Your Sins Are Forgiven

Introduction

Why did Jesus come to the earth? What purpose did he have? What authority does he have? Mark writes his gospel partly to answer these questions.

According to a recent survey called the State of theology, a large cross section of Americans were asked whether or not they agreed with this statement, “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.” 53% agreed with the statement. 36% percent disagreed with the statement.

I want you to think about the inherit contradiction of the statement for a moment. If Jesus claimed to be God and was not, could he still be a good teacher? No. A good teacher would not attempt to deceive people (or himself be deceived) about his identity.

But consider the weight of this statistic for a moment. The majority of Americans surveyed believes that Jesus is not God, just a good teacher. Knowing who Jesus is, knowing Jesus’s purpose and power is of upmost importance for us today, especially in a day when the majority of Americans are confused on the matter.

As I read the text, I want you to consider: what is Jesus’s purpose? What sort of power does he have?

Mark 2:1-12 “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!”

The Priority of Preaching

I wonder if I give out a multiple choice question that asked “What was Jesus’s main goal during his earthly ministry going from city to city?” Was it healing? Was it performing miracles? Was it casting out demons?

What do you think Jesus’s main ministry in your life is? Is he supposed to bring you fulfillment? Bring you healing? What is it that Jesus is to provide for you?

After spending an entire evening healing, he goes off to pray by himself. When the disciples catch up with him they tell him that everyone is looking for him. Notice Jesus’s response in Mark 1:38 “And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.””

What does Jesus say that he came out to do? Preach. It’s no surprise that that’s what we find in the beginning of Mark 2.

Mark 2:1-2 “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.”

So, he was in Capernaum before when everyone was coming out to be healed by him. He then goes throughout Galilee preaching. When he returns to Capernaum it is reported that he is at home. This home, we are left to assume, is the home of Simon (Peter) and Andrew.

This home is a small rectangular building, not many would be able to fit inside. The picture that Mark paints here is that so many people are surrounding Jesus that the crowd is spilling out onto the narrow street.

And what is it that we find Jesus doing? He is “preaching the word to them.” Jesus prioritized preaching the word.

We could spend our time in chapel and in our churches doing so many things. Why do we spend so much time preaching the Word? Because Jesus prioritized preaching.

But I want to warn you that just because someone is a “preacher” does not necessarily mean that they are following Jesus’s example here. Let me give you quickly two marks of Biblical preaching.

1. Biblical preaching accomplishes the salvation of the lost and nourishes the sheep. Rom. 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” There are many kinds of preachers out there. Some who want to fill their pews. Some who want to fill their pockets. These preachers know what to say to accomplish their goals. However what true preaching accomplishes is clear.

2. The content of Biblical preaching is what God wants to be said. One of the reasons we go through a book of the Bible in chapel is to safeguard us from the danger of saying merely what we want to say. Topical messages can be okay and are sometimes necessary. However, if all we do is jump from topic to topic we run the risk of emphasizing things that God does not want emphasized. We run the risk of prioritizing things that are trivial in the kingdom of God.

Pretend for a moment that you know nothing about Christianity. Then you look up the top Christian songs to learn about this religion. What do you think would be the priority in the kingdom of God? Look at the lyrics of this popular Christian song:

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus Over every heart and every mind 'Cause I know there is peace within Your presence I speak Jesus

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus 'Til every dark addiction starts to break Declaring there is hope and there is freedom I speak Jesus

'Cause Your name is power Your name is healing Your name is life Break every stronghold Shine through the shadows Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus Over fear and all anxiety To every soul held captive by depression I speak Jesus

In many ways our culture is somewhat obsessed with physical healing; however, I would argue that our culture right now is even more obsessed with psychological healing and therapeutic fulfillment. This idea that you just come to Jesus and he will meet all our self-centered needs.

I don’t pray that Jesus becomes my therapist, I pray that Jesus wrecks my life. If my psychological comfort does not produce holiness then it is an idol.

Our Desperate Need for Jesus

We see in our text a group who recognized their desperate need for Jesus. Look at verse 3.

Mark 2:3-4 “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.”

We have this unnamed “they” group bringing to Jesus a paralytic. We don’t know their hearts or motivation for seeking Jesus. We do know in the ancient mind that illness was linked with sin. They could have recognized the need for Jesus for both the physical healing and the deeper spiritual healing.

Regardless of the speculation on their motivation, one thing we do see is that they recognize a desperate need of Jesus. He was the only hope for their friend and they were not going to let the massive crowd stop them from coming to him.

The ancient houses had steps on the outside leading to a flat roof. The roofs were regularly used, sometimes for working, sometimes for sleeping. The roof itself was made from thatch and mud, it would often have to be re-mudded after heavy rains.

So this group, who recognized their desperate need for Jesus climbs the steps on the outside of the house and digs through the roof to get the paralytic to Jesus. The man who cannot walk is lowered down to Jesus. You can imagine what everyone is expecting: he’s about to be healed. In Mark 1, Jesus has cast out demons, healed many, healed someone with a fever, and healed someone with leprosy.

Whether the crowd or the paralytic expects it or not, what Jesus does takes a surprising turn for the reader. Mark 2:5 “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.””

Notice that Jesus does this in response to “their faith.” It is highly likely that the paralytic is included in “their” faith. The faith that Jesus “sees” of course is the actions these people took of desperately doing what it takes to get to Jesus. True faith in Jesus will take action.

Notice also the endearing tone in Jesus’s voice, meant to provide reassurance to the paralytic. He says, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” This statement is not meant to be an observation, but rather Jesus is performing the act that he is proclaiming. This fact is confirmed in the rest of the story.

Whether the paralytic and his friends recognize this or not is left untold to us; however, what Jesus makes clear is that our greatest need from him is the forgiveness of sins.

What is the biggest problem in your life? People answer this with various things: Environment: If I could just change my home life or my school, then things would be so much better. My psychological well-being, my physical health, my lack of self-esteem, on and on the list could grow.

It is true that we all face various problems. Our world is fallen and torn apart. The danger is that anytime we disagree with God about the biggest problem in our life it leads to idolatry. Jesus points to the biggest problem in addressing this paralytic: he says, “your sins are forgiven.”

Our biggest problem is our own personal rebellion against the God of the universe. We have done things that God hates, and not only have we done them, we wanted to do them. Jer. 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

I don’t have to know you heart because I know the Scripture. Your heart is desperately sick. What does that mean? It means your desires, what you want to do is so twisted by sin that you yourself fail to recognize how wicked you are. If I knew what was in your heart, you’d be expelled, no one would want to be your friend, or even be near to you.

And because of your sin you deserve the righteous judgment of almighty God. If this school would kick you out if it knew your heart, how much greater would be the judgment of God who does know your heart? Jesus knows your heart and pursues you still. look at verse 6.

Mark 2:6-9 “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’?”

I want you to consider some of the implications of this for a moment. Jesus knows what’s going on in these scribes hearts. Of course, Jesus is God, he knows what is going on in the hearts of all.

Think about it. One day, young men, you will pursue a girl to marry. And you have to know, just a PSA, any romantic relationship that you establish with no intention of marriage is sin. But anyways, once you pursue a girl for marriage you will begin to learn things about this person that aren’t as pleasant is you may have imagined in your rose-tinted glasses. Furthermore, after you’re married for several years, you will continue to learn things. My wife can sometimes guess correctly what I’m thinking. Marriage is such a commitment that no matter the flaws you discover in the heart of your spouse you still continue to love them.

We all know that middle school relationships are a joke. But even most high school relationships are pointless too. Why? Because the girl and the guy alike paint themselves up to be something that they are not just to win the love of this other person. It’s just fake.

Listen, here’s the point. Jesus is not deceived. You might even try to do the same things, maybe you even get out your Bible and read it and try to pray prayers. Jesus knows your heart, there is nothing hidden from his sight. Jesus knew this paralytic man’s heart.

And I want you to know that if you’re sitting there now and your recognizing, maybe for the first time in your life, your desperate condition, how much sin has infected you. You recognize that if you stood before God in judgment today he would say, “depart from me you worker of lawlessness.” If you, right now throw yourself upon Christ, trust in him with your very soul, turn from your wicked ways, you too can hear from Jesus, “Son, daughter, your sins are forgiven.”

Why? Because Jesus has the authority, he has the power to forgive sins. Jesus responds to the scribes accusations in their hearts with a קל וחמר argument. This just means light and heavy. This type of argumentation is used all throughout the Bible. It brings together two like things, one easier and one more difficult. And if it is the case the “heavier” one is true, then it is also the case the “lighter” one is true.

One saying is “light” : your sins are forgiven. This statement is “light” not because it’s less important, but because there’s no immediate verification. If a dark spot representing sin dissipated from the man’s head, the scribes wouldn’t be questioning in their hearts. If the scribes could just pick up their phone and call God, they wouldn’t be questioning in their hearts. However, the scribes are skeptical that Jesus can do what he claims.

Then Jesus gives the “heavy” statement: “rise take up your bed and walk.” This statement is “heavier” because, of course, if the man does not comply or is unable to comply, it will prove the scribes right, Jesus is merely a blasphemer.

Look at what Jesus does next:

Mark 2:10-11 “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.””

Notice in verse 10, Jesus gives the reason as to why he is healing this man. The healing is to prove a spiritual reality which is unseen. Forgiveness of sins, which was once a right for God alone in heaven is now an authority entrusted on earth to the Son of Man.

The title that Jesus gives to himself is significant. The title recognizes him as Messiah, but it was a title the hearers around would have been unfamiliar with. The danger is that everyone expected the Messiah to overthrow the Romans. However, Jesus came to deal with a greater enemy: sin and satan.

The title comes from Dan. 7:13-14 ““I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

I just want to implore you, that if you want forgiveness for your sins, there’s one who has this authority. We don’t go to a priest or a shaman, we have no need for a monk or a great preacher, we need Jesus Christ. Go to Jesus who has all authority to forgive your sins.

Does Jesus bring us fulfillment? Yes. Does he bring us peace? Yes. Does he bring healing? Yes. Does he break addictions? Us. However, the greatest thing he does for us is dealing with our greatest problem: sin and its consequences. All of our problems are rooted in sin and Jesus has the authority to deal with it all.

Now to the story’s resolution in verse 12

Mark 2:12 “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!””

The effect of Jesus’s words are immediate and public. The implication is strong. If it is the case that the man was healed by Jesus’s very words; then, it is also the case that the man’s sins were forgiven by Jesus’s very words.

The crowd’s reaction is in stark contrast with the scribes. The scribes saw what Jesus did as an affront to God, trying to take God’s place. The crowd here saw Jesus for who he was, someone acting in accordance with God.

It’s almost as if the scribes, who in their own righteousness did not feel any need for the forgiveness of their sins. Why? Because they’ve been to Torah school, the follow the law to the T, they jump through all the hoops. If anybody in that room with Jesus was good with God, it was them.

Then they see Jesus forgive someone else’s sins and they become indignant.

Jesus says in the very next story Mark 2:17 “And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.””

Jesus, by this statement, is not saying that there exists somewhere some righteous person who has no need of him. The scribes of the Pharisees are the ones who see themselves already as “righteous” and believe they have no need for Jesus’s ministry.

And maybe that reflects you. There are many of you in this room and there are a number of things that could be keeping you from recognizing your need for Jesus. Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that you have some other problem bigger than sin. Maybe you’ve been raised in church or a Christian school your whole life and you feel that you’re just good to go. Maybe you think you’ve got this whole life thing under control.

But listen carefully. You know what I’m saying is true. Search your heart. You know how wicked and godhating your heart can be. Even in this moment where you sin is showing restraint, your sin nature is still doing everything it can to prevent you from listening to this truth. Apart from Christ everything you can possibly want and do is only done to please you. Don’t you see how hopeless that is? Don’t you see how futile and empty it is to always please yourself? Oh that the Spirit would work on your heart.

You see the great healer here, the physician of you soul. Jesus has the authority to forgive your sins, turn to him.