The Gospel According To Mark (Part 10)

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The Gospel According to Mark

(Part 10)

Good morning and welcome to Jesus Church

We are in the middle of a series going through the Gospel of Mark

• Looking at the life/mission/ministry of Jesus
  • And our prayer is that as we look and who Jesus was
  • It will shape who we are
  • Because it is our goal to become like Jesus (disciple)
• Last week we looked at a “day in the life of Jesus”
  • Jesus is teaching in the synagogue (church of the day)
  • Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law
  • Jesus cleanses a man who had leprosy
• Last story really stands out as the opening chapter comes to a close
  • Mark tells this story intentionally at this point
  • Because it tells us that something has shifted in human reality

Jesus touches the unclean and makes him clean

• This is about physical healing… but its about much more than that
  • B/C touching someone who was unclean… you became unclean
  • It always worked this way… the clean couldn’t change the unclean
  • It was only the unclean that could change the clean

Job 14:4

Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one!

• And it starts from the beginning of the story

Gen. 3:3

But God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.

• But Jesus seeks out the unclean… loves them… makes them clean
  • Because the power of Jesus changes everything
  • And you don’t have to wait to be clean to have him touch your life
  • He wants to do that right now

TAG: Today we start Ch. 2… Jesus has been traveling and name spreading

Mark 2:1-2

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.

• This was the home where Jesus was staying – Peter’s mother-in-law
  • Home so crowded… had to do a church expansion project (pic)
  • But remember there is a courtyard and there is no room

Mark 2:3-5

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowering the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith (who’s faith are we talking about), he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (explain… Jesus recognizes the faith of these friends / recognizes something else in this paralyzed man)

Mark 2:6-9

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone? Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: To say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up take your mat and walk’?

Mark 2:10-12

But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in. full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Interesting stuff: Name this sermon – The frozen, the faithful, and the fools

[Pray]

Story

Growing up in Seattle on Summer family went to Vancover BC

• It was amazing there… loved it – favorite thing was the little shops
  • And my parents told us we could buy one thing
  • Found this illusionist shop… the guys slight of hand blew my mind
• And it wasn’t even the tricks
  • He could get you to look at what he wanted you to look at
  • So you wouldn’t see what was really going on
• And the reason that works – Because humans are the same
  • When 15 different people all look the wrong way
  • It means we all have the same tendency
  • Our minds assume things based on presumptions

Maybe you’ve seen this around the internet… (Bonnie add this whole thing as a slide) :o)

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

When we read this story – Easy to see it as a miracle like any other

• A paralyzed man… Jesus heals him (but so many dynamics to story)
  • There’s Jesus impressed by faith of those who brought him
  • Pharisees that show up jealous and frankly confused by all of this
  • And a man who Jesus see’s needing to take courage in forgiveness
    • As a predecessor to healing
• So thinking this is just a healing stories of Jesus – Misses everything

I want to look at the 3 sets of people

Jesus impacts in this story

First Group: Is the Pharisees

They aren’t the first ones in the story… but they’re the first on the scene

• They’re sitting in the house when everything happens
  • Remember we’re talking about a packed house
  • So much so that the only way in is making a hole in the roof
• So these men must have got there early
  • They must have been interested in what Jesus had to say
  • In fact they allow Jesus to teach them from the scriptures
  • But you can tell from story they not comfortable with Jesus at all
• Now remember these men – who loved God – Teachers just like Jesus
  • They would know all the stories of God healing in the OT
    • But their focus isn’t on 1 man desperate to be healed
    • Its not on 4 men who’d do anything to help their friend
  • Their focus is on finding something wrong with Jesus
    • Because what he is saying isn’t comfortable to them
    • Its not the way they were taught or want to be taught
  • So they discredit him before even seeing what would happen

It amazes me how quickly we will write others off despite what we know

• What these men know… Jesus already is healing people
  • Probably why these pharisees are there in the first place
  • A guy who is paralyzed is dropped before Jesus’ feet
  • What do you think is going to come next
• There’s a very good chance that he’s gonna be healed
  • Wouldn’t you think they would wait to see what happens
  • But in their minds they’ve already written Jesus off

I had a friend who was a pastor

• Couple started going to their church… pretty rough life
  • Pastor did counseling for them
  • He married them
  • Walked them through some of the hardest times in their life
• An associate pastor decides he wants to start his own church
  • Starts telling half truths about the pastor
  • This couple hears about it… gets offended
  • Ends up leaving the church… not going with the associate
• Never even once asked their pastor what was going on
  • Why… its easier come to a conclusion than fight for the truth
  • In the end they made a life decision based on a made up story
  • Think about how sad that is…

These men throw out: Miracles/authority of demons/teaching they heard

• All because they aren’t willing to try and understand
  • Arms crossed… puffed up with their own knowledge
  • Writing off others because they aren’t willing to listen

James 1:19

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

• Why do most people become angry… we jump to conclusions
  • Get in an argument and 3 sentences in you aren’t even listening
  • Because you’ve already written off what they are gonna say
  • All you’re doing is planning out what you’re gonna say next
• Angry: Argay – Anger… but as a punishment coming from judgement
  • And if you can’t take the time to seek understanding
  • Might as well be in the room… arms crossed
    • Missing miracles Jesus is doing right infront of your face

Second Group: These 4 friends

Mark 2:4

Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they gave up went home.

Oh I’m sorry… that’s probably what I would have done

• How many times do we face situations God has called us to be in
  • Situations that seem absolutely impossible
  • The room is full… the courtyard is full… I can’t even see the door
  • Let alone four men carrying a paralyzed guy
• How easy is it for us to say “Oh well we tried”
  • Obedience to the voice of God isn’t trying…
  • Now if God just asks you to step out in faith the that’s great
  • But if God calls you to take a man to the feet of Jesus…
    • You better get there – Because God will make a way
    • But you’ll never find it if you just give up
• And what know is… getting to Jesus rarely includes a red carpet
  • Jesus said part of the journey is trials & persecution

I think sometimes we just need to not take “NO” for an answer

• No I won’t give up on that dream God gave me 18 years ago
  • I refuse to believe I will never find the right person for me
  • I will not be ok with where my life is right now
  • I’ll never stop innerceeding for that person to find Jesus
• And you might not even be able to see him
  • When you can’t get through the door… you MAKE a door
  • Because nothing can stop you from what God has called you to
  • And when you do that God will always honor it… how do I know??

Mark 2:5

When Jesus saw their faith…

• Don’t ever think that God doesn’t see your faith in action
  • He see’s it and he acts accordingly to it
  • When you refuse to give up on getting to Jesus
  • That is faith that brings miracles

Third: The Paralyzed man

And this is the most interesting part of the story to me

• I trying and picture what this looked liked
  • I mean was he on a stretcher…
  • There were 4 of them… was it like you grab an arm I’ll grab a leg
  • It just doesn’t say
• I don’t want to talk about how he got there – But when he got there
  • B/C Jesus response to him needing to be healed… is forgiveness
  • Matthew Jesus says “Take heart (assured) your sins are forgiven”
  • And when the man is assured of forgiveness he gets up and walks
• And Jesus is always very specific with how people are healed
  • Your faith has made you well
  • This demon can only come out through prayer and fasting
  • Here: It’s be assured… you are forgiven

I wanna take the last few minutes to talk about regret/condemnation

• Because this man wasn’t paralyzed because of a sickness
  • It wasn’t from the decay or injury to his body
  • He was paralyzed because of he didn’t believe he was forgiven

The #1 reoccurring issue phycologists deal with in their patients: Regret

• One Christian therapist said – If we could cure regret… I’d have no job
  • We have allowed regret and condemnation far too much power
  • And in many ways it paralyzes us just like this man we read about

Rom. 8:1 (When Paul tells us in Rom. 8:1)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

• He’s talking to you and me about our past holds us back
  • And we need to find freedom in Jesus… so you can walk again
  • “Take courage… your sins are forgiven… now its time to walk”
• And I know some today are just as paralyzed as the man in the story
  • And you might walk just fine… you can smile
  • But you can’t move forward
• Jesus did not come so you could live a life of regret
  • He came so you could live a life of redemption
  • But you need to realize the reason you can’t walk
    • Is because won’t let yourself get past your past

Today Jesus wants you free… and tell you: Get up, take your mat and walk

[PRAY]