Jesus Cares for the Sick.

Text: Mark 1:21–45; bridge to Mark 2:1–12

Series: Signs & Wonders

Big Idea

Jesus is God: The Holy One of God, The Servant Savior, Compassionate, Merciful, Gracious, and Powerful to Cleanse. He has the authority over demons, disease, and sin—and He restores us so we can serve and walk in new life.

Intro: Jesus Cares for the Sick. Jesus is God, the Creator of all things, Messiah, Redeemer.

The world devoured by sickness, pain, and death. It was not always this way.

Genesis 1:31 NASB95

31 God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

The creation was without blemish or defect. A reflection of the flawless One who had spoken it into existence.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, everything changed. Sin entered the world and brought with it disease, decay, and death.

The whole creation was cursed (Gen. 3:17–19; Rom. 8:20)

Adam and Eve were alienated from God and banished from Eden. Sickness, suffering, and the reality of death serve as painful reminders of the inescapable fact that we reside on a fallen planet.

Despite all the advancements in modern science, they still cannot remove the plagues our world suffers. two thousand years ago, however, conditions were far worse. Medical technology was nonexistent, meaning people simply suffered under the full effects of illness and injury.

Though Jesus Christ came that He might spiritually rescue sinners who were dead in their transgressions and facing the wrath of God (1 Tim. 1:15), He chose to demonstrate that power to save as well as His profound love and compassion by delivering people from their diseases and demons.

Jesus’ delivering ability also serves as a preview of the conditions of His coming earthly kingdom, in which Satan and his demons will be bound (Rev. 20:1–3), the curse will be mitigated, and its effects greatly reduced until it is completely removed in the righteous perfection of the eternal state in heaven (Rev. 21:1–22:5).

The next four lessons you will learn about the miracles or Jesus, also called “signs and wonders”.

Together these will highlight the supernatural nature of Jesus’ sovereign power.

Whenever He confronted either demons or disease, both fled at His command.

That kind of dominion provides undeniable proof of Jesus’ deity, supporting Mark’s thesis that Jesus is the messianic King, the Son of God (1:1).

As the Savior of the world, the Messiah had to be able to rescue souls from both sin and Satan.

He had to have power over both the physical and spiritual effects of the curse.

As the Redeemer He had to be able to redeem both the soul that was lost and the body that was decaying (Rom. 8:23).

Jesus consistently demonstrated necessary heavenly might by repeatedly casting out demons and healing diseases

to exhibit His total Power and Authority over both the spiritual and physical realms devastated by sin.

By the miracles He demonstrates will will study, we will see there is Nobody like Jesus, no other worthy of such praise and glory. Only He possessed the power to impart eternal life to souls and bodies, fitting them for resurrected glory in heaven.

Scene 1: The Proof of His Ministry - Jesus Restores Strength

Authority over sickness

Mark 1:29–31 NKJV

29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

At Peter’s house, mother-in-law with fever. Luke recorded it was a High fever, suggesting her condition was related to severe infection. The fever was high enough that she was in bed, too weak to get up and greet guest who had come

The disciples just witnessed Jesus’ power on display at the synagogue, other miracles he performed, it was enough for the family to ask Him to heal her. “asked Him to help her”

Jesus lifts her up; fever leaves. Jesus’ power was immediate. she was completely healed, no recovery period. She didn't need to wait to feel better, The Lord didn't tell her to take it easy for a few weeks, and let her body recover.

She begins to serve. full of energy, and ready to prepare the Sabbath dinner. it was if she had never been sick.

Strength to serve God as we’re created to do.

“When Jesus raises you up, He gives you strength for serving.”

Answer your own question (“strength for…?”):

Strength to serve Christ

Strength to serve people

Strength to obey when weak

Strength to witness in ordinary life

The Power in his Mission: Prayer life + Ministry

Mark 1:35–39 NASB95

35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37 they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” 39 And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.

He serves crowds into the evening: healing those who are sick and demon-possessed.

Next morning, still dark, He gets up early to find a quit place to pray.

“If Jesus, the sinless Son, prayed to walk in the Father’s will, how much more must we pray to do the work God gave us?”

Jesus suggests they move on to another town, to “Preach the Word” this was the mission of our Savior.

Though He compassionately healed the sick and fed the hungry,

Jesus defined His mission in these words,

“I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).

“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10 ESV).

The Lord sought out lost sinners and called them to repentance through the preaching of the gospel.

As Mark earlier explained, “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’ ” (1:14–15).

Jesus’ miracles validated His gospel message, but miracles themselves could not save anyone. Salvation came only when people responded in repentant faith to gospel preaching.

Scene 2: The Leper Cleansed

Mark 1:40–45 NASB95

40 And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44 and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

Human reality of leprosy, Luke records that he was “covered with leprosy”

Nerve damage, loss of sensation, injury without awareness

Hansen’s disease, devastating infection. SSC scleroderma incurable.

Social isolation: unclean, excluded from society, excluded from synagogue (church)

Life in separation and shame; compounding physical suffering with social isolation.

Spiritual picture: leprosy as a picture of sin

Sin numbs conscience

Sin spreads damage

Sin isolates from God and others

Sin leaves us unclean and unable to self-cure

Jesus’ heart and authority v.41-43

Mark 1:41–43 NASB95

41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away,

The leper was attitude toward Jesus was respectful and reverential; “he fell on his face”

in desperation, he came to Jesus to beg for deliverance, hi request of bold faith in what he knew Jesus could do, “You can make me clean” in this moment of total vulnerability, he lay in the dust begging

Jesus said, "I am willing; be cleansed.”

Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. and again no period of recovery.

“Jesus is not reluctant to cleanse repentant sinners. His heart is willing.”

“Show yourself to the priest…” (v.44)

God had already made provision in the Law for restoration and testimony.

Even before they saw the cure, God made a path for the cured.

Application: God often prepares grace before we even arrive at our crisis.

A fitting cross-reference for “God makes a way”:

v.45 Witness impulse

Mark 1:40–45 (NASB95) but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

“When God does a miracle in your life, witness is not forced; it becomes natural overflow.”

We still value wise discipleship/evangelism training,

but the core witness is a transformed person saying, “Here is what Jesus has done for me.”

Scene 3: The Paralytic Forgiven and Healed

Mark 2:1–12 NASB95

1 When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. 4 Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. 5 And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? 9 “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet 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.” 12 And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Faith that refuses obstacles

Four friends carry the paralytic.

Roof opened, man lowered before Jesus.

Jesus sees their faith.

“Real faith does not stop at crowded doors; it finds a way to Jesus.”

Deepest need first

Jesus says: “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Your grave image is memorable:

“He is lowered like a man heading toward death, but in front of Jesus he receives life first in the soul.”

Scribes’ objection exposes truth

“Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Their theology here is right: only God forgives sins ultimately.

Jesus proves invisible authority with visible miracle

“Which is easier to say…?”

Jesus commands: “Rise, pick up your bed, and walk.”

The paralytic get up and walks, instantly healed.

The Response

Mark explains, they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Greek word for amazed means to be astonished, confused, or even to lose one’s mind. The people were absolutely dumbfounded by what they had just seen.

Luke adds, “They were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen remarkable things today’ ” (Luke 5:26). The word Luke uses for fear is phobos, which, in this context, describes the awestruck reverence that comes from being exposed to the person, presence, and power of God

Gospel Landing + Walk Application

Jesus cares about bodily suffering.

But He came for an even greater healing: forgiveness of sin

The words Jesus spoke to that paralyzed man two millennia ago are the same words He still speaks to all who come to Him in genuine faith: “Your sins are forgiven.”

The greatest benefit Christianity offers to the world is the forgiveness of sins. Jesus Christ made forgiveness possible through His death on the cross. He offers that forgiveness to all who are willing to repent of their sin and believe in His name (cf. Rom. 10:9–10).

Cleansing comes to those who repent and trust Him.

“Walk” application

“The man in Mark 2 literally walked home because Jesus touched him.

We now walk spiritually—In a manner worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4).”

How we can “walk” this week:

In humility, not pride

In purity, not hidden sin

In forgiveness, not bitterness

In service, not self-centeredness

In prayer, not self-reliance