The Presence to Heal
THE MIRACLES OF JESUS
PART 5 – The Presence to Heal
Mark 2:1-12 NLT
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man
2 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2 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, 3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 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. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”
6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7 “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”
8 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 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, 11 “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
12 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!”
Luke 5:17-39 NLT
17 One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.
18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, 19 but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”
21 But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 23 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 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!”
25 And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”
Seven takeaways:
1. There was, and still is, a presence to heal.
Luke 5:17 (NKJV)
"And the power of the Lord was present to heal them."
Other examples:
Luke 6:19
Acts 5:12–16
Peter's ministry became marked by extraordinary healings.
Acts 14:8–10
Paul perceived that the crippled man "had faith to be healed."
Acts 19:11–12
"Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul."
Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
TRUTH: The presence to heal didn't end with Jesus' earthly ministry. The risen Christ still ministers through the Holy Spirit today.
2. The Word was being preached before the miracle occurred.
Mark 2:2
"He preached the word unto them."
Luke 5:17
"One day while Jesus was teaching..."
Romans 10:17
"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Acts 14:9
The crippled man "heard Paul speaking."
Faith wasn't manufactured, it was produced by hearing God's Word.
John 6:63
"The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."
TRUTH: God's Word prepares hearts to receive God's power.
3. Faith removes barriers.
Mark 2:4
"They uncovered the roof where He was..."
Luke 5:19
"...they went up on the housetop..."
Additional references:
Luke 18:35–43
Blind Bartimaeus refused to let the crowd silence him.
James 1:6Faith refuses to quit.
Hebrews 11:6
"Without faith it is impossible to please Him." “FLOW WITH HIM”
TRUTH: Faith doesn't deny obstacles, it overcomes them.
4. Faith is contagious when believers walk in unity.
Jesus noticed something remarkable.
Mark 2:5
"When Jesus saw their faith..."
Not just the paralytic's faith.
The faith of the four friends mattered.
Additional references:
Ecclesiastes 4:9–12
Two are better than one.
Matthew 18:19
"If two of you agree..."
Acts 2:42–47
Unity preceded extraordinary miracles.
Psalm 133:1–3
God commands blessing where there is unity.
TRUTH: Sometimes your breakthrough is connected to the faith of people carrying you.
5. The Gospel that forgives also heals and brings wholeness.
Jesus addressed the man's greatest need first.
Mark 2:5
"Your sins are forgiven."
Then He healed his body.
Mark 2:10–11
Jesus healed to demonstrate His authority to forgive.
Additional references:
Psalm 103:2–3
"Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases."
1 Peter 2:24 NKJV
“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed.”
James 5:15
“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
TRUTH: Jesus came to make people whole, spirit, soul, and body.
6. A clear conscience opens us to receive God's grace.
Jesus dealt with guilt before paralysis.
Whether or not the illness was connected to sin, Jesus first removed condemnation.
Romans 8:1
"There is therefore now no condemnation..."
Hebrews 10:22
"...having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience..."
1 John 3:21–22
"Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence toward God."
TRUTH: Condemnation hinders confidence; forgiveness produces bold faith.
7. Every miracle should point people to Jesus.
The greatest miracle wasn't that a man walked.
It was that people glorified God.
Luke 5:25–26
"...he went home glorifying God."
Mark 2:12
"They were all amazed and glorified God..."
Additional references:
John 20:30–31Miracles were written so people would believe.
Acts 3:12–16
Peter refused to take the credit.
Matthew 5:16
"...that they may see your good works and glorify your Father..."
1 Corinthians 10:31
"Do all to the glory of God."
TRUTH: Miracles are not about making much of us, they are about making much of Jesus.