Stretcher Bearers and the Savior

Jesus is in the early phases of his Galilean ministry. After being driven into the wilderness and tempted (1:12), Mark recounts for us in short order the calling of the first disciples followed by a series of miracles. Jesus is in Capernaum, a town in the region of Galilee and the site of a great deal of Jesus’ public ministry. Here in chapter 2 of Mark’s gospel Jesus is in a house in Capernaum. This house most likely belonged to Peter and Andrew (note 1:29). As a result of Jesus’ presence there, a great crowd assembled. Note the end of chapter 1, “But he was out in deserted places, and they would come to him from everywhere.”

“As this chapter begins, Jesus had already performed several miracles. In chapter 1, the text says that the whole city had gathered at Peter’s house to see Jesus and that Jesus could not publicly enter a city. Chapter 2 begins as a continuation of this theme. Jesus was speaking and the crowds were so large there was standing room only.” (Rodney L. Cooper, Mark, vol. 2, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 31.)

While in this house, a group of men arrive with a paralyzed man on a mattress. This man’s condition must have been severe and grave physically. However, the point of this event is not the physical healing, but the spiritual. In this passage we want to see that Jesus alone is able to forgive the sins of men.

Rodney L. Cooper, Mark, vol. 2, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 31.While in this house, a group of men arrive with a paralyzed man on a mattress. This man’s condition must have been severe and grave physically. However, the point of this event is not the physical healing, but the spiritual. In this passage we want to see that Jesus alone is able to forgive the sins of men.

Physical illness is not our greatest enemy, sin is. It is our sin that separates people from a Holy God and creates conflict in relationships between people. Sin is death. Physical and Spiritual death. We are dead in our trespasses and sins apart from Christ. () It is sin that destroys families and causes us to make bad choices in life. The question is this, “Can we be Forgiven?”, or “How can we be forgiven?” The answer to the first question is YES! And the answer to the second question is that we are forgiven only by faith in Jesus. John the Baptist declared in , “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”

Jesus alone remove the penalty of sin (justification). Jesus alone can destroy the power of sin (sanctification). Jesus alone can ensure that I am delivered from the presence of sin (glorification).

These facts should thrill us! These facts should spur us to bring our family and friends to Jesus. This is what is behind “Who’s Your One?” Who do you need to bring to Jesus? Church growth occurs when God’s people get a white-hot passion to see their friends and family who are far from God brought near. In this text I want us to see in these friends some characteristics of this type of passion. What does it look like when we love the lost and hurting?

First of all I believe in these friends we see:

Their Labor

A Great Love

Love Expressed in Concern

Great Faith

Perhaps this paralyzed man is a relative, or just a close friend. This fact is not known, but what is seen is the great love that these men have for him. The world will know us by our love for others. Do you genuinely love others? Not just your friends and family, but also your enemies or those with whom you have a difficult time with? It is far too easy in this world to become bitter and angry, even as a Christian, and instead of talking with people we talk down or talk at them. What they need is unconditional love. This type of love will be expressed in genuine concern. Love does pray for others, but love also puts feet to those prayers. These men took action

Love Ignores the Judgments of the

Love Doesn’t Focus on the Obstacles

These men pushed through the crowd, even among protests, in an attempt to get their friend to Jesus. It is love that primes the pump for sacrifice. Because of their great love for this man they were able to push through the crowds. It would have been easy for them to give up, but because of love they did not

2. A Great Faith

Sacrificial

These men genuinely believed that Jesus could heal their friend. We should not overlook the fact as well that the scripture says here that Jesus say “their” faith. I believe he also saw the faith in the paralytic. After all, he had to agree to this venture.

The question I want us to consider is this: Do we believe that Jesus can save our one? Do we really believe that he can save our lost friends and family?

The bible says in , “without faith it is impossible to please God..”

These men had a faith that was:

Persistent Faith

Sometimes when we run up on an obstacle we give up too easily. We can even be guilty of using the cliche, “Well God shut the door”. We need to be careful that we are not simply using an excuse cloaked in spiritual language. These men persisted even though many roadblocks seemed to be in their way. The crowds were hard to get through. The crowds had blocked the doorway to the house. The effort to get onto the roof of the house. Challenges indeed! We need to remember that the life in Christ is not a bed of ease but a life of challenges to our faith. The decision to climb the roof and tear through it to lower their friend down to Jesus was born out of persistence and also a:

Creative Faith

Theses friends commence to take their friend up on the roof. Most likely there would have been a stairway that led to the flat roof of the home. The roof would have been made typically by timbers laid parallel to one another approximately 2-3 feet apart. On top of that would be laid reeds and branches of trees. There would be roughly one foot of dirt that was then packed down to shed water. Overall, the roof may have been 2-3 feet thick. Grass in the spring would often grow on these roofs. Imagine the scene: Climbing up on this roof…sweat pouring from their faces…then they begin to dig and tear apart the roof…the debris that must have been falling on the people inside..the awkward looks and looks of anger and frustration from the people inside...”What do these men think they are doing!”

Imagine the scene:

Sacrificial

Ministry requires sacrifice. Loving people and leading people to Jesus requires persistent faith, creative faith and it requires sacrificial faith. The reality is that unfortunately today, I believe that individual Christians and churches have forgotten this. Someone would have to pay for the roof to be repaired..not only this, but labor and time would be needed.

The power of God is on display when God’s people have great love and great faith.

Could it be that the reason our churches have no power today is because we don’t love, we don’t believe and we no longer are willing to make sacrifices or to give of our time, talent and treasure for the kingdom of God? This leads to the 3rd thing I believe we see in this event:

This hindrance is unbelief.

Instead of Faith - Criticism & Judgment

There were essentially two groups within this large crowd. Obviously you had the large number of people following Jesus due to his preaching and the miracles he was performing. But you also have the delegation of the religious elites there who were now seeking a way to destroy Jesus. Jesus would give them something to pin on him - and they would accuse him of blasphemy.

Instead of Love - Coldness and Indifference

Instead of paving the way and pointing people to Jesus that day, the religious leaders were gathered there only in an attempt to criticize and to find something they could use against Jesus to turn the people away from him. It is a sad commentary today that many people turn away from the Lord because of the harsh rhetoric and judgmentalism of “so-called” Christians.

3. A Great Healing

Sins Forgiven (Greatest Need of Every Person)

“Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Again, I believe Jesus saw the faith of these men, including the paralytic, and on the basis of the paralytic’s faith he was forgiven. He was not forgiven by his friends faith, but by his faith.

“Jesus went to the heart of the man’s problem—sin. Not all sickness is caused by sin (see ), but evidently this man’s condition was the result of his disobedience to God. Even before He healed the man’s body, Jesus spoke peace to the man’s heart and announced that his sins were forgiven! Forgiveness is the greatest miracle that Jesus ever performs. It meets the greatest need; it costs the greatest price; and it brings the greatest blessing and the most lasting results.” (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 115.)

This statement was outrageous to say the least to the Pharisees and scribes gathered in the room. Jesus said this also knowing the hearts of the enemies in the room. This would lead to the miracle of:

This statement was outrageous to say the least..only God could forgive sins..but you see that is one of the points of this passage - Jesus is God. Jesus said this to meet this man’s greatest need but also knowing the hearts of the enemies in the room. This would lead to the miracle of:

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 115.This statement was outrageous to say the least to the Pharisees and scribes gathered in the room. Jesus said this also knowing the hearts of the enemies in the room. This would lead to the miracle of:

Physical Healing

, “So that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He told the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

You have the thunder, and now the lightning. Try to imagine the scene. Frowning Pharisees and Joyful friends. By-standers in awe and wonder of what they are witnessing. But you see, every time we see a person come to faith in Christ we are witnessing a miracle.

Glory to God

The Miracle of Forgiveness and the Miracle of Physical Healing were all for God and by God-in the person of Jesus Christ.

“I think I see him! He sets one foot down to God’s glory, he plants the other to the same note, he walks to God’s glory…he carries his bed to God’s glory, he moves his whole body to the glory of God, he speaks, he shouts, he sings, he leaps to the glory of God.”

4. A Great Hindrance

This hindrance is unbelief. The hindrance is religious pride and arrogant indifference to a lost world.

Instead of Faith - Criticism & Judgment

Instead of Love - Coldness and Indifference

Application:

Do we love? Do you love others enough to share with them…to bring them to Jesus. I’m not just talking about bringing them to church, but bringing them to Jesus by your actions and conversations everyday. Do we believe? Do we really believe that God can save them? If we do, we will be persistent, creative and sacrificial.

Conclusion:

Here is the danger - As Christians, we can be zealous for God and lose our love and concern for people. We can be so zealous and protective of God’s house that we become consumed with facilities and not consumed by the spiritual condition of our neighbors. We can also become so physically and materially focused that we meet the material needs of people without offering to them what they really need most of all - the message of hope found in Jesus Christ and his gospel.

Here is the danger - we can be zealous for God and lose our love and concern for people. We can be so zealous and protective of God’s house that we become consumed with facilities and not consumed by the spiritual condition of our neighbors.

When our Lord looked down, He saw the palsied man lying on his mat; and immediately Jesus went to the heart of the man’s problem—sin. Not all sickness is caused by sin (see ), but evidently this man’s condition was the result of his disobedience to God. Even before He healed the man’s body, Jesus spoke peace to the man’s heart and announced that his sins were forgiven! Forgiveness is the greatest miracle that Jesus ever performs. It meets the greatest need; it costs the greatest price; and it brings the greatest blessing and the most lasting results.

Here is another danger - to live this life apart from faith in Christ...to die in your sins apart from Christ.

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 115.Here is the danger - we can be zealous for God and lose our love and concern for people. We can be so zealous and protective of God’s house that we become consumed with facilities and not consumed by the spiritual condition of our neighbors.

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