Year B 2nd Sunday before Lent Mark 2:1-12

There are two sermons on this page. The first an 'adult' one, the second an 'all age' one where there was a Baptism before the sermon...

PRAY

At the start of his gospel Mark is building up a picture of Jesus. After teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum with a new kind of authority, healing people and driving out demons, Jesus has left town, fearing that he be thought to be a mere wonder-worker. Now he returns to Capernaum; word gets out that he is back, probably at Peter's house. He tells the many who come to see him about "the word" (v. 2), God's purposes to be fulfilled through him.

The paralytic was helped by 4 friends who carried him all the way to the house. They couldn't get in because of the amount of people blocking the entrance to the house. The roof of a Palestinian house could be reached via steps outside. A roof, which was flat, was made of sticks covered with hardened mud. They carried him onto the roof opened it with their bare hands and lowered him in.

Again and again in the gospels we read of people being brought to Jesus by others for healing. We even read of the centurion who brought his slave into the presence of Jesus by telling him there was something wrong and asking for his healing power to work over a distance. The trust in the power of Jesus and the practical action of the paralytic's friends helped to save him. Let that be an inspiration for us to trust in the power of Jesus to transform people. God may call us to physically take people to Jesus, like giving them a lift to church. I know that some members of our congregation are involved in this ministry. Maybe we are called to bring people into the presence of Jesus by telling him about them in our prayers. We know that he can heal over a distance in this way. We have seen this happen recently when we prayed for Ernie Langford to be healed when he was taken ill in Spain. I am sure many of us are bringing Roy Forrester into the presence of Jesus in our prayers at this time.

The four men would have heard about the healings of Jesus and thought they were bringing their friend to be healed. However, they got more than they expected !

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Jesus called him son, literally child. It was a term of affection. Jesus declares that his sins are forgiven. This is the momentous event in this passage. The reason why Mark chose to include this story in his short gospel.

In Judaism, certain sins could be forgiven by God if the sinner was sorry for what he had done, acknowledged the deed, and was resolute in not doing it again. Here Jesus forgives because of the faith of the mat-bearers and, possibly, that of the paralytic. Elsewhere he responds to the faith of the centurion, not his sick servant

Jesus  knows what the scribes are thinking: the Old Testament teaches that only God can forgive sins; Jesus is not God, so he must be a blasphemer (vv. 6-8).

It is "easier" (v. 9) to say that sins are forgiven because no human can tell whether they are or not; there is no visible sign.  People don't go around with 'forgiven' or 'sinner' written on their foreheads ! Only God knows. But only God can heal and he would not use a blasphemer as his agent in healing. If Jesus heals, he is from God; if he does not, he blasphemes. So Jesus shows them that he does indeed have "authority ... to forgive sins" (v. 10): he heals the paralytic by word alone (vv. 11-12). So the healing verifies that Jesus is God and that he has the power to forgive sins.

In Jesus time there was a popular belief that someone was sick or disabled or subject to a terrible accident because of a sin that they, or their parents had committed. Elsewhere Jesus teaches his disciples that this is not the case. Here there clearly is a link between the sin, which Jesus forgives, and the paralysis, which he cures.

Paul Y Cho, the Pastor of the Full Gospel Church in Korea wrote about a woman in his congregation who was crippled with arthritis.  Her husband had left her and their children for another woman. This  put her under financial pressure.  She stated that she hated her husband because he was guilty of adultery. Paul Y Cho told her she had to forgive her husband to receive healing. She agreed to do this and to pray and fast at Prayer Mountain, a place they have set aside for prayer. The following Sunday she came to Pastor Cho after a service and introduced her husband. He had been convicted of his sin and, after  deciding against committing suicide, went to church to receive forgiveness. He saw his wife there and asked her, and God for forgiveness. He became a Christian and his wife's arthritis was cured so she no longer needed her wheel chair. She had been healed inside before and because she was healed outside.
What was most important to the paralytic ? To be healed of his physical infirmity, or to have his sins forgiven ? Which would last longer ?

We can come into God's presence, in church or in our devotions, with sin and guilt. We can come from God's presence forgiven. We may look the same externally, yet we are made whole within. We may still have physical pain, or problems in our life, but we can be whole before God.
The disability that the man suffered from may have lasted for the rest of his life if Jesus had not healed him. But the forgiveness that Jesus brings lasts for ever.

One day Jesus will return and take all his followers to be with him in heaven. There will be no more paralysis, sickness, suffering, tragic accidents, death, or mourning then because there is no sin in heaven. Believers will have prefect resurrection bodies and be able to praise and worship God forever. This gives us a certain hope to inspire and strengthen us to live for Jesus today.

In verse 6 we read of the opposition of the teachers of the law. Yet in verse 12 it says that everyone was amazed and praised God, including them we assume. The power of Jesus to forgive and to heal transformed everyone. When we know the power of Jesus in our own life, or in the lives of others we should praise God and go on to live in the light of that knowledge.

I mentioned earlier Jesus is God and that he has the power to forgive sins. We know this because the man was physically healed. We know this because Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins, and he rose again to prove that this was true. This is something that we proclaim and celebrate in our Holy Communion Service tonight. We can experience the forgiveness that Jesus offers today. Whatever bad things we have done. Whatever unforgiveness, hatred, or bad thoughts we may have hidden within us.
In the Secret Diary of Adrian Plass he relates a conversation during a House Group meeting : 'Mrs Flushpool asked the first question. She said, 'I find it strange, Reverend - I cannot call you 'Father' because of scriptural reservations - that on your previous visit you barely mentioned the judgement of God of sin committed in the natural. Perhaps, you do not feel sinful ?'

Father John blinked. 'Oh, I'm a ratbag,' he declared with enthusiasm, 'but I do feel so very forgiven. You see, God's crazy about me, just as he's crazy about you. Salvation was His idea, you know, not ours.' He pointed to Mrs Flushpool. 'If you were to commit a foul sin with everyone in your street, and then said to God, "I really am honestly and sincerely sorry," He would say, 'Great ! Let's start all over again." Marvellous isn't it ? '

Mrs Flushpool, presumably wrestling inwardly with the image of herself committing fouls sins with everyone in the street, splashed back down into her seat, looking rather breathless.
Leonard Thynn leaned across and whispered in my ear, 'He knows a different God to the one I do. His God's nice !'

PRAY

Lord Jesus I ask : For your forgiveness.
For a mind that will never forget you.
For a determination to live for you, and a life that will go on forever.
Son of God only you can give me these things. Amen

Family Service Mark 2:1-12

PRAY

Think about healing of the paralytic,

Link to number 4. 4 points...

4 friends.

Paralytic helped by 4 friends who carried him all the way to the house. tried to get if. Carried him onto the roof. Opened it with their bare hands and lowered him in.

Their trust in the power of Jesus and their practical action helped to save their friend. Let that be an inspiration for us to trust in the power of Jesus to transform people. Maybe we may have to physically take them somewhere to Jesus, like giving them a lift to church. Maybe God is calling us to bring someone who doesn't know Jesus to the Mothering Sunday service.

The parents and godparents of Bailey have promised that they will encourage him by their teaching, example and prayers, within the church to  a personal trust in Jesus. So, parents and godparents I would like you to consider your responsibilities to be like those of the 4 men. Bringing Bailey to Jesus. Sometimes it may seem a heavy load, even impossible, but a personal trust in Jesus is the best gift that he will ever receive.

4 given.

Jesus did more for this man that simply healing him of his paralysis. Jesus forgave his sins. How could anyone do this ? Only God could 4give sins! The religious leaders were astounded at this claim, but Jesus shows that this claim is true by healing the man. Jesus claimed to be God. Jesus also claimed that he would die in our place on the cross , receiving the punishment for everything that we have ever done wrong so that we may be free. Free from guilt and fear, free from the condemnation of God.

We know that Jesus claims were true because he rose from the dead and is alive today.

John, Cheryl, Julia, Mark and David have declared that they know that forgiveness of Jesus for themselves and want Bailey to know that for himself. Let us all declare that we know the forgiveness of Jesus and that we want to help others to know that for themselves.

4 ever

The disability that the man suffered from may have lasted for the rest of his life if Jesus had not healed him. But the 4giveness that Jesus brings lasts for ever.
One day Jesus will return and take all his followers to be with him in heaven. There will be no more paralysis, sickness, suffering, death, or mourning there because there is no sin in heaven. Believers will have prefect resurrection bodies and be able to praise and worship God forever.

4 ward

Jesus told the man he was forgiven and to get up, take up his mat and go home. To receive the forgiveness and healing of Jesus the man had to obey him. He would never find out if he was better without taking Jesus at his word and trying to get up and walk.

It says that the onlookers praised God but I bet that the man leapt for joy as he ran home ! There was no going back for him now.

Jesus will forgive us what is past, and transform was is be4 us. When we know the forgiveness of Jesus this brings us incredible joy.

If you are not 4 Jesus he wants you to be his friend. Are you up 4 it ?

PRAY

Lord Jesus I ask 4 things :
For your forgiveness.
For a mind that will never forget you.
For a determination to live for you.
and a life that will go on forever.
Son of God only you can give me these things. Amen.