Jesus Heals Series

Jesus Heals a Man Who Could Not Walk

Bible Passage: Mark 2:1- 12

By: Brad Beaman (E-mail:bradbeaman@cheerful.com)

Bible Truth:

Jesus has the power to heal and forgive.

Intro:

There are some little phrases that are extremely significant in life. Just the word “yes” to the question, “ will you marry me”. The phrase the doctor spoke when he said, “It’s a girl”. That small phrase became a life changer. When the church said, “The vote was unanimous”. There are many other little phrases that represent great moments in life. The most significant of all is when Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven”. A Gospel song simply says, “these are the sweetest words that Jesus ever spoke”.

Through the Ceiling (vs. 1-4)

2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after [some] days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive [them], no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, 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.

Mark is the shortest Gospel and it moves from one dramatic story to another. Here we find just such a story filled with high drama. This is the story when Jesus is back at the home of Peter’s Mother in Law in Capernaum. His ministry in Capernaum had been striking and widely received. In Capernaum Jesus taught in the Synagogue, healed a demoniac then went to Peter’s Mother in Law’s house and healed her.

Because the power of God was manifested, the crowds gathered late after sunset. The next morning, when crowds again gathered for an opportunity to experience Jesus power, He was not there. Jesus was found alone praying. Jesus did not return to the crowds. Instead Jesus went on to preach.

This is the occasion when Jesus said the reason he had come was to preach. He traveled around Galilee preaching. Now Jesus is back (a few days later) in Capernaum and so are the crowds. The house where Jesus is ministering is so full that there is not room even to enter.

This scene described by Mark may be difficult for us to imagine in our modern churches. We often worship with plush carpet and padded pews. We may never have experienced a service where the place was too full even to enter. However in the country of India this is a scene all too familiar. A small house becomes a place of worship. It consists of a room that may hold one hundred people. The place is so tightly packed that others observe through a window that is simply an opening in the building. With the tile roofs in India you can imagine that if someone were desperate to enter, coming through the roof would be a viable option for them. In this kind of scene God seems to manifest himself most powerfully.

Mark tells us of a paralytic and his friends who desperately wanted to see Jesus. This man simply lay on a mat. Four men carried the paralytic, using his mat as a kind of stretcher. As hard as they tried they couldn’t even get in to see Jesus.

They were desperate to see that their friend get to Jesus, so they used some ingenuity. They went up on the roof of the house. Then they lowered this man on his mat through the tiles of the roof. They placed the paralytic right in the middle of the crowd. Their goal was complete. They had placed their friend right before Jesus.

There must have been debris from the roof falling on Jesus as the men removed the tiles. Jesus did not see the situation as an annoying setback, but an opportunity. We also need to carefully analyze our annoying disruptions. This just might be an opportunity for God to use us if we are sensitive to Him.

The Miracle of forgiveness (vs. 5)

Vs 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

This paralyzed man was blessed with friends who were determined to see him come to Jesus. He knows the hearts of men and finds genuine faith wherever it is.

Jesus saw the faith of these men. He looked at the paralytic and said those wonderful words, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Here was a man with great physical need. He couldn’t even walk. This man desired physical healing as he lay on the mat paralyzed, but there is no greater need anyone has than the forgiveness of sins.