The Story of Healing of a Paralytic

Mark 2:1-12

We can find the same story in Matthew 9 and Luke 5 about Jesus healed a paralytic man, but Mark 2 is a little different. To summarize the story: Jesus was at home and many people gathered, there was no room for anyone to come close to Jesus. There was a paralyzed man and 4 men wanted to bring him close to Jesus, so they had an idea of making a hole from the roof and lowering him down. Jesus saw them and their faith, he said ‘your sins are forgiven.’ The scribes there questioned Jesus in their heart. Jesus knew and corrected them, although saying picking up the bed is easier than saying ‘your sins are forgiven’ Jesus chose to say the harder one 

This story is controversial because based on the story, there is a connection between sickness and sin. Can we really say people are sick because they have sinned against God? is it true?

There is another similar passage, John 9, Jesus’  disciples asked him ” who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered them that “it was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the work of God might be displayed in him.” Jesus denied the correlation between our sickness and sin. He emphasized that the main purpose of our sickness is that God will reveal his work through us and our sickness.

Things to remember and learn from the story:

1. ‘Your sins are forgiven’: The story teaches us who Jesus Christ is. Jesus has the authority to forgive our sins. If we know this and when we know we struggle with our sins, we need to go to God and ask for forgiveness. Some people who keep committing sins again and again, often feel hopeless in their relationship with God and they are afraid that it is too late to come back. But we have to remember Jesus has the authority to forgive, so always come to him.

2. This paralyzed man was restored/healed: this is something we can experience in our life. When we come to Jesus, we can experience healing and restoration. We need to have different perspectives when going through hard times. If we keep fixating on our own way of thinking or one way, we will be discouraged and hopeless. PD could be sad when he thinks about his condition, but he chose to focus on the positive side. Instead of complaining all this, he is hopeful for what God is working in his life or doing through his sickness. So we should change our attitude. This is a privilege for us to experience God in our life and we need to be thankful.

3. What faith is: in ANF, we know that faith is to follow Jesus Christ, but in this passage, faith is simply and totally dependent on Jesus Christ. This paralyzed man doesn’t have a desire to follow Jesus Christ, but he just wants to be healthy because he knows Jesus is the only way. To this paralytic man, this is the only option/possible way to get healed. Therefore, Just the total dependence on God is sufficient.

Faith does not mean that we don’t do anything or there is nothing for us to do. In this passage, faith is described in a very active way: go to the roof, make a hole, and lower him down’ they made an extra effort to overcome the obstacles between them and Jesus Christ.

 Some people don’t put out enough effort and simply are discouraged in their situations, they want to have faith in God to do something to change their situation. Christians often ask God to do something in their life, so if this paralytic man only waited outside, then nothing will happen. So instead of waiting and asking God, we need to try to overcome and come close to God.

4. Who is this paralyzed man? The paralyzed man cannot move his body as he wants, he is not able to change his situation. Jesus did not see the paralyzed man’s faith but ‘their faith.’ This is the faith of the four people who carried the paralyzed man. This paralyzed man not only doesn’t have the ability to change but also doesn’t have a desire to change. 

We usually say if we want to experience Jesus Christ, we need to have faith. However this is not the case in this passage. This paralyzed man doesn’t have desire or will or ability to change his life, but his sickness was restored, so it is possible not because he had faith but because the other 4 men did. 

Look at the people around us who don’t have faith in Jesus, they can still experience healing/restoration even though they don’t have faith. We need to have strong faith to overcome the obstacles, that is true, but this story gives us another perspective: Through my community and their faith, I can be healed. This is very encouraging and hopeful. To our VIP friends, coworkers, and family members: Although their faith in God is not enough, because of my faith they could experience God and receive blessings and mercy and miracles. So If we don’t have any ability or desire to change our life, we should have someone who has faith in Jesus to carry us. 

To someone who is paralyzed in our life and doesn’t know God, the calling is for us to be these 4 men. Through our faith, through our labor, these people will receive Jesus Christ. This is the hope we should have.

Our society emphasizes individualism, faith is personal but faith must be communal as well. If we have received God’s blessings, it could not only be your faith, but also the people around us, so we should be humble.

Reflection Question:

• What is your take away from the message?