HOFC Sermon Archive: Gospel of Mark Part 11: Jesus Heals the Paralytic

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction

2. John the Baptist

3. The Baptism of Jesus

4. Temptation of Jesus

5. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus I

6. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus II

7. The First Disciples

8. A Teacher with Authority

9. At the Home of Simon and Andrew

10. Jesus Cleanses Leper

11. Jesus Heals the Paralytic

Today is Sunday. March 16^th, 2025

INTRODUCTION

A few weeks ago, we saw Jesus cast out a demon at the beginning of His public ministry, preaching and teaching in a Synagogue. From there, He went to the home of Simon and Andrew, healing Simon’s mother-in-law of a fever.

Last week, we saw Jesus continue His public ministry, traveling from Synagogue to Synagogue. During this time, He cleansed a leper.

I wanted us to pay close attention to all these scriptures about healing for a couple of reasons.

A) We know Jesus heals. Scripture says it was one of the signs He was the Messiah.

a. Luke 4:18; Isaiah 6:11

B) So why are there so many examples of this in scripture?

a. I believe it is because Jesus is a great teacher, and there is more to learn from these encounters than simply Jesus heals.

This week, we read of a paralytic being healed. Last week, the previous verses told us Jesus cleansed a leper. The week before, He healed a woman sick of a fever. The week before, He cast out a demon from a religious man in the Synagogue.

We can read these verses and simply say, “Jesus heals!”

Or, we can look more deeply at the messages over the last few weeks and say,

Jesus cast the demon out of a “religious” person who appeared to respect the faith and the Sabbath by being in the Synagogue. A fake. A counterfeit believer. (Tears among the wheat. Wolves among the sheep)

Jesus healed a woman of fever, not in front of a bunch of people to prove anything, but in her home, before the crowds arrived, to teach us He cares as much for us personally as He does corporately.

Jesus cleansed the leper, who revealed how to pray and approach Jesus as a believer. Earnestly, reverently, humbly, submissively, believing, acknowledging our need, being specific, and brief without lofty words or fanfare, but in simplicity.

This week, we will examine the paralytic’s healing and discover the meaning behind the truth of the event as we look deeper than Jesus heals.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Mark 2:1-12

“And when He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them.

3 And they *came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. 4 And being unable to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof over where He was; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the mat where the paralytic was lying.

5 And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”

6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, *said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?

9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your mat and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He *said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your mat, and go to your home.” 12 And he got up and immediately picked up the mat and went out before everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

This event is also described in Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12 and Luke 5:17-26.

The obvious here is that Jesus forgives sin. Jesus heals.

I. THE OBVIOUS

a. Where it all took place

i. THE PLACE: This takes place in Capernaum, described as Jesus’ own city

ii. Located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee

iii. This was the “base of operation” for Jesus’ public ministry

iv. Again, we see as soon as everyone heard Jesus was in town, the house where Jesus preached quickly overflowed with people, packed in like sardines

v. THE PARALYTIC: He and his friends also heard about Jesus.

vi. The friends take the paralytic to the house and try to carry him to Jesus

vii. Unable to get through the crowd, they climb on top of the house and lift their friend up to the roof, where they break open a section of the roof and lower the paralytic down.

viii. Jesus observes the faith of the paralytic and his friends and forgives the paralytic’s sins.

Jesus forgives (first) the paralytic man.

b. Hostile foes

i. Upon hearing Jesus’ words, scribes say in their hearts, “Blasphemer.”

ii. Not outwardly, not vocally, they were outnumbered here by those who loved Jesus and believed in Him.

iii. Silently charging Jesus with “only God can forgive sin.”

1. Remember last week I talked about Jeremiah 31 and how scripture said the Messiah would come and forgive sins?

2. A sign Jesus was God, which the scribes should have recognized, is when Jesus called out what they thought in their hearts. 1 Kings 8:39 “…listen from heaven Your dwelling place…for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men…”

3. The scribes knew these scriptures…yet ignored them.

iv. Because Jesus is God, He knew their hearts and replied

1. Which is easier? To forgive or to heal?

2. Both require divine authority and power!

3. Jesus did both before their eyes.

Jesus forgave the paralytic his sins first. Then, waited to heal him. Why?

To reveal His divine power and authority to forgive sins.

THAT’S what was being questioned by the scribes, the ability to forgive sins. THAT is central to the gospel message and the reason Jesus died.

The focus on Jesus’ ministry, as we saw last week and in previous messages, is, and I quote Jesus here, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10

Does Jesus heal? YES! However, that is not “why” Jesus is here!

He came to seek and save the lost! That is the gospel message!

What good is healing if you have not been forgiven of sins?

Again, does God heal today? YES! However, that is not our mission. What good is healing if you have not been forgiven of sins?

Matthew 5:29-30 “But if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.”

The mission of Jesus is not to come and make our bodies complete and perfect. But to save us from eternal separation from God in hell.

Jesus preached repentance and told us to put our trust in the gospel so we could have forgiveness of sins and receive salvation from hell. Shouldn’t we focus on preaching and teaching the same things as Jesus?

I believe these verses are here to teach us about the importance of surrounding ourselves with other believers.

II. THE DEEPER LESSONS

a. The importance of surrounding yourself with believers

i. CHURCH: “let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

1. When we go to church, we encourage each other to love (I Corinthians 13) and also to do good deeds (Book of James)

2. When we bear Spiritual Fruit (inside and outside of church) we feed others the goodness of God, which glorifies God, helps others, and draws them in to hear the gospel message about the forgiveness of sins and salvation through Christ.

3. When we have Spiritual Gifts, those gifts are not for us but for others. When we miss church, we not only deprive ourselves of the goodness God has for us from other believers but also deprive others of receiving what God has given us in the form of Spiritual Gifts.

ii. Scripture calls us sheep because Jesus is the Great Shepherd, who watches over His flock and protects them.

1. It is true that if a sheep were to stray away from the herd, the Lord would send someone after. However, what may happen before the sheep return could be devastating.

2. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us, “Be of sober spirit, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

3. How do lions hunt?

a. They actively seek out.

b. They find a herd

c. They watch for young, weak, sick, those who stray too far from the herd and attack.

4. Just like the devil

a. Actively seeks out

b. Find a church or Christian gathering

c. Watches for “new” believers

d. Those who may be “weak” (don’t know the word of God)

e. Those who are “sick” (sin is our sickness)

f. And those who stray too far from the herd (church or gathering with other believers)

b. Believing friends will go with you where others will not

i. What can we see with the paralytic and his friends?

ii. It took MORE THAN ONE FRIEND to help him get to Jesus

1. Ecclesiastes 4:12 “if one can overpower him who is alone, two can stand against him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”

a. There is strength in numbers.

iii. They had faith and believed in Jesus, like the Paralytic

1. 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?”

a. We see that the friends had faith, like the paralytic. They were like-minded.

iv. They not only carried him there, but when that didn’t work, they did not give up!

1. James 1:12 “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

v. They did whatever it took to get him in front of Jesus

1. Climbed on top a house and busted the roof

2. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

3. If you are striving to reach Jesus, persevere, and do whatever it takes, because whatever you do to reach Jesus, it is not in vain!

c. Their faith as a group of believing individuals accomplished what the paralytic could not, even if he had one good believing friend!

i. We need to remember 1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

ii. We need to remember Hebrews 10:25 “…not forsaking our own assembling together…”

iii. And we need to remember most of all

Sometimes, we are the believing friend someone needs, and sometimes, we are the paralytic in need of strong, believing friends.

CONCLUSION

I believe we should read this and say, I want to be that believing friend who would do anything to help.

Or, perhaps we may say, I am that friend in need; am I forsaking the fellowship of other believers? Am I separating myself from believing friends that God has put in my life?

Either way, the paralytic’s faith led to Jesus fulfilling his needs. May we have the same faith.

NEXT WEEK: “Part 12: Jesus and the Tax Collector”

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