What Do You Want Part 2

And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Mark 2:4–12 ESV

And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

mark

Mark 2:8-

The point of this encounter is this: Only God can forgive sin. Only God can miraculously heal the paralyzed. Jesus can heal the paralyzed. Therefore, Jesus is God. Jesus can forgive sins.

John 3:12 ESV

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

I will proclaim with the song:

This, the pow’r of the cross: Christ became sin for us; Took the blame, bore the wrath— We stand forgiven at the cross.

I will stop short of telling you your sins are forgiven, but will point you to the one who can!

Not to the exclusion of the physical

John 11:20–27 ESV

So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Resurrection of the body is promised for all who are in Christ; not merely a Spiritual disembodied experience

John 5:25–29 ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

JN 5:

The hour is here that the spiritually dead are brought to life

The hour is coming with the physically dead will be resurrected

Matthew 10:28 ESV

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

The healing of the physical is about the healing of the spiritual, but physical death is also a pointer to the realities of a forever dying;

If there is eternal life (and there is) there is also eternal death. One cannot believe the Bible about the comforts of Heaven without also believing about the realities of Hell

Romans 1:18 ESV

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Born blind, not became blind

People who lose their sight have a reference; memory to know they have lost a natural faculty. Those born blind do not.

Bartimaeus’s physical blindness was about his spiritual blindness

Acts 9:8 ESV

Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

Acts 9:18 ESV

And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;

This was to show Saul that although he had been full of scriptural knowledge in his head, yet he had only begun to see the truth in them, now being in Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

John 3:3 ESV

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

This room then is filled with both sighted people, and blind. Which are you? Jesus is Lord. He is the Savior. He IS the answer to the need of your heart. Can you see that?

John 9:6–7 ESV

Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

Jn 9:6

He heard about Jesus - v47-48

He heard

He called out to Jesus, son of David = Bartimaeus had previously been told about who Jesus was

Romans 10:13 ESV

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Pas Ha = all who

rom 10:1

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 10:14–17 ESV

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Faith happens to those who hear

Romans 1:16 ESV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

It is the gospel which contains the power; not the method or hook used to deliver or manipulate

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Have you been made aware of your blindness? Are you in need of a savior? Hear this: JESUS IS SAVIOR.

HE is the one who lived the perfect life that is required of us. (knowing we would not)

HE is the one who stood condemned in our place, although He was spotless. (because we could not stand such scrutiny)

HE was the one who hung in our place on Calvary. (because we were unable to pay the price)

HE was the one who conquered even death, resurrecting on the 3rd day. (because we never could)

This is the gospel of Jesus; the good news; the power of God unto salvation. Believe it. Cling to it. There is hope in none other.

Many rebuked him, and you - v48

There are external voices - in the text and in life

There are internal voices - in your own mind and heart

Why do they rebuke?

Some perhaps wanted their own voices to be heard above all else

Some perhaps were ashamed of his existence; his blindness

Many rebuke because they cannot stand for the truth to be told; knowing it condemns them

If you call out to him, go up front, shed a tear, admit you are a sinner then you validate the claim that Jesus is Lord

Isaiah 6:3–4 ESV

And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

James 2:19 ESV

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Do not listen today to the voices of rebuke.

God can hear all who call to HIm.

God desires you come to Him as you are.

Any who prevent you from moving toward Christ are voices of hate, not concern

Call Him - v49-52

Mark 10:49 ESV

And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”

Is the Lord calling to you? Are you in need today? Ignore the demonic rebuke and come to Christ. Jesus Himself stands asking, “What do you want me to do for you?” None are turned away. All who come in faith, seeking sight; healing will hear “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”

All who come in faith, seeking sight; healing will hear “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”

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