Sermons

Whatever it Takes
The Gospel of Mark: Who is this Man?
05/05/2024 

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!”

Capernaum – sits on the Northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, it was fairly flat, there was a Roman garrison there.  

Main Idea: If we want to be used by Jesus to bring people to Him, we must be willing to do whatever it takes.

1. The crowd had a lot in common with the crowds today.

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.

A. Notice what Jesus was doing. He was preaching the word to them. The “word” is the Greek word “logos” and we will see it used throughout the Gospels referencing the Scriptures and the One fulfilling the Scriptures. John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
B. So, the Word of God was here preaching the Word of God and in doing so, He was affirming the truths in the word. In John 10:35 Jesus says “Scriptures cannot be broken”…
-2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
-“Scriptures (the Word of God) is not limited to the OT – listen to what Peter has to say about Paul’s writings: 2 Peter 3:16 - as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

C. Who was there as the Word of God was preaching the word of God? And what does that crowd have in common with any crowd where the Word of God is preached today?
D. There was people who were following Jesus – those who were curious about Him and those who opposed Him.
• Followers of Jesus were hanging on His every word to grow in Him. Perhaps they had been healed by Him…
• Those curious about who Jesus was listened and watched carefully to determine if they should follow Him too…
• Those who were opposed to Him wanted to catch Him saying something they could exploit…
E. Any time the Word of God is preached we can likely find these three same groups of people…. Who do you identify with in the crowd?

2. The power of faithful friends.

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.

A. The scene:
• Peter’s home 
• Crowd pressed together – even out the door
B. The removing of the roof.
C. They dropped their friend at the best place in the world to be dropped – at the feet of Jesus.
D. Do you have friends in your life that are willing to do hard things to bring you back to Jesus?
E. Are you the kind of friend that would push through the awkwardness and bring your friends to Jesus? 

Main Idea: If we want to be used by Jesus to bring people to Him, we must be willing to do whatever it takes.

3. Jesus displays His power to save through His power to heal.

Mark 2:5-12a - 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,

A. The payoff the four friends get here – “when Jesus saw their faith”…
B. Jesus first heals the man in the area of his greatest need.
C. The man’s physical healing was to demonstrate Jesus’ ability to heal spiritually.
D. Physical healing is only temporary – we should seek it for sure, but it is far less important than our spiritual healing.
E. Have you received spiritual healing? 
F. When God moves in the lives of those around us, there is only one appropriate response. Mark 2:12b - so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
G. The believers glorified God, the seekers glorified God and the scribes glorified God… 

Conclusion: Am I willing to do whatever it takes? What is stopping me from being like the four friends?

1. We are afraid to face the “crowd”
2. We don’t feel qualified
3. We don’t want to be perceived as “pushy”
4. And, we are unfortunately complacent and somewhat apathetic.
May I remind you, dear Christian brother and sister:

1. You don’t need to be an expert
2. You don’t need a seminary degree
3. You don’t have to have all of the answers
4. You just need to be faithful 

You have been commissioned by God to be a Holy Spirit-filled ambassador to a lost and hurting world!

What can I do?
1. Use what you have (circles of influence, time, your home, your hobbies, etc.)
2. You can invite someone here
3. You can share your story (just as miraculous as the paralytic's!)

Jesus is exalted when we do whatever it takes to bring those around us to Him.

Speaker: Dan Krause

May 5, 2024

Mark 2:1-12

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