Mark 2_1_12_ outline

Title: Raising the Roof

Text: Mark 2:1-12

Intro: There are lots of ways to gather a crowd. – water park – advertised free wrestling down town- said it was better than the WWE – the problem isn’t drawing crowds but what to do with the crowd. As a boy I loved wrestling – Hulk Hogan – Brutus the Barber Beefcake – etc. Went to many wrestling matches…. If I went to that match it is possible I would have been disappointed.

As Jesus entered into Capernaum the news had spread that the Man who taught with authority and who acted with authority healing the sick and casting out demons had returned. So naturally a large crowd gathered. Jesus was inside the house (possibly Peter’s house) preaching the good news to the crowd which was so large that people were busting out of the doors and there wasn’t room for even one more person, and there came 5 men to him. One on a mat/stretcher the others carrying him.

Those who came to Jesus with the right heart – surely did not leave disappointed.

CPS: Jesus is faithful to heal those who come to Him in faith.

There are a few Characters that emerge from this

I.The Paralyzed Man Vs.3

A.Seriousness of his sickness

Palsy – Greek word is to be paralyzed- The man at best could not walk for himself at worse could possibly move his head.

-Complications

Illustration: Between the great things that we cannot do and the small things we will not do, the danger is that we shall do nothing.

B.The source of his sickness

- Injury or born with it (Spina bifida, ALS etc)

What did the people of the time believe caused it?

Vs. 5 “your sins are forgiven”

Ultimate cause of all sickness – Sin – Fallen world

Illustration: Lake Eufaula fishing with Johnny David and seeing a snake coiled up in the creek, I was stricken with paralysis- I couldn’t do anything, I could do nothing be freeze!

Sin leaves us paralyzed – helpless in our inability to stand before God

Transition: The second character I want you to see is the Persistent Men

II.The Persistent Men Vs.4

The obstacle of the great crowd did not deter the persistent men

-the House

A.Filled with determination

Determination – purposefulness

Illustration: A young fellow wanted to be a star journalist but lived in a small town (not much possibility). One day the dam upstream broke and the town was flooded. He got in a rowboat and headed out to look for a story. Found a lady sitting on her rooftop. He tied up the boat and told her what he was after. (They both watched as various items floated by). She says, "Now there's a story." "No, that's not a story." Finally a hat floats by and then does a 180 degree turn, goes upstream a ways and does another 180 degree turn, etc. The fellow says, "There's a story." "Oh no, that's not a story. "That's my husband Hayford. He said that he was going to mow the lawn come hell or high water!"

B.Filled with expectation

They expected Jesus to be moved with compassion and heal their friend – That is faith – to come expecting.

Vs. 5 …. Seeing their faith!

Faith of the man – the things

Faith of the four men – the things

Ultimately – who did they trust

Illustration: Rone Regency Jewelers – 11 years – 3 to 4 times a year – persistency pays off / Coming expectantly

We need some friends like that don’t we?

We need to be friends like that! – be persistent and come to them expecting Jesus to move in their heart.

2nd Cor. 5:20 – plead - you to come to Christ!

Transition: The 3rd Character – Paralyzed man, the persistent man

III.The Perfect Man Vs.5-12

Jesus took one look at their faith and said your sins are forgiven (*faith can be seen through your actions, this man was getting to Jesus no matter what obstacle) but the religious folks said in their hearts, what did He say, He is blaspheming, Only God can forgive sin. Little did they know God was in their presence.

A.The test He proposed

What is easier? To say your Sins are forgiven or get up and walk?

10 “But so 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, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.”

I am going to show you something great so you will know who “I AM”

It is just as easy to say one as the other. But it is equally impossible, humanly speaking, to do the one as it is to do the other.

He had already forgiven his sin, but they couldn’t see the sin forgiven but so they would believe He said “Take up your bed and walk”

B.The triumph He proclaimed

Vs. 12 – He got up immediately

Look at the testimony – They all were amazed and glorified God saying 12b “We have never seen anything like this.”

Notice – “Son of Man” - Jesus’ favorite term to identify Himself - It has overtones of both humanity and deity

To their reasoning – He is saying in an indirect way “ I AM GOD!”

Only God can forgive sin – Only God can heal like this

NB) the paralyzed man was taken by the persistent men to the Perfect Man!

Application: Do you need to come to the perfect man today?

He is the only One who can change us – change our condition – we all lay paralyzed – struck with Sin - with no hope of healing - Dead in our trespasses,

But God - is rich in mercy and by grace can make us alive in Christ Jesus

The man born with paralysis was born again – received a new life, one where he could get up and walk!

Have you been born again - you may have walked an isle - said a prayer – maybe even been baptized – but what does your walk look like? What has changed?

You need to be born again by faith in Jesus – I don’t want you to die and go to hell

And friends I don’t want your blood on my hands

Transition – you saints, you don’t want blood on your hands do you?

You don’t want to see a friend or loved one go to hell? You shouldn’t want to see anybody go to hell.

What are we doing about those who are lost?

We can’t save them but we can bring them to the One who can save them

Persistence / expecting

Are we committed to bringing people to Jesus?

Look at the difficulty these men went through to bring their friend to Jesus – Go over difficulty –

What is our difficulty? – Go over

Do you know why the paralyzed man trusted his friends on the roof top?

Why the Persistent men trusted the roof to hold them up?

What if they had fallen?

They would have fallen into the arms of Jesus!

Because they trusted the foundation!

Illustration: sit here do you feel safe that the roof isn’t going to collapse on you?

The floor won’t give way and your fall into an abyss

You trust the pew you are sitting in to hold you up

It’s because you trust the foundation of this building

Noticed the cracks outside on the wall? My neighbors house has a huge crack in it.

It’s a problem with the foundation. What the building sits on has shifted!

The foundation of our faith never shifts, never moves, never has nor never will have a weak spot! there will be no cracks, no shifting of ground – only firm rock solid ground

He is the only foundation that can be fully trusted –

His name is Jesus -

We all need to fall into the arms of Jesus!

Do we trust Jesus enough to bring to Him our troubles?

Shouldn’t we trust Jesus enough to bring to Him our loved ones

Our friends.

As Jesus shows compassion for this paralyzed man should we show compassion for those around us? Even strangers?

Are we committed to bringing people to Jesus?

Conclusion: A man needed to get to Jesus, His friends were persistent and expectant in bringing him, and Jesus was faithful to make Him whole.

What a testimony! The bed that once carried the sick man now was a sign of his cure. The four men left rejoicing. We can experience the same joy also.

Let’s raise the roof and get some people to Jesus.