Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• A remarkable event in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ - We see Jesus define authority to forgive sins
• The forgiveness of our sin is our greatest need
• Unforgiven sin sends people to hell
• We are all sinners and all deserve hell
• God through Christ has made a provision to rescue us from sin
• Forgiven sinners have an eternal home in heaven
• Sin and guilt is our greatest problem
• A psychiatrist said that 95% of people need a priest - their problem is guilt
• Christianity is the only religion that addresses the problem of sin and guilt
• This passage specifically addresses this topic
• Reading Mark 2:1-12
• Prayer
• We are only in the second chapter of Mark but Jesus has already demonstrated a lot about Himself
• His authority as a preacher/teacher - 1:22
• His authority over unclean spirits and demons - 1:27
• His authority to heal the sick - 1:34
• His authority to cleanse the defiled - 1:40
• Now Jesus demonstrates an authority that is unique to God alone - the authority to forgive sin

Looking at the Text

v1-2: a self-seeking crowd gathered

• Jesus was in His home town, perhaps His own house
• A very large crowd had gathered - such there was no room
• Why? - Jesus was preaching to them
• Preaching was Jesus' purpose - 1:38
• Were the crowds there to hear Jesus preach?
• Were they there [simply] to see a miracle worker?
• Often when large crowds gather, they form an obstruction to His ministry
• They often wanted miracles but had no interest in His spiritual message
• Do we recognise our need for God's word?
• Pharisees and Scribes present - cf Matthew 9:1-8, Luke 5:17-26
• The pharisees were there not to hear Jesus but to judge and 'correct' His teaching
• The scribes were there not to hear Jesus but to trap Him with 'blasphemy'
• They hated Jesus preaching forgiveness of sin to all who would hear Him

v3-4: introduced to 5 men

• A paralytic man being carried by 4 others
• Are these men here also just for self-seeking reasons? For the healing of the paralytic?
• They are determined to hear the gospel
• They desire to be at the feet of Jesus
• The men start digging through the roof
• It showed their determination to reach to Jesus
• They had heard Jesus and they believed in Him - 1:5
• Their faith was linked to action
• Faith is always linked to action
• Do our actions show that we are redeemed people? - examples

v5: the forgiveness of sins

• God only forgives a repentant heart
• This paralytic man must have heard Jesus preaching – 1:14-15
• Yes he wanted healing, he would have been condemned by society for his ailments
• But he recognised that he must be rescued from his sin
• He sought out Jesus
• He knew Jesus had the power to heal the heart and soul, as well as the physical
• Jesus openly affirms the state of all who believe in Him - forgiveness
• The paralytic said nothing, asked for nothing
• Yet Jesus saw his heart and saw his faith
• He was forgiven by God's grace through faith
• We cannot do anything to take away our sin - we need the forgiveness of Christ
• The God of the Bible is a God who forgives sins
• Exodus 34:6-7, Isaiah 43:25
• He loves to pardon and forgive His children
• Jesus addresses the paralytic man with "son" - 1:5

v6-8: Jesus demonstrates that He is God

• Jesus' words caused great offense to those present
• Whilst the paralytic rejoiced in his heart ... the Pharisees and Scribes took great offence
• Is it often not the religious who take offense to God's word?
• The Scribes theology was correct - only God can forgive sins - 1:7
• Jesus is here proclaiming and showing that He is God
• Jesus is God with us - Emmanuel
• Jesus displays His God-nature
• Jesus shows that He is God
• Jesus sees the hearts of the scribes
• He has the authority to see into their hearts
• Jesus forgives
• To prove He has authority to forgive sin, He heals the paralytic man – 1:9-12
• The paralytic man left the house completely changed - physically healed and spiritual forgiven

v12: the response

• All were amazed by this - 1:12
• Have you seen anything like this?
• Are you amazed at His preaching?
• The forgiveness of sins is the message of the gospel we preach
• Sin is humanities greatest need - Romans 3:23
• The guilt of sin condemns us
• Christ brings forgiveness of sin
• God is a merciful God who forgives sin
• This is the Christian gospel
• There is no other gospel
• cf Acts 13:38, Ephesians 1:7

Closing Remarks