Mark 2:1-12
Not As Bad
Outline:
I. \\#Mark 1:1-15\\ Introduction
A. \\#1:1-8\\ Jesus Was Announced
B. \\#1:9-11\\ Jesus Was Authenticated
C. \\#1:12-13\\ Jesus Was Proven
D. \\#1:14-15\\ The Bridge
II. \\#Mark 1:16-2:28\\ Meet Jesus
A. \\#1:14-2:12\\ Jesus’ Authority
1. \\#1:16-20\\ Jesus Has Authority over Men
2. \\#1:21-22\\ Jesus Has Authority in Doctrine
3. \\#1:23-28\\ Jesus Has Authority over Demons
4. \\#1:29-39\\ Jesus Has Authority over Sickness
5. \\#1:40-45\\ Jesus Has Authority over Disease
6. \\#2:1-12\\ Jesus Has Authority over Sin
B. \\#2:13-28\\ Jesus’ Care
1. \\#2:13-17\\ Jesus Cares for Sinners
2. \\#2:18-28\\ Jesus Cares for the Pharisees
Mark continued his quick-paced record of Jesus’ life and ministry. I
believe Mark selectively chose events to accomplish his purpose, and
I believe his purpose was to demonstrate that Jesus was far more than
a man. He is God, and so has the authority that only God has.
We will look at a sixth area in which Jesus demonstrated His
authority. The twelve verses that we will look at tonight are packed
with truth. We will consider just three main thoughts.
I. \\#1\\ Jesus has arrived.
Mark 2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum
after some days; and it was noised that he was
in the house.
A. Mark was recording Jesus’ return to Capernaum.
B. There were several things that the first four events Mark
recorded at in common.
1. They were all very early in Jesus’ ministry.
a. In fact, they may have actually been Jesus’ "firsts."
(1) the first disciples to be called
(2) the first time to cast out a demon
(3) the first time to heal the sick
(4) the first time to do a miracle on Sunday
b. Maybe they were not, but these all occurred in
Capernaum during what must have been the early days
of Jesus’ ministry.
2. They were all in Capernaum.
3. They all happened very close to one another in time.
C. But event five was different.
1. Mark first recorded Jesus leaving Capernaum.
Mark 1:38 And he said unto them, Let us go into
the next towns, that I may preach there also: for
therefore came I forth.
39 And he preached in their synagogues
throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.
2. And except for the one miracle. Mark was silent concerning
the remainder of Jesus’ first evangelistic tour.
a. Why did Mark record that particular miracle?
b. I don’t know, but I think it was because this event
did two things that Mark wanted.
(1) It showed Jesus had authority over disease.
(a) The last one showed that Jesus had authority
over sickness, but I feel the two are
different.
i. Sickness is something the body can
usually heal.
ii. Disease usually requires some help from
outside the body, perhaps a medicine
or a surgery; else you may keep the
disease the remainder of your life.
iii. Jesus has power over both.
(b) From the conversation, it showed Jesus
cared.
i. The man had the faith.
ii. He was essentially saying, "I know You
can. If You want to, You can heal
me."
iii. Jesus’ answer was, "I want to!"
(2) I believe Mark’s second main truth to reveal
about Jesus will be that Jesus cares.
(3) So ALL Mark recorded about Jesus’ first crusade
was this one miracle.
(a) From Mark, we do not know how long Jesus
was gone.
(b) From Mark, we do not know what miracles,
sermons, and events happened.
(c) From Mark, we do not even know the cities
that Jesus went to.
3. All we know is that Jesus left, preached to and healed
people in Galilee, and then returned to Capernaum.
a. I don’t mean to read too much into what the Bible does
NOT say.
b. Mainly because it is a very dangerous thing to do.
c. However, I believe the fact that Mark skipped over so
much potential material indicates that what he did
record was selected for a purpose.
d. And I think that purpose right now is to show us the
authority that Jesus has.
D. Just to remind you of the miracle that Mark went out of his
way to record (\\#Mark 1:40-42\\, the healing of the leper),
there were two points that I made from that healing.
1. The miracle showed Jesus had authority over diseases.
2. But leprosy is also a type of sin.
a. Leprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases.
(1) Like sin, leprosy started small and grew.
(2) Like sin, leprosy started on the inside.
(3) Like sin, leprosy isolated and separated its
victim.
(4) Like sin, leprosy killed.
(5) Like sin, leprosy could only be healed by God.
b. By healing the leper, Mark was showing that Jesus had
authority to remove sin—in picture form.
c. But that was not good enough; so in chapter two, Mark
recorded a sixth event in the life of Jesus, one
that demonstrated that Jesus has authority over sin.
II. \\#2-4\\ Jesus has admirers.
A. We do not know how long Jesus was gone, but we do know what
He has been doing.
Mark 1:39 And he preached in their synagogues
throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.
1. Jesus had been preaching.
2. Jesus had been casting out devils.
3. And I don’t believe it is a stretch to say Jesus had been
healing.
B. Jesus had been doing this all through Galilee, and when Jesus
returned to Capernaum, He was very well known.
Mark 2:2 And straightway many were gathered
together, insomuch that there was no room to
receive them, no, not so much as about the door:
and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of
the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for
the press, they uncovered the roof where he was:
and when they had broken it up, they let down the
bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
1. We suppose Jesus went back to Peter’s house.
2. Wherever He went, there was no room for all of the
people.
3. Four friends wanted to get a man to Jesus and had to tear
a whole in the roof to do so.
4. There is much that could be said about the four men and
what they did.
5. We could talk about:
a. The four determined men who brought their friend to
Jesus.
b. The faith of the four.
c. The supernatural healing that Jesus gave.
d. But the reason that I believe Mark recorded this
particular miracle was again because of the
conversation.
6. So let’s focus on what Mark focused on.
III. \\#5-12\\ Jesus has authority.
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said
unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be
forgiven thee.
A. Notice what Jesus said to heal the paralyzed man.
1. Jesus was healing that man.
a. By this time, I suspect He had healed hundreds, maybe
thousands, maybe even more.
b. Jesus used several phrases when healing. He might
say….
(1) Rise up and walk.
(2) According to your faith be it unto you.
(3) I say unto you, get up and get.
c. But this time, Jesus used a phrase that tied the
man’s healing to the man’s forgiveness.
2. Jesus said that on purpose. I think for at least two
purposes.
B. Jesus said that to let the people know that the One who had
the power to heal also had the power to forgive.
1. The scribes immediately caught Jesus’ subtle message.
Mark 2:6 But there were certain of the scribes
sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who
can forgive sins but God only?
a. The scribes rightly concluded that Jesus just equated
Himself with God—because He had!
b. And Jesus did not back down but went on to emphasize
that their understanding was correct.
Mark 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in
his spirit that they so reasoned within
themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye
these things in your hearts?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the
palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say,
Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath
power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the
sick of the palsy,)
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed,
and go thy way into thine house.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed,
and went forth before them all; insomuch that
they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying,
We never saw it on this fashion.
2. Jesus first introduced Himself through His doctrine and
miracles.
a. You would think that would have been enough to show
people who He was, but most missed it.
b. In the beginning, the scribes and the Pharisees
listened to Jesus, probably curious about what He
had to say and anxious to get Jesus on their team.
c. But they wanted Jesus the miracle-Worker, not Jesus
the Son of God.
(1) Jesus was not just a Teacher.
(2) Jesus was not just a Healer.
(3) Jesus was not just a good Man.
(4) Jesus was God in the flesh.
d. Now Jesus was being more blunt.
e. Jesus’ bluntness will also move Him into new danger.
Once the scribes and Pharisees see that Jesus will
not join with them, they will connive to eliminate
Him.
C. Jesus said that to let the people know that every healing
requires a payment for sin.
1. Jesus was not just saying, "You sins CAN be forgiven." He
was saying, "Your sins ARE being forgiven."
a. Not all of his sins.
b. To be healed, this man was getting some forgiveness.
c. To be saved, he would still have to come to accept
Jesus Christ as His Savior the same as every other
person.
2. Have you ever asked yourself why Jesus suffered so?
a. The slapping, the mocking, the plucking, the
scourging, the crucifixion: all of these were
beyond the payment for sin.
b. What is the payment for sin? What are the wages of
sin? Death.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death….
3. Did you know there is an skill to kill with a knife?
a. Assassins are trained to kill quietly, quickly, and
to do so their killing is often done mercifully.
b. The butcher’s blade is very sharp, and he knows
exactly where to cut to end life almost instantly.
c. The animal being slain probably feels little more
than you and I feel with a paper cut, and he dies
too quickly to understand what is happening or to
panic.
d. That is the way every Hebrew sacrifice was supposed
to be slain: quickly, quietly, mercifully.
4. But not our Savior?
a. He was beaten, mocked, scourged, paraded through the
streets, nailed to a cross to die a slow, painful,
agonizing death for hours.
b. Why?
(1) Why break the type of every animal sacrifice
ever offered?
(2) Why endure all of that pain when all that was
required was a swift, merciful death?
5. I believe it was because His suffering was payment for
our healing.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was
upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6. It would seem that Jesus’ death paid for our sins, but
Jesus’ stripes paid for our peace and for our healing.
a. Jesus gave healing like they were free, but I am not
certain that it was.
b. All sickness, disease, torment, and suffering is part
of curse of sin.
c. Sin never just goes away. It does not disappear. It
cannot simply be forgotten.
d. All sin must be paid for.
(1) Who paid for those days when lame legs walked?
(2) Who paid for those days when dumb lips spoke?
(3) Who paid for those days when deaf ears heard?
(4) Who paid for those days when blind eyes saw?
7. What was Jesus telling them with those words? Jesus was
telling the man that He authority to forgive the sins
that produced this brokenness in His body and that He
cared enough for him to do so.
I do not know for certain but it may be that when you and I bear some
sickness, some disease, some pain, some agony, that is one pain, one
stripe, one bruise, one hurt that Jesus did not have to bear. If
that is so, it may change our view of suffering, maybe the pain is
not as bad.
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