Stealing a question
I told a man about a year ago, that I was going to steal a question from him! So today, I am making good on that promise of theft!
We’ll address that question eventually.
Did I mention that this message started out differently about 3 weeks ago?
The key passage is centered around Mark Chapter 2.
There are parallel passages found in Matthew and Luke, that we will touch on, but we’ll primarily be in Mark 2:1-12 stand with me as we honor God while reading His word.
The parallels are found in Matthew 9:1-8 and Luke 5:17-25
I’d like us to look at 3 amazing facts in this passage.
Friends
Faith
Forgiveness
By now y’all should know, I am fascinated with and the people who penned them. I use the word “penned” not “authored” because I believe God authored the entire bible.
I just want to share a few things about Mark.
Most scholars agree that Mark is John Mark.
He was a close associate of Peter.
He was with Paul and Barnabas on their 1st missionary journey, but Mark turned back during that journey
Because of that, Paul wouldn’t allow Mark to accompany them on the 2nd missionary trip.
This resulted in a fall-out between Paul and Barnabas, so Paul and Silas began traveling together, and
Mark and Barnabas began to travel together.
But later on, we see Paul had and change of heart, and that Mark even visited Paul while Paul was in prison.
Mark was not an apostle. I didn’t realize that until 4 or years ago, when I began to learn a little more about the disciples.
Most scholars also agree that the gospel of Mark is the most chronologically written of the 4 gospels
It is also the shortest of the 4.
Mark probably wrote it while in Rome.
It was probably the 1st Gospel written.
Audience were Gentile Romans
It is a gospel of action with rapid-fire movement, with vivid mental pictures.
Mark uses the word immediately over 40 times in his gospel. More than the other 3 combined.
He also records Jesus saying “son of Man and Son of God”
Fewest words of Jesus, but
Action packed and per page has the highest recording of miracles performed by Jesus.
I read something this past week that described it as a soldier’s diary in a battle zone!
All but 31 verses are found in the other gospels.
Conversely, a few weeks back we learned that 90% of John’s gospel, is found only in John’s gospel.
It is also believed that John Mark is the young man mentioned in Mark 14:51–52 “Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.”
Let’s do a quick verse by verse study of this passage:
Mark 2:1 “And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.”
When we go back to chapter 1, Jesus had become somewhat of a modern day rock star. It got so bad, He couldn’t even go into populated areas anymore.
Mark 1:45 “However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.” (they were pressing in on Jesus for healing)
After several days He went back to Capernaum.
and it was heard (the KJV records “it was noised”) that Jesus was in the house.
Church, is Jesus in the house today? Let’s make some NOISE!
This past week, I learned that this house was actually Peters house, and this was Jesus’ “headquarters” for the area.
Mark 2:2 “Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.”
Many believe Peter’s house had a court area, and that it was “standing room only” there as well.
Obviously, Jesus could have done many things while He was in that house, but what did He do?
He preached the word to them!
Mark 1:15 NLT Jesus announced “the time promised by God has come at last!” The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
I feel confident that very well could have been the same words He spoke to the people in that house.
Mark 2:3 “Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.”
Church, when YOU recognize someone’s need, do you act?
Mark 2:4 “And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.”
I don’t know about you, but I need friends like that!
They obviously loved this man
The had a desire or dream to see him healed
They were committed to getting the job done, whatever it took!
They were united in their mission.
As I read this verse, these two passages came to my mind:
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
They were bearing this man’s burdens... literally!
The other verse is: Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.””
Considering verse 4: May we never be so busy or packed, that we are oblivious to those who need to see Jesus!!!
So, we see Friends in v3-4
Let’s go to Mark 2:5 “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.””
Matthew 9:2…Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you.
Jesus knew this man’s heart. Just as He knows our hearts.
He knew this young man was burdened with sin!
In verse 5 there is an unseen miracle. By that I mean, we don’t know what his sin was, but he was forgiven of that sin. In that act alone, we don’t see the miracle, but we are about to!
Mark 2:5... illustrates to us, that when our faith is seen by God, miracles happen!
Matthew 21:22 “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.””
Mark 9:23 “Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.””
Mark 11:22–24 “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Church, has your faith in Jesus, helped someone else, as it did with these four men?
v3-4 we see importance of friends
v5 we see what faith can do, and that Jesus forgives our sins!
Then in verses 6-11 we see the spirit of religion try to step in, but Jesus wasn’t having any of it!
Mark 2:6 “And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,”
Man, this one hit me hard this week! I’ll try to explain that in just a few minutes, when we get to my first closing...
When God is moving, shame on anyone who is “sitting there” (read v6 again)
We don’t need any more “sitting Christians”, you know the ones…the music is too fast or too slow, sermon too long, or too short, so and so, dresses too casual.
We shouldn’t be criticizing church, we should be changing the world!
Mark 2:7 ““Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?””
In their religious minds, they were speaking legalistic truth:
Job 14:4 “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” (no person only God)
Isaiah 43:25 ““I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.”
Daniel 9:9 “To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him.”
Mark 2:8 “But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?”
You know…Jesus never asks a question that He doesn’t already know the answer!
Mark 2:9 “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’?”
Look out boys, it’s a set up!
Mark 2:10 “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic,”
Just so you know..the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins!
Mark 2:11 ““I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.””
Mark 2:12 “Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!””
… “all were amazed” It doesn’t say “everybody but the religious teachers” It says ALL!
Luke 5:26 “And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!””
The Greek transliteration of fear in this context is “astonishment, amazement”.
When you look at Matthews recording of this event, it is as though they still don’t get it...
Matthew 9:8 “Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.”
NLT-for sending a man with such great authority.
It doesn’t say “immediately they realized Jesus was God”...
Here’s one of the things I never picked up on before this week:
Forgiveness of sins, first
Then healing
Unseen miracle of forgiveness of sins, was followed by the seen miracle of the paralytic healed!
Friends, faith and forgiveness!
Thank you Jesus for them all.
---say goodbye to online viewers---
Now for my first closing:
Raise you hands if you believe prayer changes everything!
Good, we have a house full of volunteer prayer warriors.
Church, I’m just going to be honest, open and real with you for a few minutes, is that ok?
I’ve been struggling with a few things for about 3 weeks.
As mentioned, I thought God had an entirely different word for me then.
The original title of this message was “Who Fixed the Roof”?
I’m just going to be vulnerable and raw!
If I can’t speak truth in love, then what ever am I doing up here?
One of the things I’ve been struggling with, is that I have felt, with the exception of our Children’s Ministry, that we have been stagnant.
We’ve had a few visitors, but even fewer have stayed with us.
We’ve had a few return briefly, but only on an every now and then appearance.
No baptisms.
Still no answer regarding a church building.
I’m sure many if not all pastors have experienced these frustrations from time to time, so now it’s my turn.
I’ve asked God to speak to me, and tell me what I am doing wrong. Crickets y’all, crickets!
One of the toughest “let downs” if you will, was that not a single person expressed a desire for us to examine the health of Cross Pointe Church. It just doesn’t seem to matter.
Perhaps as a church, we are content.
Friday night, I opened up to Lisa about my frustrations. And as always, she covered me and poured into me!
But last Sunday, we had a young man get baptized, and 4 ladies volunteered to help Ann and Chealbi in the children’s ministry.
It was a good day in the Lord!
I love you church!
Since we have so many who believe prayer changes everything, who wants to pray us out today?
