Journey with Jesus (5)

5 Separate incidents- conflict w. Religious leaders. (not chronological)

Healing a paralyzed man- Mk. 2:1-12

Eating with sinners- Mk. 2:13-17

Confusion over fasting- Mk. 2:18-22

The Lord of the Sabbath- Mk. 2:23-27

Healing on the Sabbath-

The story of the healing of the paralytic man draws attention to 3 ways in which the identity and authority of Jesus is revealed in this story.

3 ways in which the sufficiency of Jesus is revealed in this story.

Jesus’s identity and authority is revealed in his sufficiency.

I. The sufficiency of Jesus is revealed in what He says

“Crowd”- why? so many? motivation? change schedule?

Curiosity, openness, spoke to their hearts

Heart- place where we store stuff.

Closets- little rooms where we store stuff.

Memories, experiences, hurts, disappointments, betrayals, broken trust, boxes marked- keep out....off limits.

Our insufficiency to clean out our closets without divine intervention.

Jesus recognized their spiritual hunger

Jesus recognized their spiritual hunger

Spiritual hunger.....

1st Century crowd- not catching fish- fear of being able to feed my family, fear of storms while in the boat, fear of illness- not much medicine or knowledge, fear of future.

Do what is necessary to feel good about myself- change my looks, obsessed w. weight, or working out.

Driven- work, athletics, unhealthy obsession with winning, or working to avoid relationships.

Addictions- food, eating disorder, relationship addiction, gambling, gaming, sexual, drug, alcohol- everyone has a drug of choice.

Anger- due to past hurts, unfulfilled dreams, disappointments, job loss or loss of loved one.

Spending habits- out of control, debt, credit cards,

Fear/Anxiety- grips you and robs you of joy and peace.

Jesus recognized the sufficiency of Scripture

Matthew 4:4 ESV

But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

Don’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly

Scripture speaks into our closets. It moves toward the sealed boxes marked off limits.

The closet that sees no hope, longs for healing, looking for love, meaning, purpose.

II. The sufficiency of Jesus is revealed in who He is

Jesus responds to their act of faith

Jesus saw....

their commitment- they believed

their creativity- they didn’t give up

their concern- burdened for this man

Jesus is sufficient because He is God

Jesus forgives sin. Teachers of the law- vs. 6-7

“thinking to themselves”-vs. 6

“He’s blaspheming”- punishment stoned to death-

“Only God can forgive sins”- Jesus would agree w. them.

Jesus is the Word and the Word is God- John 1:1

Jesus is sufficient because He is the Son of Man

Jesus is the Son of Man who came to serve

Son of Man to identify with the weakness of the flesh

Jesus is the Son of Man who came to suffer

Son of Man to humble himself to suffer and die on a cross.

Jesus is the sufficient Savior

their commitment- they believed

their creativity- they didn’t give up

their concern- burdened for this man

Jesus is the sufficient Savior

He is the Son of God and the Son of Man. He is God in the flesh.

Colossians 2:9 ESV

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

Co

III. The sufficency of Jesus is revealed in what He does

Jesus is sufficient to forgive our sins

He has the power and authority to forgive our sins.

Jesus is sufficient to heal our diseases

Jesus has the power to heal our diseases

Jesus- says “get up”- a test of faith

Jesus says- “take your mat and go home”- demand of obedience

The sufficiency of the Savior is scrutinized

Observe, inspect, question.

You will not find holes in Jesus work or His words.

Stifle the enemy, silence the critics, overpower Satan, restrain his influence.

Jesus is competent and adequate to stand up under scrutiny of the scribes.

The sufficiency of our Savior should be praised