Can He Really Do That?
Mark 2:1-12
Mark 2:1-2 (HCSB)
When He entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that He was at home. So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and He was speaking the message to them.
Why He Returned
* Jesus return to Capernaum
* Sparked excitement
* Previous miracles
* Drew crowds
* What would Jesus do next?
* Speaking the message
* Others needed to hear
* Miracles were not the priority
* The call to repentance was
Mark 2:3-4 (HCSB)
Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic, carried by four men. Since they were not able to bring Him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying.
True Friends
* Responding to the need
* The need for healing
* The need for transport
* The need for Jesus
* When all else fails…improvise
* They could not enter through the door
* The crowd was in the way
* They opened up the roof and lowered their friend
* To what lengths are you willing to go to bring others to Jesus?
The Greater Need
* Jesus responds to faith
* The faith of the friends
* The faith of the paralytic
* Forgiveness
* The need of the soul
* eternal
Mark 2:6-7 (HCSB)
But some of the scribes were sitting there, thinking to themselves: “Why does He speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?
That’s Not Allowed
* The question of authority
* Only God can forgive sins
* What right does Jesus have to forgive?
* Religious skepticism
* Blinded by legalistic interpretation
* Unable to recognize the very work of God
Mark 2:8-9 (HCSB)
Right away Jesus understood in His spirit that they were reasoning like this within themselves and said to them, “why are you reasoning these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk’?
Nothing is Hidden
* The thoughts were exposed
* Jesus knew what was in the heart
* Jesus spoke to the skepticism
* Jesus challenged the thinking
* The question of the greater miracle
* How is Jesus challenging your thinking?
Mark 2:10-11 (HCSB)
But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, He told the paralytic, “I tell you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
Proven Authority
* Authority revealed
* Jesus validated the power to forgive by demonstrating the power to heal
* The command is given
* The paralytic was told to rise, pick up his stretcher and go home
Mark 2:12 (HCSB)
Immediately he got up, picked up the stretcher, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded and gave glory to God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
The Glory Belongs to God
* The undeniable miracle
* The paralytic is walking
* The paralytic is carrying his stretcher
* God received the glory
* The work of His hand
* The extension of His grace
* Is God receiving the glory for the “impossible” in your life?
**Powerpoint available on request
