Forgivness and Healing
Notes
Transcript
Forgivness and Healing
Forgivness and Healing
Good morning, it is bright and early but it is so good to be with your all today!
My name is Zach Klundt, I am the youth pastor over at Bethel Baptist Church right down the street, I have been there for 2 years!
I love what I do, I really do not want to do anything else at this point.
I recognize a good chunk of you but some that may not know me, I would love to get to know you.
Today is the third time I have had the privilege of talking at FCA and it is always a treat when I get a chance to speak here.
This morning we are going to be looking at the gospel of Mark.
It is in the New Testament, so if you have a bible or want to pull it up on your phone, now is the time.
As you are getting there I want us to think about if one of your best friends got sick— like really sick— they were going to die without healing.
You can pick whatever friend you think you can live without if you want… I’m kidding… this is a hypothetical.
Anyways they are super sick and they are going to die… and you heard of a doctor in Alaska who could heal this friend of yours.
Do you take your friend?
Do you fit the bill to get them there?
What if you get up there and the doctor wouldn’t see you?
What if there was so many people wanting his attention that you could not even get near the doctor?
What would you do?
Do you say welp we tried— and now you start taking applications for your new bestie?
Do you keep fighting?
What if you were the one sick?
What would you want your friends to do?
Let you die in peace or keep fighting until there is literally nothing left to give?
These are the questions I want us to have in our minds as we read;
And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 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. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 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. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 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? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 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!”
Jesus is returning back home and I don’t know if you know this or not but Jesus drew a crowd where ever he went.
People came to see Jesus and hear him speak.
Here is the scene; the house he is at, most likely one of his disciples, is full the brim, Mark saying that there is not even room in the doorway.
Standing room only outside is what we got here, it had to be sooooo hot in that house!
Jesus was speaking the word— The good news, and Jesus had already pulled off lots of healing and miracles, so he was not surprised that people were at the house and there was no room for anyone else.
verse 3; remember all the questions we asked because here is why I asked them earlier.
And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Someone was being brought to Jesus.
Four men were carrying a paralytic— this man had some sort of paralysis.
Meaning he most likely could not move his limbs hence why he was being carried.
The four men, I think we have to pay some sort of attention to these four men because I do not believe that is was random.
I do not think that four random guys were like hey lets get this guy some healing— lets take him to Jesus.
You have to think that these men knew the paralytic.
They may have been family but where I land as many other scholars also land is that it was friends of his.
And here is why I think it is friends.
One random people would have dropped this sack of potatoes as soon as they saw the way was blocked.
I think Mark would have said his family brought him, as like his father and 3 brothers brought him to Jesus.
But it says that these four men.
Their way was blocked by people, they were being prevented from getting to Jesus.
Here is what I think good friend do— they find a way.
They took this guy— bed and all to the roof where they would dig into the roof and create a hole and they lowered him down.
CAN YOU PICTURE THIS ROOM?!?!
Jesus is teaching and all of a sudden here comes this guys being lowered down into this packed house.
Where did they put him in this already crowded place?
I have a hard time not thinking that there is someone below directing them, they have the cone light like at the airports, waving them down.
They lower the guy down and maybe there was silence and tension in the room as they were waiting to see what Jesus was going to do.
And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Jesus saw their faith— whose faith— their faith the four men’s faith.
Then he told the paralytic that he was forgiven, forgiven but not healed.
DO NOT MISS THIS.
The paralytic’s friends brought him to be healed and at this point he was forgiven— the were going to have to raise this dude back up because he still could not walk!
And of course you have the haters in the room, you know them the ones who are too cool for school, the ones with their noses up because instead of being happy that someone was just forgiven of their sins— they are looking at the roof and wondering how is that going to get fixed.
They are mad because in their world only God can save.
Of course Jesus senses this and he speaks to it.
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? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”
Mark 2:8-11
and listen to verse 12 this is the power of Christ!
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!”
Jesus tells them, his haters— would it be better if I just told him to get up and walk or to forgive him?
Because to the scribes it was easier to see the evidence of a change life by making him walk, the forgiveness of sins can only be seen and done by God.
Jesus is telling them this so they know that the Son of God— Himself, he Jesus, has authority.
Watch this haters...
Hey you paralytic get up and walk and go home!
AND HE DOES!
THE PEOPLE WERE AMAZED!
What do we take away from this passage?
I want us to look at the 4 men again, because without these men bringing this man before Christ, nothing would have happened this night.
If they would have been stopped at the door their friend would have lost out on a chance to not only be forgiven but healed as well.
The 4 men had enough faith to say let us just get him close to Jesus and Jesus will do the rest that is a faith that I wish I had in high school.
You all have friends and family that need forgiveness and healing and instead of bringing them to Jesus, to give them a chance to experience Jesus, we look at the house and see it is crowded and we go back the other way.
There are so many road blocks that get thrown in our way but we all have people who do not know Jesus.
These men had road blocks— the crowds, the roof, how to lower him down, it had to take a huge effort to get him down to Jesus!
BUT THAT IS WHAT WE DO FOR THOSE WE LOVE!
We make the effort no matter the cost!
No matter the barriers.
This may cost us some friendships as people may not see their need to be healed or forgiven.
Maybe someone in this room sees it this way, I hope and beg that you understand that there is nothing you can do to achieve forgiveness on your own.
That is only granted by Jesus, because He is the one who paid the ultimate price by dying on the cross for the sins of the world.
Maybe you have already been thinking about that friend that needs to be lowered down to have an experience with Jesus and receive forgiveness and healing.
Let me tell you something that it is impossible to have an encounter with Christ and not be changed.
I mean what if I told you that yesterday I was walking home and I was crossing the street but as I was crossing the street this massive 2 ton semi, one that is carrying one of those massive windmill blades hit me, but I was able to walk it off.
You would probably tell me I was a liar.
And why is that… Because it is impossible to have an encounter with a 2 ton semi truck and not be changed, and it is goes the same for God— but which is bigger and which one is going to have the bigger impact a truck or God?
We know full well who can bring healing and forgiveness and we need to stop running away from that and start carrying them if we must to the roof where they can be lowered down to Jesus.
They need to be placed at the foot of the cross and receive salvation through Christ.
Our faith should drive us to people who need Jesus in their lives and because of how we are living our lives we should be pointing people to Christ.
If your friend was dying today, wouldn’t you lower them down to meet with Jesus?
So they can experience healing and forgiveness that only he can offer, since he is the son of man— the Son of God!
There are so many road blocks that get thrown in our way but we all have people who do not know Jesus.
A couple of things for those taking notes:
1. Jesus has all authority
All authority was given to Christ and because he has was given authority over all things he commands us to go.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
2. Jesus seeing into the heart
Jesus knew the intentions of the hater in his mist.
Jesus knew the scribes— who were taking up seats in this house by the way— did not believe in him.
He knows your critical heart— he knows when you are lacking in your faith.
He knows when the walls are put up and you are doubting everything you believe.
Doubting is okay, as long as we do not stay in that doubt find out the answer, ask your youth pastor, senior pastor, your friends, the best cure for doubt is an increase of faith.
3. Jesus can heal and forgive
Jesus is in the business of changing lives.
Jesus will forgive and he will heal!
Our friends and family are all heading somewhere.
Are you willing to point them to Jesus, to lower them down, no matter the cost, so they have a chance a meet with Jesus?
This means inviting them to youth group or church, FCA, and for the love, will you just be nice, be friendly to these people.
They need to know the love of Jesus and since we are called to love God first and also love people.
Matthew 22:
Matthew 22:37
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
If you love your friends and family you will point them to the cross, where Jesus dyed because that is where they can find hope, healing and forgiveness.
So as you leave here today, chose one person in your groups that you are going to share your story with today.
Your testimony is powerful, whether you think it is or not, your story means something and it shows who you were before Jesus, it tells of your moment when everything clicked and you had an encounter with Christ, and it tells of how you are different now.
This story, your story can mean everything to someone today, we strong, be courageous, be loving, and point your friends and family to Christ.
PRAY