Face to Face: Paralytic

Sermons

Lawrence Kelley
02/12/20 - Thought of the week

Series: Face to Face with the Glory that Transforms

Face to Face with the Glory that Transforms #6

We have been talking about how the people that got face to face with Jesus found transformation. Inherently, though, you have to get into the presence of Jesus to find that transformation and healing. In Mark chapter 2 we read a story of a man who was powerless to even get close to Jesus. We do not learn his name or what he looks like, all we learn about him is that he was paralyzed. And that he also had four really good friends. This man and his friends questions us and our faith: what obstacles will we overcome to get in front of Jesus?

When we try to picture what it was like in Jesus' day one of the challenges is trying to imagine just how many people were following him. In this story we read about Jesus teaching in a house, and the house is packed to the door. Not only are the crowds difficult to picture, but also the need people felt to get to Jesus. This need is what the man with paralysis and his four friends articulate perfectly for us to see.

He had no way, on his own, to reach Jesus. I wonder if he convinced his friends to carry him or if they just decided to take him and then whisked him away. Regardless, they pick him up and carry him (who knows how far), and when they finally get to where Jesus is they find a house so packed with people that they probably could not get in on their own, let alone carry a man on a stretcher in. What could they do? All signs pointed to the answer to this paralytic's need being no, but they did not let circumstance stop them. These men get themselves, and their paralyzed friend, up on the roof and start digging through the roof. Finally they lower the man down to Jesus.

What is the Lord's response going to be?

And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

All of this effort, the carrying, the digging, and the lowering, and Jesus does not even heal the man?

What is incredible is that Jesus did not primarily see this man as a physically paralyzed man, but Jesus saw him primarily as a spiritually lost individual. Jesus could, and does, heal this man's paralysis, but he sees the true need of this man's heart.

Do you think that is the reason these men carried their friend to see Jesus?

Jesus transforms those who, in faith, come to him. Even in the great faith of these men that knew no obstacle, I wonder if Jesus healed a problem they did not expect him to heal.

I hope and pray that we have faith like these men that will not let anything stand in the way of our goal to be closer to Jesus Christ, and to see him face to face.

Even more than that, I hope that as we all come closer to the Lord we will see our need for him to make us spiritually whole. This need eclipses all physical needs or desires, yet we often struggle to understand that.

This Sunday we will look at this story as we go through our series of people who came face to face with Jesus and were transformed. We will see Jesus from the perspective of this paralyzed man and hopefully walk away transformed like he did.

Lost River Church of Christ 662 Dishman Lane

Sunday 9:00AM Bible classes for all ages.
Sunday 10:00AM Worship service with a message on this theme.
Sunday 5:00PM Discussion groups where you can dive deeper and grow closer to others who are being transformed by Christ.
Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Class

* If you want to do additional reading this week, here is a suggested list of passages: