ESSENTIAL KING JESUS: HE HAS THE POWER
MARK 2:1-12
#kingjesus
USE AUDIO BIBLE: Mark Chapter 2:1-12 [4:02]
https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Mark.2
INTRODUCTION… HE-MAN (p)
He-Man is a superhero and the main character of the sword and sorcery-themed Masters of the Universe franchise which came out in the early 1980s. It was the toy to have at the time. I had them. He-Man includes a toy line, several animated television series, comic books and a feature film. He-Man is characterized by his superhuman strength and he and his friends defend their planet Eternia and the magic and secrets of Castle Grayskull from the evil forces of Skeletor. It is a good versus evil classic cartoon from the 1980s designed to sell toys. It worked. The Castle Grayskull toy, which I got for Christmas in 1983 or 1984, sold 3.5 million units so we know it was popular (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Grayskull).
He-Man becomes He-Man when he raises his Power Sword and says “By the power of Grayskull, I have the power.” He then grows muscles and even transforms his pet into the best armored cat around.
I mention this silly cartoon and toy from the 1980s, because if you had asked any kid in the early 1980s, what fictional hero was the Master of the Universe and the strongest and best… many kids would have said “He-Man!”
Today we are continuing a sermon series on the Gospel of Mark that I’ve themed ‘Essential King Jesus.’ Each week we will take a look at one passage in a chapter. First week, chapter 1. Second week (this week!), chapter 2. And so on. Each week a passage from that chapter. My prayer overall is that as we make our way through the Gospel of Mark, that we will encounter the Essential King Jesus and bolster our faith or perhaps find it for the first time. And… each week I want to share with one essential truth that is important for us to believe and then also communicate to others about Jesus. We are going to focus on the Essential King Jesus.
ESSENTIAL KING JESUS
What is the Essential King Jesus from this passage? As we go through Mark 2 today, we will find that: Essential King Jesus: Jesus has all authority and all power to forgive sins. Forgiveness of sins is a central Truth about Jesus Christ and we need to make sure we understand and we communicate to others that Jesus Christ not only has the willingness to forgive sin, but also the authority and the power.
In the passage today, verses 1-12, we find Jesus Christ having all the power and all the authority and we are not talking about a fictional character, we are talking about Jesus of Nazareth. Understanding what it means that Jesus has all authority and all power is important in understanding Who King Jesus is and what He has to do with us.
BACKGROUND ABOUT MARK
Before we get into the particular passage for today in Mark 2, a little more background about the Gospel of Mark. We have four unique works in the Bible called Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Christians call them ‘Gospels.’ A ‘Gospel’ is not a biography or history or a memoir or a narrative or advertising, but a bit of a combination of all of those. There is nothing written quite like the Gospels in the ancient world or even today which makes them unique. Probably because the subject matter… Jesus… is not like any other Subject!
A ‘Gospel’ is a record of Jesus’ life inspired divinely by the Holy Spirit and written without error by the author. The record of Jesus’ life is ‘good news’ which is why the name for the book is a Gospel. ‘Gospel’ means ‘good news.’ Mark is the shortest of all four Gospels even in the original language with 11,304 words. It has 16 chapters. It is the shortest of the Gospels, but it is packed with the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Let’s dig into Mark chapter 2.
HOPELESS SITUATION (VERSES 1-4)
The beginning of chapter 2 presents us with a hopeless situation.
In chapter 2, we find Jesus at His home in Capernaum which is a town on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. We may not realize this, but after His baptism and after His temptation in the wilderness, Jesus moved from Nazareth where He grew up to Capernaum and lived there (Matthew 4:13, 9:1-2). It was here that He met Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew who would all become five of His future Apostles.
Jesus is at home after having been out and about in Galilee preaching and teaching. We know from Mark chapter 1 that He spent His time teaching, healing the sick, and driving out demons. He got noticed. Miracles tend to get one noticed and even in a world without radio or TV or email, news about Jesus spread. He was a bit of a celebrity and when people found out He was a home they gathered around His home.
The scene is a crowded house with people wanting to hear what Jesus has to say. The scene also includes people outside the house looking in and wanting to catch a glimpse of this Teacher and Miracle Worker. The excitement was great. The anticipation of Him doing something amazing was greater. The crowds were gathering. We get the picture that it was literally wall to wall people packed in outside Jesus’ house so that no one could make their way through the crowd.
Four men bring a paralyzed man to Jesus, but because of the crowds they can’t get to Jesus. They can see His house, but there is no way to get to Him. We don’t know anyone’s names. We don’t know why the man was paralyzed. We don’t know how long the man was paralyzed. We don’t know what they said to each other as they realized it was hopeless in trying to get to Jesus.
Four men bring a paralyzed man to Jesus, but because of the crowds they can’t get to Jesus. They can see His house, but there is no way to get to Him. We do know these four men did not give up easily. We know somehow they managed the paralyzed man onto the roof of Jesus’ house. We know they broke open the roof and let the paralyzed man down into the house close to Jesus.
ILLUSTRATION… Hopelessness (p)
My high school career playing football lasted for my junior and senior year at Baumholder American High School in Baumholder, Germany. My dad was stationed in Germany with the US Army and I went to the high school on base. My team lost all 8 games in my junior year. My team had lost 7 of 8 games in my senior year. I remember thinking that we had one game left and it was pretty much hopeless to win. I had played football for two seasons and had never been part of a team that had won anything.
It was the last game. It was homecoming.
I remember this game vividly because we literally had no hope of winning the game. The other team was better than us. With no wins for 2 years, everyone was literally better than us! As a small school, all players played both offense and defense and the other team had enough students for two separate squads (that might be embellishing, but I think it’s true).
I recall one particular play during the game as I played defense. I was doing my best to get past the player in front of me and sack the quarterback… because that is the goal… when all of a sudden the ball ended up in my hands. The ball was fumbled and the ball was in my hands. I stood there. In two seasons, I had never held the ball in my hand in a game unless I was substituting in as the center. I hear one word yelled out from the sidelines by all the coaches… “Run!”
I took off down the field towards the end zone. There I was running down the field trying to score. I made it all the way from about mid-field to the five-yard line when I was tackled by one of the fast skinny kids from the other team. He dashed my hopes for a touchdown, but my entire team rushed and congratulated me on a great play.
Hopelessness for us was gone.
It was on home turf on the last game of my high school football career that my team and I won the first and only football game.
Hopelessness turning to hopefulness made all the difference.
HOPE GIVING JESUS (VERSES 5-7)
I often wonder what Jesus was thinking when the men were lowering the paralyzed man down into His house. As God, He knew what was happening and knew they would do this before they even tried. As Jesus, I wonder if He wished they had waited and avoided ruining His roof!
It is commendable and compassionate that these men lowered the paralyzed man into Jesus’ house so that he could have the opportunity to see Jesus to be healed. Jesus was known for teaching about God. Jesus was known for healing. Jesus was known for casting out demons. The paralyzed man was in the right place at the right time with the right Person because Jesus was also known for giving hope.
READ MARK 2:5 (ESV)
And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
These men, seeking a hopeful blessing from Jesus, had demonstrated great faith. I can imagine all the people in the room were a little put off that someone broke open the roof and interrupted all that was going on.
Jesus knows the man’s heart and his faith.
Jesus knows the man’s heart and his repentance.
Jesus knows the hearts of some of the people in the room and their bitterness.
READ MARK 2:5 (ESV)
And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Jesus declares His identity and His plan all with five words.
Jesus calls this paralyzed man ‘son.’ Make no mistake, every person is created in the image of God and in one very general way are all ‘children of God.’ Yet, to be a child of God and considered His son or daughter in a way that means peace and forgiveness and a relationship with Him, faith and repentance are required of us. Jesus is claiming to be God by referring to this paralyzed man as ‘son.’
Jesus references ‘your sins.’ We do not know why this man was paralyzed. It could be related to some error or terrible action or illegal effort on his part. We do not know. It the absence of fact we should not theorize, but let’s just focus on the words Jesus uses. Jesus says, ‘your sins.’ I hope you realize that sin creates brokenness. Sin creates broken hearts and broken spirits and hurts relationships and affects us physically. Sin is brokenness. Jesus addresses the parts of this man which are most broken. Jesus is claiming to be God’s Plan for addressing sin in the human heart when Jesus addresses ‘your sins.’
Jesus also says, ‘are forgiven.’ As we see later in this passage, forgiveness of sins is an important topic… a critical topic… a spiritual theological heavy topic. Jesus looks at this paralyzed man and knows his heart and gives him forgiveness. Forgiveness in this passage comes from a word that means “to separate,” “to send away,” and “to release.” It is used 133 times in the New Testament to express the idea of being separated from the consequences of our sins. Jesus is claiming the authority of God to forgive sins.
READ MARK 2:5 (ESV)
And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
The picture we get of this crowded room is that as soon as Jesus utters these five words, the religious leaders in the room are not happy. If they were a cartoon character, little black squiggly lines like a storm cloud would appear over their heads because they did not like what Jesus said. If they were an anime character, the little veins would pop out on their foreheads and faces. They were not happy.
READ MARK 2:6-7 (ESV)
Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?
ILLUSTRATION… Phrases that make everyone mad (brightside.me/inspiration-psychology/9-phrases-that-drive-everyone-mad-353710/) [adapted]
There are phrases that usually make people mad as soon as they hear them.
A person makes a mistake and you might feel obligated to rub it in because you want to remind them you warned them and they did not listen to you who are clever and wise… you say “I told you so.” “I told you so” never goes well.
Another one of these phrases is immediately followed by something unpleasant, unloving, and probably something you should not say. It is a way of apologizing in advance for being rude. You first say… “Forgive me for saying this, but…” or the ever popular “No offense, but…” Hearing those two phrases never goes well.
A person is feeling stress and they are upset to the max. Maybe something has broken. Maybe a situation got out of hand. Perhaps someone said something hurtful. You listen to them and instead of listening and showing support and understanding, you say… “Relax. It happens to me all the time.” Telling someone to “relax” never goes well.
The person in front of you may be worried a lot about a particular problem and they've tried time and again to discuss it. Maybe you have talked about it all before. They are still worried. With one phrase, you can let them know you're awfully tired of the subject, as well as totally indifferent to it by saying… “Here we go again.” “Here we go again” never goes well.
There are some phrases that when said just set people off. Jesus is in His house surrounded by people and a paralyzed man is before Him.
READ MARK 2:5 (ESV)
And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
That phrase set off many people in the room even as He was giving hope to many others.
TRANSITION
We have in the beginning of Mark 2, a narrative from the life of Jesus where it is established that Jesus has all authority to forgive sins. Forgiveness of sins is a central Truth about Jesus Christ and we need to make sure we understand and we communicate to others that Jesus Christ not only has the willingness to forgive sin, but also the authority and the power. We see this in action in this passage, but as the passage concludes, we see Jesus’ words teaching us the same Truth.
AUTHORITY OF JESUS ESTABLISHED (VERSES 8-12)
It is interesting that the scribes and leaders who are in His home do not speak aloud their anger or their objections. They are offended in their unspoken thoughts. The leaders believe that it is impossible for anyone to forgive sins of our souls except for God. The truth is… they are absolutely correct and they are absolutely incorrect. Let me explain.
It is correct that only God has to power to forgive the sins between Himself and a human being. We can certainly forgive wrongs between one another, but none of us has the power to forgive sins.
READ Psalm 32:5 (ESV)
I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
READ Isaiah 43:25 (ESV)
I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
Sins between us and God must be forgiven by God and only by God. Psalm 32 says they cannot be covered by us. God says in Isaiah 43, with the repeated ‘I’ words… that it is He and He alone who blots out our sins and does not remember them. The people listening to Jesus are correct in their theology and in the Truth that only God forgives sins.
It is incorrect that Jesus cannot forgive sins. You might say… how can they be correct and incorrect at the same time?! Those things can exist at the same time because of Jesus’ identity. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is God. Jesus has the ability, authority, willingness, and power to forgive sins.
READ Mark 2:10-11 (ESV)
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.
This entire episode in the life of Jesus is establishing His authority to be the Messiah, to be the Savior, and to be the One that will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The entire point of this passage is to establish Jesus has all authority and all power to forgive sins. That ability and authority and willingness was finished on the cross. Jesus begins the work of forgiveness during His life and ministry and finishes it on the cross.
IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVENESS (sunshynegray.com/what-importance-forgiveness/)
Forgiveness is important.
Forgiveness is paramount in emotional healing. Without forgiveness we stall the process of moving forward. The choice to forgive, releases the offense to God to do with what He wills (Romans 12:9). Unforgiveness is where bitterness and resentment grows. When we are tending to bitterness and resentment, we can’t attend to the processing and healing of the heart.
Forgiveness offers freedom from the past. It’s time we unshackle ourselves from the offense or hurt someone else caused. When we don’t release the offense to God, we carry it around, allowing it to drain us of the energy to live presently. However, releasing the offense, paves the way to live freely in the present. No more looking back. Rather, it’s living in the moment.
Forgiveness is a crucial effort of our hearts in a broken world. When we forgive, our relationships thrive. We all fall short every single day. Extending forgiveness invites grace in and reflects God’s goodness and grace to those around us. In our families and friends and even with people we dislike, it is leaving a legacy of godliness. Forgiveness is a reminder to our relationships of unconditional love and compassion. Both important aspects of healthy relationships. Without forgiveness in our relationships, there is no thriving.
CONCLUSION: FINAL THOUGHT ON AUTHORITY
I am not sure what you think gives someone authority or power. For He-Man, it is a power sword and magic and crazy children buying toy after toy. In politics, it is votes and money. The law gets power from consequences and enforcement.
Essential King Jesus: Jesus has all authority and all power to forgive sins. Forgiveness of sins is a central Truth about Jesus Christ and we need to make sure we understand and we communicate to others that Jesus Christ not only has the willingness to forgive sin, but also the authority and the power.
Jesus does not get His authority or power from money or magic or a lucky charm or public opinion, but rather gets His authority to forgive sins from God. This authority was given to Him by God the Father and sealed permanently with His own blood on the cross. May we make that clear to others in our lives who do not know Jesus.
INVITATION
I invite you forward this morning to accept Jesus Christ and His authority to forgive sins. If you are aware of your sinfulness and brokenness and your need for a Savior and deliverance, please make that choice to accept Jesus today.
PRAYER
