Need: Blanket “Stretcher”
Introduction – When Faith Gets Practical
We often talk about faith. - I mean, we are a church!
We might say things like, “Keep the faith,” or “I’ve got faith things will work out.”
But what does faith actually look like in real life?
Just like I say that Love is shown by action; so Faith is not just an idea or a feeling.
In this story from Mark 2, we see that
real faith gets practical.
It takes action.
It refuses to give up.
Here’s the scene:
Jesus is back in Capernaum (around Galilee).
Word gets out that He’s there; and the house He’s teaching in is absolutely packed — standing room only,
people spilling out of the doorway,
craning their necks to catch a glimpse.
And then four friends arrive, carrying a paralysed man on a mat.
They want to get him to Jesus in this crowded house.
Other people are blocking the way to Jesus.
The door is jammed.
It seems impossible.
What would you have done?
Because, you know that sometimes other people – the crowd can stop us getting near Jesus, right?
The temptation is to give up and walk away.
But these men didn’t.
They climb onto the roof, dig a hole through the ceiling, and lower their friend down right in front of Jesus.
That’s not just faith in words.
That’s faith in action.
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1. Faith Brings Others to Jesus
These four friends carried their paralysed friend when he couldn’t reach Jesus on his own.
That’s what faith does.
Some people say, “My faith is deeply personal – something I keep to myself”
But we are told in Scripture that “Faith without works is . . . dead”
Faith is all about action.
It looks outward.
It brings others to Jesus.
Think about how determined they were: the crowd blocked the door, but they didn’t stop.
They literally tore the roof open to make sure their friend met Jesus.
Application: Sometimes faith means carrying others —
o in prayer,
o in encouragement,
o in practical support.
There are people around us who, right now, don’t have the strength to get to Jesus themselves. And they need us to help bring them.
Challenge: Who in your life might God be calling you to carry to Him this week?
• Maybe by praying for them daily.
• Maybe by offering an invitation to Highfield.
• Maybe simply by showing kindness when they most need it.
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2. Faith is Seen in Action
I love verse 5: “When Jesus saw their faith…”
How do you see faith?
Isn’t faith invisible? - Apparently not.
Jesus saw their faith
• through their actions.
• Through their persistence.
• Through their willingness to do something risky and inconvenient to get their friend to Him.
Real faith is never just words.
It’s visible.
It shows up
? in the way we live,
? in the choices we make,
? in the sacrifices we’re willing to take.
?
SO: If someone looked at our lives this week, what would they see?
Would they see our faith in action?
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3. Jesus Forgives and Heals
Now, here’s the twist.
The man is lowered down in front of Jesus.
Everyone expects Jesus to heal his body straight away (Mark’s Gospel, right?).
But instead, Jesus says, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Why? Because Jesus goes deeper than what we think we need.
The man wanted to walk.
Jesus knew he also needed forgiveness and restoration.
The religious leaders are outraged — “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
And that’s exactly the point.
Right here - Jesus is claiming the authority of God Himself.
Then, to prove it, He does heal the man physically.
He tells him to get up, take his mat, and walk — and he does!
Application: Faith in action means trusting Jesus not only with the surface problems, but also with the deeper needs of our hearts.
He is the One who forgives, restores, and makes us whole.
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4. Faith Inspires Others
When the man walks out in front of the crowd, verse 12 says: “This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’”
This is important.
• When God answers prayer
• When the Lord brings healing
• When God has touched your life –
It is important that we declare what God has done.
(share time – What is God doing in your life?
It’s not, “yes I feel better now thanks”, but God answered my prayer, healed me, provided for me.)
One act of faith didn’t just change one man’s life — it inspired a whole community to worship God.
That’s what faith in action does.
It’s contagious.
When people see faith being lived out, it sparks something in them.
It points them to Jesus.
Application: Our faith, lived out daily, has the power to encourage others.
Sometimes the boldness of one act of faith can ripple out far further than we ever imagine.
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Visual Object Lesson – The Stretcher
[Hold up a blanket, sheet, or simple homemade stretcher with two sticks and some fabric.]
This mat represents the paralysed man’s need.
He couldn’t get to Jesus on his own — he needed his friends.
And sometimes, that’s us too.
o Sometimes our faith is strong enough to carry others.
o Sometimes, we’re the one who needs to be carried.
Both are faith in action. Both matter.
Two questions:
Who are you carrying to Jesus right now? And
Are you willing to let others carry you when you need it?”
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Conclusion – What Does Faith in Action Look Like for You?
Four friends refused to give up.
They believed Jesus could make a difference. And He did.
Faith is more than words.
It’s more than Sunday belief.
• It’s persistence.
• It’s sacrifice.
• It’s trust in action.
And here’s the good news:
Jesus still sees faith today.
He sees it when you pray for a friend.
He sees it when you step out in obedience.
He sees it when you carry someone else — or when you let someone carry you.
So let me ask you:
• Who will you carry to Jesus this week?
• What step of faith is He asking you to take right now?
• Are you ready to put your faith into action?
•
Prayer to close:
“Lord Jesus, thank You that You see our faith. Give us courage to put that faith into action. Help us to bring others to You, to trust You with our deepest needs, and to inspire others by the way we live. Strengthen us, Lord, to be people whose faith is visible in every part of life. Amen.”
