When Jesus healed a paralyzed man is a story recorded in Mark 2:1-12. But it involved more than a miracle. Here are some lessons for us today.
When Jesus healed a paralyzed man he was impressed by the show of faith
In this passage Jesus taught a crowd of people in a home. It was so packed that when four men brought a paralyzed friend for Jesus to heal they couldn’t get through the front door. So they climbed to the roof, cut a hole in it, and let the man down on a bed. Impressed by their show of faith, Jesus told the man his sins were forgiven.
Religious leaders in the crowd were outraged. Who did Jesus think he was? Only God could forgive sin! Jesus knew their thoughts and acknowledged that merely saying, “your sins are forgiven” proved nothing. To make a claim was easy. Proving it something else. Like stamping a visible forgiveness halo over the man’s head.
Faith is what makes Christianity so hard for many people to accept. Because faith is intangible. It requires a personal decision of belief followed by an action. And without it, you will never please God.
So Jesus did something tangible and much more impressive than a visible forgiveness halo. He instructed the man, “rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” AND HE DID.
It visibly demonstrated Jesus’ divine power to heal and therefore, his authority to forgive sin. But faith is always our part to play.
When Jesus healed a paralyzed man he also healed his spiritual brokenness
The paralyzed man sought physical healing. But Jesus also healed his spiritual brokenness. The passage doesn’t identify the man’s sin but it must have been pressing because Jesus addressed it first.
Maybe bitterness in his heart because of his paralysis. He blamed God or someone else who caused it. Or perhaps something unrelated to his paralysis. The point is that sin in the heart takes many forms and paralyzes you as much as a physical handicap. Sins like…
- Anger
- Jealousy
- Pride
- Sexual immorality
- Unforgiveness
To name just a few. They consume our thoughts and darken our hearts. Jesus recognized whatever it was in the paralyzed man’s life and released him from it.
And he does the same for us. Because sin holds you captive, damages relationships, and separates you from God. But the forgiveness through Jesus Christ heals your spiritual brokenness and sets you free.
When Jesus healed a paralyzed man some people still rejected him
You’d think in such a dramatic, miraculous healing that everyone present would believe in Jesus and follow him. But no. There are always people who reject Jesus, despite the evidence. And in this story, ironically, it was the religious leaders.
But people also reject Jesus today. Why? Maybe because you…
- Think following Jesus involves too many rules
- Want control
- Have a lifestyle you won’t give up
Of course there are many other reasons too. Because to follow Jesus you must…
- Recognize you’re spiritually broken
- Make a decision based on faith
- Commit your life to following Jesus
What the paralyzed man did was simple. He approached Jesus in an act of faith. The same is true for us today although it’s not a popular or easy life. But one with purpose, meaning, and spiritual freedom. Oh yeah. And the promise of a really cool life following this one.
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.
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