A Commotion in Capernaum

Father, we love you. We ask all these things in Christ name, amen. There's no doubt that the most distinctive benefit that Christianity offers the entire world.

It's not. That of a sacrificial love.

The most distinctive benefits are blessing that Christianity adds to this world or offers to this world is not a higher standard of morality. It is not giving a world, a more sense of a more purposeful life. And all of those virtues that I just mentioned, really are the byproducts of biblical Christianity.

If a person is saved, they are going to love sacrificially. If a person is born again, they are going to live. A high morality is a high standard of morality.

Okay, well see, this is them giving me directions on where to go on this. In the sermon. I probably set that thing off by saying something. I've done that before. the if you had those smartphones and if I say something that is, It just, I don't know. But anyway, I got the power. I guess you could say.

I tell you if you don't believe the Lord has a sense of humor humor than, you know, I feel sorry for you.

But all those virtues. Are byproducts of biblical Christianity.

But they are far from Christianity's, gift to humanity, the greatest gift to humanity. You see the Bible, the gospel offers one surpassing benefit that transcends, all others in a blessing. It is a blessing that no other religion can offer and it corresponds directly to man's greatest need It's a beloved to listen, only Christianity provides a solution for Humanity's fundamental and far-reaching problem, namely, the reality that Sinners stand guilty before a holy God who has justly condemned them to eternal hell because of their rebellion and other lawlessness. So understand me this morning that ultimately God does not send people to hell because of sin. but because of Unforgiven sin, And so he'll is populated by people whose sins have never been forgiven. Until the difference between those who look forward to eternal life in heaven and those who experience Everlasting punishment in hell is not a matter of personal goodness. No, no, no. Rather is bound up entirely in one word and that is the word forgiveness. Blood listen. Our greatest problem, as humans. Is sin. Seeing is our greatest problem. It is our greatest enemy and it separates us from a holy God. It renders us spiritually dead and if left Unforgiven results in Eternal death in a place called hell. We know that seeing shadows relationships, it causes us to think foolishly it, leads us to make bad choices and moves us to act an evil and destructive weights. so, the greatest question known to man is this, can I be forgiven Can I be forgiven?

And I can't answer that. Question, based on the authority of scripture. Yes, you can. Hallelujah for that. Can I be forgiven? Yes, not buy because Wayland's says so, but because the Bible says, so who can forgive me? The priests. No good works. No God can God can. And the God who is revealed in the person of God's only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This Jesus, that is mentioned so often here in the first two chapters alone, that tells us his deity and Mark 1:1, it's houses that Jesus is the son of God. I'm going to chapter 2 and verse 10. We read that Jesus is called the son of man. And then it 1:24, he is the Holy One Of God who has come to take the sins. Take away the sins of the world. He is the only one who can deliver me from the penalty of sin providing for our justification. He is the only one who can Deliver Us From The Power of seeing ensuring my sanctification. He is the only one who can Deliver Us from the presence of sin promising. My future glorification. And so in light of who Jesus it and in light of what Jesus can do this, text of ours provides the different responses that were given by the multitude of those who entered into that house and saw the various things that they saw and heard the various things that they heard that day. Noticed with me. First of all, That for many, this was a time of excitement. This was a time of excitement. Baby learning, Mark. Chapter 10 has began his public Ministry in the city of capernum. Immediately, he began to preach about the kingdom of God. And in that chapter, we saw clearly that Jesus also, demonstrated his great power by casting out demons and healing all kinds of diseases. I didn't mark 1:32. We learned that Jesus. Must have healed nearly every sick person in that town. But sadly, what happened was is that his miracles Eclipsed his message. The people flock to Jesus, simply just to see what Jesus would do next.

And each miracle that Jesus did left them hungry to see more miracle. And so to escape this frenzy Jesus and his disciples, they go off to Galilee to preach. And now after they come back from Galilee and preaching their Jesus and his men, they returned back to capernium. Verse one tells us in again he entered compare after some days. And it was her that he was in the house more than likely, he's back into Peter's mother-in-law's house. But as I said capernium, was the town that Jesus began his public Ministry capernium, served as he Northern headquarters for his ministry. It was here that he put his great healing power on public display. It was here that he preached with power, it is here and capernium, that Jesus made his very public claims to be the Christ. The anointed one, the Messiah, but capernium had a major problem. And that is that they valued the Miracles more than they valued the message. They valued the Miracles more than they valued the Messiah himself.

They are certainly interested in Jesus. But their interest is for the wrong reasons. They're just there to see another miracle. And we should not condemn them to such a point, because really, that's human nature, right? It's Human Nature. notice however, Jesus, instead of Miracles, Jesus preaches verse 2. immediately many gathering together so that there was no longer room to receive them not even near the door. He preached the word that him. he preached, the message, he preached the word, the logos, the word of God, So this involved Jesus Proclaim in the scriptures using the Old Testament. This involved him continuing his message of repentance and believe the gospel. When Rider said this more than any other expression in early Christianity, the word defines the essence of Jesus's Ministry.

The word defines the essence of Jesus ministry and listen, as benefactors of Jesus gracious Ministry. We need to hear the preaching of his word. We need this. Blood listen, preaching was Central to the life and Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the same should be true for our church.

Preaching is God's chosen method for reaching into the hearts of the Lost with the gospel of grace.

And blood and nothing should be allowed to crowd out the message. We should pray that our church would stay focused on proclaiming the gospel of grace. It would be easier today in the world in which we live in 2022 to slack off and took back off and to water down the message. So that we might be able to entice more people to come in. However, the prime primary Ministry of this church is not to fill the pews. Primary Ministry of the church is the proclamation of the Lord's message. So there was a great time of excitement within this town and especially within this specifically, in this home. But no response we seen or text is a time of commitment. A time of commitment. We see this inverse number three.

Then they came to him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men and when they could not come near him, because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was Lie, So during Jesus, teaching during his preaching for men showed up with a man who could not walk. He was crippled. He was a paralytic. And obviously, they believe Jesus could heal this crippled man. But there was a problem. Because it was such a great crowd. They could not get in to see Jesus, but that did not turn them away. They were determined. Very determined so determined that they took the outside staircase up to that flat roof top which was very common in those days and times. The roof would have been made of wood beams cross laid with branches and packed with a thick layer of grass play in mud, which could have been upwards of 18 inches thick. It was something that's I'm like the roofs today. You could easily walk on these roofs knife. You know me. You know that I'm not going to get on my roof at my house. I don't like heights. My roof is not flat. I'll tell you that this roof. I would have got up on and these men were able to get not only themselves up there but this paralytic man up there. But notice that these four men did an amazing thing. They began to tear a hole in this roof. These men were literally digging through the roof. You can imagine those inside. Listening inside the home. That could hear the shoveling. They could hear the pounding, they could no doubt. Watch the debris. Fall from the ceiling fall from the roof, as the hole in the ceiling, in the roof at larger and larger and we can just imagine the commotion and the verbal exchange that must have went on between those from the inside of nose for men on the roof, especially if this was Peter's mother-in-law was home, right? But finally, from the rooftop in through the ceiling down, comes as paralytics bad. And this man that is in that bed until you could just imagine the scene in how, what a scene. This must have been them lowering the paralytic man from the roof to, where Jesus was at. What you talk about commitment? you talk about commitment, these four men had They had it. You know why there was so committed. Because they loved him dearly. They loved him. And they would not be deterred, they would not be put off by the crowd. I mean honestly they even vandalize vandalize. Another person's property to get this man to Jesus.

Thing about this, they ignored the protests, they ignored ignored, the judgments of those around them, for the sake of this paralytic, man. And we don't know if this crippled man was a friend of theirs. We don't know if he was a relative of theirs. All we do know is that they loved him. They loved him to such a point. They went to Extreme Measures to get him to Jesus. I think about it. Whatever would happen that day. Weather G with a Jesus would have killed him or whether this man would have been rejected. Whatever this paralytic was a very rich man. A very rich man because he had somebody in his life who genuinely cared for him. He have somebody in his life who genuinely loves him, And this poor crippled man had something for which some people spend millions and yet never find. Someone to love them and care for them but no strings attached. I'll listen, the Lord was going to work in his life. and we shall see because of his, Friends and his great and these friends great love for this crippled, man. But along with that, great love. Is France. Also has something else. They had great faith, they had great faith. And there was no way that they would have gone to such outrageous extremes of action. If they did not implicitly. Believe that Christ could and Christ would heal The Fray I mean think about this a wavering Faith would have objected when they begin hoisting. The stretcher up to the roof or would they would have ran away and left when they started digging? I mean, some of the guys could have said something like this. Hey guys, this is crazy. This is embarrassing. I'm going to leave. You're going to have to finish this yourself. But that route, but the four men fruli believed. And I noticed this this kind of Faith invites, the Lord's miraculous power. Their example, teaches us something about faith, which makes the most of the Lord's power. Notice some things about these men's, these men's Faith. Notice first of all, their faith was persistent. Their face was persistent. When they got their friend on the stretcher. There was no stopping these for men. when they came to an obstacle, not one of them said well you know, The doors closed. The Lord shut the door. I guess. This isn't the Lord's will know. They were persistence. When these four men for their tour through the roof, they took the kingdom by determined Force by the term in force and such Faith unleashes got power and so their faith was for sister, but notice also their faith was sacrificial. Their faith was sacrificial

I notice they did destroy someone else's property. They did destroy someone's rooftop. And so somebody would have to pay for the roof or fix it and that would take time, that would take labor in, that would be expensive. But you see a face and brings Christ power to the world is always willing to pay the price. So we see in the lives of these, four men have Christ. Healing power is absolutely Unleashed in the world through both love and through faith. Oh, how they loved? They're helpless friend. Oh, how they loved this man. Whom society would have turned their noses to Oh, how they love this man? That many in that day would have thought that man must have got done has done something to deserve that crippled life.

Oh, how the world? Must be loved by us and truly loved. And listen, I'm not talkin about. now, we love only those who are crippled those for paralytics. Population. We love all people. All people those who are down cast in society. Those who are may be looked up to in society we love all people o.

And listen, they also believed that Christ was the only way. Their belief really rocked Invincible determination. They would not be denied in this also brought about creativity. Their faith was creative. They found a way. So let me ask you this question this morning, do we believe that Christ is the only way?

Has it brought creativity in your life of how you bring others to Christ as it brought sacrifice. Do we truly love our families and our neighbors on and those to whom we work with

Notice.

Not all were so committed. We noticed some verses 5 through 7. That there was also a time of resentment. A time of resentment. Verse 5, tells us when Jesus saw their Fates He said to the paralytic, son, your sins are forgiven you. And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts. Why does this man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins, but God Alone.

Bible reading these verses here. Do you know who the real paralytics were? Do you know who the real cripples were? The Pharisees and scribes. The real paralytics were those who religious? But there were lost. I mean, just noticed, they're marked difference between these four men.

4/6 houses that the Pharisees were just sitting there. Just sitting there. And listen as the religious leaders of the day, they should have been directing people to Jesus. As the religious leaders, they should have when that roof open. They should have reached up to receive the poor crippled. But instead of love. There was indifference in their heart. instead of Faith, there was only criticism Of course, our Lord saw everything far more clear than what we do. So he decided to use this moment with this crippled man before him to make his point. Knowing that the Pharisees and scribes were looking for something to pin on Jesus. Jesus gave it to them or so they thought verse five. Again tells us when Jesus saw their faith he said the paralytic son, your sins are forgiven you Now this was a calculated outrageous moment. He tells this crippled man, this man who who, who could not walk this man who was a paralytic, he tells him that your sins have been forgiven. He does not say anything about you being able to to be healed and and to walk. And so from our perspective that looked very cruel again, here's a wretched paralytic, barely able to raise his head, hoping for pure and price comes along and says hey your sins are forgiven you. and so, from the Pharisees perspective, this was blasphemy For only God could forgive sins. And so the question is this, why did christ say this? Well, because regardless of this fit physical man's condition, his greatest need by far was forgiveness of sin, that's why? And truthfully forgiveness was a far greater work for it, cuz the Lord Jesus Christ, his very life.

So he met the man's greatest need first. I need met. That would have last all eternity. Let me think about this. If Christ only heal this man physically and this man was able to walk and that's all this was a physical healing. Then as the years would go by eventually Batman's limbs would give wood with her back just with age alone. But also Jesus pronounce for forgiveness first to trap the Pharisees with the implication of the healing. He was going to perform verses 8 through 11 really reveal the slot. Mercedes says but immediately when Jesus perceived in his Spirit as a reason that's within themselves, he said to them. Why do you reason about these things in your heart which is easier to say to the paralytic? Your sins are forgiven you or to say arise, take up your bed and wall but that you may know that the son of man has power on Earth to forgive sins. He said to the paralytic, I say to you arise, take up your bed and go to your house. And so Jesus is physical Miracle verified his moral miracle. so what more could the Pharisees say that leads us to our last point, a time of astonishment, a time of astonishment, verse 12 tells us Immediately, he arose took up the bed and went out in the presence of them all. So that all were amazed and they glorified God saying, we never saw anything like this again, what a moment I would have loved that scene at this moment in history and I can just see this paralytic man. This crippled man, who is now made whole physically, he's running, he's sleeping, he's jumping e, he might be doing cartwheels, who knows? What is for friends? Still gazing down that hole in the roof? No, doubt have tears of joy, in their eyes. They have tears of excitement as they see their friend or relative. Whoever it is, that is so dear to them being healed. Crowd is there and they're moving and Hauling and they're saying that we have never seen anything like this. The Pharisees in the scribes. for doing what they do best, they were frowning But my would have seen. This man and merely rising up. There's no recovery. There's no. Of time or he's eventually healed. He is a mediately healed. One, Pastor said it this way. He said, I think I see him. He sets one foot down to God's glory. He plans to the other to the same note. He walks to God's glory. He carries his bed to God's glory. He moves his whole body to the glory of God. He speaks, he shouts, he sings. He leaves to the glory of God in my, would a display before the wandering crowd. At this man went home, he bought something far more impressive than his bed and that was this man had a clean heart. The greatest Miracle of all. Is taking a heart that is sin stained and send the field and cleaning it. There's no more guilt for this man is no more bitterness for. This man is no more attention for this man. As I said, someday. I was newly restored, limbs would eventually with her.

But there we would remain in him. A well of water springing up into everlasting life for his sins are forgiven.

And notice that the Lord can do anything he wants, he can heal any disease as he pleases. But the greatest miracle. And the only one that is eternal is that he forgives

I wonder this morning has Christ said to you, your sins are forgiven.

Have you been cleansed? By the blood of Christ.

Luke says of this events. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. And that power was Unleashed by the love in the face of a helpless paralytic for friends. And bloodless and this is how it is. Unleashed today to a world who is paralyzed in their sin. We must love the world. We must genuinely love then we must compassionately, love them. And obviously, this Begins by loving those. We can see, we should love our family. We should love our neighbors, we should love those to whom we work with, And then extending that. Love to those. We cannot see

Isabella white. How do we show our love to the world? My soul that is a sermon within itself.

I'm not doing to others. That's one way.

How about telling your friends and your family, the truth? When it's not popular. But, you know, the truth is what they need. One of the greatest ways you can love your family, your neighbors is telling them the truth in love. We need this. We need to be determined to love those in our circle of influence.

Finally, alone with love. We must, we must believe that. Jesus Christ is the only one who can heal the paralyzed. Those are paralyzing sin. Do we believe the words of Jesus? When he when he said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father, except through me. Do we really believe this? If we do listen, then we will be like those four men will be persistent. We will be creative. We will be sacrificial and bringing our friends to Christ Jesus.

Blood of Jesus miracles. They function a function as signs, validating his claim that he possessed Divine authority to forgive sinners. But more than this listen, Jesus, not only had the power to forgive Sinners, he became the perfect sacrifice, on which Divine forgiveness is based. The words Jesus spoke to that paralyzed man. Some two thousand years ago are the same words. He still speaks to all who come to him and genuine Faith. Your sins are forgiven. Now, the greatest benefit Christianity offers to the world, is the Forgiveness of sins. Jesus Christ made forgiveness possible through the death on the cross. And below the offer, is he offers that forgiveness to all We're willing to repent of their sin and believe in his name. Let's pray. Our Father God. We thank you. Lord for this tremendous story.

This true biblical story. and father, I pray that you would take your word. And Lord that you would increase it into a heart. You would apply it to our life. Father, I pray that if there be those here today,

her asking in their heart. Who can forgive me?

Father, I pray to the Holy Spirit. You would convince them that only Christ can forgive. and if they would come to you in faith and repentance,

Believing.

Father, I pray that we as a church. We as individuals.

Would be more. Committed. And be more compassionate to those who are lost.

Father, help us to love and Lord, help us to have the faith that these men had so long ago. To bring those who are crippled and send. To your son, Jesus. and father, as we get ready to

Celebrate and commemorate, the Lord's Supper.

We will get ready to recognize and remember.

Lord, Jesus death on the cross. And his shed blood father. I pray that we would take this time. To examine our hearts. And if there be sin in our life that Lord that we would confess it and repent of it. I pray Lord that you would take this ordinance. And use it for For Your Glory. With all these things in Christ name, amen. Why the Lord in his grace? Established to visible ordinances that he has given to the church one being baptism and the other being the Lord.

Related Media

Related Sermons