The Answer to Our Problems EBC

Mark 2:1-7 9/7/08

We see in these verses what great spiritual privileges some people have and make no use of them. J.C. Ryle- “no city in Palestine appears to have enjoyed Jesus presence more during his earthly ministry than the city of Capernaum.

1- After he left Nazareth, he lived in Capernaum

2- He delivered many sermons and worked many miracles there.

But, nothing he did seemed to have any effect on the hearts of the residents.

J.C. Ryle- They crowded to hear him, as we read in this passage—“there was no room left, not even outside the door” (verse 2). They were amazed. They were astonished. They were filled with wonder at his mighty works. But they were not converted.

Matt. 11:23-24-

Never were people so favored to hear the gospel as the people of Capernaum and never did a people seem so hard as they.

I. The Presence of the Lord

A. The Lord Jesus

1. Jesus always drew a crowd. When Jesus is in the house you can’t hide him. When Jesus is in your life you can’t hide him. When Jesus comes into your life he brings with Him a new speech, a new look and new friends.

a. We can’t separate influence from presence anymore than we can separate the flower from the fragrance. If Christ dwells in our hearts others with know it.

2. 2 Cor 5:17- new creature

3. Noised- the word got out that Jesus was in the house and the people flocked to him. There were so many there that the house nor the courtyard could hold them.

a. 2:2- he was preaching the word unto them. The was the great object of his life. What is the object of our lives- what do we spend the most time doing- that is the object of his life. Read the gospels – you will find Jesus involved in there areas- preaching, teaching and healing.

b. Of everything Jesus did, those things most important to him were preaching and teaching.

II. The Condition of the Sick

A. Not only was he sick but he was helplessly sick.

1. Rom. 3:23- all of us are in the same boat- we are all sinners. There are no classes of sinners- the good ones and the rotten ones- we are all in the same boat – sinners, lost, undone on our way to Hell.

2. Someone described him this way,” his energies had been withered, his sickness deprived him of all his ability to act. Such is the condition of all those who are without Christ.

3. Eph. 2:1-

a. Dead- destitute of life. Totally unable to help themselves

4. Rom. 5:6- “for when we were without strength, in dies time Christ died for the ungodly”.

a. Look at how God considers the wicked:

1. Prov. 15:8- sacrifice is abomination

2. Prov. 15:9- way is an abomination

3. Prov. 15:26- thoughts are an abomination

B. Jer. 17:9- heart is deceitful and desperately wicked

II. The Determination of the Friends

Praise God for those that truly care. For those stretcher bearers. These verses show what our united effort can do. How many souls are neglected for lack of a united effort? Do you care about the souls of the lost.

A. He saw their faith (5) imagine what Jesus thought when he saw the faith these and what they had gone thru to get this person to Jesus.

1. They knew the answers to the person problem was getting them to Jesus. He was beyond all medical help, the only one that could help was the Lord.

2. Their faith was evident by their concern. Someone has said, “without Jesus this man wouldn’t have been healed, but without the men he couldn’t have gotten to Jesus”.

B. He saw their courage-

1. They didn’t give up because there were difficulties. Wait for a more convenient time- No way.

2. They did not simple “pray about it”. They put their faith into action. They didn’t allow difficulties to discourage or stop them.

3. They really went out of their way to get this person to Jesus.

4. They did what they could humanly do and Jesus did the rest. We need to do what we can and trust God for the miracle.

Conclusion: Billy Graham, in his book, The Secret of Happiness said this:
“Satan does not care how much you theorize about Christianity or how much you profess to know Christ. What he opposes vigorously is the way you live Christ - the way you become an instrument of mercy, compassion, and love through which He manifests Himself to the world. If Satan can take the heart, motive, and mercy out of Christianity, he has killed its effectiveness. If he can succeed in getting us to talk a good case of religion but to live a poor one, he has sheared us of our power.”