When Jesus Led the Service
Mark 2:1-12
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.
4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?
9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ’Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ’Get up, take your mat and walk’?
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic,
11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."
12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
ACCORDING TO VERSE ONE, Jesus was “in the house” and people from all around that region knew it! It was, as the KJV puts it, “noised.” The word was out. Word of mouth is still the best way to get people to hear Jesus! People will come if they know He is there.
In verse two, we’re told that Jesus “preached the Word.” When the Word is proclaimed, lives will be changed and things will happen. In I Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul put it this way:
1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
When Jesus leads the service, several things take place.
1. Crowds Gather
Verse two says, “So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door.”
Do you know why?
o Because the Savior was there
o Because the Scriptures were declared—in this case we have the Word preaching the Word.
o Because some saw and others heard about the miracle of the healing of the leper
o Because Jesus was the common man’s friend. Verse 37 says, “the common people heard Him gladly.”
o Because He had something important to say. After He finished the Sermon of the Mount, the Bible says that the people were astonished because He taught them as “one having authority.”
o Because people knew He loved them. He did more than just talk. He demonstrated it. How? By healing the sick, by forgiving the sinner, by raising the dead, by showing compassion, and finally by giving His all on the cross.
Illus.: Joseph Scriven was a young man who was deeply in love and engaged to be married. Just days before the wedding, his fiancé drowned accidentally. For months he was bitter and discouraged, but out of this experience he came to know Christ. His life was so changed that he sat down and wrote a hymn all of us have sung: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
In the second place, when Jesus leads the service…
2. Some Folks Will Act Out of
Out of Concern
Look at verses 3 and 4:
Some of the men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
Who were these four? What were their names? Why was this man crippled?
Obstacles they faced:
o Press of the crowd
o Climb the ladder
o Break up the roof
o Interrupt the preacher
o Pay for the repairs
o Embarrassment and shock
o Possible arrest (Peter’s house)
They were willing to do what it took to help a friend get to Jesus.
I love stories of over-comers, like…
o Johnny Fulton, who was run over by a car at the age of three. He suffered crushed hips, broken ribs, a fractured skull, and compound fractures in his legs. It didn’t look as if he would live. But he would not give up. In fact, he later ran the half-mile in less than two minutes.
o Walk Davis was totally paralyzed by polio when he was nine years old, but he didn’t give up. He became the Olympic high jump champion in 1952.
o Shelly Mann was paralyzed by polio when she was five, but she refused to let it paralyze her spirit. She eventually claimed 8 different swimming records for the U.S. and won a gold medal at the 1956 Olympics.
o Woodrow Wilson could not read until he was ten years old. But he was a committed person. He became the 28th president of the United States.
These four men overcame obstacles because they were committed to a friend.
The third thing that happens when Jesus is in charge of the service is…
3. Cripples of all Kinds are
Changed
Verse 5: When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
o Jesus allowed Himself to be interrupted; people are more important than speeches!
o Faith moved the hands of these men and consequently, the hands of God!
o Jesus went beyond the request of these four—He forgave this cripple and made him upright and in right standing with God.
Notice also, that when Jesus leads the service,…
4. Some Will Be Critical
Verses 6 and 7: Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God?”
Critics! They’re with us in abundance.
Zig Ziglar: “When you throw dirt at people you’re not doing a thing but losing ground.”
Chinese Proverb: “Let the man who says it cannot be done not disturb the man doing it.”
If you are a Christian, you can expect folks to criticize, but you ought to live so nobody will believe them.
When Jesus leads the service,
5. Spiritual Discernment is
Present
Look at verse 8: Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?”
Jesus was aware in His spirit that they were having a problem accepting His declaration to this paralytic. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is wisdom.
6. Honest Confrontation Will
Take Place
Verse 9 and 10 : Which is easier to say to the paralytic, “You sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, take your mat and walk?” But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…
Jesus told it like it was. He demonstrated His authority. And, I might add, His spokesmen should do the same.
7. Testimony is Given
Publicly
Verses 11 and 12: I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home. He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.
When he walked out it was to demonstrate to all present that Jesus was no ordinary man. He was Almighty God! We need more testimonies after God has worked in someone else’s life. Testimonies will encourage others to trust Jesus. They will strengthen the believers. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!
And lastly, when Jesus leads the service,
8. Everyone Gives God the
Glory
Verse 12: This amazed everyone and they praised God saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Ultimately we know from Philippians 2 that one everyone will acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. Everyone will bow down to Him—and rightly so. One day the whole world will recognize His Lordship.
We’ve got to be sure to let Jesus lead our service—our worship services and our individual service—our lives, if you will. When He is central, things will be done right!
