Mark 2:1-3:6 = Jesus Breaks Barriers

Intro

Today, we delve into Mark 2:1-3:6, a powerful narrative where Jesus confronts skepticism, spite, and spiritual bondage. In these verses, we witness the miraculous healing of the paralytic, the calling of Levi, and the challenge to Sabbath traditions. Each story reveals a transformative truth: through Christ, we can overcome the chains of doubt, the bitterness of spite, and the slavery of sin.

As we explore these passages, let's open our hearts to the liberating power of Jesus. He not only heals the body but also frees the soul, inviting us to move beyond skepticism and embrace a life of faith and compassion. Let us journey together, finding strength in His teachings and liberation in His love.

Message

Sermon Title: "Breaking Barriers: Skepticism, Spite, and Slavery”

In a world full of skeptics it is …

I. Faith That Breaks Barriers

Mark 2:1–12 ESV

1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 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?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 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.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

We must possess active faith

Mark 2:3 ESV

3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.

James 2:17 “17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Genesis 12:4 “4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.”

Matthew 7:7 “7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Quote: “Your faith can move mountains, but your doubt can create them.” — Unknown

Illustration: The Tightrope Walker

We must practice persistent faith

Mark 2:4 ESV

4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.

Matthew 17:20 “20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.””

Hebrews 11:6 “6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Quote: "Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible." - Corrie Ten Boom

Quote: "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Illustration: A child jumping into a pool, trusting their parent to catch them.

Quote: "Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation." - Elton Trueblood

Application: Cultivate a faith that is willing to overcome obstacles to reach Jesus and bring others to Him.

In a world full of spite it is…

II. Forgiveness That Transforms

Mark 2:13–22 ESV

13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” 18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

We must practice radical forgiveness

Mark 2:9 “9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?”

Mark 2:14 ESV

14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

Mark 2:17 “17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.””

Luke 7:47 “47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.””

Ephesians 4:32 “32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Quote: "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." - C.S. Lewis

Illustration: A debt forgiven, allowing someone to start anew.

We must expect/pursue radical transformation

Mark 2:16 ESV

16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Colossians 3:10 “10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Ezekiel 36:26 “26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

Quote: “Christ doesn’t just change our behavior; He changes our very nature.” — John Stott

Application: Embrace and extend radical forgiveness, reflecting the heart of Christ to those around you.

In a world filled with spiritual bondage it is…

III. Freedom That Redefines

Mark 2:23–3:6 ESV

23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” 1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Freedom from Law

Mark 2:23–24 ESV

23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

Quote: "Legalism says God will love us if we change. The gospel says God will change us because He loves us." - Tullian Tchividjian

These Religions elite were not free…

Neither were those in bondage to sin…

John 8:31–34 “31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”

Those who continue to walk without religion are not free either.

Romans 6:15–23 “15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Galatians 5:1 “1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

John 8:36 “36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

1 Corinthians 6:12 “12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.”

Romans 6:14 “14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”

Romans 8:1–2 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

Freedom to Love

Mark 3:4 ESV

4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.

Mark 2:27 ESV

27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

2 Corinthians 5:14 “14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;”

John 13:34–35 “34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.””

Galatians 5:13–14 “13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

Quote: "Freedom in Christ is not a license to sin but liberty to serve." - Warren Wiersbe

Illustration: A runner freed from weights, able to run without hindrance.

Quote: "There is no freedom like seeing God as the end and not a means to anything else." - John Piper

Application: Live in the freedom Christ offers, breaking free from the constraints of legalism to embrace true life in Him.

Conclusion: As we follow Jesus, let us break barriers with faith, transform lives with forgiveness, and embrace the freedom He offers, living out His love and grace in our daily lives.

Close

Group Questions

Which aspect of the message—faith, forgiveness, or freedom—resonates most with your current life situation, and why?

How do the actions of the paralytic’s friends in Mark 2:1-12 inspire us to overcome obstacles in our faith journey?

What "mountains" in your life require faith the size of a mustard seed to move, as described in Matthew 17:20?

In Mark 2:17, Jesus speaks of calling sinners. How does/should recognizing our own need for forgiveness change our perspective on others?

Reflect on a time when forgiveness transformed your life or someone else's, in light of Ephesians 4:32.

How can we practice the kind of forgiveness that restores relationships, how can we do this in a healthy way?

What does Mark 2:27 teach us about the purpose of the Sabbath and how can this understanding free us from legalism?

How can we embrace the freedom described in Galatians 5:1 in practical ways?

In what ways might we unwittingly fall into legalistic practices, and how can Romans 8:1-2 guide us in overcoming them?

How can we actively bring others to Jesus, overcoming barriers in our community or personal lives?

As a group, what practical steps can we take this week to demonstrate the principles of faith, forgiveness, and freedom in our community?