» You know, in fact, he says this, and the words are there. «I love my master». So he’s a good master. «I love my wife. I love my children. I will not go out free». Then the master will bring the male servant to the doorpost and then pierce his ear.
Now, this phrase pierce his ear is used in Psalms where it says, «In the volume of the book it’s written of me, my ear has thou daqar, my ear has thou pierce,» in the Hebrew. And that is translated or referred to in the book of Hebrews where it says in Hebrews 10, «A body has thou prepared for me. A ear pierced is like a body has thou prepared me». It’s used, and you look at marginal rendering, it’s referring to the ear pierced of a servant. So if the man says, «I love my master, I love my wife, I love my children, I don’t want to go out free,» you bring him to the door and you pierce his ear.
So Jesus was pierced. Why? Because Jesus came as a servant. Amen? He came to serve. Remember he says the son of man came not to be served but to serve, to serve healing; to serve peace, God’s goodness, God’s shalom, amen, God’s reconciliation, amen, God’s grace, God’s blessings, amen. The true bread for your hungry soul he serves you, amen. And he says, «I came not to be served but to serve,» amen. And the gospel that brings this out is the Gospel of Mark. It opens up with… that’s why there’s no genealogy in Mark because you don’t ask the pedigree of a servant. He came there as a divine servant in Mark and immediately he says straight away he did this, immediately he did this, straight away he did this, straight away he did this, and immediately he did this.
A servant that’s working tirelessly. Amen. So Jesus is that servant. Amen? And isn’t it amazing right after the Ten Commandments is given it talks about the divine servant? In other words, the answer is not in the Ten Commandments. It’s in the divine servant, amen, that came not to be served but came to serve. And do you know that even in heaven he says he will still gird himself, make you all sit down, and serve you?
That’s amazing, amen? The Lord loves to serve you. You see, Martha wanted to serve him and got rebuked, amen, because of her worries and fears and cares in serving, but Mary allowed Jesus to serve her, amen, a banquet, a feast. He allowed him to serve her. Now, which sister made Jesus feel like God? Jesus says what Mary did will not be taken away from her. Mary has chosen the good part, and one thing is needful. Allow yourself to receive when Jesus serves. Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen.