I. The Efforts Of The Men Vs. 1-4

A. The Setting

1. Once again we see Jesus teaching. Jesus placed great importance on teaching. (Mark 1:38)

2. The setting was like a home Bible study, not a healing service. They interrupted Jesus.

B. What They Did Was Difficult

1. Chap. 1– We saw Jesus in Capernaum, healing people & casting out demons. (Mark 1:33)

2. These men wanted to get to Jesus, & because of the crowds, it was physically difficult.

3. Jesus chose to be indoors, and that limited the amount of people that had access to Him.

4. Questions to consider regarding their efforts to do what was difficult.

a. How far did they have to carry this man to bring him to Jesus?

b. How difficult was it to carry this crippled man, especially approaching the crowds?

c. When they arrived and saw that Jesus was not easily accessible, did they think about giving up? Were they tempted to think it must not be God’s will to heal the man?

d. What kind of humility & desperation did the crippled man feel, being the object of attention in a rather strange looking approach to Jesus? How desperate was he?

5. What we know about these men:

a. They were desperate for healing for the crippled man.

b. They had a great expectation that Jesus could heal him.

c. They would not allow themselves to be defeated by the difficulty of the situation.

d. They expected their friend to walk out of that room, not get lifted out through the roof

6. Application for us– Do we feel the same way about ourselves or others?

a. Christians need healing. Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, psychological.

b. It might be you, or a friend. God doesn’t always heal in this life, but sometimes yes.

c. We know many people who are unsaved, and are facing a Christless eternity.

d. Do we not get ourselves or others to Jesus because of physical difficulties?

i. Ex.-The place where healing can be found is too far away.

ii. Ex.-A meeting is too long, it’s too early, it’s uncomfortable, etc.

iii. Ex.-I don’t have time to read my Bible. I get up for work too early, I get home too tired, I’m too busy on the weekends, etc.

iv. Ex.-Picking up an unsaved friend for church or coffee is bothersome, too far, etc.

e. I am certainly not saying that Jesus can only heal at gathering of the church, but much of our Christin life does revolve around the gathering of the saints.

i. The teaching of God’s word, corporate prayer and encouragement.

ii. Also- The deliberate time set aside to seek God in solitude in private devotions.

C. What They Did Was Unorthodox

1. These four men disrupted a Bible study by Jesus, and tore a hole in a man’s roof.

a. They were not concerned what people would say, including the religious experts.

b. They were unorthodox in their approach to Jesus, but Jesus did not rebuke them.

2. There are some people that enjoy doing unorthodox & strange things in the name of God.

a. They enjoy pushing the boundaries of what is considered normal.

b. They often defend their actions by quoting passages like this one.

c. When questioned about their actions, they say that God told them to do it.

d. Unorthodox behavior in Jesus’ name ought to bring results like we see in this passage.

e. Otherwise, it’s just strange behavior.

3. Conversely, sometimes bringing people to Jesus can look very unorthodox.

a. In the Jesus Movement of the late 60’s and 70’s, hippies flooded into churches, barefoot and looking weird to the conservative church. Still in sin and immoral.

i. The churches that maintained strict dress codes drove those people away.

ii. The churches that welcomes in the strange looking people experienced revival.

b. We should not seek to be unorthodox in bringing people to Jesus, but we should not restrict ourselves to “church norms”, or be fearful about being disapproved of.

4. App.- Do you have non-scriptural barriers that prevent people from coming to Jesus

D. What They Did Was Costly

1. Financially costly-Who was going to pay for the roof repair? Did they consider that?

a. What if Jesus didn’t heal him, and they paid for a roof repair for no good reason?

2. Emotionally costly- What would people say about their unorthodox behavior?

a. Would Jesus rebuke them for destroying property? Would the town mock them?

3. Application- Does the worry about money restrict you from bringing people to Jesus?

II. The Healing That Jesus Brings Vs. 5-12

A. The Crippled Man’s Greatest Need V. 5

1. V. 5-Jesus spoke firstly to the man’s spiritual need. It was his greatest need.

a. It is easy for people to pray primarily for the improvement of external situations.

b. Physical healing, financial turn arounds, protection, provision.

c. It is fine to pray for those things, but man’s greatest need is forgiveness of sin.

d. Jesus saw the faith of all five men. He called the paralytic, “son”. Endearment.

2. In V. 8, we see Jesus discerning the thoughts of the scribes.

a. I believe that Jesus didn’t do this as God, but as man.

b. Some would say that Jesus knew their thoughts, because He was God in the flesh.

c. But as man, Jesus was limited in knowledge. (See Mark 13:32)

i. Jesus used the spiritual gift of “the word of knowledge”: Truth revealed to someone via the Holy Spirit; not discerned by natural human means. (1 Cor. 12:8)

ii. Peter used this gift in Acts 5 when he discerned that Ananias and Sapphira were lying about the amount of money they were giving to the church.

3. Was Jesus using the gift of “word of knowledge” when forgiving this man?

a. Was this man’s condition a result of some sin? Drunkenness, fighting, foolishness?

b. Was he ashamed of WHY he had become crippled? Did moral failure cause this?

c. Jesus sought to bring healing not only to his body, but to his soul.

d. Do we just pray for the healing of a disease, or more so for the sinful reason behind it?

B. The Objection Of The Scribes Vs. 6, 7

1. The theology of the scribes was correct. Only God can forgive sins.

2. Side note- it is God’s forgiveness that we need. Don’t tell people to forgive themselves.
The Bible doesn’t teach that. It’s God’s forgiveness we need, then other people’s.

C. Jesus Proves Who He Is Vs. 8-11

1. Jesus was not content to just heal the man, but wanted to accurately prove Who He was.

2. His words, if unprovable, would be meaningless. Healing the man proved who he was.

3. This proof was not just for the scribes, but also for the healed paralytic and the onlookers.

4. Most of these scribes would not turn to Jesus, in spite of the proof before their eyes.

D. The Healing & The Response V. 12

1. The healing was instantaneous; the response was amazement. His WHOLE body healed.

2. I suggest to you that perhaps the greatest part was that which was not seen: forgiveness.

3. The people’s eyes understandably focused on that which was visible. What about the man?

4. Jesus had done a greater work within the man’s heart than He had done in his body

Questions, considerations, applications…

1. Are we desperate to get people to Jesus? Am I desperate to get myself to Jesus?
Are we sure that Jesus is the best and most important thing that could happen to a person?

2. Do we not bring people or ourselves to Jesus because…

a. It’s physically too hard?
I might have to travel too far.
I might have to be too hot, be too cold, drive across town, get up too early, stay up too late

b. It will seem weird to other people. I’ll have to do something others might disapprove of.

c. I’m not sure if that’s a good investment of my money. Or, it might cost me too much?

3. Do we understand that Jesus wants to heal our souls more than our bodies?
Do we understand that He does want to heal our shame?
Maybe some are sick in this room because of immoral behavior.
You have a disease or an infirmity that you brought upon yourself.
Jesus knows, and wants to forgive you.
He doesn’t heal every body in this life, but he does forgive every sin.

4. Are you willing to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins? He absolutely will.

5. Are you willing to ask Him to heal your body?
He might not in this life, but He will in the next life.

6. The great faith of the four men was clearly seen by their actions in getting their friend to J.
Hey LOVED their friend and believed that Jesus could help him.
Is that kind of faith evident in your own life?
2 Corinthians 3:2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
If not, ask for that kind of faith and passion for God and for people.