Notes
When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”
But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”
Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
Mark 2:1-12
The paralyzed man left the room differently than he entered it. God will meet you wherever your mat is, and we can stand up from the mat when we choose to respond to His forgiveness. Jesus forgave him, but it was the man’s response that helped others see who God is. Our testimonies are powerful!
1) Stand Up
The man’s faith was tested when Jesus told him to stand. By obeying, he displayed faith in what Jesus was doing. God meets us where we are at, corrects our sin in love, and then shows us how to get things right the next time. The first step in moving forward with forgiveness is to listen to the voice of God telling you to stand up from your mat.
2) Pick Up
The man’s friends did everything they could to get him to Jesus, but depended on Jesus’ power for forgiveness and healing. It takes a humble heart to receive forgiveness and come under God’s authority. When God changes you, you become a display for Him. Once we’re forgiven, it’s time to stop wallowing in our sin - on the mat - and move forward.
3) Walk
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
Galatians 5:16
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
Galatians 5:19-25
When Jesus told the man to go home, He was giving him a new direction. By walking in one direction, you deny the other; by walking in the power of the Spirit, we deny the desires of our flesh.
God forgives us so that we will walk in our purpose. Once we receive His forgiveness, we can walk by the guidance and voice of the Holy Spirit.
Group Questions
- What are some things that caught your attention in Mark 2?
- What does it look like for us to “stand up from our mat”?
- Why does it take humility to receive forgiveness?
- How can we check to ensure we’re walking by the voice of God?
Prayer
Thank you for offering forgiveness so that we can walk in our purpose. We wish to walk after you and follow your voice.