Mark 2:1-12

Our God is a miracle working God. We can go boldly to His throne asking Him for miracles in our lives…Why? Because He cares for us!

Just Believe in His power to accomplish what we cannot!

"Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it-the LORD is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known" (Jeremiah 33:2-3).

“Wherever Jesus went he healed people of every sort of illness. And what pity he felt for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn’t know what to do or where to go for help” (Matthew 9:35–36 TLB). Jesus had a heart for the hurting in his day. He still does today.  Max Lucado

Love is not something you have.
Love is something that has you.
Terry Hershey “Sabbath Moments”

Mark 2:1-12

And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Jesus’ words to the man suggest a connection between sin and illness, an assumption rooted in the ot understanding of disobedience to God’s law resulting in various curses. The healing that follows authenticates Jesus’ claim to forgive sins. The people’s increasing recognition of Jesus’ authority provokes conflict with these teachers. For Jesus’ opponents, His claim to forgive the man’s sins—equivalent to claiming divinity—is easily dismissible since there is no proof of the success of His claim. Jesus’ rhetorical question and following action are meant to stimulate His audience, and especially His accusers, to recognize that He had authority to act with God’s power. Jesus acted with an unprecedented authority over physical maladies and demons. Faithlife Bible.

Many in the crowd may have come expecting to see healings and miracles. The throng blocked entrance into the already packed room. The determination of the men is seen in the fact that they uncovered the roof over the room where Jesus was preaching. The roof was probably flat and constructed of tiles laid one on another. Not only did the four men have faith, but the paralytic himself had it too. When Jesus announced to him, your sins are forgiven, He was implicitly acknowledging the paralytic’s trust that He was the Messiah.

Mark notes the opposition of the scribes, who under their breath accused Jesus of blasphemy. In Christ’s day the scribes were commonly called lawyers. Jesus asked the which is easier question to demonstrate the truth of His claim to forgive the man’s sins—something only God can accomplish. Anyone could assert the ability to forgive sins, since there was no earthly way of confirming the statement. But to say arise, take up your bed and walk to a paralytic could be tested immediately by whether he walked or not. By healing the paralytic, Jesus made His pronouncement of forgiveness far more credible. Son of Man is a term regularly used for the Messiah.

The crowd’s reaction showed that they understood the significance of Jesus’ miracle. It is possible that some scribes and Pharisees joined in the acclamation. But permanent, life-changing faith is what Christ sought, not temporary adoration from the crowd. NKJ Bible.

When we see what Christ does in healing souls, we must own that we never saw the like. Most men think themselves whole; they feel no need of a physician, therefore despise or neglect Christ and his gospel. But the convinced, humbled sinner, who despairs of all help, excepting from the Saviour, will show his faith by applying to him without delay. Matthew Henry Commentary.

Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

Matthew 4:24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

Matthew 9:2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.